Saturday, March 10, 2012

Recommendations vs SEO


Awhile back I wrote an article about SEO or Search Engine Optimization.  I discussed how important SEO was to businesses trying to attract new customers.

Now, with everyone participating in social media in one way or another, there is a new way that people are learning about new products, and it is through recommendations.

Recommendations are made by people you trust, who do not stand to benefit from the sale of a product.  Research shows that approximately 70 percent of educated purchase decisions are based on recommendations.

Many people that I know have used their social networks to get recommendations or non biased reviews on products and services from their peers.

I recently purchase a new car and I spent a fair amount of time doing research and asking friends for advice.  I checked online forums, read reviews, and reached out to my network, before I ever visited the manufacturer’s website.

So what should marketing departments do now, abandon SEO for something else? The answer in the short term is no, SEO can still play a major role in your marketing and branding initiatives.  However, it now makes sense to consider another avenue to attract new business.

The best companies will focus on great products and great customer service, and this will lead to more recommendations.  Sounds a bit like Apple, huh?

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