Relationships vs. SEO

Next-generation marketing ... an evolution of advertising to say the least. It continues to get more innovative and personal with every new channel introduced to the market. Podcasts, Wikis, and blogs lay the foundation for developing stronger relationships with the consumer market, but is a strong relationship all we want as marketers?

Building solid relationships with consumers is indeed critical to the success of the brand because it leads to trust, support, profitability, and hopefully referrals, but is that all? Forrester Research's, Charlene Li, thinks that strong relationships are more important than search engine optimization (SEO) and quite frankly, I disagree.

How does a marketer develop the relationship to begin with?

Marketers need to begin by establishing a corporate identity and build brand recognition. In the world of Web 2.0, what better way to establish an ongoing relationship than by optimizing the company website so consumers can find it?

Research shows that consumers will not browse past the first page of results when performing an online search. As a marketer, you should do everything possible to achieve first page ranking for your company.

Whether you utilize paid placement or optimize the site for organic search, you must have a comprehensive SEO strategy to ensure your ability to create a strong and lasting relationship with the customer.

Web 2.0 Is about Building Relationships