What makes search so strategic for B-to-B?

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What makes search
so strategic for B-to-B?
More and more serious business-to- The search engines have fought back Keyword Analysisbusiness marketers are taking notice fiercely, devising ever-more-ingenious Godfrey combines keyword analysis of their companies' search engine ways to detect fraudulent intent. tools with a deep understanding of performance. And for good reason: That single-minded devotion to B-to-B markets and your technology several recent studies have shown the user is an unmixed blessing, to develop a list of strategic that a large majority of B-to-B forcing B-to-B marketers to focus keywords. Perhaps the most buyers begin their research into new on clear communications and a important element is our ability to technologies or products by going to solid understanding of markets help you identify your keywords. a search engine. and technologies. When we do search programs for More importantly, they're finding that Thus, the process B-to-B marketers our clients, we have a variety of tools prospects are using search at all parts need to follow to improve search we use to help us determine the of the buying process - not just the engine performance follows the right keywords, the words users end, when search functions as a same time-honored principles of in your industry actually type into virtual catalog or Yelllow Pages for B-to-B marketing communications. those little boxes. And we've found "ready-to-buy" prospects, but also at We call this new process B-to-B it's not about having a lot of the beginning, when they're looking Strategic Search. keywords. It's all about having for possible solutions to the problems the right ones.or issues they are confronting. B-to-B Strategic Search Content DevelopmentB-to-B Strategic Search has been Search engines are where B-to-B created by Godfrey to provide the The search engines are designed prospects and buyers are. And B-to- customer-centric, content-driven to favor sites that offer relevant B marketers are earning a significant approach needed for successful information - and reward them reward from their efforts to improve business-to-business search with higher rankings. As a result, search performance. However, the performance. It uses all available the real key to improving search path to better search engine tools to help B-to-B marketers performance is solid content. performance has, for many, been achieve a presence in the search Especially, the development of shrouded in a fog of uncertainty. results of users who are looking for keyword-rich content and the appropriate use of key words Search performance decoded their technology or product. It thus includes both search engine and phrases not only in each web When you cut through all the jargon optimization (SEO), the practice page's meta data, but in the page about complex algorithms and of modifying your site to improve content as well.proprietary technology, you discover organic search results, and that search technology is designed Many of today's specialized search search engine marketing (SEM), with one goal: making it easier for vendors know search technology, or paid search.users to find what they're looking but have no demonstrated ability to for. The complications have arisen The important elements of Strategic create the content B-to-B marketers because a few less-scrupulous Search include: keyword analysis, need to gain appropriate search companies have attempted to "fool" content development, link equity, rankings. Godfrey has extensive the search engines to gain higher integration, and analytics for experience providing the kind of search rankings than they deserve. continuous improvement. content that performs well in search.Links web as PDFs, as they often are, the gaining all kinds of knowledge about keywords should be incorporated what works and what doesn't.At first blush, links may not seem into the meta data.important. But the search engines Search Engine Marketinguse them as a way to determine the Search works best when that user-value other users place on your site. Much of what has been described oriented approach is integrated into The more links you have, the better, here relates directly to search engine a full program of traditional elements for the most part. That means other optimization (SEO), or optimizing - like ads, direct mail, and PR -- and people ... [download for more]