You may have been doing SEO wrong all along — and what to do instead

Everything you know about SEO is wrong.

Okay, just kidding. But you’ve probably been relying on SEO as a performance marketing tool when, in fact, it’s anything but. In the marketing world, search engine optimisation is often (unfairly) compared to its attractive younger sisters: paid search and social media advertising. Here’s why that could affect how you’re using SEO in your business.

What is performance marketing

Performance marketing is a type of digital marketing that focuses on generating measurable results, such as clicks, leads or sales. It is a data-driven strategy emphasising the importance of tracking and optimising key performance indicators (KPIs) to achieve a measurable return on investment (ROI).

The misunderstanding of SEO as performance marketing may arise from the fact that both strategies require tracking and measuring results. The primary goal of SEO is to increase organic search traffic to a website rather than driving immediate conversions or sales. 

But for most business owners and marketing managers, all they want to measure is the amount of traffic it drives to their site AND the revenue earned from it. And these are the metrics most SEO agencies will sell their clients on, which is why many people give up on SEO before they see the tangible benefits for their business.

That’s not to say that SEO doesn’t lead to sales because it definitely can. But if you’re only measuring SEO based on the sales you receive, you won’t ever truly understand its value.

The trick is to use SEO for brand awareness.

Why SEO works best as a brand awareness tool

Given there are more than 8.5 billion searches on Google every day (Internet Live Stats, 2022), there’s a high chance your target audience is using it too. Ensuring your site has maximum visibility in search engine results is key to growing brand awareness.

When a potential customer is in the problem-solving or information-gathering phase, repeated exposure to your brand highlights it as a solution and makes it more memorable. The more you appear in their search results, the more likely they’ll recognise your brand and consider visiting your website. 

Appearing higher and more frequently in search results doesn’t just have the potential to drive more traffic to your website or increase brand awareness; it also acts as social proof, increasing the perception that your brand is more credible and trustworthy. 

Aim to become searched for, not just found

Improving your online visibility is good; getting people to search for your brand is better. Instead of thinking about how you can get more traffic to your site or make more sales, focus on becoming the most useful website in your industry for your target customers. Do this and your business becomes searched for, not just found. 

Brand-building SEO tactics

By focusing on a few key areas, every business can grow its online visibility and brand awareness with SEO. Here’s how.

1. Optimise your site for the right keywords

   Every good SEO strategy starts with keyword research. Choosing the right keywords for your website is essential for brand awareness to ensure your website consistently shows up in front of your target audience.

   But it’s not just about choosing the most searched keywords. Focusing on keywords with different search intent will ensure you show up for your customers no matter which stage of the buyer’s journey they’re at.

2. Create high-quality content

   The more generous you are with your knowledge, the more Google and your customers will reward you. Consistently creating content that highlights your expertise and informs, inspires and entertains your audience can improve brand credibility and your search rankings. Creating great content also gives people a reason to return to your site.

3. Leverage opportunities for exposure

   Increasing your site’s visibility in search engines can take time, so why not take advantage of websites already at the top? Having your brand appear on trusted third-party sites in directories, product reviews, and listicles boosts your brand’s ‘discoverability’ and trustworthiness. Backlinks from these sites can give you a decent amount of referral traffic and potentially improve your rankings. 

   Digital PR is another great way to earn backlinks. It also gets your brand in front of a wider audience, gives you more credibility and is more difficult for competitors to replicate.

4. Use local SEO

   If you have a physical location or serve customers in a specific geographic area, optimising your website and business listings for local search will ensure you appear in the local pack. The local pack is a feature in Google search results that displays a map with three local business listings. 

   Appearing in the local pack can be a valuable source of organic traffic and visibility. To improve your chances of appearing in the local pack, optimise your Google Business listing and ensure your business information is accurate and up-to-date. Other local SEO strategies, such as building local citations and earning positive reviews, can also help to improve your local search visibility.

5. Improve your site experience

   There’s no use getting to the top of the search results if your website isn’t user-friendly. A slow or broken website leaves a bad first impression, so ensure your site loads quickly and is error-free.

It is time to stop treating SEO as a performance marketing tool and start recognising its true value in building brand awareness. While SEO can certainly drive traffic and sales, its true impact lies in the ability to enhance your brand’s online presence, authority and credibility. By prioritising brand awareness over short-term performance metrics, you can create a more sustainable and profitable marketing strategy that benefits your business in the long run.

Remi Audette is a former corporate SEO specialist and the founder of Sunday Best Digital.