People often think of SEO as just one strategy – to get web page content ranked higher than others. However, SEO has many different strategies and knowing which ones to apply can help your business deliver the results your clients are looking for. In this article we’ll examine some of the most common SEO strategies out there today.
SEO for E-Commerce
One of the most common objectives are clients want is for our SEO strategy to help them boost sales at their online shop. This is by far the most common use for SEO and is one of the most profitable as well. When users find your content through search and you end up making a sale you have proven to your client just how valuable your services are.
When to Use: When your client has a direct product or service for sale.
Keyword Targeting: PPC campaign is one of the best ways to test potential keyword combinations. Remember, the most focused and granular you can make the keywords, often better the conversion rates.
Content Optimization: Links, links and more links! Focus on how to link build through your customers and a community – but don’t forget about internal link building strategies as well. You may find some value in manual link building strategies here as well.
SEO for Influence
Sometimes your goal is to sways people opinion about a product, company or topic. You want to get your content rated high in search so that you can influence people who may be searching for general information about the subject. Policy makers and political action groups are the most likely users of a strategy such as this.
When to use: When you want to change how people think or influence them on a particular topic.
Keyword Targeting: Varies greatly – you’ll probably have to stick with the keywords you know that are related to the topic.
Content Optimization: Standard SEO, but you will want to gather your supporters up and make sure that you are sharing the links. Communities like these often sprout up out of nowhere sometimes overnight.
SEO for Traffic
There are times when you just want people to come to your site! Most often, once people get to your content you are then going to monetize that traffic through affiliate programs, ads, banners, etc. This is one of the most common SEO practices you will find outside of E-commerce.
When to use: When you want to monetize search engine traffic without handling the financial transactions on your own site.
Keyword Targeting: Focus here on content, not keywords and let the search engines do the work. If you have quality content on a topic then the search engines will naturally find you and so will the people doing the search!
Content Optimization: Categorize and make sure you use a shallow link structure. Make sure that all content has been through standard page optimization techniques (alt text, headers, titles, etc.). The easier you make your content to share, the more traffic you will get.
SEO for Branding
It’s all about the name – and some websites want their names at the top all the time. This is called brand building and many news and blog sites fight to make sure their brand is always near the top. Sites that fall into this category often want to be perceived as the “authority” on the subject matter they are presenting.
When to use: When it’s not about the money, but rather about the name building and brand recognition.
Keyword Targeting: Focus on the brand if you use keywords. Like SEO for traffic, much of your traffic is going to come through the search engines. If you are consistently having to “buy your way to the top” then you need to re-examine your content and your topic/brand.
Content Optimization: Make the site accessible, easy to link to, and make sure that content is optimized from the moment it is published.
SEO for Direct Marketing & Leads
Similar to SEO for e-commerce, but you rather want to help customers find you and not sell them a tangible item online. Think of services like lawyers, plumbers, electricians, insurance sales, etc. This type of SEO fits the service industry well.
When to use: When you are selling a service and using the web as a means of helping people find out about the service rather than purchase it directly.
Keyword Targeting: What service are you trying to sell? This will determine your keywords.
Content Optimization: Believe it or not, this is a very challenging area with a lot of competition. You need solid link building strategies with a lot of external links pointing back at you. Think of it as a combination of E-commerce and branding.
February 1st, 2009 at 9:24 am
Great post indeed. Too bad you have not yet installed Sphinn button. I would have definitely submitted it there.
Besides, “SEO For Influence” is quite a new concept for me. It could well be related to social media marketing or social book-marking where one can influence public opinion. Dedicated Forums can also serve this particular strategy.
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:19 am
Hello John,
Problem solved now we have the Sphinns button.
Thank you
February 5th, 2009 at 10:36 am
SEO campaigns can be performed to meet the ends of the company. Most will go for traffic, since traffic will mean business for the majority of the sites.
April 27th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
A SUPPORTED BY THE DEVELOPER TOOLS? It was interesting. You seem very knowledgeable in ypour field.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Interesting post, just signed up to your RSS feed, hope to find some more great content here
April 18th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
It’s been a whereas since I browse a really excellent blog post. Not only well written but relevant. Congratulations.