I’m working with one of our on-demand creative teams. We’re imagining a new brand for a software client. This is from-the-ground-up work. And it keeps our content, branding and digital marketing agency minds happy. Plus, let’s not forget a big splash of SEO thinking. Every brand needs to plan for SEO in its digital marketing strategy.
We just started to develop the company’s website. The site will be the future beating heart of the brand’s digital identity. A website is not a “build it, and they will come” project. Our early discussions focused on how we’ll attract website visitors.
We performed our first round of primary keyword research. It included the keyword list for the company’s software solution. Our client then shared additional topics to address through keyword research. This client request became quite an academic event. We educated our client about optimizing for search engines (SEO). In these discussions, we covered primary and secondary SEO.
Let’s break the SEO down
SEO is optimizing a web page to appear higher in search results. It starts with someone typing into a search engine (user intent). Keywords are the words and phrases the searcher enters into search engines. The search results are the best indications we have of intent. Did the person look for a product/service or an answer to a question?
Since our client’s brand is a software solution, what do we assume? We assume that searchers’ intent likely falls into:
- Primary, seeking a product/software solution, or
- Secondary, seeking an answer to a question
The primary intent is clear-cut
In this case, the primary intent is clear-cut. The searcher knows that a solution exists. This makes it easy to address through the client’s brand/website. The searcher is looking for a software solution that will make life easy. They’re doing research to evaluate solutions before making a purchase. We’ll optimize the website for software queries.
Secondary intent answers questions
Content marketing addresses the secondary market of searchers. With secondary intent, you answer searchers’ questions. Content is easier to find when you use secondary keywords. This content helps searchers find products and solutions they may not know about.
The topics our client shared fell into this second category. First, we’ll optimize the website content for the primary product (software). Then, we’ll develop a strategy for answering questions (content marketing).
Do you want to get noticed in today’s digital world? Then your company must make it easy for people to find you online. It should be at the top of your digital marketing strategy.
Primary and secondary SEO helps your audience find answers. It’s a great way to showcase how you solve problems with your products and services. Learn more about how digital marketing agencies approach keywords in this guide from Moz.
