PR 20/20 Blog

A New Chapter Emerges from a Change in Perspective

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Dec 23, 2011 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Business, Marketing Agency
“The marketing-services industry is at a turning point where an agency must choose whether to, as Paul states, “disrupt or be disrupted.” So the question now is, which side will you choose?” — Brian Halligan, cofounder and CEO, HubSpot

Twelve months ago, I had a rather significant change in perspective. I decided that after years of being guarded about PR 20/20’s business model and processes, I was going to open up and share everything we had learned along the way.

There was certainly risk involved, but I had become convinced that it would help entrepreneurs build their agencies and futures, stimulate a more open and collaborative agency ecosystem, and accelerate the inevitable transformation of an industry.

The Marketing Agency Blueprint is Now Available

In April, I signed a deal with Wiley to publish The Marketing Agency Blueprint. After three months of writing, and five months of editing and waiting, it’s finally here.

The book was officially released this week, and is now available in hard cover and digital formats. It explores lessons learned building PR 20/20, draws on my own experiences working in a traditional marketing firm, and integrates knowledge and resources from industry leaders and business innovators.

The Marketing Agency Blueprint presents 10 rules for building tech-savvy, hybrid agencies that are more efficient, influential, and profitable than traditional firms.

It’s about what is possible, what marketing agencies have the potential to be.

Traditional firms, who are unable or unwilling to evolve, will fade, and a new category of disruptive hybrid agencies will rise. These emerging firms are tech savvy, offer integrated services, hire and retain versatile talent, and profit from diversified revenue streams.

They thrive on change, and continually apply shifts and advances in technology to strengthen their businesses, evolve their services and deliver greater value to clients.

Your Thoughts

If you have an opportunity to read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I also welcome you to join the Marketing Agency Insider community, which we’re building as the hub for a more open and collaborative agency ecosystem.

Related Links
- 10 Rules of Marketing Agency Transformation [On-Demand Book Launch Webinar with HubSpot]
- Why You Should Eliminate Billable Hours [On-Demand Webinar]
- The Marketing Agency Blueprint Nails It
- The Marketing Agency Blueprint Review by Brent Carnduff
- 5 Ways Hybrid Agencies Will Transform the Industry
- The Evolution of Marketing Agencies and Consultancies
- 7 Keys to Choosing an Effective Modern Marketing Agency
About the Author

Paul Roetzer (@PaulRoetzer) is founder and CEO of PR 20/20, and author of The Marketing Agency Blueprint.
How to Staff an Inbound Marketing Agency

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Aug 29, 2011 | 2 Comment(s) | Filed in: Business
I’m impressed on a daily basis with the caliber of talent my colleagues possess, and their commitment to the agency and each other. In addition, over the past two years, I've grown and learned so much professionally—just by being part of the PR 20/20 team.

Wondering how we created such a strong agency culture?

Last Thursday, PR 20/20 CEO Paul Roetzer (@paulroetzer) participated in a webinar for the HubSpot VAR network with Patrick Shea (@mpatrickshea) on how to staff an inbound marketing agency. In it, he offers personal experiences and insight into how he built our team.

Below are my notes from the session. Watch the full video below for additional questions and responses directly from Paul.

How Do You Determine When to Hire?

The trick in determining when to hire is being able to predict how much work will come in each month, and knowing where your capacity benchmarks are. For example, each consultant at PR 20/20 has a capacity of 120-140 client hours each month. From there, you can figure out if you are going to exceed capacity levels in the foreseeable future, and whether you need to hire.

Accurate forecasting requires predictable workflow. Over time, it becomes incredibly difficult to scale an agency on project work since you don’t have a recurring revenue stream. Campaign based work gives you a more stable flow of business, not only from a revenue standpoint, but also for forecasting purposes, both of which help with hiring decisions.

What’s Your Advice for Working with Contractors?

