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adminPublic Relations (PR) is a vital component of Search Engine Marketing (SEM). It helps build brand credibility and visibility, which are crucial for any successful SEM project. Through PR efforts, businesses can secure placements in high-authority publications, leading to increased online visibility and higher search engine rankings.
PR can also drive organic traffic to your website. When high-quality publications link to your site, it signals to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy. This, in turn, can boost your site’s SEO, making it easier for potential customers to find you online. We can create and publish these post to link to your site!
Enhancing credibility through PR
Credibility is key in the digital marketplace. PR helps establish and maintain a positive image for your brand, which is essential for gaining trust from both search engines and customers. By consistently appearing in reputable media outlets, your brand can position itself as a leader in its industry.
This credibility also translates into better search engine performance. Search engines favor sites that are frequently mentioned in reliable sources, as it indicates that the site is authoritative and relevant. Therefore, a strong PR strategy can significantly improve your SEM results.
Driving organic traffic with SEM project
One of the primary goals of SEM is to drive traffic to your website, and PR can play a crucial role in achieving this. By getting featured in well-known publications and blogs, you can attract a wider audience to your site. These backlinks not only bring in direct traffic but also enhance your site’s SEO.
When a reputable source links to your website, search engines view this as a vote of confidence. It suggests that your site offers valuable content, which can lead to higher search rankings and, consequently, more organic traffic. This synergy between PR and SEM is essential for a holistic marketing strategy. We do the keyword research always before any larger SEM project.
Building brand awareness
PR is instrumental in building brand awareness, an essential aspect of any SEM campaign. Through strategic PR efforts, you can introduce your brand to new audiences and reinforce your presence among existing ones. This increased awareness can lead to more searches for your brand, driving up your search engine visibility.
Moreover, brand mentions in reputable publications enhance your online presence. Even if these mentions do not include direct links, they still contribute to a stronger online reputation, making your brand more recognizable and trustworthy in the eyes of both consumers and search engines.
Integrating PR with SEO
Integrating PR with SEO strategies can amplify the effectiveness of your SEM campaigns. PR efforts that generate high-quality backlinks support your SEO goals by improving your site’s authority. This integration ensures that your PR activities contribute directly to better search engine performance.
For instance, when a PR campaign results in coverage by a high-authority site, it can lead to an increase in referral traffic and improved domain authority. These factors are crucial for SEO and, by extension, SEM, as they help your site rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Finland as a market
Finland is known for its thousands of lakes, sauna, high tech, and Angry Birds. However, there is much more to this Nordic country than meets the eye. Finland has rapidly transitioned from traditional industries to a modern high-tech service society. Despite this shift, the traditional paper and pulp, forestry, machinery, and metal industries continue to play a significant role in the economy.
Finland, an EU member since 1995, has redefined itself from a quiet agriculture and forestry-based economy to a trend setting global center for technology and design. The country is highly integrated into the global economy with international trade accounting for a third of its GDP. Finland’s commercial clout far exceeds its modest population of 5.6 million. According to the preliminary data from the ITA Country Report, in 2022, Finland’s GDP was $283 billion with nominal per capita GDP of $50,655. It is the only Nordic country that uses the Euro.
The European Union makes up almost 38,7 percent of Finland’s total trade. Finland’s largest trading partners (imports and exports of goods) in 2022 were Germany, Sweden, China, and the United States. Finland’s key export sectors are transportation, electronics, forestry, machinery, and chemicals. Trade policy is managed by the European Union, where trade dependent Finland has traditionally been an advocate for free trade policies.
Finland’s economy fell into a recession in 2023. The recovery is expected to be gradual and to be driven by recovering domestic and external demand. HICP inflation is projected to decline to 1.4% in 2024, and the announced VAT hike is set to push it close to 2% in 2025. The planned consolidation efforts are expected to bring the general government deficit to below 3% by 2025, with public debt slightly exceeding 82% of GDP.
| Indicators | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GDP growth (%, yoy) | -1.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 |
| Inflation (%, yoy) | 4.3 | 1.4 | 2.1 |
| Unemployment (%) | 7.2 | 7.4 | 7.2 |
| General government balance (% of GDP) | -2.7 | -3.4 | -2.8 |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 75.8 | 80.5 | 82.4 |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -1.4 | -1.6 | -0.8 |
The Finnish economy to emerge slowly from recession
In 2023, Finland’s real GDP contracted by 1%, as increases in prices and interest rates weighed on consumption and, particularly, on investment, amid weakening sentiment. Inventories also had a large negative contribution. The drop in investment was mainly driven by the construction sector, which has been affected for some time now by slowing housing demand and higher input costs. Government consumption supported domestic demand, given a significant rise in social and healthcare-related spending and wages. In addition, exports fell due to softening external demand. As imports dropped even more sharply, net exports made a positive contribution to growth.
