Let's start with a couple of Google searches, the one above and the one below. Both of these are real examples of things I searched recently myself, and in both cases you can see that GOOGLE answered my question. I didn't even have to click on a link or go to a website. And in both cases, I got my answer and closed the tab...
To give you one more example, often when I am hand coding HTML I forget something - like the code for a hard space. Again, I go ask Google:
I get what I need right there on the search results page. I copy the code, and again... I close the tab. I never register as a unique visitor, I never help the site owner's stats, I never see their advertising. Is that intentional on my part? No. I'm just being an efficient searcher. That's all.
Tip: Pay attention to how YOU use the web, to come up with smart new ways to reach your market online. Assuming you are your own target market, and you should be (!), you should be keeping an ongoing "swipe file" to learn from & test.
What If I'm Shopping Online?
The other day I bought batteries and shampoo online. Don't laugh, I really dislike going to the store! 😛 I also bought a loaf of low carb bread and some almond meal. I got a great new skirt for the summer too, and some breezy tank tops.
I went to Amazon for batteries & shampoo, because I have Amazon Prime. I went straight to Netrition for the food because I've been shopping there for years.
I went to AE.com for the clothes, because I shop there often and know my sizes. When I travel? I go straight to Southwest.com and book a flight.
Here's the thing - most online shoppers are more savvy these days. They know where to go, and they'll go straight there.
Does that mean Keyword Optimization is dead? No. * Keep reading to learn what you should be optimizing for now, with savvy shoppers online!
Another new trend is to shop via Google Images. I learned this from my daughter (the younger generation!!) and started doing it myself. When she wanted a certain kind of bed for her room, she Googled it then went straight to Google Images.
She totally skipped the website & shopping search results! You know what? She's right. "Window shopping" is MUCH more fun on Google Images!
Tip: Optimize your images. 🙂
How do you optimize your web images? "Image SEO" is simple. First, make sure you use the ALT Tag for every image, so if it gets pinned on Pinterest it will have a relevant "title" for that Pin. The ALT Tag is also how Google determines what your image is "about". Also name your images something relevant, and make sure the surrounding text uses your targeted keyword phrase.
These days people are more likely to find products or brands they might want to try on Pinterest, Instagram and other image-focused sites. Places where they're already browsing and saving things on their favorite topics. So make sure your images are optimized for these sites, in a way that those people can easily find your buy links!
Top 5 Marketing Tactics To Focus On NOW
Forget "Traditional SEO". Things like keyword stuffing and massive backlinking and over-optimization have always been bad - yet people are STILL doing those, and more useless practices. Instead you should be focused on serving your visitors, ie "Visitor Optimization". Here are the five things you SHOULD focus on in 2015 to increase your blog / website traffic and make good money online:
1. Build Your Audience
Really, if you stop reading right here, you've read enough. 🙂
Focus on building an audience, and on serving that audience.
"If you have an audience, of ANY kind, you can monetize it. Period."
2. Keyword Targeting
You'd be wise to forget the term SEO altogether here, and focus on answering questions instead. Every "keyword phrase" is simply a question, nothing more and nothing less. Your job as a blogger, seller or business owner... is to answer those questions. It's THAT simple.
How do you do that? With great content of course!
Content that specifically answers the question, of course. Not only should you answer their question clearly, you should also give them a "next best click" - also known as a Call To Action. Otherwise the next best click will be the back button. 🙂
You can find out what people are asking at Google by using WordTracker. They're the industry leader in keyword data, and it's the best tool on the market for the most accurate results. (Note: they don't own a search engine or sell advertising. *wink*)
This link will get you 25% WordTracker
When you look at keyword phrases in WordTracker, imagine that each result is a question. It's not just "data", it's real phrases that real people typed in at major search engines. That's how you should view it. Figure out what those people are asking, and how you can best answer that question.
Tip: In today's search landscape, you really want to target the longtail keyword phrases. That means: not general keyword phrases, but super specific search queries that you serve with super specific solutions/answers (via your content).
Forget marketing. Forget trying to get the most traffic. All you really want is the most targeted traffic. The kind of traffic that actually converts. Serve the people... with an answer to the ONE thing they most want to know!