If you’re going to outsource services to contractors, the key is building a provider network of trusted partners that excel in areas your agency doesn’t have core competencies. For example, we work with partners for graphic and web design, and don’t support these areas in-house.

Look for financially stable organizations with similar processes and philosophies on business and customer service.

What are the Key Traits of Top Talent?

Inbound marketing requires hybrid professionals that can plan and execute integrated plans. These individuals are trained to deliver services across search, mobile, social, content, analytics, web, PR and email marketing. They provide complete solutions that used to require multiple agencies and consultants.

Specific traits desired include: passionate, analytical, strategic, intrinsically motivated and tech savvy. Regarding skills, writing is a top priority.

What’s the Division of Labor at PR 20/20 Look Like?

Consultants at PR 20/20 plan and activate entire campaigns, managing each piece along the way. These consultants typically run one to two accounts and support an additional one to two.

Client campaigns are staffed by a minimum of two people, including an account manager who acts as the main client contact and lead strategist, and support person to assist in production and tactical delivery. Depending on the campaign scope, the core account team may be larger.

Learn More…

Watch the complete video from HubSpot below for additional questions from attendees, and more tips and suggestions from Paul on staffing an inbound marketing agency.

Also, check out chapter three—Talent and Team—of Paul’s upcoming book, The Marketing Agency Blueprint, for more in-depth information on the above topics.

Tracy DiMarino is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
Death of the Traditional Marketing Agency: Proposed Session for SXSW Interactive 2012

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Aug 17, 2011 | 1 Comment(s) | Filed in: Marketing, Public Relations
The marketing agency ecosystem is rapidly evolving, as technology innovations are driving shifts in consumer behavior and agency business operations like never before.

Consumers are increasingly tuning out interruption-based marketing messages, and instead turning to social networks, search engines and mobile devices for information on products and services. In addition, new technologies are enabling agencies to improve operations and efficiency, better track results and provide more value to clients.

The result is that traditional marketing leaders will become irrelevant, and clients will increasingly seek tech-savvy, forward-thinking agencies to provide measurable and integrated services.

This is the focus of my upcoming book, The Marketing Agency Blueprint, and the topic I submitted for SXSW Interactive 2012. Both the book and presentation, Death of the Traditional Marketing Agency, aim to help marketing agency leaders evolve their services, mentality, processes and more to meet changing market demands.

But, I Need Your Help…

Thirty percent of SXSW’s decision-making process is based on community votes. Therefore, if you find the above topic interesting, your support can really make a difference.

Please vote and help spread the word by sharing my SXSW session with your friends, colleagues and social networks. Voting opened Monday, Aug. 15 and will continue until Friday, Sept. 2 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

Vote for and share your thoughts on the Death of the Traditional Marketing Agency.

Can’t attend SXSW Interactive 2011? Take the lessons from the session home with you by purchasing The Marketing Agency Blueprint. The book presents 10 rules for building hybrid agencies that will disrupt and transform the marketing services industry.

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm, and author of the upcoming book, The Marketing Agency Blueprint. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer.

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
An Idea, a Book and an Opportunity for Change

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Apr 18, 2011 | 9 Comment(s) | Filed in: Business, Marketing
Editor's Note: For more information on the book, see MarketingAgencyInsider.com.

This is the story behind my forthcoming book, The Marketing Agency Blueprint. A book made possible by the support and guidance of David Meerman Scott, the innovation and vision of my friends at HubSpot, a shared commitment with Shannon Vargo and Wiley, and my amazing team at PR 20/20.

A Broken Model

"There are times when all of us have to step outside of our comfort zone in order to advance an idea."

