There's no point in being on the first page of Google

Tuesday, 15 June 2010 06:17

Although this statement may be the antithesis of every marketing directors' ambition, it is, nonetheless, absolutely true; there's no point whatsoever in being on the first page of Google. In fact, there's no point being top of the list on the front page of Google either. . google

Any discussion with a web designer or search engine optimisation specialist will ultimately revolve around getting your website on to the first page of Google. I recently had a conversation with a web designer who said that their whole marketing strategy was built around getting clients on the first page of Google. When I asked him why this was, he told me simply that his strategy was based on responding to customer demand. Can this be true? Do millions of businesses and organisations spend fortunes on websites just so they can be on the first page of Google or any other search engine for that matter?

No they don't - or at least, they shouldn't be.

When a web design or SEO service company approaches a prospective client and says " we can put you on the first page of Google" they are doing a disservice to themselves and to the potential client. If they were to interrogate the client's business objective in more detail they may be able to uncover what they really want to achieve - nine times out of ten, the answer is more sales. If that design agency were to prospect in the market with a message that says " we can increase your sales by 15% in six months" rather than the usual dogma about Google position, how much stronger would that proposition be and how much more likely is the market going to respond positively? If it can then back that statement up with a client testimonial that supports the claim with real evidence, then the next customer is far more likely to want to buy.

On the other hand, if the prospective client is approaching the web design company or SEO service provider with a brief that says "put us on the first page of Google" then they are completely missing the marketing trick of selling the benefits of their product or service. If the business does not understand the true benefits of its products or services to its customers and all it is interested in is "raising awareness" then what hope has it got of convincing a customer to buy? What's the point in being first in line to talk to customers if you don't know what and why they want to buy from you? Equally, what's the point in a marketing strategy that has raising awareness as an objective?

Making potential customers aware of you is great, but where does that lead, what impact will it have on the bottom line? You could make every living organism in the known and unknown universe aware of your products or services, but if you sell not one widget or service hour what is the point?

Being the first in line to be seen by potential customers is not the be all and end all of marketing - it is merely the start of the process. When Duxbury Elite Motors Ltd (www.duxburyelite.com) invests in its website its aim, and that of its web design company is not to get on the first page of Google - it is to sell more elite cars, to have a positive impact on the bottom line. Being in a good position to raise awareness is only one tactic within the marketing strategy.

Being on the first page of Google is only a step down your marketing road. Before you set out on the journey you should know where you are coming from, with what, where you want to go and what you want people to do when you get there. If you have not thought through this journey you may as well be stood in a bus station waiting for a bus - only you don't know when it's coming, where you want to go or who is driving. Being at the front of the queue is great, but unless you know why you are there, then there really is no point at all in being on the first page of Google.