When to Dial It Back.

Is your online presence too big?

Don't guffaw - it just might be. Is Kim Kardashian too big? Wait, don't answer that.
But I think you might get what I'm saying. Over exposure can hurt your brand. The trouble isn't really SEO - there are so many measures and rules in place these days to prevent "buy outs" however, that is not always the perception. SEO and other online marketing is still being "figured out" by a lot of people - many of whom are skeptical, and prefer to seek out rather than be pursued.

So you finally achieved top SEO billing and your clicks are looking great. The PowerPoint you shared and metrics are impressing everyone but it's not translating to sales? Yeah, well maybe it's because you got yourself to the top of a list, but you're not exactly what people are looking for. Hey, that's okay - you don't want those guys - you want the people who are actually going to BUY. Trust in the fact that people are looking for you, and that SEO is an important PART of the puzzle, but it is not the only part. A little digging to find you can actually work in your favor. This is what we use to call a "qualified lead".

Being over-aggressive online is not going to get you more customers...at least not in the long run. Pushy sales people are annoying...and remember...online is still contact with a customer, and it's more intimate than you may realize. When I'm at home shopping online for flooring in my pajamas, face cream on, eating ice cream and you keep popping up at the top of my search and you're not what I'm looking for, I almost feel angry at you. Even worse are all of the annoying ads popping up based on my recent statuses, blog posts, or searches that make me feel like I'm being stalked. It starts to feel more like an attack than a pitch. If you thought showing up was the main strategy, here is a simple way to dial it back.

1) Lead with INFORMATION (tips about installation, trends in flooring, how to choose the right floor for your home). This is VALUABLE to people, and establishes a positive association with your brand.

2) Follow up with COMMUNICATION. Don't be pushy, but check in - see if I liked the INFORMATION. I like surveys - everybody has an opinion - most people like to share them.

3) OPEN YOUR CHANNELS. I may have found you online, but want to touch and hold the samples in person. Maybe I want to talk to a sales rep, maybe I don't. Make your pitch, and then BACK OFF. "Channel conflict is good" can sometimes just mean I want "Interactive to get the credit for this". Stop siloing yourselves companies...just help customers when/how/if you can and share in the profits.

The other thing that turns me off because it feels too aggressive is anything that is "promoted". It's not even trying to hide "we're paying for you to see this". It's like the invites into those "Who's Who" Annuals (which are of course worthless, no one gives them any credibility.) It also looks like you're being proactively defensive. For example, when the movie "Friends with Benefits" was trending on Twitter "promoted" a couple of weeks ago - it really turned me off from seeing it. Seems desperate, and kind of defeatist. How about open the movie, see how people react and then launch a campaign based on reactions? I could see this working for anything - no matter how bad (anyone hear about "The Room" via social media? I did. Gawd AWFUL. Still saw it based on the fun people were having discussing its awfulness online.)

So just keep in mind, Avis may have been onto something when they didn't claim to be #1, they only claimed to "Try Harder." That still counts whether you're online or in line.

And remember - perception is what I'm talking about here - just because technically speaking SEO and other methods are helpful, work, and have checks and balances in place, doesn't mean that potential customers understand that - or trust them.

Keep Clicking,

Michelle