In February 2004, I came to a life-changing realization — the marketing agency model was broken, and had been for years. While I was only four years into my career at that time, a number of contributing factors had become obvious to me:
- Billable hours were inefficient at best. Professionals were more worried about meeting hour quotas than delivering the level of service and quality needed to produce measurable results for clients.
- There was little differentiation between firms, and a lack of innovation within the industry.
- Training and education were stagnant. Firms and universities were teaching the same systems, principles and services that had been applied for decades.
- Request For Proposals (RFPs) were a waste of time and energy, for both clients and agencies.
- Standard measurement systems (i.e. clips, impressions, reach, ad equivalency, PR value) were meaningless, with no real connection to bottom-line results.
The industry was ripe for disruption.

The Opportunity to Emerge: Marketing Agencies and Consultants

Fast forward to 2011, and many of the same challenges exist. Traditional firms — PR, advertising, SEO and web — are fighting to remain relevant by grasping for new services, such as social, mobile and content; rather than focusing on what really matters, including: pricing structure, technology, staffing, infrastructure, processes and purpose.

As a result, there are unparalleled opportunities for emerging agencies and consultants to transform, disrupt and thrive within the developing marketing services ecosystem.

The agencies and professionals with the will and vision to adapt and evolve will rise, while many traditional firms will become obsolete.

Accelerating Change: The Marketing Agency Blueprint

I have spent more than five years building a new agency model at PR 20/20 because I passionately believe there is a better way.

We have worked closely with tech companies such as HubSpot to develop more results-driven services and more efficient processes, drawn on the teachings of industry luminaries such as David Meerman Scott and Matt Cutts, and been influenced by the business models of innovative organizations such as Apple, Google, Salesforce, HubSpot and 37Signals.

We are far from perfect, and we certainly don't have all the answers, but I think it's time that we share what we have learned in order to accelerate change.

On April 14, 2011, I signed a deal with Wiley to write The Marketing Agency Blueprint. The book, which is targeted for fall 2011 publishing, presents rules for building tech-savvy, hybrid agencies that are more efficient, influential and profitable than traditional firms. And, most importantly, capable of delivering greater results and value to clients.

The book will explore lessons learned from my own experiences, and integrate knowledge and resources from the leaders and innovators who are transforming the marketing services industry.

In addition, it will feature original research and data, case studies, a dedicated website, downloadable worksheets and software vendor comparison guides.

Leaving My Comfort Zone

The quote at the top comes from a blog post I wrote in October 2009 — "Does Inbound Marketing Really Work?" It was one of the first times I publicly shared intimate details about what we were building at PR 20/20. It also serves as a reminder to me that we have to take chances, and embrace the unknown, in order to influence change.

Writing a book is a daunting undertaking, and quite honestly, not something I had planned to do at this point in my career. Plus, giving other agencies the knowledge and tools to build stronger, more competitive businesses seems somewhat ludicrous on the surface.

But it's the right thing to do. I believe the book and supporting resources will help entrepreneurs build their agencies and futures, stimulate a more open and collaborative agency ecosystem, and contribute to the inevitable transformation of an industry.

One of my favorite quotes, which has come to encapsulate my philosophy in business and life, is from Tim O'Reilly — "Create more value than you capture."

That is exactly what I hope to accomplish with this book.

Stay Informed

Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks. If you are a marketing agency or consultant interested in the book, website and supporting resources, complete this brief contact form to receive regular email updates.

About the Author

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm, and author of the upcoming book, The Marketing Agency Blueprint. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer.

Connect with PR 20/20

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
Rise of the Inbound Marketing Agency

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Mar 9, 2011 | 2 Comment(s) | Filed in: Marketing
We are on the cusp of a truly transformational period in the marketing-services industry.

In September 2008, I published “Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency” on the PR 20/20 blog. The basic premise of the post was that the inbound marketing revolution, being driven by HubSpot, was going to spawn a more dynamic and innovative marketing-services ecosystem. Tech-savvy, hybrid agencies and professionals would come to disrupt the industry and shift the balance of power.

The successes of services such as crowdSPRING and the HubSpot Marketplace have proven demand for non-traditional solutions, and HubSpot’s historic $32 million Series D round of financing brought Google Ventures, Salesforce.com and Sequoia Capital together on an investment for the first time.

