We’re not reaching (that much) with this analogy. March Madness and search engine optimization (SEO) share commonalities, at least conceptually. While we obsess over our March Madness brackets to see what team comes out on top, the SEO industry is in an intense match to be search rankings champion. The process to get to the top is where the commonalities between March Madness and SEO really play out. Still have your doubts? Hear us out:
- The best rise to the top organically. Disregarding the debate over the role of money in college basketball, the brackets are all about the team that wins their way to a championship. While search engine marketing and paid advertising have a unique niche in online marketing, stats have shown that the majority of online users ignore paid ads and focus on organic champions.
- Your reputation is at stake. Every time a team takes the court, their reputation is on the line. In the same way, the reputation of every organization is on the line whenever a user types in a search phrase to find their products and services. Does your business have the best SEO technology and quality website content to show you are at the top of your game?
- Your local followers are your best fans (and the fans you want!). Just look at the sea of fans in team colors surrounding the court and driving hours to see their team play. The majority of those fans have local ties to the teams. For businesses that produce products and services not suitable for e-commerce, reaching your local fans is the name of the game. If you have a business located in Florida, what good are search engine rankings that reach Virginians? Just like your favorite basketball team, look for localization SEO technology that get you the rabidly loyal local fans you want.
- The caliber of your team is a determining factor in the outcome. A substandard team is not going to make the March Madness tournament, and certainly isn’t going to get you to you to the top. In the same way, an SEO firm with the right technology is the team that gets your business to the top.
- The game has changed. The game at the center of March Madness is different than the basketball of 20 years ago. Similarly, today’s SEO technology is not the SEO of yesterday. SEO has evolved from the “keyword stuffing” tactics of the past to the quality SEO content that gets businesses—your business—to the top of search rankings.
Though basketball is just a game (though there are some basketball fans that you would have to convince otherwise!), SEO technology is not a game. SEO technology is based on real statistics and the end user—the customers you want to reach online. And like March Madness, you don’t want to wait until the fourth quarter to take your shot. Contact a SEO firm about the SEO technology that can take your business to the top.
