Search marketing is about gaining visibility on search engines when users search for terms that relate to your client’s business. For most companies, ranking highly in search results isn’t luck – it’s a result of solid effort in one or both categories of search marketing:
Organic search: When you enter a keyword or phrase into a search engine like Google or Yahoo!, the organic results are displayed in the main body of the page.
When your client’s prospects search for information about their products and services, they want to rank highly in search engine results. By “optimizing” their site, you can improve your client’s ranking for important search terms and phrases (“keywords”). You can also improve rank by getting other important sites to link to the site.
Paid search enables you to buy listings in the “sponsored” area of a search engine. There are a variety of paid search programs, but the most common is called pay-per-click (PPC), meaning your client only pays for a listing when a prospect clicks their ad.
Search marketing campaigns use your client’s website to deliver the call-to-action: information, a video, a free download or a contact request. Search marketing is closely tied to online publicity, online advertising, email marketing and business development. It’s the focal part of internet marketing, and a fast growing medium.
Search Marketing Value
In search marketing, companies focus on driving more traffic to targeted areas of their website. They use search to:
Generate new leads
Sell products
Build their brand
Divert traffic from their competitors
Studies show that most businesspeople research their problems, potential purchases and vendors online and use a search engine in the process. And the higher the price of the product/service, the earlier they search.
For many businesses, generating only a handful of additional serious prospects can make a substantial difference in revenue. Using search marketing may efficiently produce these additional prospects.
It's important to note that organic search marketing (SEO) is a constantly evolving challenge with no guarantees. It's also a long-term strategy. On the other hand, paid search (PPC) can produce immediate results. It requires careful testing and there are many variables that can impact results.
With the Consulting M.O., you can determine how to add search engine marketing into your client’s marketing mix. With the continued growth of internet marketing, all businesses should take advantage of search marketing or risk losing ground to their competitors.
Search Marketing Services with the Consulting M.O.
Develop Search Strategy. Evaluate how to use organic and paid search strategies to meet your client’s goals.
Develop Keyword List. Identify the keywords to help drive traffic to the important areas of your client’s website.
Create Organic Search Campaign. Improve your client’s site ranking for organic search. Identify search engines to target, submit to directories, optimize the website, evaluate site content and build an inbound link program.
Create Paid Search Campaign. Launch a paid search campaign. Set up an advertising account, create the ad, create landing pages, set keywords and establish metrics.
Create Budget and Manage and Improve Performance. Set your client’s campaign budget with performance metrics to track results and improve ROI.
Your client might need search marketing services if:
They aren’t using any form of internet marketing
Their website isn’t optimized or ranking highly in organic search