3. Image Marketing
I mentioned earlier how important image marketing is, and how to optimize your images so people can easily find you when they're looking for what you offer.
Add in that Google serves up an Image Results preview for most searches, and you have a great opportunity here!
Product images, quote graphics, illustrations and Infographics are extremely important in today's marketing.
Images catch the eye. Images get shared. Images get saved and spread around.
Read This Now (click to open in a new tab/window):
Image Marketing Case Study
4. Social Marketing
Social Media is my biggest source of highly targeted traffic.
Especially Facebook Groups.
Social marketing is also GREAT for conversions (ie, selling real products to real people). I use all organic social marketing strategies - no paid advertising, no automation, no slimy marketing tactics. Just real "good old fashioned" social marketing.
Forget the easy button. The EASY method of making Social Media work for you is... to simply be social. That's it. Talk about what you're doing, buying, using, trying. Talk about your results. Talk about what you love, what you want, ask about things you're considering. (Remember: "Stop marketing. Start Talking.")
I promise you that using social platforms as they were intended is easier, smarter, cheaper and less frustrating than any other method or software you get "sold". And you'll see better (and faster) results. Without getting your account banned, or pissing off people that actually LIKE that social platform...
5. List Building
While Social Media is my biggest source of traffic, Email is still my most responsive communication tool. Absolutely NOTHING compares to the response I get from email. List Building should be your TOP priority in everything you do online. If it's not, you're screwing up. But you can fix that, starting today! 🙂
Watch this Free List Building Training and also check out my Fast, Easy Landing Page Ideas.
Get GREAT Results - Fast!
If you stop searching for the magic trick, the perfect software, the "shiny object" that's going to do all the work for you (note: it doesn't exist)- and just focus on building & serving your audience - you'll actually start seeing GREAT results. FAST.
I teach everything I do, and how I do it effectively and efficiently, in two courses: Social Marketing Results ($77) and Niche Success Blueprint ($199). You can get both courses FREE as a member of my Private Brainstorming Group - which is the cheapest, smartest option.
Both courses combined are $276. You can join my group for an entire year for only $360. Then you'll not only get both courses, you'll also get my hands-on help with your business every step of the way. Which quite honestly... is priceless. 🙂
All you have to do is register at ClickNewz, confirm your registration by email, then you can upgrade to an Elite Member.
I would love to see you on the inside, and work with you personally to reach maximum profit potential this year! Nothing I teach or help you with will get you banned, blocked, de-indexed or worse. It will simply get you more traffic and help you make more money. 🙂 *cheers*
Best,
p.s. Let's hear your thoughts on these 5 Smart Marketing Tactics! Leave a comment below. And if you have any questions about marketing, or any of these five points, let me know - I'm happy to answer your questions!
About Lynn Terry
You know Lynn, as much as this break from being online was in my case nice, as good as it is to be back with a fresh perspective one thing hasn't changed... optimise everything for people. Not machine... still holds true. 🙂
The whole landscape has changed in many ways and I see it so clearly. 🙂
Rob
The landscape has changed for the better from my perspective, and in my opinion. 🙂 Those that focused on building an audience back in the day... have continued thriving, while everyone else (using temporary tactics) was left scrambling to find/do the next best thing.
Id agree Lynn. 🙂
Anyone in it for the long haul will have benefited from it.
If people are going to "game anything, there's always a limit to how well it will work . If at all 🙂
Hi Lynn. Thanks for this post. I was just thinking the other day that I probably should be optimising my images. I used to do it, but haven't been of late. I'll be starting again now!
Cheers
Sue
It's extremely important - not just for Google Images, but also for Pinterest! The ALT tag code in your images is what is used as the Title when images from your blog get Pinned. 😉
Lynn,
This is great information, especially since I'm just getting started. I am a member of clicknewz and have your product NSB, but I don't have Social Marketing Success... where can I find that.
Once again, I love that you're transparent and zero hype about what to do and how to do it. Thanks for this post, great information.
