Sometimes the Answer isn't Digital

Word of mouth is stronger than a click.

Digital marketing strategy is a plan to promote a product or service using online channels, while using data, key performance indicators (KPIs) and return on investment (ROI) as key factors for success.

This means that before implementing any digital marketing campaigns, data about the target audience, such as demographics, interests and online behavior, is gathered and analyzed to create a targeted approach. KPIs are then established to measure the success of the campaign, such as website traffic, click-through rates and conversion rates. These KPIs help to determine the ROI of the campaign, which is calculated by comparing the cost of the campaign to the revenue generated.

By analyzing the data, KPIs and ROI, digital marketers can continually optimize their campaigns to achieve better results and ultimately reach their goals. This approach ensures that digital marketing efforts are focused on reaching the right audience with the right message, and that resources are being used effectively to generate the best possible ROI. Most effective for full online end-to-end experiences like ecommerce and digital brand experiences, digital stragety is key for companies who don’t engage with most users on mobile or desktop devices.

Based on the above - the biggest thing of note is that digital isn’t always the answer to strategic growth, new market capture or in cases where digital

Marketing in its traditional form involves promoting products or services through non-digital channels. This can include print advertising, billboards, television commercials, direct mail, and more. And there are several reasons why non-digital marketing might be a better option for certain businesses or situations.

Firstly, non-digital marketing can be highly effective in reaching a local audience. For example, a small business that operates in a specific neighborhood or community may find that print advertising, flyers or billboards are more effective in reaching potential customers than digital marketing channels.

Secondly, non-digital marketing can be more memorable and engaging for some audiences. A well-designed print advertisement or a creative billboard can leave a lasting impression on consumers and may be more memorable than a digital advertisement that can be easily scrolled past.

Lastly, non-digital marketing can be a better option for businesses targeting older demographics who may not be as active online or prefer more traditional methods of communication.

Overall, while digital marketing has many advantages, traditional marketing can still be an effective and valuable way to reach certain audiences and achieve specific marketing objectives. It's important to consider the target audience, business objectives and available resources when deciding which marketing approach to take.

Content SEO

The Why? of SEO

Google's main concern when it comes to search is: providing a search user with the best and fastest experience, giving them the most relevant resource for what they're looking for.

Google's second concern is that the user easily finds this information - it's complete, in-depth, the user engages with the website and their search complete. They don't come back for a second search.

All it's vast algorithms and SEO rankings come down to scoring a site's relevance against a search entry, then ensuring information is presented in a pleasing experience.

SEO + Content Marketing = Best Search Return
It's the two-headed Hydra that guards Google SEO ranks.

Get a nice box. Put all your stuff in it. 

Most companies are working on multiple platforms - they've talked content distribution, have some great writers or photographers, and are putting things everywhere. Facebook posts, boosts and ads, maybe some LinkedIn content, Instagram posts. A little video here, a great story there. 

While all those channels and platforms are a great way to reach people and hopefully bring them to your website, organic search is still a vital part of a sustainable digitally connected business. Which is why your website, the hub for all your business information, needs to be complete to tell your brand story. A website tells a story, communicating not just key information but a brand's personality, feeling and background. 

Local Optimization - location matters

Taking advantage of local SEO optimization is a must for any business whose physical location is a factor in their business - whether as a physical location or just a customer base that's partial to location. The key to remember with SEO is that you don't have to compete with the world if the world isn't your target. 

As mobile users rely more and more on google search and map requests, adapting for terms that include location are key. Many people now use the qualifier "near me" or just add a city name to search - "brunch near me" is more likely to give searchers a list of local restaurants with bacon on the menu then just putting in "brunch".

Know the competition

Before the internet, competition between companies was limited to a geographic area or availability by mail. Customers would only drive so far for good Italian food, trendy jeans or a great haircut. 

