The Zoom In, Zoom Out Approach to Successful Search Campaigns

I recently came across an interesting analogy for a decision making approach called “zoom in, zoom out.” Similar to a lens on a camera, you zoom in to see a significant amount of detail in a small area and zoom out to get a wide picture of the environment, leaving out much of the detail. This analogy was developed by Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter, and after reading the article on BNET, I determined that the analogy could be applied to search marketing campaigns as well.

 When considering strategies for search campaigns, it is important to consider both the micro details as well as macro-level trends. Often our lens gets stuck at the micro level, or zoom-in mode, preventing us from thinking about the broader planning approach of search, which is important for trending, developments in search engine algorithms, and of course any competitive insights. Some prefer to see things up close and take a worm's-eye view in a campaign's approach versus the bird's-eye perspective. Successful search campaign strategists need the ability to zoom in and out so they aren't in fixed positions and are thus able to "see" the complete picture.

 So how do you know when you're too zoomed-in? You may be thinking too tactically, preferring to see a handful of tactics drive the performance of a campaign. The devil is in the details, and you'd rather spend time executing versus hammering out a plan that may open up other ideas for the campaign. When you're too zoomed-out, you miss out the finer details that can help build strong search campaigns based on knowledge and experience. 

 The idea is to develop wide-angle strategies, looking for patterns or trends in the industry, and then zoom-in and ask "how do I make this happen?" Often the answer comes from fellow teammates and colleagues, the problems get resolved by others, and you've learned something in the process.

 Adjust your lens and I'm sure you'll see more than you imagined.

 Thanks to Sean Silverthorne and Rosabeth Moss Kanter.for the inspiration

SEO and the Big Brand Brain Teaser

How does a big brand with millions of advertising and innovation dollars not dominate the unbranded, organic search landscape?

On a daily basis, I run through a variety of different strategies and tactics designed to push brand awareness online through search optimization. Fortunately, because larger brands have millions of dollars to spend offline, brand awareness becomes much easier for search online - you see an ad for Dell on TV, and then you do a search on Google for Dell's latest specials.

That's easy.

What's not as easy is associating that brand with a certain lifestyle or category that may not be entirely relevant to the brand. Sometimes brand messaging, via other channels, makes it easier for a Search professional to bring awareness in that Search space. For example, Coca Cola taught the world to sing in perfect harmony back in the 70's. I'm sure millions of dollars were dumped into that campaign, made even more evident by the fact that I am still writing about it today. But how do I drive people to the site on a lifestyle-based set of keywords like "teach the world to sing" or "perfect harmony"? The answer has probably less to do with Google and more to do with Facebook and how social media is now permeating our activities online. 

I think the answer to this teaser lies in the process of evangelizing the importance of an organic search campaign while delivering a solution on how to meet that objective. SEO has always been an afterthought in a digital campaign and only as of late have I seen a shift from other activities that now bring SEO to the forefront. I believe that some of the strategies influencing that shift include digital asset optimization, using content as strategy, and of course, the increase in social media activities.

Maybe the answer is to have a Coke and a smile :-)

Thanks to Meredith McPherron and Joe Pulizzi

Successful Digital Asset Optimization (DAO)?

Setting A Course For DAO, Successful or Not

Ideas sometimes come in many different styles of clothing, : a pin-striped suit one day and a flowered dress the next. Once it's been undressed, however, it is what it is.

So what the hell am I talking about?

Well, I'm referring to digital asset optimization (DAO) and what it means for Search campaigns. I believe that DAO has already been executed, in some form or another, on our websites. It's been done by optimizing images with keyword-centric naming standards, as well as implementing alternative text attributes, naming our videos appropriately, and optimizing our PDF's for search engines. Google's Universal Search or blended search has compelled the Search industry to socialize our onsite digital assets in order to keep up with the ever-evolving algorithm. Well, let me tell you something…I like it. It essentially makes Search industry professionals think beyond the meta tag and begin to think laterally.

My only concern is how do we measure the success of a well-executed DAO campaign? Is it the result of the blend search engine results page (SERP) or is it SERP domination on Google's first page? I suppose if we were to expand DAO to include RSS feeds, user generated pages/sites, and micro blogs - well, then SERP domination would then become more apparent.

If well executed, a DAO campaign will have a great chance of success in visibility and then we'll see who wears the pants in the search engine family.

Thanks to Heather Frahm for the inspiration.

Consumer Search Demands and Content Strategies

The searcher consumes content for a variety of reasons and based on behavioral search trends wants it fast and certainly comprehensive. The demands of the search audience for relevant content essentially obligates the Search professional satisfy this request. So this begs a question - is satisfying the consumer demand for content based on tactics or strategy?

Let me explain.

As a Search professional I would initiate content creation by researching relevant keywords to searchers queries. This methodology, in my opinion, is more tactically based. Lately however, as I began thinking of content adjacencies vs. simply the creation of content to outrank the competition. By considering neighboring content we allow for further content expansion that doesn't fall into the traditional keyword silo. So if your client sold teeth whitening trays the keyword themes might be - teeth whitening, how to whiten teeth, white teeth, etc...Adjacent themes might be related to weddings for example - wedding preparation, wedding tips. This method becomes more strategic and potentially supplies a demand outside your keyword silo.

As we know satisfying the search engines as well as searchers can be demanding but a well developed content strategy can lead to relevance for all.

Thanks to Meredith McPherron for the inspiration

Reflecting on Cookie Cutter SEO. The Fight for Repetition.

I like cookies. I like SEO. I would probably like SEO flavored cookies if there were such a thing.

What I like less is the idea that certain strategies cannot be replicated to produce a desired result. In a previous post I described the difference between productive and reproductive thinking. In this post, albeit similar, I'd like to tell you why I believe cookie cutter strategies in Search (particularly SEO) work and why we should continue to use them.

I normally would not advocate for using a similar strategy to achieve a certain result unless there were some benefit in doing so. The fact is repetitive SEO strategies work. Why would there be so many similiar top 10 lists of "how to's" in Search. SEO Rockstars are interviewed as to what they believe the most impactful ranking factors are when optimizing for SEO and the list repeats itself year after year...keywords in title, keyword in anchor text, keyword dense content, you know the drill. The point is that we shouldn't immediately dismiss known tactics that work. Feel free to reprise a strategy that once worked for you in a previous campaign remembering to weave in the new strategy to excite the algorithms.

Now if I could just find a social media flavored muffin I'd be in heaven.

Thanks to Josh Walsh for the inspiration.