Thank you, Dana! 🙂
Social Marketing Results is the first link on this page: http://www.clicknewz.com/members/showthread.php?10743-Free-Member-Product-Access-amp-Affiliate-Signup It's a great "watch over my shoulder" series of topical video tutorials, with checklists included. Enjoy!
Very well written Lynn. And you know, it's whole lot easier and more fun that analyzing all the keywords till you're blue in the face. I prefer to just write rather than search for just the right keyword. After I have an article completed, or at least near completion, that is when I determine my keywords. Not always but often. I still have a long way to go but your articles help bunches.
Thanks,
Ocha
I often do that as well, Ocha. Sometimes I come up with content ideas based on keywords, other times I find keywords that are relevant to a topic I want to write. It goes both ways. 🙂
And of course, once you have an audience... you can even write on topics where there isn't really significant search volume (if any at all), so long as you know it's a topic of interest to your readers, and that's fine too! *cheers*
Great article Lynn. To add to the image optimization if you dropship on Amazon, eBay or anywhere else. If your supplier is out of a product, right click on the image...then click search Google for this image...It will bring up everyone that sells this product. Then you can find more suppliers of the product.
Of course if you want your image to show up when others search by image your image must be optimized.
If you are a shopper (Lynn) looking to buy the product then this is an easy way to 1. Find where the product is available 2. Find the cheapest price.
Mike Norris
Great tip, Mike! Thank you! 🙂
Thank you Lynn for sharing this powerful topic. You always share more and freely.
Your 5 tips is mind blowing and definitely the topic on images has inspired me to do more.
I create a lot of images in my post at fb and also Instagram using my phone and canva. com.
Your insight will be great use for me.
Thank you Lynn
Image optimization is HUGE right now. 🙂 Pinterest and Instagram, and similar social sites, have trained people to "browse by image". While it might technically be considered "SEO" it's really all about Visitor Optimization - and making sure your content is where your market can easily find it when they're in "find" or "buy" mode. 🙂 *cheers*
Lynn, I like the idea of visitor optimization. We should focus now on how we can really target audience. The possible question they have in mind and the accurate answer. We always aim for traffic but we overlook the most people want and need.
Hi Raffy!
Sometimes it takes a bit of intuition to figure out what someone is asking with a certain search query, but more often than not it's quite obvious. Sadly, most marketers will target a keyword phrase based on numbers alone, not intent, which frustrates searchers who have to dig through irrelevant content. Google is not the bad guy, btw (most of the time, lol) - they simply want to serve THEIR market (the searcher).
This is why targeting the longtail, the super specific searches, is important - because you can deliver with highly targeted responses. And also because a person who KNOWS what they want... will search for it in more specific terms. 🙂
Great article!
Question - You point out the problem that Google now shows answers to questions right on their results page so searchers don't even have to click on the website providing the answer.
THEN you say a way to get traffic is targeting keywords that are questions and answering them....Is this not feeding right into Google's trap?
What am missing?
You are right on with image optimization though! Google even prompts searchers with image results right in their regular results...I used image searches often and am sure others do too...For example, I was searching "inspirational quotes" for a project I'm working on and I did an image search just to see how some of the quotes would actually look as a print.
Thanks again.
I'm glad you asked, Bart - because I really should have clarified that point. 🙂 Targeting super specific (longtail) keyword phrases serves two purposes. First, those are the types of search results where people DO want to click through for answers. It's about "intent" - intent of the search. Are they looking for a quick answer, a source, or are they looking for content (an explanation, comparison, discussion, etc). And second, because those phrases are easier to rank for, without all the distractions of other SERP features. 🙂
It is really amazing! Many times I have had a thought about something whirling around in my head about some problem and in a short time there will be an email from you that has the answer. This article about the right way to do SEO (visitor optimization) really makes sense.
I use google all the time to find answers to questions. This confirms that optimizing for your audience is much more effective. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it, Jim! 🙂 I wish I could say I was reading your mind and delivering on cue, but that's not the case. lol - Anytime you have a questions, let me know. I'm always looking for fun new topics to discuss. 🙂 *cheers*
Hi Lynn Great Article , how can I as a game walkthrough video content creator use the question aspect
Hi David,
Can you give me a live example to work with? 🙂