Written by Sherlock Holmes
SEO, more than just keywords.
Did you know that in order to do SEO there are some things that are even more important than keywords?
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “SEO”? Most people think SEO is all about “Keywords” or “content,” and of course the words you use in your page are of utmost importance. Besides words, you have a lot of technical things that are equally important. But besides the usual suspects, there are a few things that often get too little attention when it comes to SEO.
From search engine to answer engine
Google has evolved from a search engine to an answer engine. Search engines are indispensable in our daily lives today. From searching for ingredients for a recipe or finding a video on how to fix a bicycle tire to the latest information on high-tech topics.
The place search engines have come to occupy in our lives today is sometimes referred to in marketing terms as “ZMOT” Zero Moment Of Truth. In the past, you had to create big advertising campaigns or needed distribution for your products to reach your target audience. Nowadays, brands are fighting for the highest position in Google, because this visibility can make or crack a brand.
A simple search for “SEO” returns nearly 1 billion results, ending up at the top of Google therefore seems impossible for this term. Yet not everything is as complex as it seems.
10 blue links
What is known in the jargon as “SERP” (the search results page) has evolved along with how people search. Not so long ago, the SERPs were populated with 10 blue links. Meanwhile, Google is smart enough to show different results depending on search intent. So no more website links but products, videos and images. The example below shows an integration of Google Maps, with a Google business page you can get a nice amount of visitors from this.
The secret Google ingredient
How do you get anywhere high in Google with a page you can’t put words in? How do you score high for synonyms when Google says not to put endless lists of keywords on your page? It’s all about “being searched,” when your business or brand is searched for in Google you are going to rank higher in Google. It’s as simple as that. There are three levels of being searched:
- Your brand is searched for in Google [Sherlock]
- Your brand is searched for in combination with a generic term [Sherlock SEO Agency]
- Your brand name becomes a generic name [Googelen]
This is something that brand marketers have long understood but it is so obvious that most marketers and companies do not apply it to rank higher in Google.
No-Click SERPS
The search results pages that keep searchers in Google are called “no-click SERP. With the rise of Google as an answer engine, you see more and more summaries or answers appearing in the search engine. These answers cause certain searches to drive less traffic from search engines to your Web site. With this shift, building a brand has become even more important than ever before.
What now?
Of course, technique, content and links remain extremely important to your SEO score and search engine rankings. But if you really want to win with SEO you need a holistic strategy where search engines are woven into your overarching strategy and marketing campaigns.
Think this only works for big budgets and creative campaigns? I’d like to give you some tips on how you, as a small or medium-sized business, can make sure people are searching for your brand.
- Go for superior service and satisfied customers (word of mouth)
- Ensure unique positioning, create your own niche if possible
- Breathe authenticity
- Prompts to use your ideal search in ad campaigns
- Embed Holistic SEO in all aspects of your business
I wish you much success in integrating SEO into your business. Do you have more questions about this? Contact me on Twitter, LinkedIn or contact Sherlock SEO Agency.
