Conventional SEO wisdom tells you that the ultimate goal of search marketing is to end up on the front page of Google, as close to the number-one spot as possible. But what if you were told that this mindset is limiting you? If you are hyper-focused on ranking on Google, you are missing the enormous visibility opportunities that will make a real difference for your brand.
What many people don’t realize is that Google accounts for only 27% of all search activity happening on the internet today. Even though the billions of searches the platform has daily may sound like a staggering amount, it’s only a small fraction of what happens on the internet. So where did the other 73% go, you ask? It’s spread across other platforms businesses don’t often think of as search engines—social media, e-commerce platforms like Amazon, and even ChatGPT.
This spread has created what we in the SEO business have called the “Google Trap.” You spend all your time optimizing for visibility in one place (namely, Google), but your customers are deciding everywhere else. While the traffic might look decent because you are getting a lot of referrals from Google, the conversions are flat or declining. And after all, your return on investment in marketing doesn’t come from page views; it comes from people buying your products. Because of this, simply being number one on Google isn’t enough anymore.
It’s Not Just About Google Anymore
While you’re still fighting for that number one Google ranking, your customers are making actual buying decisions on TikTok. They’re validating those decisions on Reddit threads. They’re asking ChatGPT for recommendations. They’re checking Amazon reviews. The question you have to ask yourself is where you are in that process.
To be successful in their marketing, businesses today must effectively leverage other platforms beyond the search engines they may be used to. Some of the most influential of these search platforms, if we want to call them that, include:
- Amazon: For consumer products, where better to meet potential customers than where they shop? Just like Google has a process for search optimization, so too does Amazon. By optimizing listing elements, including keywords, product name, images, and more, you can significantly increase your visibility on the world’s largest e-commerce store.
- TikTok: Many consumers now make purchasing decisions directly from the TikTok app. With the built-in TikTok shop, users can now watch a video and make a purchase with just a few clicks, which has made TikTok an e-commerce platform the size of eBay. Businesses that get high visibility in the algorithm can yield serious benefits.
- YouTube: Although YouTube was once primarily for entertainment, it has become a place where many consumers turn for education and guidance. Google reports that 68% of users have watched YouTube videos to make a purchase decision. This means that optimizing your presence through reviews, unboxings, and demonstrations can significantly impact your visibility.
- ChatGPT: Some of the wisest companies today are picking up on the fact that generative AI platforms have become an indispensable resource for decision-makers who are doing research before making a purchase decision. Forbes reports that many consumers have begun to use the platform as an “automated concierge,” and business owners want to be on that list of recommendations when someone asks for the top five choices in their industry in their area.
The New SEO
Ultimately, businesses should aim to build brand authority across multiple touchpoints, as this is the best way to inspire long-term success. Not only does diversification mean that you have multiple streams of traffic (and therefore income) coming in at any given time, but it also means that you have resilience in case one fails.
For example, Google updates its ranking algorithm every few months, and it often takes businesses time to adjust. If you have other sources of traffic, they can compensate if Google traffic dips temporarily.
Because of this fundamental change in how consumers use the internet, it’s crucial to shift the SEO strategy from “search engine optimization” to “search everywhere optimization.” But it is important to note that each of these platforms requires a unique strategy. Each platform’s users behave differently, as do their algorithms. The businesses that can most effectively leverage today’s SEO strategies are those that adopt this intricate, multi-platform approach.
Indeed, if you are a business with a product to sell, it’s no longer enough to merely optimize your product for search engines. You have to optimize for every platform your customers use to search.
While this may sound like a lot of work, taking this search everywhere optimization approach gets you more than just traffic; it gets you meaningful results.
Nikki Lam, Senior Vice President of Earned Media for NP Digital, is a seasoned SEO expert who oversees the Earned Media offering, leads a growing team of passionate search strategists, and assists in pitching and formulating award-winning campaigns for NP’s growing roster of enterprise and Fortune 1000 clients.
She also collaborates with NP Digital’s growing global Earned Media teams to ensure consistency, foster innovation, nurture collaboration, and uphold operational excellence. She has helped elevate the online presence of global brands like Adobe, Lenovo, Samsung, Under Armour, Levi’s, T-Mobile, Office Depot, American Airlines, Western Union, SoFi & more.
Photo courtesy Philip Oroni for Unsplash+