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Your business is seeking leads and direct purchases hoping that there are buyers searching for products and services like yours. We have seen a lot of lines in the water attempting to gain attention in Google via organic search engine optimization (SEO) and via paid search engine marketing (SEM)—aka Pay-Per-Click or PPC.
How can you see the potential of what’s best for your company?
First start with keyword and competitive research to size things up. Look to understand not just what keywords competitors are ranking for (organic and paid) but also to see what platforms are driving the most traffic to their website(s).
Let’s get some realities on the table upfront…
- The water may not be warm to click on paid search ads in Google if you are not a recognized brand in your industry and buying circles. According to some statistics, over 90% of users skip search ads and head straight to organic results. You must work to establish brand recognition and trust in your market using paid search ads in Google and then, after testing the search terms, a strategic SEO push can be made for organic rankings.
- Paid search ads may not be silver bullets for some companies but can be good if approached the right way with the right expectations. A small pilot campaign can help determine the strength of your ads and offerings and inform broader marketing plans. Some companies set the goals of their search campaigns as awareness builders and competitive disrupters to gain attention vs. direct channels to drive traffic, leads, or purchases.
The consumer angles
If you are expecting more, then consider organic SEO, however this requires content, content, and more content. For some companies, organic SEO is often considered better than paid search ads, especially those selling business-to-business (B2B) or via distribution channels.
If you offer consumer products, be prepared to offer competitive costs, free shipping, compelling pictures, seasonal discounts, loyalty programs, and a simple and safe transaction process.
If you offer consumer services, leverage “Google My Business” to be listed for those who are looking for local contractors, florists, restaurants, personal finance, etc. Google My Business can also be leveraged for any businesses looking to inspire a high level of trust and rapport with their client through verified Google reviews.
The B2B approach
If you are a professional services firm or software provider selling B2B with longer sales cycles, consider using educational resources to engage your audience and establish recognition, such as trend reports and research, e-books, webinars, self-diagnostics, and such. These tools and reports can be designed as “artifacts”; something that the prospect will value to inform their strategies and current methods and keep your company or solution in mind when they are ready to dive deeper. Nurturing these prospects with more relevant content will keep your torch lit.
The happy moments of marketing start when knowing the path to choose. To learn more about your opportunities in Google and to help sort out your digital marketing strategies, let’s start a conversation.