By Michele Wade, Account Executive, MindShare Strategies, Inc.
Looking for a targeted, low-cost way to impact your entire sales funnel? Nate Dame, CEO and founder of Prospecta, argues that SEO can be a valuable lead gen strategy.
Today’s customers do considerable legwork before talking with suppliers. In fact, their first serious conversation with sales is likely to occur more than halfway through the purchase process, according to a research study conducted by the Marketing Leadership Council and Google.
Where are they getting background information? For 61% of B2B buyers, the research process starts with a web search. Dame says 7 million freight and logistics market searches are conducted every month. One out of every 10 qualified website visitors from SEO is “purchase ready” – and the remaining 9 will still make a purchase.
To improve the chances that your target audience will find you, Dame recommends considering both “technical” and “engagement” SEO. “Technical SEO” involves ensuring clean code, a fast-loading website, and mobile responsiveness and eliminating other barriers to entry.
Once these critical issues are resolved, marketers can move on to “engagement SEO” – ensuring that a page provides the best content to meet users’ specific needs and, as a result, increases in popularity.
It is important to understand who is on your website and what they’re looking for. When analyzing search terms, Dame encourages marketers to consider “user intent.” By determining if users are learning or buying, you can tailor your messaging to fit their needs.
Keywords are sure to be part of the mix, but Dame also encourages marketers to use long-tail keywords and provide information aboutthe key word and related sub topics. Links to sites such as trade shows, articles, etc. can also be helpful.
While SEO can be a complex process, it can help you to reach your target audience anytime anywhere with a minimal investment. Users will be more engaged with your site – and more receptive to that sales call.