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How many companies use keyword analysis and search data in defining TOP level marketing strategy? Does your PR agency have your search keywords (paid/organic) aligned with your communication points for press releases? How about your website copywriters – and content experts – could they even name the top keywords associated with your brand? What language do your competitors own? Is your search strategy aggressive, and not just a band-aid approach? When determining messaging, do you have insight into what your prospects and customers are actually searching for? The extent to which search can build market share, or maintain differentiation, depends on your company’s product strategy, but most companies can benefit in significant ways. Here are six ways to consider: • Branding and messaging strategy needs to start AND end with search keyword competitive analysis and keyword definitions. If there is not a search marketing expert on your internal or agency team at the top level, this is a significant problem. The search expert ought to provide insight into the type of language that competitors are using, and provide some influence in getting keywords into messages. Some company messages don’t need to have search words necessarily (like your tagline), but others must (like all Press Releases, Product Sheets, and web copy). • Companies need to own the generic language that is in the mind of your customer, as well as specific differentiated language. Differentiated language should be the emotional hook that defines your position, and keywords should contain the generic logic behind the offering. Search is a fundamentally left brain activity, so use search language for communication functions that appeal to the logical side of the offering, including features/benefits, ROI, product technology highlights, standards, partners, etc. • For the first time in the history of marketing, search provides a replica of the language that is in your prospects mind. While we know that this language isn’t everything, it does provide a valuable snapshot and we recommend a messaging/keyword audit be conducted and tracked on a weekly basis. • Website’s need to be highly optimized for organic and paid search, as well as optimized for how prospects and customers actually reach your site. • More money ought to be spent on paid search versus online advertising (which has been shown to be very ineffective with falling click through rates and unreliable data). In general, companies need to spend more on the strategy aspect of search, as well as messaging and website landing pages. When agencies talk about digital branding, search provides the only reliable ROI (despite click fraud) available for Internet marketing. • Content is King – an integrated strategy of videos, product demonstrations, podcasts, video case studies, video testimonials, all supporting the top level language and differentiation, needs to be promoted. Social media strategies fall into this content area, and are highly recommended for a true 360 degrees strategy. Take these six recommendations, and you have a chance to be first to market, grow your business, or maintain your market share. If search is not part of your top level strategy, there is a good opportunity for competitors to win market share and own your business in the near future.
John J. Assalian is Chief Executive Officer of Viewstream, Inc., http://www.viewstream.com/adclub, a marketing company, formed in 1999 as an extension of Mr. Assalian's previous Internet company. Mr. Assalian offers two decades of experience in the marketing and technology business, beginning with computer application development for the Department of Veterans Affairs in San Francisco. Mr. Assalian founded Viewstream to provide clients with a combination of integrated marketing services built on cutting edge technology solutions. Viewstream's marketing expertise has served technology industry clients, including Autodesk, Microsoft, Cisco, Sony, HP, Nokia, as well as startups and private firms. Mr. Assalian graduated Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in Economics and History from Binghamton University, and has shown his creative video work in film festivals worldwide. |
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