In Duct Tape Marketing, we often talk about the importance of strategy before tactics. When you start with the right marketing strategy, almost any tactic can work. When small business owners jump straight to implementing tactics without a strategy, they typically end up frustrated by the (lack of) results they receive from the time and money that they spent.
Launching a website used to be viewed as one of those “let’s hurry up and get it done” tactics small businesses rushed into to. Today, some are taking a similar approach to tactics related to social media, mobile marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Saavy business owners, however, are adopting the point of view that they don’t need a “web strategy” and a “social media marketing strategy” and a “mobile marketing strategy”. The realize they need an overall marketing strategy that takes into account these different ways of communicating with prospects and customers.
When it comes to SEO and your website, Google seems to agree that tactics alone are not enough. Listen to SEOmoz’s Rand Fishkin explain how the “job of SEO has been upgraded from SEO to web strategist” by Google’s Panda update.
As Rand explains, having content and incoming links is no longer enough. The overall user experience is becoming more. As the SEO expert becomes more of a web strategist, her job will be easier if there is an overall marketing strategy has been defined and shared with everyone in the company.
I think the approach that Rand describes fits in very well with our concept of the Marketing Hourglass. The marketing hourglass helps you understand what prompts prospects to look for your solutions and how they go through their decision making process. The more closely you can match your content to the information your ideal customers need to make decisions, the better your site will do in the usage metrics mentioned in the video.
Has your approach to SEO changed since the Panda update? After watching Rand’s explanation, do you think it should (or will) ?
Bill Brelsford Small Business Marketing Consultant