Meanwhile, HubSpot’s expansive VAR program lead database of agencies and consultants demonstrates a captive global audience of providers seeking opportunity and change.

In what Forrester Research has dubbed “The Great Race for Relevance,” traditional and emerging firms are battling for budgets and influence in search, mobile, social, content, analytics, web, public relations and email marketing.

As a result, everything is changing: budget allocations, pricing and service models, communication channels, influencers, measurement methods, tools and platforms, higher education, industry accreditation, career paths and organization charts.

The agencies with the will and vision to adapt and evolve will rise, and emerge as the new leaders, while many traditional PR, advertising, SEO and web development agencies will become obsolete.

Profile of the Inbound Marketing Agency

Inbound marketing is powered by content. In order to grow smarter and faster than the competition (see "How to Build Your Inbound Marketing GamePlan"), organizations must continually publish great content online through blogs, podcasts, videos, optimized press releases, case studies, white papers, eBooks and by-lined articles.

Thus, the advent of the inbound marketing agency. Here’s a profile of what a typical inbound marketing agency will look like [Editor’s Note: These elements have been adapted from the original “Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency” post]:
- Staff: Expert copywriters who are trained in authentic on-page and off-page search engine optimization methodology, and function as Internet marketing consultants. All employees/consultants are heavily engaged in social media.
- Services: Content publishing, social media consulting, blogging, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, mobile marketing, website development, email marketing, lead nurturing and analytics, as well as evolved forms of public relations and brand marketing.
- Pricing: Value-based with wider appeal to the mass market of small businesses. The end to billable hours approaches.
- Results: Inbound marketing firms consistently produce more measurable outcomes, including: inbound links, website traffic, leads and sales.
- Leadership: Most likely founded/lead by Generation X or Generation Y.
- Technology: Extremely tech-savvy. There may even be a crossover into software research and development (either in-house or outsourced).
- Infrastructure: More agile and tolerant to risk than most traditional marketing service firms. Built to be highly scalable in terms of number of clients and employees, geographic markets, and revenue.
- Growth: Dramatically more aggressive growth models due to mass-market appeal. As a result, angel and venture funding of leading firms is a greater probability than with traditional agencies. A wave of mergers and acquisitions of complementary firms — PR, SEO, web developers, email marketing, mobile marketing, etc. — also is probable.
- Market Focus: The industry leaders will have a mass-market focus, and international appeal (the Internet has no borders), but like any emerging industry, there will be plenty of room for smaller agencies to prosper by concentrating on niche market segments and/or services.
What’s Next?

PR 20/20 is working on a series of large-scale initiatives to support marketing service firms seeking to evolve, provide resources to organizations as they integrate inbound marketing strategies, and accelerate change in the industry.

This is an amazing time to be a marketer. As we concluded in the original “Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency” post:

“Welcome to the age of inbound marketing. The time is now to get started.”

Resources
- How to Build Your Inbound Marketing GamePlan
- 2011 State of Inbound Marketing Report
Related Blog Posts
About the Author

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer.

Connect with PR 20/20

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
Is Matt Cutts the Most Powerful Man in PR?

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Feb 28, 2011 | 2 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
Google is valued at $196 billion dollars. They control 65 percent of the U.S. search market, plan to hire more than 6,000 employees in 2011, and their tightly guarded algorithm determines the fate of millions of businesses online.

But Google has a complex and nagging problem — Web spam — which challenges the integrity of its search results, and is creating reputation concerns for a brand that once could do no wrong.

In the middle of the battle for search supremacy is a man who strikes fear into the hearts of black-hat SEO pros, Web spammers and content farmers around the globe — Matt Cutts.

While co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, along with outgoing CEO Eric Schmidt, remain the most recognizable (and most searched) Googlers to the general public, Cutts, who has long been known to the world of webmasters and online marketers, is emerging as a public-relations force.

