How to combine SEO and Marketing Automation in your inbound marketing strategy

SEO and marketing automation have a circular relationship. SEO drives organic traffic and leads, marketing automation nurtures these leads with relevant content, in turn driving engagement, which consequently improves the overall SEO performance. In order to reach a level of excellence, your SEO department and marketing automation department should start collaborating in 5 key areas. ‍

1. Optimize website content and landing pages for top search enquiries 

Most of our potential clients start their journey in the same place - the search engine. Even though few search enquiries are the same, the journey often begins with a statement of a problem. Cater your content to give answers to the concerns raised by your audience, direct them to your website content and use this content in your target-based email send-outs.

2. Create high value CTAs to drive lead capture

When the targeted audience reaches your landing page or blog, give them the opportunity to discover more high value content - while simultaneously receiving more information about them. This is where call to actions (CTA) comes in handy. This can be in the form of brochures, access to webinars, monthly newsletters, signing up for an event or maybe a demo request. 

The most important aspect of the CTA is that it corresponds with their initial search enquiry. Take a realtor business for example; a person who searches for “selling an apartment” would probably be more interested in a brochure, “7 steps to selling your apartment successfully”, or maybe a spot at the next webinar. A person that searches for “realtor in my city” might want to request contact directly. This will in turn allow the marketing automation team to set up specific workflows based on the action taken by the consumer. 

3. Nurture with relevant content based on the initial search enquiry 

When the lead has been submitted into your CRM, it’s important to have the previous steps in the journey in mind. The person searching for “selling an apartment” might like some more content on results from apartment sales in their area, or information about how an apartment selling process is usually conducted. On the other hand, the person that requested contact might be more interested in learning about the credibility of your business, and might benefit more from reading your latest reviews. 

Building personalized workflows enables a more targeted content marketing approach, giving each person the right information at the right time.

4. Promote social media channels to gain reach 

When you have effectively nurtured your leads and you see engagement with your content, it's time to ask your lead to do something for you. This is the time to promote your social media channels, where you can give them even more content and information about your business on a daily basis. Social media helps businesses to be less dependent on emails, and enables them to reach their audience where they actually spend time. 

5. Create pathways for organic promotions 

When you have been able to drive leads towards your social media channel and email lists, you will be able to promote your content to a wider audience. The best content will be clicked on and shared between users, in turn enhancing your overall SEO. Linking and sharing gives your brand and content credibility, in turn boosting your overall ranking in search engines. 

The Circular Process of Excellence

The circle is connected, SEO feeds marketing automation, which feeds SEO which feeds ROI. The circular model presented might not fit all campaigns at once, but a holistic approach where both SEO and marketing automation are included will always be the best option than having them operate separately. 

In order to have this process fully up and running, Nimble recommends the following processes:

• Analyze SEO trends continuously - the world is constantly changing, in order to keep up with the needs of your audience, make sure to always be adaptable to change. Create new landing pages, CTAs and workflows based on the most recent trends. Set a clear structure on how this process is performed, so action can be taken without interruptions. 

• Map out a clear content funnel and structure - Make sure that you have a clear content structure for all of your SEO and marketing automation efforts. It’s easy to get lost in the vast piles of content - create a clear hierarchy of content so you know what should be promoted when, and what type of CTA action is most applicable in each given circumstance. 

• Add social media schedules and planning to the mix - Make sure to plan your social media content around the SEO findings you have observed, and add that content to your general content funnel. This will allow you to remain brand consistent, while simultaneously being adaptable to changing trends. 

• Act quickly to changes in your target audience - your target audience is not a static list of contacts, it changes dynamically just like the seasons. Make sure to do a customer analysis at least once a year to understand if certain messaging needs to change, or if new marketing automation flows need to be built in order to cater to a new audience segment. 

• Engage, engage, engage - don’t be afraid to join the conversation in your social media channels, your audience seeks the personal touch, and higher engagement drives reach!