Let us take a look at the following two search results when you will automatically come to learn what constitutes successful SEO strategy or what spoils the game.

Search Result: 1

Your client types in a keyword (or phrase) into the search box on Google, finds a site listed near the top of the search results and clicks through it. The client becomes very happy at finding truly what he/she was looking for.

After scrolling through the content the person becomes even more satisfied and so takes the action – makes the purchase, subscribes to a list, shares with a friend, adopt a point of view… or whatever you are targeting as the ‘desired response’.

Search Result: 2

Your client types in a keyword (or a phrase) into the search box on Google, finds a site almost at the top of the search results and clicks through it but fails to find what he/she had been looking for. In disgust, the person leaves the site and goes elsewhere.

Although in both the cases, online SEO is fully applied but the strategies were obviously different. The biggest problem with most SEO consultants arises from the fact that they often forget that SEO just does not involve Keywords; it has got a lot to do with people. However, let me make it a bit more elaborate so that you may appreciate its full value. For instance:

• Ranking is important but not everything. Higher ranking does not spell overall success.
• SEO is more about human behavior and rather less about technology. Unless you try to understand why people use specific keywords and under what circumstances, your purpose will get ruined. Moreover, you need to develop a content strategy that aims at delivering the solution.
• SEO is more about your client and less about you, the site owner. Also, testimonials are fine but boasting and bragging about accomplishments would give rise to displeasure and chagrin – both being counter-productive for business. Instead, Is this’ likable’ on Facebook will be appreciated more.
• SEO should be more oriented towards ‘sales’ than ‘clicks’. If 9 out of 10 visitors to your website leave (due to sundry reasons such as poor content, ungainly headlines, etc) your site sans being converted into buyers, then ranking at the top on Google hardly matters.
• SEO is less about ‘grand personalities’ but more about rightly chosen keywords.
• SEO is less about cost-effective factors but more about making your website truly effective in attracting visitors and converting them into buyers.

And above all, at the core of an effective SEO strategy reside a deep sense of human understanding about what people really need and how best you could quench that thirst. This may include the searcher’s dream dress, IQ-based household gadgets, antic furniture, to name a few.

Also, being unaware of the psychological drivers of SEO is likely to dampen your efforts in attaining successful digital promotion strategy.

Even though the above paragraphs have told their stories about the nature and perspective of what constitutes a successful SEO strategy, here is a secret only meant for your application: TREAT EVERY PAGE ON YOUR SITE AS ‘LANDING PAGE’.