In this article we are going to see the “4 Amazing Roles Of SEO In Customer Journey”
In today’s world, where nearly everything is just a click away, businesses need to ensure that they not only have an online presence but that they are also visible, accessible, and relevant when potential customers are looking for solutions.
In this context, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has emerged as a critical tool for marketers.
SEO is no longer just about getting higher rankings on Google, it is about creating a seamless, engaging experience for customers throughout their entire journey, from first discovering your brand to making a purchase.
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4 Amazing Roles Of SEO In Customer Journey
In this post, we will explore how SEO plays an integral role in guiding customers through the various stages of their journey, with concrete examples of how it can be applied at each stage, from awareness to decision-making and beyond.
A Quick Overview Of The Customer Journey
Before diving into how SEO works across the customer journey, let’s first understand the stages of that journey. Typically, the customer journey is broken down into three major stages:
- Awareness: This is when a customer first becomes aware of a problem or need. They don’t yet know what the best solution is but are beginning to search for information.
- Consideration: Now that the customer understands their problem, they start looking for possible solutions. They are comparing options and narrowing down their choices.
- Decision: After weighing the pros and cons, the customer is ready to make a final decision and convert, i.e., make a purchase or take a desired action (like signing up for a service).
The key here is that the customer journey isn’t linear. Customers may jump between stages multiple times, or even return to earlier stages after a decision has been made, for example, by doing more research post-purchase.
This non-linear progression makes it even more crucial for businesses to be present and engaging at every step of the journey.
Now let’s dive deeper into how SEO can impact each stage of the customer journey.
Awareness Stage: Getting Found at the Right Time
The awareness stage is when a potential customer first realizes that they have a need or problem but may not know much about the possible solutions. At this point, they turn to Google (or another search engine) to search for answers. They aren’t ready to make a purchase yet, they just want information.
How SEO Helps in the Awareness Stage:
The primary objective in the awareness stage is to ensure that your brand appears when customers search for answers or solutions related to their problem.
This is where content marketing and SEO go hand-in-hand. The goal is to provide valuable, informative content that addresses a potential customer’s questions or pain points, thus capturing their attention.
Example 1: Health and Wellness Blog
Let’s imagine a company that sells natural skincare products. A potential customer might search for something like, “How to treat acne naturally” or “Best skincare routine for oily skin.”
In this case, SEO is essential because the brand’s blog posts, videos, or articles must appear in search results when users are just beginning their search for skincare advice.
To achieve this, the company can create blog content targeting long-tail keywords e.g. “how to get rid of acne scars naturally” or “best essential oils for oily skin”, ensuring they align with the terms that users are searching for.
By optimizing their content with the right keywords and answering common questions, the brand can establish itself as a helpful resource in the early stages of a customer’s journey.
Additionally, search engine algorithms prioritize high quality, helpful content.
By writing comprehensive, engaging, and well-researched articles, businesses can improve their chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
For example, the brand could include sections such as “Top 5 natural remedies for acne” or “How to create an effective skincare routine” that directly addresses the customer’s search intent.
Example 2: Local SEO for Small Businesses
For businesses with a physical presence, local SEO plays a crucial role during the awareness stage.
If you’re a small business, like a local bakery or coffee shop, someone searching for “best coffee shop near me” should easily find your website.
Ensuring your business is optimized for local search by getting local backlinks, and using location based keywords can help you stand out when potential customers in your area search for products or services you offer.
Another critical factor for local SEO is reviews.
Google’s algorithms rely heavily on user reviews to determine relevance and trustworthiness.
If your business has a significant number of positive reviews, it will appear more prominently in local search results.
Encouraging satisfied customers to leave feedback on Google can help boost your local SEO efforts, improving your visibility and attracting more foot traffic to your store.
Consideration Stage: Building Trust and Helping Customers Compare
Once a potential customer is aware of their problem or need, they begin considering their options.
They are now actively researching solutions, comparing different products or services, reading reviews, and gathering as much information as possible.
This is the stage where SEO must work hard to ensure that your content is both visible and persuasive.
How SEO Helps in the Consideration Stage:
At this point, SEO focuses on building trust and credibility with the potential customer. You want your business to be seen as a solution to their problem, which is why detailed, authoritative content and a seamless user experience are vital.
Example 1: Detailed Product Pages
Let’s say you run an e-commerce store that sells yoga mats. When someone searches for “best yoga mats for beginners,” you want to be visible, and your product pages need to be optimized to convert this traffic into sales.
An effective way to do this is by providing detailed product descriptions that explain the benefits and features of the yoga mat.
For example, instead of just listing the size and color, include how the mat’s material can help with grip, its durability, and how it supports different types of yoga practices.
Additionally, adding customer reviews can be a game-changer. Positive testimonials, especially from users with similar needs or problems, can make your product more trustworthy.
SEO can help optimize these product pages by making sure they contain the right keywords e.g. “best non-slip yoga mats for beginners”, internal links (linking to related blog posts or other product pages), and technical elements such as fast load times and mobile responsiveness.
Example 2: Comparison Guides and Case Studies
At this stage, customers are actively comparing their options. This is a great opportunity for SEO to shine by creating content that positions your product or service as the best choice. One useful tactic is creating comparison guides or case studies.
