Interview with Michael Umansky, Co-Founder, INK
“Content Performance Optimization,” what is it and why is it essential to the role of public relations?
MU: Optimization for web content does not mean we have to lose tone, voice, feel and branding. Because “too much” SEO can tend to feel robotic, we at INK knew a change was needed. We believed there had to be a symbiotic balance between writing for the web and writing with purpose. Content performance optimization is at the heart of that. Content must be found, engaged with and convert in order to achieve its purpose. This is true in the world of PR as well, where clients seek to maximize the value of your content.
Q2: How much SEO do public relations professionals really need in their tactical arsenal? Why?
MU: The convergence of digital PR implies a PR professional or strategist integrates some SEO best practices in their work. From SEO optimized press releases and owned content to considering key words of importance, it matters. PR, marketing and SEO can work hand in hand, especially when secured media opportunities are presented. Whether it’s writing a recap blog post about current media coverage secured or considering what shows up about a company when googled, perception, validation and credibility all play a role.PR professionals should understand what kind of content will drive engagement, shares and ultimately backlinks, while at the same time staying true to the brand’s voice.
Q3: Because INK is so robust, it may be easy for new users to assume they “get” what it is, but if you had to simplify it in 3-4 sentences, what is at the heart of INK?
MU: Have you ever driven without GPS in a time where you really needed it? That’s what writing for the web is like every time you don’t use content performance optimization. With INK users don’t necessarily need to get the complex backend, but just need to know it works and gets you where you need to be on time (or ahead of schedule) in the most convenient way. Just enter your keyword and start writing. INK makes everything else easy. INK researches your competition, discovers what your audience engages with, and helps you achieve the best performance potential for your online content.
Q4: Your promise of “write better, rank higher,” can seem like a tall order. How do you deliver on this and is there any “back end” user knowledge required or that goes hand in hand?
MU: This promise comes from stems from numerous internal case studies where we grew enterprise SEO clients’ sites and grew their traffic by as much as a million visitors per month, along with large data studies that resulted in a 40 percent increased chance of ranking in the first 10 search results in Google. INK is powered by a custom-built patented AI, that is the result of more than two years of research, coding, testing and releasing it into the wild. We made it our mission to be one of the easiest tools to use and our content creators always come first.
Q5: Where does INK fit in best for the PR industry? Is it part of the content management strategy? Should it be used for press releases? More?
MU: If you think the word content: press release, blog post, guest post, influencer copy, etc… then you should think INK. You have to write somewhere, why not do it in a place that will kick your talent up a notch (or 2 or 10)? Plus, INK is free and that’s a lot of value in a free desktop platform.
Q6: Do you have any successful case studies showcasing INK in action?
MU: Yes, we have been working with several Fortune 100 companies. Every single one of these clients have seen tremendous success using INK. We are building out several case studies right now and plan to release them along with some other fun news. As a preview, one major automotive company used INK on several comparison pages and grew their organic eyeballs by 250,000 users per month. Additionally, we have been using INK on a brand new blog, blog.inkforall.com, our SEO traffic tripled in one month after publishing content with INK. When you give Google what it wants, good site with relevant content, you will rank.
Q7: How does INK actually work? Why would someone in the PR industry use it?
MU: Google ranks sites based on how well they satisfy the user’s intent. That is true from what information you share perspective, but also how it’s shared. INK analyzes all your competing content and finds out what it has in common – in other words, we find the secret sauce hidden behind your competitor’s text, and make the insights available to you in real time, as you write.
Q8: What sets you apart from your competitors?
MU: It’s the only dedicated editor software that helps web content perform better. Unlike SEO tools, it’s easy for writers to use. Unlike other content optimization technology it’s free. And finally, our patented AI is simply the best tech on the market if you care about results.
