High Inflation: Organic SEO may be your best option

The digital-first age is changing the relationship between consumers and brands. This is mainly due to the growth of search engines and user-generated content (UGC), on social media. Social platforms and search engines make almost all the information in the world easily accessible to users.

The current economic environment is not ideal. We are on the brink of another recession and still recovering from a pandemic. Advertisers still want to increase their reach via paid media, but the high prices aren’t delivering the same results, even though they increase investment.

To combat the current situation that brands find themselves in, a more sustainable option is to invest in organic assets. This includes organic social and other initiatives that can generate long-term benefits. This can reduce the need to spend large amounts on paid media. Increased traffic online can provide long-term benefits for brands. They will also be better positioned when things return to normal. Consolidating your brand’s organic assets is always smart.

While you cannot control every Google search and every mention of your name on social media, investing in organic means you can start building your brand.

Think about what “People also ask” (PAA).

Brands should write copy that answers the most common questions on the internet to maximize the value of their content. You can find great ideas by looking at the PAA on Google or other sites. These questions can be answered in a genuine way, which attracts people to the brand’s media (websites, blogs, social media sites, ecommerce sites) and also provides valuable information. This is a great way for brands to build loyalty.

Consider how a brand that sells summer dresses might approach this. It would be smart for them to look into the PAA questions when people search for “beautiful Summer dresses.” For example, “what makes a summer gown flattering?” and “what are the newest trends in summer dresses?”. This will allow people to find you more easily on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Take advantage of the most recent social media features

Social media is constantly changing. It is important to be open to making changes before you move forward in order for your organic reach to grow. There are many ways to find out what works for you and your audience. You can experiment with different types of imagery or modify the length of your posts.

Every update offers a great opportunity to be an early adopter, and make your mark as the brand who embraces the changes first.

Sometimes organic social media can seem like shouting in space, but it is important to do something different to make your brand stand out. Try out the new social features on Instagram Reels or Twitter’s “Notes” feature. This will allow your audience interact with you in new ways and increase your social reach.

Thought leadership is possible

These organic initiatives are only possible with thought leadership pieces and especially article writing. SEO visibility for a business is affected by the trustworthiness and credibility of its content. Companies should therefore have a variety of thought leaders to help them increase their online content inventory.

This is especially true when inflation is high as it is now. Your followers and consumers will appreciate the helpful information you provide. This will help them to make the most of your products or services. Your consumers will spend their money wisely. This will improve your relationship with them over the long-term.

International markets and organic

Brands that have a presence in multiple markets may have more opportunities. Fashion retail brands, for example, find Italy and the Netherlands attractive markets because they have higher market revenues per capita and smaller audiences. This results in lower competition and higher overall spending. Despite the fact that these markets are unlikely to have a large market share, there is still a lot of potential for growth using methods that aren’t used in established markets. You can gain an edge over your competition by being first to identify untapped markets that have high volumes of generic traffic.

If a brand wants to grow its reach across the globe, its content strategy must be flexible and comprehensive. International content marketing requires more detailed discussion about the brand’s business plan for each region, as well as the usual organic tactics. It is crucial to create local content, as each region has its own set of idioms and dialects.

These initiatives might not yield immediate returns. It is wise to invest in long-term strategies that will help brands emerge when consumers are ready to spend again.

Tom Mansell is the Director of Organic Performance for Croud, a global award-winning agency. Tom manages the UK SEO team. He also oversees the overall strategy and delivers bespoke, collaborative organic searches for clients. Tom has more than 10 years experience working with clients and agencies in a variety of verticals, including finance, automotive, FMCG, and retail.

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Search Engine Watch’s first article, Why organic SEO may be the best option in times of high inflation, appeared first on Search Engine Watch.