Search Engine Marketing : More than just SEO
August 4, 2008
I have too many people who come to me just for SEO.
There are so many other Search Engine Marketing things to be done. Search Engine Marketing, I mean TRUE Search Engine Marketing means attracting traffic and more specifically, customers from ALL OVER THE WEB. It involves MANY marketing channels that use search engines and other internet venues.
How do you know when you Search Engine Marketing job is done? (hint: it never truly is)…here’s how:
First: When you have dominant search engine positioning across the major terms that accumulate traffic for your site on Google.
Second: When you have spread that search engine dominance across other major search engines such as Yahoo and MSN.
Third: When you have reached some semblance of dominance of the long tail keywords for your site.
Fourth: When you have dominated the Pay Per Click business associated with your site for all of the same terms (both major and long tail terms) associated with your site.
Fifth: When you have partnered or acquired the leads from as many of the others that compete against you on the top 10 as possible. (Often times the cost to acquire these leads is higher than doing the original SEO, but it creates diversity and insulates you from a drop in rankings.) Think of this as growing by acquisition.
Now it is time to broaden from Search Engine Marketing to Online Marketing in general.
Six: When you have researched ALL of the other places online where people go to buy your product and have created ways to capture as much of those leads as possible. Examples of this are Facebook advertising, advertising on competing media websites such as newspaper sites, radio station sites, where appropriate, and on any other site where there would be relevant traffic that is COST EFFECTIVE.
Dominating all cost effective options (marketing channels) either by presence, placement, purchase or partnership is the only way to say that you are a TRULY dominant online marketing force for your niche.
Thoughts?
Excellent points. A lot of persons can get tunnel vision and so focused on a singular objective, that they miss out on the other avenues that can be utilized to drive business their way.
Very good article Eric. There are so many angles to consider when looking at capturing web traffic and leads. For a while I was getting a fairly good amount of people contacting me from by blog posts, but never could convert any of those contact from that source. I guess you have to consider the quality of the contacts as well.
Just felt compelled to come out of my shell and say “Well done”. Another fine post. This one’s getting bookmarked.
You’re right on the mark. There is a significant distinction between SEO and SEM. I think it’s very important to have a clear strategy and clear goals for a well-ranked Search Engine Optimized site. Far too many people just gun for that 1st position but don’t know what to do with it when they are there.
- Glen
I think most people are unaware of the distinctions betwwen seo and sem - I agree a systems approach covering multiple avenues is the way to go. An intelligent post… many thanks
When anyone searches for your key terms they should find YOU no matter where they look which includes ALL the search engines as well as other portals. Great points!
As you said the work is never complete
Great article. It is very important to make sure people can find you everywhere, not just in one specific area.
“Cost effective” is the keyword the in relation to SEO/SEM dominance. There are so many useless dollars spent on the web. Eric, Don’t you love customers that are pumping in tens of thousands into print, radio, newspapers and other media and the internet budget is almost nil? It’s too easy. Such a great ROI internet marketingwise.
Ryan-
Yep. Smart online marketing can generate great ROI. (And in the end, that is what it’s all about.
My pet peeves are two things:
1) Companies that don’t put the time and money into QUALITY online makreting.
2) SEO / SEM companies / web designers that market their services as “the silver bullet” that will make everything better. It is hard work. It takes consistent effort over time to do it right.
Best;
Eric
I’ll agree with you on that Eric. Internet Marketing is hard work. I tell people, it’s no different than any other job that you have to bust ass on. It’s just a different type of job.
In regards to comment #2…”the silver bullet”. That’s my favorite beer, so in honor of you I’m going to market my services as powered by “3plains AKA The Silver Bullet”. Ok, maybe not.
Ryan