The Basics of Search Engine Marketing

When it comes to using the Web to develop new business, perhaps the most important methodology today is search engine optimization (SEO). Being at the top rank in organic searches, or guaranteeing a top position by paying for position, are now common parts of integrated marketing strategies.

Measuring success however doesn’t end with the click. Success begins based on what happens after the click. The value of the hit or the click is what you need to measure. SEO is a variation of the two-step marketing approach adapted to a new medium.

In 2007 nearly $11 million was spent in paid placement for search engines. 90.1% of that was from media firms, 7% was placed by the companies themselves, and 2.9% was placed by specialized SEM agencies. This is expected to double by 2010.

As a business using this medium, or planning to use it, here’s what you should know as you continue with your plans for 2009 and beyond.

As of August 2008 there were 11.8 billion U.S. searches made, of which 63% used Google and 19.6% used Yahoo. In June 2008 Google and Yahoo created a partnership for paid searches that would allow Google to place ads on Yahoo. This is still waiting for government approval.

SEO is a process. It needs constant attention and evaluation. You can’t do key word searches only once to come up with the best terms or phrases to incorporate into your site for maximum optimization and forget about it. Site content should be measured and evaluated to stay on top of changes, competitiveness, and trends.

The best strategy is a mix of paid and organic SEO. By having both you’ll increase your brand awareness. You’ll get results you can measure from both types of searches. Then you can measure the value of the click-through to see if paid results actually bring you a more serious inquiry. Recent statistics show that 70% of consumers click on organic search ads while only 30% click on paid search ads.

First page placement is optimal for getting click-throughs. With the right content, put in the right places on your site, you maximize your chances to get first page placement for searches that are specific to your business name or product with out paying for placement. If you want to bid, it may benefit you more to get 2nd or 3rd position on the first page instead of bidding for #1 placement. Usually the higher bid you would make for #1 placement is not necessary to still get great results.

Your Web content isn’t the only material you need to optimize. The content of your print material such as brochures and ads should include the same key words used in your Web copy because many times the trigger that drives someone to perform a search will come from a printed piece. Likewise, when you send press releases, be sure they include the key words you want people to use if they do a search as a result of your publicity. SEO should be a key part of all copy writing.

Be sure your content reflects the way customers think, not the way you think. Using trade or insider language will have a serious negative impact on whether customers can find you through searches. If your content is full of terms or language they don’t understand they will not find you through searches.

Know what your goals are and how they relate to the purpose of integrating your online campaign with other marketing. The most common online data you’ll want to measure is traffic volume to your site, click-through rates, conversion rates, cost-per-click, and cost-per-transaction. Offline items you will want to measure are the cost of generating the sale offline, return on your total expense, return on investment, and long-term value of Web generated business.

Use analytical tools that follow the entire process by tracking traffic patterns. Knowing how many people come to your site from searches is only the beginning. You also need to know what they do on your site. Where do they go? How long do they stay on your site? What percentages leave the site without making contact? For those that do make contact, how many convert to becoming a customer? This is the true value of your SEO marketing.

Offer many ways and opportunities for SEO generated visitors to get in contact with you from your site. Special offers, downloadable information, query forms, and interactive features let you create added value and keep visitors on your site. By making it easy for a contact, you’ll get better results. If you are an e-commerce site be sure to make shopping and navigation easy. If people need to set up accounts, limit the amount of information you require up front so the process is quick and simple, then capture the rest of the information you want at the transactional stage.

Target your bids by region or Zip code if you do business in a confined market area. For example, if you offer catering services within a specified area, you would buy “catering Lancaster, PA.” Searches made for specific geographic areas usually include the area name in the search. Buying the area gives you a better chance for top placement. Even if you don’t buy the term, include the geographic area as part of your content so you rank high in organic searches. When using geography be sure to include the state. Names of towns are duplicated in many states.

If you choose to bid for key words, use multiple variations of a term or phrase. For example, in addition to catering, you could get wedding catering, business catering, event catering, and so on. This greatly improves your performance. Know the perceived value of key words before you bid. Monitor key word performance frequently and look for what has the highest rank on your results page. Adjust your bids accordingly.

Be sure your site functions at peak efficiency for organic searches. This includes having key words as text in your HTML code, updating your site regularly with fresh content and keeping content-rich words prominent in your site. Always mention or display your Web domain name in other marketing venues to reinforce your online presence and drive traffic directly to your site or generate searches for your site.

Don’t ignore long-tail terms. These are less popular key words that might have low priority in writing Web copy. However, because there is less competition for low priority words you can get higher visibility. The key is to have a good balance in your content between key words and long-tail words.

Use all other media to also drive traffic to your site. SEO is not a stand-alone strategy. It is important that you are driving traffic to your Web site from all your other sources. The URL should be prominent on all marketing. If you use call to action, make the Web site the easiest interface for your customer.

Have your Web site “mystery shopped.” This is a usability test that will provide you with feedback on what to do to make your site easier to navigate, relate to what visitors want in Web site features, and deliver high site-visit satisfaction levels. By doing this two to four times each year you will reduce the risk of having your site become irrelevant. Your Web site is a major part of your brand image. It is just as much a “first impression” as signage, a storefront, or a corporate brochure. Be sure it reflects your brand accurately.

As you finalize your marketing plans for 2009 be sure you integrate Web marketing as a key part of your strategy. For many consumer demographic groups the Web is their #1 media. And the percentage for Web being the #1 media is growing in all demographic groups. Be sure you have everything in place for a 24/7 interactive marketplace.

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