subject: There is Life Outside Google [print this page] There is Life Outside Google There is Life Outside Google
It's seems that every day I get a call from a business owner or marketing person saying "I want to be #1 on Google!" I ask them why and they say "Because I want to make money". I find this very interesting. Sometimes I think that people forget there is life outside Google.
Let's compare two examples. Though the numbers are correct the names and industry have been changed. Company A sells widgets. They rank in the top 3 on Google for all the major terms. In order to achieve this they have done extensive link building and Search Engine Optimization work. As a result they get about 21,000 unique visitors that convert into 630 leads per month (typical 3% conversion rate). The sales team does a solid job at converting these leads into about 207 sales a month with a net return of $50,000.
Now let's look at Company B, who also sells widgets. They do not rank on the first page on Google for any of these key terms. There strategy is based on content development and social media marketing. They generate about 10,000 visitors a month (less that 50% of Company A). But due to their hyper targeted approach and strong lead conversion they are able to convert 7% of their traffic into leads or 700 leads per month. In addition to generating 40% more leads, due to the fact that they have developed content that positions them as knowledge experts they are able to convert a higher percent (45%) into sales. This results in 315 deals per month for revenue of $75,000.
Due to the fact that SEO is hyper competitive in this industry both companies spend about the same in marketing costs but Company B generates $25,000 or 50% more in sales. I also find similar results when it comes to paid advertising on Google. I recently started working with a major client who spends about $40,000 a month on AdWords. Their strategy was to be #1 for every key term they targeted. They where achieving about 12,000 visitors a month converting (3%) into 370 leads per month. This resulted in 130 deals for a net profit of $117,000.
Now if they spent less on being #1 and more on conversion here are the results they would see. Their traffic would only decrease to 9,000 visitors but by focusing on conversion strategy they would achieve 560 leads and profit of $500,000 per month. Once again it does not always pay the most to be #1 on Google. When evaluating your internet marketing efforts, it's just as important to monitor conversion, sometimes even more important, than where do you rank on Google. A strong strategic conversion strategy will outperform even the best SEO tactics.
All these results are because you leave your ego at the door and focus on your target audience. While there are certain industries, due to the low competitive nature, that being #1 on Google and be easily achieved and pay strong dividends. For many as they become more and more competitive, they need to stop focusing solely on Google and start focusing on what's important - Revenue.
