Many marketing experts use this concept of the sales funnel. I hate that concept! It implies that people are basically stupid and passive, like marbles falling down a chute.I recommend, instead, that you think of a sales ladder. People are pro-actively searching for products and services just like yours (or hearing about them), and then they are pro-actively moving from attention to interest, interest to desire, and desire to action (using the AIDA model of classical marketing). Among the most important things you can create is something free. Let’s investigate!
- Watch the Video
- Links and Resources (scroll down below the video)
Watch ‘From Keyword to Click to Conversion: The Importance of Free‘ on YouTube!
The Search Process: from Intent to Keywords, Keyword to Rank, Rank to Click, and Click to Conversion
Search starts with user intent. It can be nearly anything, from “I need a good personal injury lawyer,” to “I’m interested in CRM software,” to “Gosh, I need a motorcycle insurance quote.” Throughout, you as the SEO specialist, want to optimize and understand
User Intent – What do they (really) want?
Keywords – What keywords will they be typing into Google, and which ones are more “transactional” than “educational?” Which ones are higher volume or higher value?
Photo credit: Japanexperterna.se via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Rank on Google – You and your company have to rank on the relevant search query on Google, and hopefully be near the top. The top three organic results get the lion’s share of clicks, even in this increasingly cluttered environment.
Get the click – You want an optimized TITLE and META DESCRIPTION to ‘sound exciting’ and ‘get the click.’
Get the Conversion – Once they land on your website, what’s the next step? Here’s where something free is incredible important, as it lubricates the transition. Something free and non-threatening allows them to gain comfort and confidence in you and your product, and then be willing to move ‘up’ the sale ladder to something like an in-person consult, or an initial engagement
I highly recommend that you read Free! Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business (free article on Wired.com) by Chris Anderson, or go crazy and buy his excellent book on Amazon, Free: The Future of a Radical Price. Another great resource is Hubspot’s library of eBooks, here.
Reviewing Some Examples of Free and SEO
Now, let’s take some searches and step through (in the video) the process from user intent > keyword > rank / click / landing > free offering.
- Motorcycle Insurance – – Progressive and Geico (free quotes)
- Hair Transplant Los Angeles – Marc Dauer, LA Hair Clinic (videos (free information), and free consultations )
- CRM Software for Small Business – Insightly and Really Simple Systems (Free downloads)
- Inbound Marketing – Hubspot and Marketo (eBooks and “Free” courses).
What you notice is that these companies have figured out –
- Their keywords – they know what users are searching for, especially high volume / high value keywords.
- How to Rank on Google – they do great SEO, and rank high on relevant Google searches.
- How to Get the Click – they write enticing TITLES and META DESCRIPTIONS that show up on Google as “free ads” to get the click.
- How to Get the Conversion – they offer something FREE that makes you willing to part with your name, email, and even phone number (even though you realize they’ll probably hound you thereafter with the next step “up” the sales ladder.
So now, it’s up to you. What will YOU offer FOR FREE as part of your SEO sales ladder?
Photo credit: Japanexperterna.se via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
