Here's your business survival guide for the ever-changing world of Search (SEO)

Trying to comprehend & consider what actions will produce the greatest results for the average business in online search seems impossible these days.

Particularly when you hear abstract developments happening with Google like Panda, Penguin and Pigeon!

My simple advice is – stop trying!

If we look at the core of what search engines like Google are trying to do, we can focus on business objectives that are not only going to achieve results for our business but increase perceived value to search engines like Google and Bing and therefore rank us better!

Here at Visual Strategies – we are Brand-Centric! So this is where we begin…

FACT: Google works for searchers… not publishers!

All the updates and changes in search algorithms are done to improve the quality of findings for every search. ‘Quality’ being defined as: Relevant, Applicable, presents a credible and valuable solution/answer to the search (and even down to where the searcher is searching from) for it to be the most accessible/convenient answer.

Hopefully this is a FACT for your business:

You are 'in business' because of the solutions you provide to your target customers’ needs.

Therefore all your marketing objectives are about presenting the most relevant, desirable and valuable proposition to your customers. Moreover, you are also operating in a competitive market so you are also trying to differentiate yourself from your competitors by putting forward your strengths and unique proposition.

If you are on the right track with these objectives you will be focusing on quality content (marketing messages) and also reinforcing your entity; your brand; your profile; your mark (logo); your identification to stand out from the crowd.

So what do these 2 facts have in common?

Google’s recent changes have been implemented on the basis of what customers seek… the right/relevant answer and the endorsement of a credible and identifiable brand (entity) they can trust. People relate to an entity, a brand on an emotional level AND peoples’ purchase decisions are based on emotion and then substantiated with logic.

Therefore Google is filtering out sites that contain thin and weak/low quality content. No longer does it measure 'quality content' based on the number of 'keywords' that it contains. It is also filtering out sites that simply practise link-farming, where they are linking to as many relevant, credible and not so credible sites.

So just like you are seeking to build your relevant target audience – Google is seeking to target sites that present quality content and have a ‘relevant’ audience to substantiate its credibility. When you look at it this way, Google is simply becoming less of a ‘machine’ and more like human nature in its process of perception and process of elimination to arrive at the ‘best result’.

The good news is you can be rewarded for a strong brand equity and it is good to know that you are being identified by your brand… not just a ‘criteria’ or answer to a solution.  We know that sound brand strategy and marketing delivers results for your business not just in terms of sales but the value of your business!

In order for Google to identify audiences rather than just links or ‘keywords’… it needs to consider patterns of people, places and things.

The most recent change (Pigeon) in Google is to improve the strength of local directories in searches. This takes into account ‘distance’ but it also takes into account ‘ratings’. So make it a task to get your business listed on local directories and also encourage your brand ambassadors to submit reviews and rate your business online.

So where does ‘social’ come into this because everyone seems to be talking about it?!

Well in identifying context of ‘people’ ‘places’ and ‘things’… social interaction and activity online is going to strengthen your audience following and define relationships between your business and your customers/relevant audience. So make sure you are staying social (conducting activities on the various social channels that are relevant to your business, industry and target audience like: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Google+ etc).

Have you considered Mobile? You should!

Trends and statistics continue to show us that mobile devices are becoming the preferred choice of instrument to access online content. So it makes sense that your website (in particular – important landing pages) are mobile device friendly otherwise your ranking performance may be penalised for it.

To App or not to App

Well from a customer-centric point of view – I think that your business should consider the context of a web-app and how it can facilitate valuable solutions for your customers. To simply have an app and not really know the context of how it facilitates the best service and delivery of solutions for your customers then it may not be adding value for your customers at all. But now that Google is sending searches to Apps. It is worth considering how an App could work for your business (as it will provide greater exposure for your business through search engines).

Let me give you a quick example… If your business has a high percentage of repeat customers (you could be an online shop, or a local restaurant that takes booking online or perhaps you provide a members login for service delivery etc). Then an App is ideal… as it provides easy, quick and personalised access to your brand and services let alone the good work it is doing at keeping your brand top of mind and being found via search.

So what can you as a business owner take away from all of this?...

Here are some top-line survival tips from Visual Strategies in the world of online search:

1. Invest in the long-term with quality content. This is nothing new but perhaps needs reinforcing
2. Build an audience, not links… as brand specialists we have to say that this makes much more sense anyway
3. Don’t be fearful of these ever-changing rules of Google. Simply stay on track with your sound brand building and quality content generation, relevant and vast audience following and focus on quality of your proposition. Interact and be active and social with your audience and related audiences such as those within your industry.
4. Ask yourself: Have I defined my most valuable selling proposition in the best way? Is it the ‘best answer/solution’ to my customers’ needs? If you have structured your quality content right and built your entity, your brand to be one of the strongest players in your market – then Google really can’t live without you right?!
5. Consider consumer behaviour. A huge percentage of the searches online happen on smartphones! Therefore it is worth your investment and attention to make sure your key landing pages are mobile friendly.
6. Google searches will continue to become more personalised so make sure you are ‘keeping social’ online

We understand that many business owners are busy working on their business so it makes perfect sense to implement allies (such as our team here at Visual Strategies) to build the strongest brand proposition online possible and continue to build your relevant audience following. 

Make sure you are being found via your customers searches online, the volume of quality leads to your business inevitably will increase and in turn, will generate greater sales!

Give Louise a call and we can discuss how we can be of service to your businesses branding strategy and online presence.

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