Some people think SEO is the best way to spur more website traffic, while others believe SEM can’t be beaten.
They’re both wrong.
Search engine optimization focuses on the ‘organic’ or natural web traffic that result from searches on the major engines like Google. Search engine marketing most often refers to online advertising programs like Google AdWords and other paid placements. Let’s talk about how you can use both to cast a wider net online.
SEO – Build Relevant Information — Lots of it
You should focus on building inbound links and writing interesting content, to be sure, but don’t forget that volume and specificity matter. In other words, build lots of deep linking pages so that Google can understand more about your site.
Let’s say you sell plumbing equipment. Assuming you sell all sorts of different parts, it makes sense to have a list of pages structured something like this:
Pluming Equipment
>Hardware
…..Sump Pumps
…..Toilets
…..Plungers
>Caulk, Sealant and Cleaning Supplies
…..Drain Cleaner
…..Latex Sealant
…..Caulking Compound
When you invest some time creating more specific pages, it gives the search engines a clearer road map to your content. And don’t forget, Google is a text reading engine, so make sure that all your pages are stocked with descriptive text, not just images.
Another important element of creating multiple pages is the keyword structure you employ. Instead of a page with a url that looks like this:
YourBusinessName/p=123?xyz
Create a more descriptive url that sends a clear message to the major search engines, such as:
YourBusinessName/Plumbing/Equipment/Sump-Pumps
There’s a lot more to creating an effective SEO campaign, but you get the basic idea and can get started now. The most important thing to remember is that Google places a premium on relevant, helpful information and will serve up these pages higher in organic results.
SEM – The 1/3rd Solution
SEO is a necessary part of successful websites, and more importantly, search strategy. However nearly 1/3rd of all searches entered into Google have never been seen by the search engine before.
If the search engine hasn’t recorded a search query before, how can you expect to rank for it?
That’s why paid advertising is so important, because it ensures your business, product, service or organization is represented regardless of how well you rank organically. And then there’s the added benefit of deep links and landing page optimization. See, advertising through paid search programs like AdWords lets you select the page people visit when they click on your ads.
Why is this important?
For starters, you can build pages specifically for your SEM campaign. This means focusing more on getting people to ‘convert’ or take action based on the keywords you’ve bid on. Include web forms and keep the amount of text light on pages like this.
You can get as aggressive as you like with your budgets and targeting, just remember to put care into building and monitoring your campaigns so you capture relevant traffic instead of blowing a wad of cash without getting results. Whatever you choose, whether it’s SEO, SEM or a combination of both — just keep in mind the wants and needs of your customers, fans and followers.
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