We spend so much time and energy studying search terms for web presence that sometimes we are blinded by old habits. We sometimes act like a herd animal and just do what everybody else does. We just try to do the same old stuff better than our competitors. But is there an even better way to build our market share?
Sometimes We Miss the Forest for the Trees
Often we become so involved and obsessed with local SEO rankings for the most common search terms for our product or service that we miss a golden opportunity. The vastness of the World Wide Web has allowed us to learn about virtually anything that we care to. We have the power to reach people that otherwise would pass us by in conventional marketing. The web allows us to tell our story in an unprecedented way.
What is the Value and Opportunity in Web Presence?
To me, the value of the web lies not only in the people that are currently searching for your product or service; the value and opportunity lie within reaching the larger market of people who may not have ever considered your product or service. Have you thought about them lately?
Calling All Skeptics
I am a chiropractor that has made a very successful career by going where others don’t. My story is that I was a tremendous skeptic of chiropractic. I was a skeptic basically out of ignorance.
I sustained a severe low back injury and suffered from raging sciatica. It’s funny what you will consider when all of your other options fail. I finally ate crow and went to a chiropractor, only to find out that I got more relief in one visit to the chiropractor than I did with months of pills, rest and therapies.
The rest is history; 25 years ago I became a chiropractor. It’s a great story, I’ll admit it. But let’s not lose sight of one important fact: I went to the chiropractor based upon the advice of someone. I did not consider chiropractic care on my own.
Within the Experience of a Consumer Lies Opportunity
I have never forgotten my first experience as a consumer of chiropractic. Sure, I have always optimized my websites for Sacramento chiropractor and Sacramento chiropractic. But, while others have duked it out for those search terms, I go elsewhere.
I look for the people that have never considered chiropractic for back pain, whiplash, migraines, multiple sclerosis, etc. I want to reach those that have not been exposed to the awesome success that chiropractic care has had for those and other conditions. And, I like reaching the skeptics too!
The Rules Have Changed
The SEO race kind of reminds me of yellow page advertising in years past, long before the web. To gain presence, people spent a fortune annually displaying larger ads, color ads, back cover ads, etc. Why are we still thinking like that when the web offers so much more opportunity to reach markets that were out of reach before?
Think Like the Customer that You Wish to Reach
Is there a larger pool of potential customers out there for you or your client than you are currently optimizing for? If so, think like that potential customer and build web content that speaks to them. That my friend is pure opportunity!
