Content tips for filmmakers using SEO, Keywords and Google

 

 

 

SEO, Keywords and Google:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a technique used to improve the visibility of a website or web page. The best visibility is first page ranking on search engines such as Google. When users type in Keywords in to Google’s search box, out of the hundreds of thousands, even millions of links on the web, your site should come up first if the proper SEO has been put into place. SEO is not instant but sees results over time.

For instant, if I wanted to know about 2011 film festivals in Los Angeles I would enter the following in Google’s Search box:

film festival, los angeles 2011

What Google comes up with is hundreds of URLs for 2011 film festivals in Los Angeles. Those with the biggest online presence are at the top. How do they get there?

Techniques:

• Use Keywords always and often on social networks, blogs, press releases and on the website. These include the name of your brand or event and what’s on offer. For example, Los Angeles Film Festival 2011is pretty self explanitory but used often in content gets it picked up in search engines. Define SEO even more and savvy social media experts can get your brand or event to top Google listings with just the keywords, Film Festival. But SEO takes time; it takes months so you need to be patient with your SEO guy.

Tips for online content SEO:

• Encourage links to your content from Influencers, i.e. sponsors, bloggers.
• Post often to blogs and social networks. Search engines like fresh content.
• Social Bookmarking – post all URLs (links) to sites such as Digg and Stumblupon where users can view your links.

 

Ginger Liu is the Founder (2008) of Ginger Media & Entertainment: Digital Media Marketing & Strategy/PR, Content Producer & Founder of GLIU Photography: Fine Art. Documentary.

Social Media Marketing/PR Content & Design Consultant to clients across the globe.

Film Publicist – IMDB

Entertainment journalist and travel author.

Ginger Liu is a Film Reporter for the Examiner and was a Film Reviewer for IndieWire’s The Playlist and Film & TV Columnist and Reviewer for Regent Media’s Gay Wired.

Social Media Strategy: Bookmarking By Ginger Liu

Social Media Strategy – Bookmarking:

Sometimes called Social Bookmarking, this is a method for users to store, organize, manage and search Bookmarked URLs. Bookmarking sites are usually public and links you’ve posted with metadata to include keywords for ease of searches, have the potential to be clicked through and/or read by hundreds or thousands of users. Bookmarking sites contain either a broad subject matter or a specific subject that has a loyal following. Broad subject sites tend to follow the subject structure of an online magazine, e.g. Entertainment, Art, Politics or Lifestyle. Specific sites are by subject, i.e. Technical, and are subdivided into smaller subjects within the Technical framework.

Mashable lists over 50 bookmarking sites but I’ve listed some of the most popular:

Digg

Stumblupon

Reddit

Delicious

Tweetmeme

Mixx

Fark

Slashdot

Friendfeed

Newsvine

Etc…

Sign up with as many Bookmarking sites as you can, find friends and followers and start bookmarking.

Ginger Liu is the Managing Director of Ginger Media & Entertainment: Digital Media & Strategy/PR & Founder of GLIU Photography: Fine Art. Documentary.

She is a Social Media Marketing/PR Consultant to clients across the globe.

Ginger Liu is a Film Reporter for the Examiner and was a Film Reviewer for IndieWire’s The Playlist and Film & TV Columnist and Reviewer for Regent Media’s Gay Wired.

Bobby Field at The Cat Club

Musician, actor, and producer, Bobby Field headlined The Cat Club on Saturday night to showcase his “Songs from The Bridge” CD release party of his self-penned soundtrack of the upcoming feature, The Bridge, and was joined by an eclectic mix of musician friends. 

Field played MC throughout the night and was surrounded by musician and non-musician friends; his gratitude and love for the crowd so apparent on his face with his eyes positively sparkling at each introduction. Australian actress and singer songwriter, Bonnie Piesse, opened the night with a powerful and emotional set that mesmerized the crowd. Front man, Eric Garcia of Miami indie-blues band, Juke, whooped it up with frenetic harp playing and songs of love, loss, and redemption. Next up was The Bridge EP record producer, Nicholas Flynt, with his band The Muts. Hollywood’s own rock professionals performed acoustic with three guitars and sounds of effortless melodies on songs like, “Holly Would.” The charismatic Flynt reminded us, between flawless guitar songs, that The Muts are the “Most Unlikely To Succeed.” Although it was obvious that Australian singer songwriter, Natalie Maphis was new to the stage, her lack of confidence was instantly obliterated by a razor sharp sense of humor and a power house voice that could quite possibly by heard as far away as her own country. Maphis’s piano song for her husband was breathtaking, confident, and assured. She is undoubtedly an artist to watch in 2009.

But the night belonged to Bobby Field. He opened his set with the haunting theme from The Bridge, and was joined on stage by Piesse, who co-wrote the song. It’s a beautiful melody that pours all of Field’s heart and soul into the performance. For the remainder of the set, Field was joined on stage by Garcia, Maphis, and San Diego rock and blues band, Superunloader. The band rounded off the night with songs exposing front man Jimmy Lewis’s flawless voice and some of the best guitar playing around.

