Today's Marketing Cookie - The Wrong Questions

Today's Marketing Cookie is about being relevant... and staying relevant.  Your prospects are searching right now for the products and services you provide. However, they may not search for you in quite the same way that you anticipated; or in quite the same way you wish to talk about it; or in quite the same way you wish to sell it to them; or in quite the same way they used to search for it yesterday. So what will you do? Will you keep providing the wrong answers to the right questions, or will you stop providing the right answers to the wrong questions?

I would like to illustrate a point if I may. Please STOP reading this marketing cookie right now and go to the Google home page and begin typing this search, "Is it wrong to".  Okay did you you see Google providing a drop down menu with the right questions? Oh. Perhaps I should have selected a different example... Well, if you saw the drop down, please continue reading. If not, I'm sorry. You might enjoy reruns on TV more than reading the rest of this cookie.

My mother always told me never to finish other people sentences. Google however, did not heed this advice, and provides a list of the most popular searches - while you are writing it. This feature is great for users who are stinky spellers, as well as for lazy people who would prefer to type a few words and then click on whatever options Google provides. Either way, before this feature was created by Google, roughly 25% of all searches were never repeated the same way twice. By providing this "type ahead" feature, Google accomplishes two major goals. First of all, it helps users search more easily. Secondly, it corrals all users into a smaller pool, which creates a higher concentration of users for a shorter list of search terms, which drives up the auction prices for Google's search advertising program. Yes. Google makes more money while finishing the sentences of lazy people.

At the same time, this is in part how my team and I make money too. My mother always reminded me that I have two ears and one mouth - and they should be used according to that ratio. She was right. I've learned that if I listen for the voice of the prospect, I can help companies be more relevant when they speak. As a Google Certified partner, we have access to powerful tools from Google that can teach you everything about how your prospects are searching for you... and save you from optimizing your site for the wrong keywords.

We also monitor social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, forums and blogs for discussions related to your business to help you understand how your prospects are discussing their needs. Without exception, our clients are always surprised at the wide gap that exists between the way the content on their website has been written and the way their prospects are discussing and searching for a solution to their needs. It's a sobering, forehead-slap moment. They are also often shocked at how frequently the way prospects searches evolve and change. The big lesson to be learned today is that your prospects are already searching right now for a relevant solution to their problem, that you are well-suited to satisfy, but you aren't being listed as a relevant solution. If you want to be more relevant, you must start providing the rights answers to the right questions.