The ABCs of B2B Search Success in 2017
by MGB2B
Follow These Basic Tenets of B2B Search Engine Marketing To See Success in 2017.
2016 was a year of big changes in the field of online search. With the switch to a mobile-first ranking system, the addition of expanded text ads in paid search and an overhaul of the desktop search results page that reduced paid ad space, our friends at Google are always doing their best to keep us in B2B search marketing on our toes. And 2017 is sure to be another exciting year full of changes, opportunities, and challenges. That makes right now the perfect time to reflect on some of the basic tenets of B2B SEO and SEM strategy. Or as I like to call them — the ABCs of B2B Search Success in 2017.
A – Audience Awareness
Whether you’re freshening up ad copy, running a new link-building campaign or strengthening your keyword lists, the most important thing is to focus on addressing the needs of your audience. It’s easy to get caught up in your own sales goals and deadlines, but if you don’t think of the customer first, you won’t each either one successfully. Research their demographics and interests. Understand who they are and where they are before you plan your SEM. Imagine who you’re writing that ad copy for and what things they care about. Remember what drives them to search in the first place, what problems they have, and the answers that you can provide when adding keywords. Mastering this skill will give you an edge over your competition in 2017.
B – Business Opportunities
We all work in different business sectors, with different goals, priorities, and concerns. Whether you run one large SEM account or multiple accounts for different sub-brands, it’s important to keep your strengths and weaknesses in mind. And keep a sharp eye out for SEM opportunities that play to those strengths. This will help you pinpoint the most effective pathway to meeting your goals. Perhaps it means capitalizing on gaps in the search market for your field. Or pushing a specific promotion for a new product launch or bestseller. Or maybe just understanding the seasonality of your product offerings, and adjusting budgets and goals to reflect this. Whatever opportunities and challenges your particular business faces, staying on top of them will help you ride out any changes to the search landscape.
C – Conversion Tracking
For most marketers, conversion tracking is the main pathway to search success. You need to be able to see which pages, keywords, and ads bring home the bacon in order to optimize and exceed your goals. This means taking advantage of every conversion opportunity available. In this modern world of search, your customers are using an ever more diverse set of routes to reach you; you need to follow each one. You’ve likely relied upon standard landing page conversion tracking for years. But now it’s more important than ever to branch out and expand your reach. Call conversion tracking allows you the chance to capture customers that may have been untrackable in the past. As mobile search continues to become the forefront of search, the ability to click on a phone number and speak to a rep is becoming a more viable option than form fills for your busiest customers. Now’s the time to capitalize on this conversion avenue and give your campaigns a welcome boost in the new year.
It’s tough to predict which new innovations and technologies will shape the search engine landscape of 2017. But by sticking to the ABCs of B2B Search Success you can weather any search storm.
Tags: b2b, b2b search marketing