In the same way that mechanical resonance attracts more energy, you can fine tune your web site content, turning it into resonators that attract an increasing number “hits” from the search engines.
You already know your industry’s pain points. You also know what triggers will send your customers and prospects to Google to find more insight into solving those issues. You probably can also predict the exact words your prospect will use when they fill in that Google search tab.
What you may not know is this:
Where will Google place your web site on that search results list?
Before making any purchasing decisions, people consume an average of 10.4 sources of information, according to Google research. This is up from 5.3 sources in just 2010.
Too often, businesses view their web pages as simply a virtual storefront, allowing visitors to browse your product selections, customer testimonials, client list and personnel. But when a customer has a problem to solve, these items are frivolous bits of information. Yes, you hope this data will become important later on in the sales cycle, but that’s only if you’ve laid the groundwork first.
Right now, in this initial data gathering phase of the sales cycle, the customer is focused on gathering data, and discerning which one of the companies on this Google search results page will do the best job of solving this problem. Prospects are looking to find resonance. Have you shown evidence that you are truly tuned into the industry and its current challenges?
Company press releases and notices of recent promotions do not fit the bill. Instead, your website should include a revolving door of current blog posts that encourage insight, collaboration and solutions within the industry.
- What is the COO’s take on the latest government mandate?
- How will the latest tax law impact your industry?
- How are you re-engineering your services to meet the changing economic climate to make your product more affordable to your clients?
- What are your predictions for the industry, and how can we prepare for them now?
This is the type of content that readers like to share on social sites, bookmark for future reference and email to colleagues. This is the kind of content that builds credibility, while simultaneously lifting your search engine ranking within Google.