The modern search behaviour gives business the advantage of a much wider audience, but the need to compete with similar businesses in a much more varied way. Goods retailer can now access a nearly limitless worldwide market, as long as they're willing to ship items. Services can be viewed with customer reviews on platforms like Google, which readily provides a ranking right next to a companies name. Most importantly, search engines provide a ranked view to users or all the available options - oftentimes too large a number of choices for a customer to choose from equally. As users assume higher placed search results to be most well ranked or most popular, it's often the first few businesses listed that see the most clicks, garner the most traffic and have the potential to convert the most customers. 

Content SEO = Traffic

One of the few times that traffic is a great thing is on a website. And with proper content SEO, organic traffic can be easy, low-cost marketing for a business website. Consider your audience, then define your ideal goals. Using those two things, create a list of ideas, topics and keywords that are most relevant and assess if they are the logical questions and queries that apply to your business.  Then ensure that your website address that information in an appropriate format - blog posts, product pages, articles, video, images - the possibilities are almost limitless. 

With well-directed effort and planning, content SEO is a long-term digital marketing strategy that produces organic traffic, customer engagement and supports sales.  For more information about SEO services >

 

Search Engine Optimization

SEO - Stand Out & Be The Best
Like a flamingo amongst all the other birds.

Google's main concern when it comes to search is: providing a search user the best and fastest experience, giving them the best resource for what they're looking for. All its vast algorithms and SEO rankings come down to determining a site's relevance against a search entry. 

But what is SEO?

SEO is the practice of improving and promoting a web site in order to increase the number of visitors the site receives from search engines. There are many aspects to SEO, from the words on your page to the way other sites link to you on the web. (Moz)

The goal of a search engine is to most fully deliver on Search = Best Search Return.

So when someone asks for search engine optimization work, it's not just a big panel of magic buttons to push and tada, kick-ass SEO. It's a long list of questions and research to understand how a site is functioning in terms of its technical accessibility, content relevance and authority. Below, I've listed the basic high-level questions I need to answer to assess a site's SEO.

Accessibility:
Can a search engine access the site at the technical level?
Can it read the content?
Can it understand how the pages are related?
Can it rank how important the various parts of the site are?

Content relevance:
Can a search engine understand what a given page is about?
Does the page provide information specific to what it's about??
Who would find it useful?
What topics and subtopics it's relevant to?
What questions does it answer?

Authority:
Do other reputable sites link to it?
How popular is your site?
Do others find it useful?

SEO has evolved.

In the not too distant past, SEO assessment was somewhat simpler but had produced somewhat counterproductive trends. And they worked, for a while. But the search engines got wise and realized that they were promoting content that wasn't actually that helpful. They were giving users pages that said the keywords dozens of times instead of pages that offered the best information. 

Some of these trends included:
- Keyword stuffing: jamming as many terms as possible onto pages with the idea that more is more. 
- Useless Pages: having dozens of dozens of posts and pages that cover the same topics, inflating site sizes. Again, more is more. 
- Burying terms in code: adding keywords to long meta tags and near the top of page code as a way of artificially using terms. 

SEO's golden rules.

What's emerged from the rubble of SEO practices 101 is a more dynamic, full circle approach to how sites are ranked for their content and relevancy.

First, is better content - not a lot of it, just the best, most concentrated and most user-friendly stuff you've got. Better one page that really dives into a topic and provides all the up-to-date details then four pages of varying use. Think about Wikipedia. Notice how it's always one of the top search returns? 

Second, make it easy. This is where UX, site design and site development come it. Once a user has found your site via search, do you then provide a great experience? This is where I see a lot of the SEO ball dropping - without proper site flow, information architecture and a design that helps the user all you've provided is text. Tell them where to buy it, offer other similar topics, offer them more levels of detail. 

And lastly, keep it alive. Websites and content should never be a 'set it and forget it' piece of marketing. Pages need to be kept up to date, information needs to change and sites need to adapt to new elements. As we begin to see more voice controlled devices, like Siri, Google Home and Alexa, the way people search for information is still evolving. But that's a whole different topic. 

The best SEO is the experience that's best for the user. 

For more information about SEO Specialist Services >