It’s not uncommon for SEO professionals to find themselves thrust into a role with little to no training in traditional marketing theory.
However, as the organic landscape becomes increasingly complex and fragmented, the need to understand and integrate timeless marketing principles into your SEO strategy has never been more critical.
Search Engine Optimization > Organic Optimization
Relying on search engines alone is no longer enough to maximize your organic exposure to potential customers.
Today, users discover information on the internet from a variety of sources.
With the advent of AI-driven search and expanding paid search placements, we’re navigating a terrain where organic real estate in search results is shrinking, and search engines are just one part of an incredibly complex buyer journey.
Platforms such as TikTok (used by 40%+ Gen Z users as a search engine), Pinterest, and Reddit all present opportunities for additional organic reach outside of Google search – which means your strategy needs to evolve from search engine optimization to multi-platform organic optimization.
This shift requires a holistic understanding of marketing that transcends algorithms and dives deep into consumer behavior, strategic planning, and long-term brand building.
In this post, I’ll cover five essential marketing concepts that not only complement but can redefine and elevate your search performance.
In the following sections, I’ll explore each principle in detail, shedding light on how they can be applied and the tangible benefits they offer, all rooted in proven marketing science.
1. 3Cs Research
3Cs research is a foundational aspect of marketing that can be leveraged to enhance your organic strategy.
It means building a deeper understanding of your company, your customers, and the overall category or industry.
Let’s delve into each of these areas and explore their relevance for SEO.
Company Research
What It Is
Company research is about understanding your business (or your clients’ business) inside out. It should dig deeper into your internal understanding of:
- Objectives – What you’re trying to achieve as a business, and how marketing can support.
- Audience – Who you’re targeting and why.
- Positioning – What makes your business stand out in the eyes of potential customers?
- The market – What are the major challenges faced, and what opportunities do you see in the future?
Why It Matters To SEO Practitioners
Armed with a deeper understanding of the market and the trends shaping the future of the market, you’ll be able to focus your efforts on producing content that will better resonate with potential buyers.
Additionally, understanding the company’s positioning and key objectives will help you tie back your performance to higher-level goals and better prove value to senior stakeholders.
Examples And Benefits
Undertaking high-level business objectives will help you ladder up your organic reporting to showcase results to the C-suite.
Showing how your organic KPIs can help deliver broader marketing and business objectives will help showcase the value of organic to any business.
Customer Research
What It Is
This involves identifying your