It’s no secret that in any industry, the better you understand your target market, the better your business will perform. It all comes down to meeting people’s needs – innately knowing what a client is looking for, sometimes before they can even identify it themselves.
The same is true for SEO. Analytics, backlinks, and algorithms aside, SEO’s primary function is to understand how people are searching online, what they are looking for, and how to best deliver that information to them. It’s really that simple.
SEO increases your business’ visibility online. To be successful at SEO, it’s important to understand the psychology of marketing and use it to your advantage in the layout of your website. So, let’s take a look at the strategy that our very own Atlanta SEO Company uses.
What Drives Your Customer’s Online Behavior?
Doing keyword research in your industry will help you identify what terms people are using when looking for your goods or services. But knowing why people search for things the way they do will be even more helpful when creating your on-site content.
For example, people that are searching for “how to…” phrases are primarily users that are looking to master a skill for themselves. It’s your DIY kind of person – they want straightforward information that’s easy to find, easy to read, and easy to follow step-by-step. A person looking up “why does…” phrases is seeking answers. They’re doing research.
Exploring and considering the types of issues that drive your user to search for your high volume keywords will help you provide better content to deliver the answers they’re looking for.
User Perception is Key
Your company’s unique perspective is important, and so is explaining why your business should be chosen among the bevy of others within your industry. But even more vital than that is considering the website user’s perception in what you’re relaying in your on-site content. Think about how your site looks and feels to your user.
Keep in mind that nobody likes a big head. No one cares to read a page devoted solely to how great your company’s service or product is, and it definitely won’t lead to conversion – the ultimate point of your website in the first place. So how do you effectively articulate why a user should choose your business to meet their need? By illustrating value.
Your SEO strategy should be developed around demonstrating what your good or service is worth. And do it in an engaging way. Pictures and video demonstrating your product are a lot more engaging than a page just telling people about it. Just don’t forget the alt tags or video transcript to ensure that Google is still able to decipher what’s on each page (as it doesn’t read images/video).
Identify Long-tail Keywords to Understand Needs
Long-tail keywords are keyword phrases that consist of three to five words. They are powerful in SEO strategy because long-tail keywords are typically less popular keywords (meaning lower search volume) that have less competition to rank for. Long-tail keywords essentially allow you to take a big piece out of a small pie.
When optimizing your site, identifying the long-tail keywords can help you provide a solution for the person that is seeking a needs-based answer. People looking for a solution are also typically ready to buy, instead of just doing research. Make sure you subtly weave these long-tail keywords into the rest of your content so they don’t stick out like a sore thumb. Keyword-stuffing your page will only serve to drive people and search engines away because it feels “spammy.”
Develop On-Site Content with Conversion in Mind
Time spent on your page and click through rate (CTR) only really matter in relation to conversion. Conversion is the whole point. SEO is really just finding ways to give people the information they need and convincing them that they need to contact you. Write content that shows how your goods or services are going to solve your customer’s problem, and that will lead to higher conversion.
Your Content Should Sell Without Being “Salesy”
Every single page of your website is either selling your products or services, or it’s turning people away. The key here, however, is subtlety. No one enjoys being conspicuously “sold” on something. It’s annoying and makes us feel like we no longer have the upper hand as consumers. So, treat every page of your site as a landing page by incorporating subtle sales copy.
Understanding your customers will help you develop a successful SEO strategy. Knowing how people think will help you create useful, engaging, and conversion-driven content.
“If you don’t understand people, you don’t understand business.” ~Simon Sinek