He is leading the engineering charge to fix search-quality issues caused by Web spam. But, equally as important is his expanding role in elevating the public perception of Google and its search results through his powerful personal brand.

Note: The Google Trends snapshot above compares U.S. search frequency in the last 12 months for Cutts, Schmidt, Page and Brin.

Matt Cutts . . . The PR Pro?

According to his blog, Cutts joined Google in January 2000. He wrote the first version of SafeSearch, Google’s family filter, prior to assuming his current role of head of the Webspam team.

By all accounts, Cutts is a brilliant engineer, and one of the most respected minds in the search industry. But is it possible that his most valuable role at Google today is as a PR person?

Consider the following:
- Cutts has more than 95,000 Twitter Followers (@mattcutts), and is actively engaged with the community.
- He regularly appears at industry events on behalf of Google.
- His Gadgets, Google & SEO blog has an Alexa rank of 4,153.
- The Google Webmaster Help YouTube Channel, which features Cutts answering user questions, has 24,000+ subscribers and more than 2.3 million channel views.
- He is frequently featured in mainstream and online media channels. Run a Google News search for “Matt Cutts” and you will find hundreds of articles and blog posts quoting Matt on the issues most important to Google, such as competition, search quality, content farms and link spamming.
And recently, Cutts’ influence seems to be extending more into the mainstream with quotes in articles such as, “The Dirty Little Secrets of Search,” in which the NY Times uncovered an elaborate link-building scam by JCPenney.

What Can PR Pros Learn from Matt Cutts?

So while Cutts continues to battle the spammers by day, he is twilighting as the model for the new prototype PR person.

Here’s a snapshot of what makes Cutts so effective:
- Maintains a strong personal brand that aligns with the corporate brand and gives it an authentic human voice.
- Creates tremendous value online through multi-media content (i.e. blog posts, videos), and presents information with a high degree of transparency. This positions him as a thought leader and industry expert.
- Uses social media to reach, influence and engage with key audiences.
- Serves as a trusted resource to journalists and bloggers, and builds relationships with influentials online and offline.
Cutts may not fit the traditional definition of a PR pro, but I’d argue that he is one of the most effective and powerful I’ve seen.

Maybe it’s time we start considering that the profession has changed, and open our eyes to what can be learned from the new breed of social-media savvy publishers like Cutts.

Related Posts
- 10 Traits of an Emerging PR Pro
- 9 Content-Driven Link Building Tips (featuring Matt Cutts)
- The Business of Personal Branding
About the Author

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer.

Connect with PR 20/20

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
Social Media for Real Estate Pros: Time to Move

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Feb 24, 2011 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Social Media
According to the National Association of REALTORS 2010 Technology Survey Report, more than 90 percent of agents and brokers are active in social media, with Facebook (avg. 84 percent) and LinkedIn (avg. 61 percent) being the most popular for business use.

However, only 25 percent of agents are “extremely comfortable” using social media, and a small percentage feel they’re seeing an above average ROI.

The challenges and concerns for real estate professionals are the same as professionals in many industries:
- Unknown marketing tactics: Social media is new to many pros. They often don’t know where to start, or how to evolve from their traditional, more comfortable tactics. And they may fear they will do it wrong, so it’s easier to do nothing.
- Personal vs. professional use conflicts: For many, Facebook started as a way to keep up with family and friends, then business contacts and company Pages emerged. The balance between personal use, and the loss of privacy that comes with integrating business, can be a difficult adjustment.
- It takes time: “How many hours a day does it take?” “How long until I see an impact on my business/career?” These are common questions, and unfortunately, there are no standard answers other than, “It depends.” Doing social media right takes time and patience, and a willingness to evolve daily routines and communications style.
The Opportunity for First Movers: The Case of Newly Wed Wendy

Having conducted research, and presented multiple continuing education courses to real estate professionals, I’m convinced there are tremendous opportunities for agents and brokers who take the initiative to enhance their online presence, and engage with clients, prospects and peers.

