| Long before the days of researching phrases with the | | | | now available on video. On the same page, I would talk |
| helpful online resources of today, the art of keyword | | | | about the film. I would write about my remembrances |
| phrase selection was often left just to guesswork. | | | | of seeing it for the very first time. As strange as the |
| However, guesswork by today's highly competitive | | | | film is, it makes quite a statement about the how so |
| standards is just not good enough. So how is it | | | | called "normal looking" people can be very cruel. |
| possible to select a powerful traffic-pulling phrase in | | | | You could talk about the film, review it. Talk about how |
| this fashion without researching it in real time? Better | | | | it made you feel. Really try to relate to the audience. In |
| yet, is it possible to choose such a phrase and get | | | | creating the content, you would write for voice, just like |
| positioned before it becomes popular? | | | | you were talking to an old friend. At the same time, |
| Well of course it requires some research, but in a | | | | offer some trivia or anecdotes about how the film |
| slightly different way. Every single day, we have a | | | | was made. I would prepare the page and get it ranked |
| world of information that happens all around us. With all | | | | firstly for the phrase "Johnny Eck" and perhaps |
| of the focus on the Internet these days, we need to | | | | secondly around the name of the old film. |
| also consider giving our attention to other medias as | | | | The Traffic Payoff: |
| well. We have television programs, we have the news | | | | Usually when a new "big name" movie is released, |
| and the radio which all bring us current and upcoming | | | | there is always a tremendous flurry of activity on the |
| events. With the news itself, there are often many | | | | Internet by movie goers who enjoy looking up |
| ideas that can help the SEO to really think and plan | | | | information about it. When they start searching for info |
| ahead for some truly unique optimization strategies. I | | | | on the new film and your pages come up in the top |
| am talking about the potential of developing part of | | | | ten, they'll also be reminded about the old film and quite |
| your client strategy around an upcoming newsworthy | | | | possibly want to purchase it. In this type of promotion, |
| event. Of course it needs to be relevant and useful to | | | | don't take the page down after the movie comes out |
| the target audience. It also needs to genuinely "relate". | | | | because you may get double waves of heavy traffic. |
| If at first, it does not sound that exciting, let's think | | | | Actually, if you're lucky the whole routine is going to |
| about it and give you an example. | | | | happen all over again when it's released on video |
| Here is a simple example. | | | | usually six to eight months later. Might there be a third |
| If I were promoting a video store online right now, one | | | | wave when it finally makes it to DVD? |
| of the things that I might be doing would, would be to | | | | Fine Tune Your Thinking: |
| optimize a page for the single search phrase "Johnny | | | | Think along these lines, now ask yourself if there may |
| Eck." Perhaps an information or a tribute page would | | | | be value to optimizing a page around other big events |
| work. | | | | that are definitely scheduled to happen. The use of a |
| But wait....Who was Johnny Eck, you ask? | | | | new movie release is only one idea, amongst hundreds |
| A way back in 1932, there was a movie by Todd | | | | of others. If you practice thinking this way, you can |
| Browning called "Freaks" starring a man named | | | | develop strategies for retail, professional clients or |
| Johnny Eck. The film "Freaks" was about the | | | | even business-to-business Web sites. Newsworthy |
| fictionalized lives of physically and mentally challenged | | | | events happen all the time. |
| people who, in them days, were exploited in what | | | | - Do you think "the Olympics" might benefit a sporting |
| were commonly called "freak shows". Johnny Eck just | | | | goods store which offers an overview of the various |
| so happen to be born into this world without the lower | | | | participants. |
| half of his body and was just one of the "main actors" | | | | - Do you think that a scheduled tour of a famous rock |
| exploited in this rather unusual film which marked the | | | | group might influence traffic to a music site offering a |
| end of Todd Browning's career as a Director. | | | | contest for free tickets? |
| Although you may have never heard of Johnny Eck, in | | | | - How might that upcoming children's film influence |
| over 60 years you can count on the fact that | | | | traffic to a toy store? |
| everyone will soon know who he is. The film "Freaks" | | | | These are only a few quick examples but learn to |
| (1932) already has a tremendous cult film following | | | | think laterally about news events. Take full advantage |
| around the world. | | | | of the media in its entirety to bring maximum benefit to |
| So why optimize a page for a film which is over 70 | | | | your clients. It's just a matter of paying close attention |
| years old? | | | | to those big scheduled events and creatively |
| What many people may not be aware of, is that a | | | | examining how these might benefit a your strategy. |
| brand new movie based on the lives of Johnny | | | | In the scenario I explained above, it would be ideal for |
| Eckhardt is currently being produced. The new movie | | | | a video store who is selling old classic films to (if they |
| has a big budget, good script, and you can be certain | | | | have any films available starring Johnny Eck) to take |
| that many, many people are going to plan to see this | | | | advantage of the public interest that might be |
| film on it's release. There's no way to predict for | | | | generated by a new movie. |
| certain, but it'll probably be quite a blockbuster. | | | | By the time the film is released, (assuming it is created |
| Simple Strategy: Optimize well and relate to the | | | | at all) I expect there will be a flurry of interest about |
| audience | | | | this actor's life and any old films he may have |
| As part of the strategy, you could prepare this | | | | appeared in. |
| optimized page offering to sell the old movie, which is | | | | |