Is SEO dead?
With all the buzz and hype surrounding social media marketing you might be fooled into thinking that the answer is “yes.”
And if you think that way I’ve got some sobering news for you. It’s going to be difficult, if not impossible, to make much money from your online business and website.
Why is that?
Because to understand the difference between search engine traffic and social media traffic you have to focus on one crucial element – which is…
What is the mindset of the person (your potential customer) when they find you online.
SEO vs. Social Media
Let me put it to you this way.
When people are using Google what do you think they’re doing? What is going on inside their head? Why are they using that website in the first place?
What is their OBJECTIVE?
The answer is so simple – and so basic – that you probably think my questions above are ridiculous.
Now let’s talk about Facebook.
What are people doing there?
Remember Farmville or Mafia Wars?
Of course you do. Now the latest trend is to post photos of posters that have sayings on them. And people still post family photos, their latest vacation, or updates about their dog or cat, etc.
So what’s the point?
Time and again the business owners I speak with approach the web – and Google – as if is was a SINGLE medium. The unspoken assumption is that everyone is doing the same saying or has the same mindset regardless of the websites they happen to be using.
Social media, when you get right down to it, is useful for engaging or staying in touch with your EXISTING clients. It’s about being accessible to them as well as keeping your customers up to date with news, specials, sales, or events.
It is not, however, a great medium for getting new customers or clients precisely for the points we already raised above.
To be blunt, people only care about their own stuff. And when they are engaging with or using a social media site it’s all about their interests, their likes, and not about yours.
Put another way, your marketing message has a really tough way of connecting with a new crowd.
SEO and Traffic
Now let’s talk about Google.
The web is a fantastic way to generate new business. It is the most cost-effective way for reaching a new audience for your products and services – provided that you know what to do and how to do it.
Case in point, one of my SEO consultation clients who sells wine online averages 200 new customers a month through the web. They also generate new business through the phone – and their phone number is prominently displayed on the website.
The majority of these customers come by way of Google.
Yes, they have a Facebook page and nearly 500 fans (and counting). Now, would you like to know how many new customers they’ve picked up from Facebook in the past year?
Three.
That’s right – roughly 2400 new customers through Google and basically 3 new customers through Facebook.
And in case you think that their example is unique I challenge you to find a single case where a small business owner was able to generate the majority of new business through social media and not through search engines.
So I will say it again… ignore Google at your own risk.
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