Search… or do you mean SEO? SEM? S.O.S?
Many people instinctually use the words "search" and "search engine optimization" interchangeably. This isn't wrong, necessarily, but it doesn't allow for the wider range of meanings within the ever-expanding world of search.
SEO and SEM are fundamentally different marketing tools, and serve to organize, characterize, and make website content more easily found. Inbound marketing has opened a new door into the world of search that builds on the foundation these tools lay; content creation, link building, and social media are all now tangible aspects of search that can work in union with SEO and SEM to build your reputation online. However, when discussing search, the two biggest contenders are still SEO and SEM thanks to Google. Let me shed some light on the differences.
Search Engine Optimization
SEO is the most common buzzword in search and refers only to "organic search" efforts; that is, not pay-per-click (PPC). SEO means optimizing your website to make it "stronger." Strength is determined by keyword prevalence and relevance, and the optimization of on- and off-page elements. Best practices involve creating valuable website content, matching appropriate keywords to your topics, and assuring that you focus your efforts on the most relevant topics.
Accenture, a management consulting and technology
company, has their website organized into individual
pages that are each well-optimized for a specific keyword
related to a product or service.
SEO is also not a short-term campaign, as SEM sometimes is. SEO campaigns start with initial foundation work – doing keyword research and optimizing your pages – but also requires on-going work that includes continuous research, measurement, analytics, and tweaks to constantly improve your site's relevance and thus strength.
For startups or new websites, SEO takes time to be recognized by Google and other search engines. The length of time a website is live, as well as the number of pages of keyword optimized content influence how you are ranked. In these cases, it can take a while for Google to consider your website strong enough to be ranked along your potential competitors.
The most important aspect of SEO is: Ensuring your website optimizes valuable content to strengthen your site and improve the quality and frequency of traffic.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
SEM refers to paid search: PPC campaigns through Google AdWords, and social media advertising through Facebook and LinkedIn. These campaigns are often segmented and differentiated, meaning that each keyword will engender a specific set of ads that are served up each time someone does a search query for that keyword, or a similar keyword, in Google. These ad groups target a certain keyword or placement that triggers the appearance of your ad.
A Google search for "rain boots" reveals the PPC campaigns
for that keyword of several large shoe companies,
including Zappos and DSW
SEM is advertising using keywords; it works to promote companies and products on search engine result pages (SERPS). SEM incorporates all of the keyword research and optimization done to improve your website in SEO and combines these elements with paid placement and inclusion.
The most important aspect of SEM is: Targeting appropriate keywords to find the best places on SERPS and sponsored Google pages to place advertisements, and to use these advertisements in conjunction with SEO campaigns.
In — what we're all hoping are — these post-recession days, we're happy to be seeing a lot of activity from companies wanting to remake their long dormant websites. When I get to the point in the conversation in which I ask about the investment they wish to make, the answer is often gray. The subtext is that they will let the market dictate price. Following are 5 points I recommend companies gain some certainty around, prior to speaking with potential web design and development partners. Being clear on these points will help avoid ambiguity and aid in identifying the best firm for the job, which may or may not be the low price option.
1. Tactical Need vs. Strategic Value
2. Impact of Having a Substandard Website
3. The Use of Technology to Enhance User Experience
4. The Level of Service Desired/Required
5. How the Website Integrates with Your Marketing Efforts
1. Tactical Need vs. Strategic Value
For some B2B companies, the website is an online brochure. Its chief value is to look professional, provide basic information, be current and not embarrass the company. Though such a company might have some aspirations for something more, the culture may not be marketing-driven thus the website is not strategic. In these cases, a low price for a redesign is highest on the list of partner evaluation criteria.
In situations where a B2B company has strong need to differentiate and their website is a place where customers and prospects will scrutinize them, the website becomes more of a strategic tool. These are some of the strategic drivers of a B2B website that may suggest you consider a greater investment than "lowest price."
- Strong competition - The competition is strong, well-entrenched and has an impressive website. You know prospects are comparing you in an evaluation process.
- Rebranding - When a B2B company repositions itself in the marketplace, there is no more ubiquitous place to present the new brand to the widest audience.
- Introducing new products and services - New products and services have a material effect on the success of a business. The website is the greatest opportunity for a controlled presentation of that information and for inviting interaction with your clients.
- Becoming more of a solutions vs. a product sell - The B2B website is a unique forum for demonstrating an understanding of the needs of your clients by presenting benefit-driven solutions to their problems and not just selling products. In the new marketing world, in which customers have greater control over the dialogue, pulling customers in with relevant content rather than pushing technology or products at them is the way to positively impact the bottom line.
2. The Impact of Having a Substandard Website
While a substandard website can be measured in decreasing traffic or a high bounce rate, the real impact may not be visible. At any time prospects may be considering your company. Before contacting you, the first thing they do is to visit the websites of all of the competitive businesses often with the intention of "narrowing down the list." If your content is stale, use of technology dated, user experience mediocre, there is a reasonable expectation that you will not get the call — and in this economy, ignorance is not bliss.
