Key Issues

• We haven’t seen significant improvement in site traffic
• We’re in a competitive business; and high rankings are hard to obtain
• Unconvinced that high rankings on search engines generate quality leads
• Our web designers don’t understand the intricacies of a proper SEO program

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the unique mix of art and science with the ultimate goal to showcase your firm on Google’s first page when users query a term that your firm provides as an answer to that query

We do SEO work at NuSpark Marketing; in fact we do it pretty well.  However, from a lead generation standpoint, the mechanisms of lead capture are totally different from what we described at previous stops on the tour.  Here’s the difference:

Tactic                          Theme                         Destination                             Key

 

Promotional ads        Get content now        Landing page/microsite         Immediate leads

 

SEO                              Learn about Us           Website                           Content Persuades

 

Our philosophy of SEO

Rankings are important, but not as important as the ability if your website to capture and engage audiences by persuading them to contact you because your message as written can solve their business problems.  We get into website content detail later in the tour, but wanted to point out the obvious; #1 ranking means nothing if audiences bounce and don’t perform desired conversions.

To understand how people search for your solutions is critical as well to understand.  There are two kinds of searchers:

• Early stage buying cycle:  Looking for information; initial research on what firms or products are out there.  Search query is general.  Starts off with a short, broad query, scans 1st page, uses Google Instant (those search query suggestions) to dig deeper.  Also considers social media searches as well.
• Later stage buying cycle:  Convinced of needs; looking for specific solutions; has already done initial research; closer to purchase. Search queries are specific, longer phrases.  Uses social media to further validate solutions.

Here’s an example; using inventory software:

• Early stage queries: Inventory software, Inventory software firms, , inventory software for warehouses
• Later stage queries:  Most efficient inventory software applications, inventory software reviews, warehouse inventory software comparisons, Company X software opinion

This is an interesting method we typically utilize for keyword research, besides using the generic SEO tools out there to support our recommendations.  We look at keywords that are most likely to show high page rank across various buying cycles.

Content strategy affects so much of SEO, and we understand the importance of words and messages to optimize rankings for clients.  Here’s a list of major SEO tasks that affect content:

• Keyword research.  By combining popular but less competitive search queries related to your business with your value proposition, we create compelling, powerful messages that are also Google searchable
• Title tags. Page titles are not business names; they are key searchable phrases that describe the content of a specific page.  Page titles are content
• Meta page descriptions, headlines, sub-headlines, captions, and image tags.  All need to be based on searchable keywords relevant to your business and your page content.
• Changing content.  Search engines don’t like stale sites.  Better rankings come with updated content on a regular basis (hello blog)
• PDFs are also indexed; a valuable way to get white papers to appear on search results if optimized properly.

Below is an example of a snippet on Google.  This is the first marketing message a prospect will see about your website.  The content of the snippet is a critical element in getting prospects to your website.  Snippets must be clear, concise, and compelling.  The title and the description below must be written to entice prospects to click because of the compelling solution you offer.  That’s content; that’s what we do.

Our SEO assessment will include utilizing all the best tools and a review of your current site structure and content so that we can make recommendations to perform or enhance your SEO efforts, all in the name of lead generation.

Key Content Statement

Content drives leads; it also drives advantageous search engine ranking.  SEO is more than coding, back-linking, and directory submissions.  Good quality content laden with important keywords that your buyers use to find you on search engines; that’s what SEO means to us.

Summary of Approach

SEO doesn’t drive immediate leads right away, but it does increase website traffic over time, and that means more opportunities to generate leads; and good quality leads; that will increase your firm’s sales revenue.  By combining best practice SEO tactics with a strong content strategy; that’s what makes us at NuSpark Marketing unique.

Next Stop: Public Relations