With domestic and external demand set to recover gradually over the forecast horizon, real GDP growth is expected to be close to 0% in 2024 and to increase by 1.4% in 2025. Slightly improving consumer sentiment, wage growth exceeding inflation and cuts in labour taxation are set to strengthen purchasing power and support household spending in 2024. However, the new package of consolidation measures, consisting of tax increases and expenditure cuts, coming into force mainly in 2025, is expected to hold back a recovery in private consumption. Public consumption is forecast to slow down sharply in 2024 and contract in 2025. Investment and exports have been hampered by the temporary closure of ports and factories due to broad-based strikes earlier this year. Nonetheless, both are expected to slowly pick up on the back of easing financing conditions, better demand prospects for Finnish companies and an improving external environment.
Facts and values appeal to Finns
Finns appreciate facts. They are information seekers. If they can’t find enough info, they move on. This is why finding the right messages for the Finnish market is crucial. Finns are also used to companies using values in their marketing. Embrace it, but don’t fake it.
Finns prefer straightforward communication. They value transparency and honesty, and they are likely to respond positively to marketing that provides clear and comprehensive information. Companies that can offer detailed product descriptions, usage instructions, and clear benefits will likely succeed in the Finnish market.
Key Finnish media trends
Understanding Finnish media consumption is essential for effective marketing. Here are some key trends:
- 8 hours: The average time Finns spend on different media daily.
- 93%: Percentage of Finns who read newspapers weekly.
- 4.5 million: Number of Finns reached by radio every week.
- 42%: Proportion of media consumption spent on moving image content.
These statistics highlight the importance of traditional media and the growing significance of video content in Finland.
Evolving industries
The pulp and paper industry, for example, has faced a decline in sales in Europe. In response, companies are investing in more efficient production methods and diversifying into new business fields. Today, Finnish companies in this sector are developing biomaterials, advanced composites, bioenergy, biofuels, and even medicines derived from wood. Businesses offering materials, solutions, and services in these innovative fields can find ample opportunities in Finland.
As resources become scarcer and more expensive, the machinery and metal industries are focusing on more efficient material processing methods, better components, and cost-cutting strategies. Finnish companies excel in building ship and power plant engines, pulp and paper machines, ore and mineral handling equipment, elevators, cranes, and forestry and agriculture machinery.
Chemical industry
The Finnish chemical industry accounts for nearly 25% of total exports and employs approximately 35,000 people. This sector has experienced stable growth, with Finnish companies producing petroleum products, biofuels, pharmaceuticals, environmental chemicals, fertilizers, and plastic products.
Retail and imports
Due to its northern location, Finland’s retail sector relies heavily on imports for many goods. For instance, 25% of food and agricultural products are imported. There is a growing demand for organic products, which saw a 25% market growth in 2012, with expectations for over 10% growth in 2013. Other expanding market segments include functional and gourmet foods. The retail and food industries also present opportunities in material handling and logistics, given the long distances between Finnish cities.
Economic stability
Finland boasts a stable economy with high living standards. As a Nordic welfare state, its residents have strong purchasing power and a preference for high-quality goods. Finnish companies typically seek long-term partnerships but are open to new ideas and collaborators. Finland’s reliance on export and import makes its citizens proficient in international trade and English.
Future opportunities
Looking ahead, Finland faces the challenge of an aging population, which will increase demand for healthcare products and services. ICT technologies will continue to expand into various fields. Significant investments are being made in renewable energy production, energy efficiency, bioenergy, and biofuels as Finland aims to enhance its energy self-sufficiency. Consequently, Finland offers numerous opportunities for foreign companies.