The NAR Technology Report showed that the most important lead generators for real estate professionals are repeat business and referrals. What better way to stay top of mind, and informed on clients’ needs, then by being connected in social networks?

As a practical example, let’s consider the case of “Newly Wed Wendy” [fictitious buyer persona]. Wendy is a recently engaged 30-year-old attorney in Cleveland. She and her fiancé, “Young Pro Pete,” are both homeowners, and plan to sell their homes and move to a new community that fits their interests and needs.

Pete bought his home nine years ago, and hasn’t heard from his Realtor since, except for the annual refrigerator calendar magnet and the random direct mail piece.

Wendy, on the other hand, is friends with her Realtor (we’ll call her “Connected Connie”) on Facebook, and even subscribes to her Realtor’s blog that features community news and real estate trends, and spotlights local businesses and events.

When Wendy shared pictures of her engagement on Facebook, Connie immediately knew Wendy’s plans as a homeowner were about to change. Connie posted a congratulations message on Wendy’s Facebook Wall, and sent her a greeting card with a personal note and her business card.

Whom do you think has the better chance to be the listing agent for both homes, and the trusted resource to help Pete and Wendy find their dream home?

Why Does Social Media Matter?

Social media presents an opportunity for real estate pros to differentiate themselves and build strong personal brands that directly impact their success. Social media can be used to:
- Create connections and build stronger relationships.
- Stay on top of industry news and trends.
- Learn from peers.
- Nurture referral sources.
- Expand business development networks.
- Monitor and engage with industry influentials/thought leaders.
For real estate pros still watching from the sidelines, I say it’s time to get moving!

Getting Started

Check out the presentation below for seven steps to get started.

Social Media for Real Estate Agents (2011)
View more presentations from PR 20/20

Special thanks to First Federal of Lakewood [client] for sponsoring the “Social Media for Real Estate Agents” event.

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer.

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
Roetzer Teaches Real Estate Pros How to Get Started in Social Media

By Christina Capadona Schmitz | Posted Feb 24, 2011 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Media Room, Press Releases
CLEVELAND — Feb. 24, 2011 — PR 20/20 founder and president, Paul Roetzer, presented “Social Media for Real Estate Agents,” Feb. 23, in Rocky River, Ohio.

More than 55 real estate professionals were in attendance to learn how tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and blogs, can help them build and strengthen relationships, network with industry professionals, increase referrals and generate leads.

“Earning repeat business and gaining referrals remain the top priorities for real estate agents in growing and sustaining their businesses,” said Roetzer. “Social media, when used as a relationship-building tool, is the natural fit for accomplishing these goals.”

Roetzer added, “Social media also enables real estate professionals to differentiate themselves in the market, from sharing valuable content, to developing their online personal brands.”

The energized crowd was highly engaged throughout the presentation, asking questions, sharing experiences and offering unique industry perspectives.

The presentation was a Continuing Education course sponsored by First Federal of Lakewood and co-sponsored by First Federal Title.

To view the slideshow presentation, see Social Media for Real Estate Agents on SlideShare.

About PR 20/20

PR 20/20 is an inbound marketing agency and PR firm specializing in search marketing, social media, content marketing and public relations. Based in Cleveland, PR 20/20’s business model provides access to professional services and consultation, without the prohibitive hourly rates charged by traditional firms. For more information, visit http://www.PR2020.com.
Resist the Dark Side of SEO: A Cautionary Tale for Marketers

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Feb 13, 2011 | 4 Comment(s) | Filed in: Search Marketing
In an exceptional piece of modern-day investigative journalism by David Segal, the New York Times uncovered an elaborate JCPenney link-building scam, orchestrated by its former “black-hat” SEO firm.