For example, if someone is looking at several meal delivery services, you could write an SEO-optimized blog post comparing the pros and cons of the top brands.
This content should be detailed, transparent, and helpful. By offering value through comparison, your business can appear as a reliable authority, increasing the chances that a potential customer will choose your solution over others.
Creating case studies showing how your product helped real customers can also increase trust. If you have a product or service that solves a complex issue, a well-written case study can help potential customers visualize themselves using your product and achieving similar results.
Example 3: User Experience and Website Optimization
Once a customer lands on your site, their experience will impact whether they continue researching or bounce away. In this stage, SEO also focuses on user experience (UX). This includes things like:
- Fast loading times: A slow website can increase bounce rates, signaling to search engines that your site isn’t user-friendly.
- Mobile optimization: With most searches now happening on mobile devices, ensuring your site is mobile-friendly is essential.
- Clear navigation: A website that is easy to navigate increases user satisfaction and encourages customers to explore more pages.
By improving your website’s SEO, you ensure that once potential customers arrive at your site, they’ll be able to easily find the information they need, making the consideration stage smoother.
Decision Stage: Driving Conversions with Optimized Content
Now that a customer has evaluated their options, they’re ready to make a purchase or take the next step, whether that’s signing up for a free trial, requesting a quote, or booking a consultation.
At this stage, SEO plays a pivotal role in ensuring that once a user arrives on your page, they are encouraged to act.
How SEO Helps in the Decision Stage:
At this point, SEO’s main focus is “conversion optimization” making it as easy as possible for a customer to complete the desired action. This involves improving both your content and technical elements to encourage a conversion.
Example 1: Optimized Calls to Action (CTAs)
An optimized call to action (CTA) is key in the decision stage. It could be a button saying “Buy Now,” “Sign Up for a Free Trial,” or “Get Started Today.”
These buttons need to be visible, clear, and compelling. For instance, a discount offer like “Get 20% Off Your First Order” can create urgency, pushing the customer to make the final purchase.
Another strategy is to offer limited-time deals. For example, an e-commerce store could create a countdown timer on the checkout page to show how much time is left on a sale, creating a sense of urgency and nudging the customer toward completing the purchase.
Example 2: Simplified Checkout Process
Once a customer has decided to buy, SEO can help with conversion rate optimization (CRO) by streamlining the checkout process. A lengthy or confusing checkout process can lead to cart abandonment. Optimizing the checkout flow, offering multiple payment methods, and ensuring it’s mobile-optimized are all vital
for reducing friction and driving conversions.
If a customer is required to create an account before checking out, consider offering the option for guest checkout to make the process quicker and more convenient. By removing unnecessary steps, you reduce barriers and improve the likelihood of conversion.
Example 3: Trust Signals and Social Proof
SEO also plays a role in integrating social proof into your decision pages. Customers want reassurance that they’re making the right choice, so adding elements like customer reviews, testimonials, and trust badges (like security seals or money-back guarantees) can help tip the scales in your favor.
For example, if your website offers a subscription service, adding reviews from existing subscribers about how your service has saved them time or made their lives easier can encourage new users to convert.
SEO Beyond the Sale In Building Long Term Relations
SEO doesn’t end once the customer has made a purchase. In fact, SEO can play a crucial role in keeping customers engaged and encouraging repeat business.
Example 1 : Email Marketing
One strategy to maintain engagement is to integrate SEO insights with email marketing campaigns.
For instance, if a customer bought a yoga mat from your online store, follow up emails with SEO driven content like “10 Yoga Poses for Beginners” or “How to Care for Your Yoga Mat”, can help keep your brand in their mind and encourage repeat purchases.
By segmenting your email list based on customer behavior, you can send personalized messages that resonate with the customer’s interests and previous purchases. This targeted approach can increase engagement and foster long-term loyalty.
Example 2 : Remarketing Campaigns
If a customer visits your website but doesn’t convert right away, remarketing campaigns (often powered by SEO insights) can help re-engage them with targeted ads and content.
By retargeting ads with products they viewed or offering them a special discount, you can nudge them back to complete their purchase.
Remarketing ads can also be personalized based on the customer’s previous interactions with your brand.
For example, if they browsed a specific product but didn’t purchase, showing them an ad with that exact product and a discount might encourage them to revisit your site and convert.
Conclusion
SEO plays a crucial role at every stage of the customer journey, from the moment someone begins searching for answers, to when they are comparing options, to the point where they finally decide to make a purchase. By optimizing for visibility, trust, and conversions, SEO ensures that businesses are not only discovered but are positioned as the best solution for potential customers.
To summarize, SEO in the customer journey involves:
- Awareness: Getting found by people searching for information related to your product or service.
- Consideration: Establishing trust and credibility by providing detailed, informative content that helps customers compare options.
- Decision: Encouraging customers to take the final step toward purchase through optimized landing pages, CTAs, and seamless user experiences.
- Post-Purchase: Using SEO to nurture long-term relationships, increase customer retention, and encourage repeat business.
In the competitive digital landscape, SEO is not just a marketing tool, it is a strategic approach that helps businesses connect with customers at the right time and in the right way.
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