Search and the Connected Consumer: MIMA Recap
Category: Blog - May 18, 2011
I spent this morning in Minneapolis, representing Beehive PR at a Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) event on “Search and the Connected Consumer.” Mike Grehan, vice president and global content director at Incisive Media, gave a jam-packed presentation on how search, content, social media and user behavior work together.
Grehan’s presentation consolidated much of what we’ve been advising our clients to think about when it comes to SEO these days. A few of the top takeaways:
1. Plan SEO with the end user in mind, not the search engine. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes: learn what information they’re looking for, and what terms they’re using to look for it. SEO shouldn’t be about “tricking” search engines into surfacing your page; it should be about providing relevant content that aligns with what your audience needs.
2. Perhaps the biggest change in search is the shift toward seeking information on social networking sites. This user-generated content is being taken into consideration by search engines in a big way — it’s seen as “information-seeking via a train of trust.” If you’re not aware of how your brand is being talked about on social networks and you aren’t part of the conversation, it’s time to start paying attention.
3. One authoritative inbound link to your website is more valuable than a thousand irrelevant links. That’s why media placements are powerful for search results: traditional media outlets are authoritative sources. That’s also why it’s important to know where your audience’s niche communities are online and interact with them where they are (blogs, social networks, etc.). Again, it’s about receiving inbound links from communities that are most relevant to your brand.
- Bridget Nelson Monroe, Digital Strategist
Related: "2010 Taught Us A Lot About Search. Beehive's 5 Key Takeaways"
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