     

Pictures by the Author Ginger Liu

TV/TV Punk Pop Sound

Formed in a small East Village apartment in 2006, TV/TV have taken a short time to achieve success with their itinerary of solid punk-pop songs, such as, “Get It … Get It” and “Let it Go.” Their EP, “Something to get Excited About” has caused a buzz in the entertainment industry that has already showcased TV/TV’s music on MTV’s The Hills, E! Channel’s Living Lohan, The Real World, and Sci Fi’s Flash Gordon. Their success is testament to their catchy shout-along lyrics and having-fun vibe. They draw musical inspiration from an eclectic mix of rock pop and punk fair; bands such as The Hives, The Beachboys, The Prodigy, The Beatles, Radiohead and Green Day. TV/TV are musicians who take their influences from a wide mix of music genres and turn it around into something of their own, and that always impresses me. It tells me that these guys are the real deal and are serious about their careers.

TV/TV are still on tour and looking for the ultimate prize of a record deal. I spoke to the band before their LA gig at The Knitting Factory. TV/TV are: Josh Ocean (singer and guitars), Eric (guitars), Mr. Francois (bass), and Camillie Oliver (drums).

I asked Josh Ocean, TV/TV’s charismatic front man, if he was surprised by TV/TV’s success.

Ocean: We have a solid appreciation of pop music and I think that is telling in our success so far. The Rolling Stones make solid pop rock songs and that’s how we see ourselves making music.

GL: Where did you get the name, TV/TV?

Ocean: We took our name from a San Francisco-based, 1970’s pioneering video collective that endorsed rebellion from mainstream film.

GL: Describe your music?

Ocean: Our music is cheeky and fun. We have a big pop sound with a lot of angst and a lot of attitude.

GL: What angst? What are you angry about?

Mr. F: Girls. Yeah, it’s usually girls, our frustration with girls.

GL: Which bands did you listen to in your teens and have influenced you in your music?

Eric: Steely Dan, The Beach Boys, Mariah Carey, and The Beatles

Mr. F: The Prodigy, Queen, and Radiohead

CO: A lot of Jazz, Green Day, N Sync

Ocean: The Killers, Metallica, and The Hives. We listened to a lot of California punk bands such as, Face to Face and Third Eye Blind.

GL: Tell me about your backgrounds?

CO: My parents are jazz musicians and I’ve been playing music since I was 3 years old. I also went to music school. I spent a few years in LA, in the music scene here.

Eric: I have a showbiz mom whose appeared on Broadway and I sang in the choir and still do.

Mr. F: I spent my early years in Poland and I hope the band will play there one day.

GL: What differences do you see between the LA and NYC music scene?

CO: When a band does well in LA, the industry jumps on the bandwagon and copies it to make money.

Ocean: LA is so spread out that it’s hard to build a scene that musicians can feed off. NYC has some incredible and talented musicians. All this music is within an eight-mile radius. It’s an incredible vibe.

GL: You’ve been touring a lot, which cities have responded well to your music?

TV/TV: Austin, Texas; Anaheim; Chicago; San Antonio.

CO: When we played in NYC, it was incredible.

GL: What does each of you bring in to the mix?

Ocean: Everyone produces the music. I bring my lyrics, my ideas, to Eric and then the rest of the band. Together we make it a TV/TV song.

GL: What’s been the hardest for you as musicians and touring?

Ocean: We’ve met so many amazing people on the way and we’ve traveled to places we’ve never been to before. We do it because we love it and we are still having fun.

GL: What’s been your favorite moment on tour so far?

CO: The New York Show. It was sold out.

Ocean: Going to places we’ve never been to before, like Wisconsin.

GL: What is your favorite song to play live?

TV/TV: “Let it Go.”

GL: Which song sums up your music?

TV/TV: “Get it, get it.”

GL: What will your fans expect at your show tonight?

Ocean: We will play our hearts out.

Mr. F: A record contract. That would be nice.

GL: When you’re not playing music, what else makes you tick?

Ocean: Surfing, going to museums, and visiting new cities.

Eric: I’m a gear head. I make things and fix things, like guitars.

CO: I’m always playing music.

Mr. F: Shopping and hanging out. Since we’ve been on tour we haven’t had time to do anything else but play and rehearse music.

GL: Where have you eaten out in LA?

TV/TV:  In and Out Burger; Kitchen 24; Snack Dragon.

GL: Where do you buy your clothes?

TV/TV: Diesel; Burberry; Urban Outfitters; Cliché.

GL: What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

TV/TV: None of us can cook. Our mom’s are cooking for us.

GL: I’m not going to ask you whom you voted for but do you think 2009 will see many changes with a new president?

Ocean: Well, we’re from New York so you can probably guess whom we voted for.  We are all excited about it. America came together for change. It wasn’t a 50/50 thing, everyone went out to vote for change.

GL: What are your plans for 2009?

TV/TV: New songs and a WARP tour. There’s also a video coming out. We’d love to play in London. London’s music scene is similar to New York. Mr. Francois would love to play in Poland.

www.myspace.com/tvtv

Words & Pictures: Ginger Liu