People are constantly using the Internet. Whether they are browsing from a desktop computer, laptop, smart phone, or tablet, the Internet is always “on”. When people are looking for information and researching products and services, they turn to the Internet. More specifically, they turn to the search engines. Businesses today understand that in order to be successful online, they need to have a positive search engine presence and invest in SEO. However, a mistake that they can sometimes make is to think that working on SEO is enough. While SEO is an important piece of the puzzle, an SEO campaign should only be one part of a well rounded marketing campaign that includes online and offline tactics. Scaling back on everything else to focus on SEO will limit the potential of the SEO campaign.
While a prominent organic listing in the search engines is important, it sometimes isn’t enough to get someone to click over to the site. Every industry is competitive in the search engines, meaning that you will be surrounded by competitors that offer something very similar. Getting ranked within the top three positions for a relevant keyword search is a great way to build brand visibility, but it doesn’t guarantee a click through. If a searcher has never heard of you before, they will be less likely to click. This is why other marketing and branding efforts and SEO go hand in hand.
The goal of an SEO campaign is obviously to build awareness among a new audience that hasn’t yet heard of you, but it’s also to serve as a reminder to people that have heard of you before. It’s the other marketing initiatives that you are involved in that establish that connection in their mind. A searcher may click on your site to see what you have to offer, but if they even vaguely recognize the brand name of one of your competitors they may be more likely to click over to their site first, even if you outrank them. This is one reason why it’s more important to focus on visitor growth from an SEO campaign rather than ranking.
Letting up on other marketing initiatives to focus on SEO could backfire. Obviously SEO is important, but so is every other marketing tactic to build a brand. A well-rounded marketing strategy will attract different audience members who are in different stages of the buying cycle. One marketing strategy can even boost the success of another. For example, a direct mail campaign might result in more social media followers.
SEO is a long-term strategy. It’s not going to work overnight, which is why it’s important to keep all other marketing efforts going. Once a prominent organic listing has been achieved, it will serve as a reminder and help to instill the trust that other marketing efforts are already working towards. The most successful SEO campaign is supported by a strong marketing campaign overall.
