Think Like a Journalist When Adding Key Search Words to Your Blogs, Dorothy Thompson: Guest Post 8.12.09

Aug 122009

Let’s say I’m the editor of a weekly supermarket tabloid that focuses on celebrities. I’m writing an article on a certain celebrity couple’s relationship that’s been all over the news lately and I need quotes from a relationship expert.

And…I’m on a deadline. The few relationship experts I have in my rolodex are either out of town, won’t answer their phone or are tired of being harassed by weekly supermarket tabloid editors.

Whatever the reason, I’m sweating, hyperventilating and don’t have a moment to spare. Then, a light bulb goes off. This isn’t old journalism, I scream! Get with the times!

I know which search words I want to use and I fly over to Google and put them in. “Relationship expert” seems to be the operative phrase here and I frantically type it in their search box. As I’m busy, I stop at the first 3 pages of search and jot down what names I find (btw, the average Internet user finds what they are looking for in the first three pages of search).

And…I send out emails.

Less than 24 hours later, a “relationship expert” responds to my email. She is more than happy to give me a quote and I give her a call. Bingo bango, I have her quote and I send them off to the presses just in the nick of time.

A week later, the tabloid is sitting proudly on grocery store and bookstore shelves and I thank God for the wonderful powers of the Internet.

I can personally relate to this story because I am the relationship expert that the editor of OK! Magazine phoned whose quote appeared in the October 12, 2006 edition of one of the most popular tabloids on the supermarket shelves.

As an author who was learning how to promote her books online, I knew the powers of adding key search words to my press releases and blog posts, or anything else that was posted online. I knew I had to focus on the set of key search words that people (in this case a very important editor) would be using to find me.

And this is what I do for my clients at Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Before you even think about promoting online, you must come up with a set of key search words that will bring people to your website or blog where they can find out more about you and your book. Your name out there isn’t enough. Your book’s title out there isn’t enough. Whether you write about relationships or historical fiction or poetry or the latest antics of your dog, if you want notoriety, if you want your star to shine, you must add to your online exposure by incorporating those key search words so that not only will your readers find you, but those hungry editors and journalists who write for big time newspapers and magazines, will too. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get that email or phone call that will have you thanking God for the wonderful powers of the Internet just like I did.

Do you incorporate key search words in your blog posts? Have you ever been contacted by an editor because they found you online? We’d love to hear from you! Please leave your comments below so that others will learn by your experiences. Thank you and we’ll see you next month!

Dorothy Thompson is CEO/Founder of Pump Up Your Book Promotion with eight years experience in online marketing. What began as an experiment after self-publishing her promotional e-book A Complete Guide to Promoting & Selling Your Self-Published eBook and 101 Internet Radio Shows to Promote Your Books turned into her thriving new career as an online book marketer. She is also the author of the children’s book, No More Gooseberry Pie, the relationship anthology, Romancing the Soul, and the pararanormal comedy novel, The Search for the Million $$$ Ghost which is under the consideration of a playwright in New York. Dorothy has written hundreds of online marketing articles and has been quoted in the celebrity tabloid, OK! She has also appeared on dozens of radio shows including Lifetime Radio, Single Talk, and Achieve Radiowith Fran Silverman. Dorothy runs several blogs including her marketing blog, Book Marketing Buzz, The Writer’s Lifeand Beyond the Books which are syndicated into USA Today, Chicago Times, Washington Post and other national magazines. Dorothy resides on the beautiful island of Chincoteague, Virginia. Her offline interests include traveling, biking and sitting at the end of her dock and watching the sun go down.

Connect with Dorothy…
You can email her here.
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Twitter: www.twitter.com/pumpupyourbook

http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com Dorothy

Thank you for hosting me today, Farrah!
http://www.weteachwebmarketing.com Phyllis Zimbler Miller

Dorothy –

The information in this post is so very important — keywords should be used in posts and especially in post titles.

And if you want to develop a consistent brand, it’s a good idea to have consistent keywords in as many of your posts as you legitimately can.

FYI — The keywords I try to use the most are Internet marketing and book marketing.

Phyllis Zimbler Miller
http://www.WeTeachWebMarketing.com
.-= Phyllis Zimbler Miller´s last blog ..Phyllis Zimbler Miller Is Interviewed on Bookpleasures.com =-.
http://authorslatino.com/wordpress Jo Ann

Thanks Dorothy for your excellent advice. Nice knowing that I am getting the real low down from the lady that has done it all and knows the best way to get things done on the Internet! And you are certainly that lady.
Thank you
Jo Ann Hernandez
BronzeWord Latino Authors
http://authorslatino.com/wordpress
.-= Jo Ann´s last blog ..MissAttitude Reading in Color =-.
http://www.marketmynovel.com Angela Wilson

I can say as a former journalist and active blogger, the Internet is an amazing resource for new contacts. If you don’t have the right keywords, people will NOT find you – and that means you lose out on some free publicity.

Your keywords really play a role in branding. Here is what I mean: Say you are a nonfiction author who is an expert in car repair. Instead of using your name to promote yourself, instead use CAR REPAIR EXPERT. People are more likely to find you that way – especially those who have never heard your name. I know the show CAR TALK, but couldn’t for the life of me tell you the names of the hosts.

Thanks for a terrific post, Dorothy!
.-= Angela Wilson´s last blog ..Create Terrific Copy That Keeps Readers Coming Back =-.
http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com Dorothy

Like minds think alike, Angela!
http://theluxurywatchstore.biz/bertolucci/womens-fascino-diamond-stainless-steel/ Bertolucci

I can say as a former journalist and active blogger, the Internet is an amazing resource for new contacts. If you don't have the right keywords, people will NOT find you – and that means you lose out on some free publicity.

Your keywords really play a role in branding. Here is what I mean: Say you are a nonfiction author who is an expert in car repair. Instead of using your name to promote yourself, instead use CAR REPAIR EXPERT. People are more likely to find you that way – especially those who have never heard your name. I know the show CAR TALK, but couldn't for the life of me tell you the names of the hosts.

Thanks for a terrific post, Dorothy!
.-= Angela Wilson´s last blog ..<a href="http://marketmynovel.com/2009/08/create-terrific-copy-that-keeps-readers-coming-back.html" rel="nofollow">Create Terrific Copy That Keeps Readers Coming Back</a> =-.; I can say as a former journalist and active blogger, the Internet is an amazing resource for new contacts. If you don't have the right keywords, people will NOT find you – and that means you lose out on some free publicity.

Your keywords really play a role in branding. Here is what I mean: Say you are a nonfiction author who is an expert in car repair. Instead of using your name to promote yourself, instead use CAR REPAIR EXPERT. People are more likely to find you that way – especially those who have never heard your name. I know the show CAR TALK, but couldn't for the life of me tell you the names of the hosts.

Thanks for a terrific post, Dorothy!
.-= Angela Wilson´s last blog ..<a href="http://marketmynovel.com/2009/08/create-terrific-copy-that-keeps-readers-coming-back.html" rel="nofollow">Create Terrific Copy That Keeps Readers Coming Back</a> =-.;;