Unbeknownst to JCPenney (allegedly), the firm built thousands of spammy paid links to JCPenney.com for key search terms such as “area rugs,” “dresses” and “furniture.”

The result was top rankings in Google for JCPenney products that most likely drove millions of organic site visits during the 2010 holiday season — a critical time for the retailer, which has seen sales sink to 2001 levels and is still reeling from the death of its catalog business. According to the Times, the No. 1 spot in Google for “dresses” alone could have generated as many as 3.8 million organic visits per month.

The Times had an SEO expert, Doug Pierce of Blue Fountain Media, analyze JCPenney’s remarkable organic performance. Pierce described the program, “As the most ambitious attempt to game Google’s search results that he has ever seen.”

The Times turned over its findings to Google, which took “strong corrective action,” according to Matt Cutts, head of Google’s webspam team. JCPenney has since seen significant drops in its organic rankings due to algorithmic and “manual” adjustments by Google.

Does Google Show Preference to Major Advertisers?

The article gets even more interesting when the Times points out that this was the fourth occurrence Google was aware of in which JCPenney.com violated its guidelines. The intriguing part is that, according to an Advertising Age report, JCPenney spent $2.46 million a month on paid Google search ads, making it one of Google’s largest advertising partners.

Google categorically denies there is preference given to advertisers, but apparently this is a topic that has caught the interest of the European Union in its investigations of potential antitrust abuses by Google.

Marketing Lessons

So what can marketers learn from the JCPenney?

1) #DontMessWithTheCutts

To quote my colleague Keith Moehring, “#DontMessWithTheCutts.” Matt Cutts and Google’s webspam team are on a mission to protect the quality of Google’s search results. They are smarter than your SEO firm, and far more powerful. So it’s best to play by the rules.

Like anything else in life and business, just because the other guys are getting away with it (for now), doesn’t mean it’s OK to “cheat” the system.

2) Don’t Be Desperate

Decisions driven by desperation can be very dangerous to your business’ long-term health. Don’t let slow sales, or short-term demand for website traffic and leads, force you to sacrifice your integrity and your business’ reputation.

3) There are No Shortcuts or Guarantees in Search

If you’re not sure what your SEO firm is doing to generate links and traffic, then ask. Pleading ignorance when Google catches you will get you nowhere, so make sure you understand their tactics and that their response passes the “icky” test (i.e. that feeling you get in business when something just doesn’t feel legit, and most likely isn’t).

Authentic search engine optimization requires time, and a combination of on-page optimization (i.e. page titles, URLs, page descriptions, alt text, headers, copy), link building from credible sources and content publishing on your domain (blogs, videos, case studies, press releases, photos, ebooks).

Commit to doing it right over time, and you will reap the rewards.

4) Focus on Content & The Long Tail

Content publishing is the most powerful strategy available to build inbound links, boost search engine rankings, drive website traffic and generate leads.

Concentrate your efforts on attracting organic traffic from long-tail keyword phrases. The long tail applies to the collective strength of lower search volume, longer keyword phrases in the demand curve tail, and their ability to out-produce a relatively small number of top traffic-driving keywords at the head of the curve (or header phrases).

Resource: 9 Content-Driven Link Building Tips

The Dirty Little Secrets of Search

I highly recommend you read the full New York Times piece: The Dirty Little Secrets of Search

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer.

Stay updated: Subscribe to the PR 20/20 blog, check us out on Facebook or follow the team on Twitter.
The Last Blog Post: 5 Lessons I'd Leave Behind

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Feb 8, 2011 | 6 Comment(s) | Filed in: Business
“If you had one last blog post to write, what would you say?”

Inspired by Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture,” Daniel Burstein of MECLABS Primary Research asked that very question to a group of marketing bloggers.

Daniel wondered what impact it would have if these bloggers came together to share their ideas, and simultaneously publish blog posts on Feb. 8, 2011 at 8 a.m. EST.

