Traditional search engine optimization
For decades, search engine optimization (SEO) has been one of the best practices in digital marketing.
The strategy revolves around optimizing websites and content to rank higher in search engine results, primarily focusing on Google, as this has the highest search demand. Traditional SEO strategies can be broadly categorized into three pillars:
- On-page SEO: This involves optimizing individual pages by incorporating relevant content, alt text, keyword research, compelling meta tags, and maximizing user experience by ensuring content is user-friendly and informative. Often software like Bing Webmaster tools can help maximize results.
- Off-page SEO: Techniques like building high-quality backlinks, improving domain authority, and leveraging social signals to enhance a website’s reputation.
- Technical SEO: Ensuring the website is technically sound by addressing crawlability, site speed, and access for mobile devices.
These techniques have helped businesses attract organic traffic, provide better visibility to build brand awareness, and convert users into customers from across the search engine landscape.
However, major changes in the digital landscape, such as the introduction of TikTok Shop and Instagram Reels, has caused user behavior to evolve, and with it the complexity of search.
Google search remains dominant among internet users, but people are increasingly looking for information on different platforms. “Search hasn’t been solely about Google for years now”, says Ben Shapiro, CEO of Unabated, and he’s absolutely right.
The shift: Why traditional SEO alone isn’t enough
In recent years, the digital landscape has become more fragmented than ever. Users now look for information, products, and services on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Amazon, YouTube, and even voice assistants like Alexa and Siri. This shift stems from:
- Changing user behavior: Young adult usage is focused around social media platforms like TikTok for quick, visual content.
- Platform-specific strengths: Amazon excels at product searches, while YouTube is the go-to for tutorials and reviews.
- AI-driven interfaces: Tools like ChatGPT and Bard offer deeper searches and conversational, contextual responses.
As a result, relying solely on traditional SEO strategies risks missing significant opportunities to build brand awareness and engage with target audiences where they spend their time.
Enter… Search everywhere optimization, the natural evolution of the SEO industry.
What is search everywhere optimization?
Search everywhere optimization is the practice of optimizing content for discoverability across a variety of platforms, not just traditional search engines. By evolving with the change in consumer behavior, businesses can continue to generate significant conversions by positioning themselves to capture attention early in the process.
While businesses need to coordinate their efforts across diverse platforms to maintain consistency in messaging and branding, different platforms require their own strategies based on user behavior, as well as the platform’s algorithm. The goal is not to replicate the same content everywhere but to adapt it to the unique behavior and algorithms of each channel.
Examples of best practices and relevant content for each channel include:
- Search engines (Google, Bing): Long-form content optimized for search results. Deep dives into topics through well-researched articles and blog posts which include featured snippets, voice search, and AI-driven results.
- Social platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok SEO): Short-form video content and influencer marketing via Instagram story and TikTok. Catch user attention with visually engaging content from popular influencers to attract social media traffic, especially young people.
- Video platforms (YouTube): Focusing on audience retention, compelling thumbnails, and keyword-rich descriptions.
- Marketplaces (Amazon, Etsy, Google, Google Ads): Focusing on detailed product descriptions, precise keywords, high-quality images and competitive pricing.
- Generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Bard): Employing generative engine optimization to specific align your content with generative AI best practices.
Generative engine optimization
Generative engine optimization is the process of structuring web content so that it can be easily parsed by generative AI.
This includes providing information that’s easy for large language models to extract and present, answering common questions clearly and concisely, and reflecting expertise and authority, as AI tools often prioritize high-quality, reliable sources.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard are revolutionizing the field by offering detailed, conversational answers, and by employing generative engine optimization, businesses can maximize referral traffic from this channel.
Search engine land best practices: coordinating a cohesive strategy
1. Centralized planning, decentralized execution
A successful SEO strategy requires centralized planning to ensure consistency while allowing flexibility for platform-specific execution. This involves
- A unified calendar: Synchronize campaigns across platforms to ensure timing and messaging align.
- Establishing brand guidelines: Maintain a consistent tone, style, and visual identity across all channels.
- Training teams: Equip marketing teams with platform-specific knowledge to optimize content effectively.
Ensuring people encounter consistent branding in their user experience, regardless of where they interact with your content, builds brand awareness and trust. This then encourages users to engage with your business across different channels.
2. Cross-functional collaboration
Maximizing referral traffic from each channel requires expertise and collaboration between multiple disciplines. For example, SEO specialists provide insights into keyword research and technical optimizations, while data analysts provide performance insights across all platforms. Social media managers are needed to develop engagement strategies, such as influencer partnerships, unique to each social media channel in order to master the social media landscape, while content creators can adapt messaging and formats for each platform’s algorithm.
It is essential to break down silos between different teams through regular communication and collaboration, especially in large organizations, to ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals.
3. Leveraging analytics to monitor performance
Native marketing tools, like analytics tools, are critical for strategy refinement and improvement. They can help to break down referral traffic, and they can also identify the type of content and channels that are generating the most conversions.
Key metrics to track include:
- Search engine traffic: Google Analytics can reveal trends in organic search terms and performance.
- Engagement rates: Social media platforms provide insights into likes, shares, and comments.
- Conversion rates: Track how effectively each platform drives users to take desired actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service.
What are the challenges of search everywhere optimization?
While search everywhere optimization offers immense potential, it also comes with challenges. Firstly, it is resource intensive; operating across multiple platforms and in line with best practices requires time, expertise, tools, and different teams. Measuring performance across different platforms, for example, can be complicated and needs to be done correctly in order to be effective.
On top of this, platforms regularly update their algorithms, so businesses need to maintain vigilance and adaptability, moving with the changes to ensure results don’t stagnate.
Conclusion: Embracing search everywhere optimization
Search everywhere optimization is not just a trend, it’s the natural evolution of SEO strategy in search engine marketing.
As user behavior diversifies and new platforms emerge, businesses must look beyond search engine rankings and ensure they remain discoverable across a fragmented digital landscape. By creating a cohesive strategy which adopts best practices, businesses can take advantage of a multi-platform world to meet their target audience where they search. They can also build brand awareness and increase engagement, which is always brilliant for business.
