(And You Should Capitalize On This)
I’m going to make a prediction that SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is not only waning, but returns are diminishing more rapidly than anyone previously thought. Why? People are too lazy to look up goods and services and would rather crowdsource.
SEO is not as important as it was just a few years ago. This sounds crazy because it’s all anyone ever used to talk about, with companies spending ridiculous amounts of money on improving their rankings on search engines. Social Media has crept in there as a major vehicle to get businesses noticed and phones ringing. And after all, isn’t that the point?
Have you ever been in a Facebook group, say, for a local community, and people were asking for recommendations for the best Chinese food takeout, the best dentist, landscapers, etc? Some of the comments were very likely reminding the original poster that Google exists and they can find it themselves. Other comments, however were real recommendations (or warnings) of exactly what they were looking for.
In fact, last year, Facebook rolled out a “Recommends” feature that expedites this process to a streamlined list of results spoon-fed to the person asking.
People are lazy. If they can crowdsource the answers, they can funnel the results at their own pace, from people who’ve already vetted. Score!
Recommendations also include emphatic, subjective information. Rather than just a list of who provides pet sitting, for example, the results come with testimonials or warnings, which provide a more dimensional result than a stark listing of businesses.
I am seeing more and more consumers engage with businesses not because they were found on Google, but because they were recommended on Social media. Even with a free Facebook page (That you keep updated and active), you have reviews and star ratings. Right off the bat, this qualifies you.
Let’s not forget Social Media Addiction. This is a theory I’ve had since it all began. People are addicted to social media. It’s the drug of this age, make no mistake. It’s a literal addiction as sure as narcotics. People are in front of Facebook more than they are the TV. So why not advertise and make use of both paid and free space in front of them? It works.
How can you capitalize on this?
1. Have a Facebook page, and keep it current!
2. Engage in local community Facebook groups, be on the lookout for people asking for your services.
3. Redirect some of your Google Pay-Per-Click budget to Facebook targeted ads. Facebook knows everything about everyone, and allows you to target exactly those you want to see your ad.
By getting a large presence on the new virtual world, you will find you’ll get more and more customers this way. Compound this with a strong reputation via 5 star reviews for your exemplary service, and your results will be exponential.