Search
engine marketing campaigns can be an effective means for businesses to increase
visibility and garner more conversions. However, sometimes search engine
marketing efforts go awry, and companies engage in what is now called ‘ego
bidding.’ Sometimes business owners decide they want to own certain key search
terms and phrases to get the highly coveted top spot on search engine results.
This can be a costly mistake.
There
are four primary reasons why the top spot isn’t necessarily the best spot for
business. These compelling reasons are:
Search Engine Domination isn’t Always Quick
Vying
for the top spot in search engine results isn’t easy, and it isn’t quick. A
campaign with this objective can take months or years of hard work, especially
if a business wants to dominate popular keywords and phrases.
Most
business owners need more business now and can’t wait the length of time it
takes to reach the coveted top spot. In these cases, business owners continue
to shell out more and more money to search engines and marketing firms with
nothing to show for their efforts. This can be extremely frustrating.
Business
owners usually lose patience after a couple of months with a strategy like this
and fire whatever marketing firm they’ve hired because they wrongly assume the
firm isn’t doing a good job. This type of situation is a losing proposition for
everyone involved.
Sometimes Getting the Top Spot isn’t Possible
Businesses
that are going against fierce competition from big names aren’t going to get
very far when trying to take on big business. These companies have in-house
resources out the wazoo and these guys aren’t going to give ground to some
no-name company.
A
company with large resources at its disposal and staff working 24/7 to keep the
coveted top spot can’t be toppled from their position as king of the hill by a
company with a limited budget and a small marketing firm. It’s just not
possible.
Companies
that scrounge up resources trying to compete in this scenario are wasting time
and money. In this type of situation, the ROI just isn’t there, and it won’t
ever be. There’s simply no use trying.
Securing the Top Spot Can be Too Expensive
If a
company invests all its resources in securing the top spot but doesn’t get
enough sales to cover the expenses involved, what’s the point. If a business
does succeed in getting the top spot in this type of scenario, there won’t be
anything to show for it. Additionally, it’s unlikely the business will be able
to remain in operation.
It’s
extremely easy to spend a lot of money during a search engine campaign.
Desperate business owners will often put all their resources into a campaign,
anticipating that the returns will cover their efforts. Often, the returns are
fruitless, and business owners abandon this strategy with the business in
jeopardy.
There’s No ROI for Untargeted Traffic
After
outbidding competitors and securing the top position, many business owners
quickly discover that the traffic their getting offers little value. If the
clicks a company gets aren’t from consumers wanting to buy, then the clicks are
completely worthless.
For
instance, if a business targets a common set of keywords such as watches or
sunglasses and ends up getting a top position, the likelihood of getting
untargeted traffic increases. Searchers can be looking to buy sunglasses or
watches, or they may be doing a report on these items for school. Obviously, if
it’s for the latter reason, the searcher isn’t likely to buy anything on the
site. Money is wasted and there is no ROI.
It’s
much better to be specific with key phrases. It takes a great deal of time and
research to perfect what keywords and phrases lead to better conversions for a
particular industry. During the research period, it isn’t very wise to put a
lot of cash on the line for the top spot in search engine results.
Getting the Top Spot isn’t the Point
For
most businesses, it’s not advisable to seek the top position on search engine
results. This position gets more untargeted clicks, and it’s not usually cost-effective.
Unless a business has a lot of capital that can be thrown into a campaign such
as this it’s more advisable to seek the third and fourth positions. The best
strategy is to shoot above the fold.
In Rare Cases Getting the Top Spot Can Pay Off
However,
there are a few cases where getting the top spot can be beneficial. These
situations are limited to the following:
·
A business is engaged in a
short-term strategy to maximize visibility.
·
Past data indicates that getting
the top spot is an extremely profitable position.
If
the higher bid cost is offset by higher conversion rates and there is solid
data that indicates that this position will pay off. By all means, shoot for
the stars. Additionally, if a business is launching a new product or service
and wants to make sure the public has every possible chance to find out about
this new product or service, getting the top spot for a limited time may not be
a bad idea.
So, Getting the Top Spot Doesn’t Pay…Now What?
There
are many things business owners can do to build brand awareness and encourage
more conversions. It’s better to choose several strategies instead of wasting
time focusing on just one. In addition to running a search engine campaign,
business owners can also focus on the following strategies:
Start Tweeting
Twitter
has become an effective medium for online business advertising. In most cases,
it’s free but there are options for businesses to engage in paid Twitter
campaigns.
Get Connected on LinkedIn
If a
business isn’t already maintaining a LinkedIn company page, it’s time to get
started. Having a LinkedIn page is a wonderful way to advertise and it’s free.
Post Products or Links on Pinterest
Pinterest
has been gaining ground as a social media network over the past year. It’s
becoming increasingly popular for advertising for many businesses, especially
those that have products that can be photographed and shared.
Focus on Facebook
Facebook
pages are still an effective means for businesses to get the word out about
their products and services. Facebook also offers measurement tools for
businesses that were previously only available to larger companies.
Search
engine marketing is a worthwhile advertising endeavor, but getting the top spot
isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Invest in multiple strategies and aim for
visibility above the fold. When everything is said and done, it’s the
conversions that will really matter. Businesses can get more targeted traffic
without having to depend solely on search engine results.
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