What Types of Companies Use SEO?

Competing for business using the search engines can be the tool or process your organization needs to attract more sales. Large organizations invest a great deal of money in Search Engine processes to ensure that their product pages appear frequently on search engine results. Small companies too can compete for local business by using their unique understanding of local buying characteristics.

Which kinds of companies can effectively use Search Engine Optimization and Marketing processes? Simply put, any organization can use the technologies and techniques of SEO to attract visits and customers. There are differences among organizations though, that should be considered when crafting an SEO strategy.

Several considerations face those wishing to use Search Engine Optimization. The answers to these questions can help determine a rough SEO strategy. So before you start researching its use, examine your business and ask “is the organization:”

Small or Large? Local or National? Product or Service Oriented (or both)?

The answers may help guide your SEO planning:

Small or Large? SEO programs can be expensive for large firms. These companies compete for every customer possible using a wide product/service offering, pricing strategies and delivery options. The high volume of detail requires a great deal of human effort to handle and manage. Accordingly, optimization of the company’s website would mean careful analysis of the products being offered so that these features may be effectively presented on the web page.

Local or small business organizations rarely have the funding to invest heavily in Search Engine Optimization. Still, competing on the internet is necessary and can be very profitable. Customers prefer purchasing from people and businesses they are familiar with or can build an ongoing relationship with. Local business web pages can present information offering invitations to events that might offer potential customers the opportunity to establish such a business relationship. Additionally, local business owners usually have unique insight into local purchase behavior that can be integrated into the SEO strategy as well. And as many larger corporations do not compete well on a local level, small business can use SEO techniques to effectively compete for new business.

Local or National? Global organizations usually have extensive central websites and enjoy consistent traffic with many external links already established. Larger companies such as these generally need to attract a lot of search traffic for competitive phrases. These companies though, usually have a high number of products and services – each of which requires its own, separately optimized product page. Optimization efforts then focus the web message around product features for each product page.

Small business or local companies require another strategy. These websites typically are either new or fairly young and require extensive link-building – at least in the early stages – to get the site indexed on major search engines. Additional links establish the page as relevant. A major feature of link building for smaller organizations though, surrounds the inclusion of a geographic parameter. Searches on Google for “kitchen appliances” will return results from the major manufacturers. Searches for “kitchen appliances in Des Moines” should return results for local kitchen appliance dealers. Large corporations usually compete poorly on a local level, adding a local geographic parameter such as ‘in Des Moines’ could really help attract potential customer traffic.

Product or Service? The central SEO strategy of course surrounds the value of the product or service. Product pages provide large volumes of information, product specifications and other useful facts. Companies provide these pages to deliver information and attract attention from potential customers. Product and support/service features then are the central focus of the SEO strategy for product companies.

Service web pages generally focus on end value created from the service. Things like saving time or saving money using a certain service is an economic argument. Product companies can make these arguments as well, but service organizations typically must focus on the end value delivered. Issues like ‘cost savings’ or ’24 hour local service’ may be great sub-niche areas upon which service companies can focus their web page message. Service web pages can usually be optimized around key phrases that communicate the value of the service or answer questions customers frequently ask.

Search Engine Optimization can indeed work for any organization to drive traffic and attract potential customers. Each business though, is different. An effective SEO program then requires careful analysis of business type, development of a unique web message strategy and careful implementation of an individually prepared SEO plan.

Matthew Stone and SEO Consultants Denver help organizations attract new customers using the web search engines. From highly focused consulting firms to manufacturing organizations, SEO can be a key part of any sales and revenue strategy. Contact Denver SEO Consultants soon to start increasing your sales!