Search engines continue to be the first stop for most people researching a purchase online. According to research by SEO Expert Brad, 97% of online users perform a search to find local businesses.
Knowing that so many people are using search engines like Google, how can your business best capitalize on the opportunity to appear and advertise on search engine platforms? Investing time and resources into Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) can help you break into the customer’s digital journey.
The process to purchase as well as a concept called “micro-moments,” coined by Google, both incorporate SEO and SEM strategy.
- The process to purchase typically follows a customer from Awareness, when that person initially thinks about a new purchase; to Interest, when the prospect is thinking in more detail about different options related to the purchase; to Consideration, when the customer makes final decisions about the purchase; and finally to the purchase itself.
- A micro-moment is defined by Google as an intent-rich moment when a person turns to a device to act on a need to know, go, do, or buy. A “Need to Know” moment occurs when someone is researching a purchase a “Need to Do” moment occurs when someone needs help with the purchase they are considering, a “Need to Go” moment occurs when someone is researching where to buy, and a “Need to Buy” moment occurs when someone is ready to make the purchase. In these moments, consumers are drawn to brands that can deliver their needs. If your dealership is there to offer the solution, they will likely choose to give their business to you.
When it comes to breaking into the customer journey, the process to purchase as well as consumer micro-moments go hand in hand.
- In the Awareness phase, prospects are likely having both “Need to Know” and “Need to Do” moments and making searches like “Best boats for families” and “Can a Crestliner pontoon boat seat 12 people?” The searches they make will contain keywords that match your dealership’s inventory as well as content on your site, bringing up your website in organic search (SEO) as well as SEM ads.
- When prospects enter the Interest phase, they are likely to transition to “Need to Go” moments and make searches like “Best boat dealerships in Atlanta.” When people are making searches like this, not only can location-specific keywords (SEO) as well as SEM ads with location targeting be helpful, but also retargeting ads through SEM. These follow prospects off the search engine, keeping your dealership at top of mind as they navigate other sites.
- Next comes the Consideration phase, when prospects are getting much closer to a purchase decision and are conducting Need to Buy searches like “Crestliner 240 Rally Pontoon special.” SEM ads powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) that feature your dealership’s real-time inventory feed can show a prospect in this final stage that you have the perfect unit for them in stock. Being served an ad like this at just the right moment could seal the deal and make that prospect your customer.
- Last is the Purchase phase. If the customer has found you at every step along the way of the customer journey, it’s likely that they will end up at your front door.
Knowing the process to purchase and anticipating the micro-moments along a customer’s digital journey can dramatically increase the likelihood of reaching prospects who will convert. Smart SEO and SEM strategy using the tactics described above, uniquely catered to steps along the customer journey and the moments that accompany them, can make a huge impact.