The Challenge

I thought it was a fascinating concept, and welcomed the opportunity to participate. But what would I say?
- What unique experiences and insights could I offer?
- What have I learned in my 32+ years that I could share?
- How have the last five-plus years as an entrepreneur changed my perspective on life? And how have my life experiences during that time changed my perspective on business?
- What thoughts and ideas would I leave behind?
The Inspiration

My personal experiences have had a direct and lasting impact on my goals for the agency, the people that I choose to surround myself with, and the decisions that I make every day on where to focus my time and energy.

While I've written a collection of blog posts on life lessons and business strategy for the PR 20/20 blog, I found my inspiration in something I once created to honor the memory of a friend:

“Some people measure greatness in dollars, influence or power. Their pursuit of happiness and satisfaction is eternal. Others live every day as a gift. They cherish the events, people, places and experiences that make life beautiful. They know that while we live life in days, weeks, months and years . . . we remember it in moments, and they seek to create, embrace and cherish them.”

This passage has come to define my beliefs and guide my actions, both in business and life, and served as the foundation for what I would say if this were “the last post” . . .

The Lessons I’d Leave Behind

1) Pursue purpose.

It’s not about the money, or at least it shouldn’t be. We all have basic financial needs that must be satisfied, but no amount of money, fame or power will bring happiness. In fact, my experiences have shown me that they often have the opposite affect. In order to find happiness, we must be a part of something greater than ourselves, something that we truly believe in.

The same holds true for businesses. While for-profit companies are in business to make money, the most important organizations, the ones that have the potential to change industries and our world, are often started because the founders believe they have a higher purpose.

They build what others aren’t willing or able to out of passion and an undying belief that they can create something of great and lasting significance.

True entrepreneurs will never be satisfied with riches. They have to affect change, and will risk everything to make their vision reality.

2) Success is a process, not a privilege.

No one owes you anything. Success, however you define it, requires persistence, perseverance and an uncommon drive to achieve remarkable things.

There are no shortcuts, and no guarantees. You have to be able to find satisfaction and motivation in incremental progress over days, weeks, months and years. And you have to be willing to outwork your peers and competitors, especially when no one is watching. It’s not about rewards or recognition; it’s about an internal burning desire to improve.

If you’re not putting in the time and energy to succeed, someone else will, and you have no right to complain when they take what was yours. It’s OK to be mediocre, but if that’s the path you choose, then alter your expectations about what life will give you in return.

Success isn’t easy, but things worth achieving never are.

3) Spend less time planning, more time doing.

If you want to be the best, don’t waste your time (and others') talking about it. No one cares about what you’re going to do, so just focus your energy on doing.

Plans have their place in business and life, but I’ve found they often serve as a convenient excuse to avoid action.

Life is too short to delay living. And business moves too fast to watch from the sidelines. Take chances. Make decisions. Be willing to admit your mistakes, learn from them and adapt as you go. See failure as an inevitable part of the process, and challenge yourself to embrace it.

4) Nothing great has ever been achieved without passion.

This was my mantra when I founded PR 20/20 is 2005. I had come to believe that the key to life was the desire to be great, and the only way to achieve greatness was to have a consuming passion/love for what you do.

Now “great” can mean different things to different people. Some may define it as success in business, while others may measure it by their contributions to their communities or impact as a mother/father/friend.

Whatever your definition, success and happiness will only come when you pursue your purpose with passion.

5) Everyone has a story.

Take the time to listen and understand before you judge. Everyone has a unique set of circumstances and experiences that make them who they are. Whether they are your co-workers, peers, competitors or casual acquaintances, give people a chance before you dismiss them.

At the same time, your energy is best invested in positive people whom you trust and respect, and who challenge you to be a better person and professional.

Negativity will destroy relationships and ruin the chemistry and culture within companies. Build your personal network and businesses around positive people.

Your Thoughts?

What would you share if you were to write your last post?

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Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer.

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