SEO AND SOCIAL MARKETING AGE - WHERE WILL YOU BE WHEN IT HAPPENS?
THE PROPHECY
It was foretold. Now all of the signs are here:
the list goes on and on...
Terms like SEO (search engine optimization), Social Media Networking, Google Rankings, Google Web Crawlers, Lead Capture, Lead Conversion, Blogging, Regional Branding have been preached at every corner and business stage platform from coast to coast. All of a sudden we're inundated with every form of internet marketing you can think of.
THE PERCEPTION
Where was Facebook 2 -3 years ago except on my son's dorm room computer screen? And Twitter? I thought it was the most idiotic thing I'd ever heard. I didn't want to know when you were going to the potty party or your every move in "real time." I thought it was just another self-glorifying device that was feeding our narcissistic driven society. Boy was I ever wrong! No matter how adolescent the social platforms were initially perceived, they are all grown up now and considered to be some of the most effective marketing tools of our time. If you still don't think you need to take platforms like Twitter seriously, think again. Google Announces Search deal with Twitter. Google loves new content and what better way to showcase it than with live Twitter feeds. With every tweet you have a chance to better your SEO. Has your brain exploded yet?
THE PURPOSE
How and when did all of this fluff turn into something respectable? Real Estate Agents, freelancers, Fortune 500 companies, politicians and scientists are even on board now. Why? If you have a product or service that needs exposure of any kind, you need to position yourself online in the most effective way possible. How do you do that? By using social marketing platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter as directional tools to boost your SEO rankings, thus steering people to the front door of your website. The better your SEO, the more exposure, the greater potential for business - PERIOD. If your business lands on page 2 or 3 of a consumer's search engine results for your type of product or service, you will have lost business to your page 1 competitors. When was the last time you were searching for a specific service or product and searched past page 1, hm?
"...the better your SEO, the more exposure, the greater potential for business - PERIOD."
THE PARTICIPATION
Most of us at one time or another have felt overwhelmed with just how fast technology has taken over our industry. I heard one person say they were going to ride "it" out. "It" being the social networking thing because it was just a fad. Based on the customer insight that 66 percent of people are using Internet search more frequently to make complex decisions* the value of Social Networking and subsequent SEO is not going anywhere anytime soon. The public dependent businesses most likely to survive this internet marketing age are those that will have taken the time to educate, participate and consistently promote themselves on some type of social marketing platform.
It's not too late to start now. The likely alternative is to find yourself by yourself wondering "Where did everybody go?" Your "A" referrals (family and friends) can only keep your business afloat so much. It's the "B" and "C" folks (acquaintances, soft referrals, friend-of-a-friend and future clients) that are all online now visiting and getting up close and personal with your competitors.
Stat Source*Ipsos 2009
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Hi Andi ~ Super post and written in such a clever style - the title was irresistible.
Twitter has become a force for marketing though I find myself wondering about it's staying power for much else - though even I check it sometimes for breaking news.
One big eye opener for me was that people only look at the top results on the first page of the search results. Who knew? Not me - I search very deep into results but it's very clear that most people don't. Humph.
Lots of food for thought here.
Liz
Thanks Liz! When no one commented I wasn't sure if the title was too apocalyptic. :) I wish someone had told me this 2 years ago! Some people seem to be years into this.
Great post Andi! I love the analogy and you're so right on with "where did everyone go." I feel like I'm still a little left behind, but I'm amazed that so many don't even know what a blog or SEO is. I don't want to be left behind so I'm trying to Twitter more too.
Carol, I'm jumping in mid-stream as well. As you said, so many still do not know about it. So we are still at an advantage. :)
Andi , I was lost until late june 09! But I got involved in social media big time -85,000 AR pts and I'm closing in on 200 friends in FB. I can't imagine what I'd be thinking about real estate right now ,if I hadn't jumped in !
That's great Michael! How are the others in your office? I don't think anyone else is blogging in mine at least not that I know of.
Cute title . . . you mentioned in your other blog that there's a lot more east coast bloggers . . . so, one a plus side it's good you've taken the leap (o' faith!)
Yeah, its nice to be ahead of the game for once. :)
Hi Brian! lol - I was just guessing based on what appeared to be more AR posts from the East Coast, Midwest than west coast.
Thanks for the blog. My beginning has been with Active Rain, December 2009. I'm signed on to Linked In and Facebook but not much more. Just give me time I WILL get there. Margaret C.