What is the best strategy to get noticed online?
A whole industry has been built around strategies for coming in first on a Google search. No one knows the exact details of the method Google uses…and Google is not giving up its secret recipe. Many people think they have it figured out, but the only thing we are sure of is that it is a closely guarded secret, and the ingredients keep changing.
Facebook has it’s own “popularity” system, where you “like” a Facebook page. Garnering Facebook “Likes” has been the adult version of collecting valentine cards in school (before you had to give one to everyone). A current study indicates that “Likes” have just about as much meaning as the 2nd grade valentine card.
Stone Temple Consulting performed a study that showed that Google does not use “Like” data. While a large number of “Likes” may have an indirect endorsement value, it will not likely get you found in a Google search.
We know that Google doesn’t pay attention to “Likes”, but does the number of “Likes” have any effect consumers and their utilization of services? According to another study by Adobe, the answer is no. While two-thirds of the respondents in the study said they had “Liked” their favorite brands, a third of them said that their friends liking a brand had no effect on them.
So what conclusions can you draw from this? There is no one magic way to reach consumers. Then how do you get your best result? Diversify your efforts.
Think about marketing like investing in a 401K plan. Just as with your 401k, where you shouldn’t put all your money in one company, the same applies for your efforts spent on advertising and building your brand. A solid, consistent, diversified plan will get you the best long-term results.
To help protect your investments, you should regularly evaluate and revise your plan to achieve maximum yield. You should do the same to adjust your marketing efforts for your business or practice.
A diversified marketing strategy that takes advantage of the online options available to you will give you a balanced blend of the right ingredients resulting in a recipe for success.