3. The Use of Technology to Enhance User Experience
B2B websites can be as simple as straight html or full of sophisticated content management, integration with CRM packages, SEO-friendly content, database-driven Flash navigation, e-commerce and so forth. The technologies and how they're used have a great impact on the price of a website. To ascertain the best use of technology, you must first define the user experience you're seeking. If determining technology requirements is beyond your capability, we sometimes recommend engaging in a brief, constrained "Scoping Process." This is often a great way to gain clarity and understand what the real costs will be.
4. The Level of Service Desired/Required
As the owner of an agency with account, design and technical people, clients have often shared how much they value our service. In situations in which budget is at or close to the top of evaluation criteria and a prospect may be comparing us to a freelance practitioner or 2 person-team, it's important to consider that great service has a value and that value should be built into a company's budget expectation.
5. How the Website Integrates with Your Marketing Efforts
More and more frequently, the true value of a website is how well it functions as a centerpiece of a complete marketing program. How does it fulfill emarketing or direct marketing efforts? Does it provide the best experience when your SEO or PPC program drive traffic? Is the content relevant and compelling? Does the site invite visitors to interact in a meaningful way? Determine what business goals you wish to accomplish with the website and rank them in importance. Quantify the impact on your business of not having these features in place. Being clear about your goals and the impact of not achieving them will go a long way to identifying the right vendor and will lead to the right price.
Considering these 5 points will help you determine what level investment is appropriate for your next website and which web partner is right for you.
I separate the experience of creating "a website that differentiates" from creating a website. In 2009, anyone can create a website. Surprisingly few can create a differentiated website. What are the characteristics that make a website differentiated?
Brand strategy - brand strategy or positioning are fancy terms for professional differentiation. Listen to your customers, incorporate that intelligence into your own language and practice, share the kool-aid with your organization and feel great about being able to explain what you do with confidence while riding the elevator and talking to an impatient prospect. The website will come so much easier and faster when the brand is right.
Audience focus - A website that differentiates makes brand strategy relevant to specific audiences so visitors enjoy a personal experience. Take a look at Unica and see how on the homepage, they segment their audiences and provide customized content. For our client Open Connect, we took a different approach to audience, introducing what we call "Pain-based NavigationTM." Visitors to the website are presented five business problems Open Connect identified as leading to the majority of their business. The visitor can quickly identify their problem and follow intuitive navigational paths to yield answers or speak to a representative.
Dynamic Content - Differentiated content is key word rich, contains links to relevant content and is concise and to the point. Dynamic content can include text, images, video, audio and "non-gratuitous" Flash. If content is based in a solid brand strategy, crafting it will be a smooth process. Without that foundation, content will be the thing that slows down a website process.
Marketing - The web serves as the hub for an integrated marketing ecosystem that may include email marketing, direct marketing, webinars, events, PR and more. Landing pages on the website enable one to track responses to marketing programs and respond with the right offers.
Offers orientation - Differentiated websites encourage engagement and make it easy to contact you with ubiquitous, but not obtrusive phone numbers, contacts and forms.
Search - Having a differentiated website means a lot more people can find you. Optimizing for search makes that happen. Pay per Click (PPC) advertising can drive more traffic to your site as well. Just make sure your site's content delivers.
Design - The current trend in business leans heavily in favor of analytics and database-driven marketing, yet we and other firms like us are often judged on the appeal of the sites we create. Never underestimate the emotional power of design to motivate behavior and attitude. Design sells. Visit Apple as a reminder.
I encourage you to share any differentiated websites you've found or your experiences and anecdotes on putting one together.
Photo by Pete McArthur.
We recently won a competitive situation and will provide web site design, a pay-per-click (PPC) Search program, eMarketing and brand messaging for a company run by engineers. The company had originally been referred to us for "a website." When I asked the client why he chose RainCastle, he said we were more strategic in our approach, viewing the web in the realm of marketing rather than technically, and that we understood how engineers view marketing ... or don't. Generally, he felt confident that we could work with his senior people and successfully guide them through a process. The consultative approach remains viable in the age of social media.
The other side of the coin is the social media trend of "crowdsourcing" which I've been observing this past year with interest. Wikipedia defines Crowdsourcing, for those unfamiliar with the term, as "a neologism for the act of taking tasks traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, and outsourcing them to a group (crowd) of people or community in the form of an open call. For example, the public may be invited to develop a new technology, carry out a design task (also known as community-based design and distributed participatory design), or help capture, systematize or analyze large amounts of data (see also citizen science)."
I've seen logos and brochures crowdsourced for lower fees than I charged as an art student in the early 80's. And for that work, only one person in the crowd of contributors gets paid. From my perspective, as a trained design professional and owner of a creative business, I view this as more complex than just an example of using technology to devalue the design profession. While I believe a logo is a strategic brand asset, strategy is in the eye of the client. Assuming a client is open-minded, it's my job as a design professional to sell strategic value. If a client decides that a logo or even the name of their company is not of strategic value, then exploiting a wealth of inexpensive talent makes sense for them. The notion of crowdsourcing should remind all design professionals that business is most often the context for design. Those who master it will be the kind of strategic partners that will keep the crowd at bay.
I'd be interested in hearing about your views and experiences and insights with crowdsourcing. I suspect there are other uses of crowdsourcing such as for science, where the notion is collaborative rather than competitive.
Photo from The Moonstone Archive, Flickr