What Does Real-time Search Mean for B2B Marcom?

“I don’t know how anyone can do competitive SEO without growing their social network experience.” This was a quote from Lee Odden(@leeodden), CEO of TopRankMarketing, at a PRWeb webinar. It got me thinking about B2B SEO and real-time search. B2B companies who aren’t active in social media could have what may become a gaping hole in their SEO program.

Google now displays social media content in its search engine results pages (SERP). Failure to make social media participation part of your integrated marcom program could reduce your visibility to the extent that your competitors are participating in social media. (To see if your competitors are participating, set up listening posts. Integrated Marcom Minute Sept. 2009.) If you’re not commenting on other relevant blogs or actively posting to your own blog, then you could be missing key opportunities to build your digital influence, which in turn influences search. I’m not just talking about blogs and comments, this includes Facebook posts, Twitter Tweets, social bookmarks… everything social.

Does real-time search trump PPC?

If you think real-time search doesn’t matter because you’ve already bought various keywords in your pay-per-click programs, you may want to rethink. Real time search is what’s happening right now. For once, it doesn’t matter if you or your competitors own a popular keyword or phrase. If people are talking about that keyword or term in the social sphere, the content containing the keyword or phrase will appear in the results.

Does this mean you don’t need to continue your PPC program on a given keyword? No, because you’re still getting 24/7 exposure to the keyword you buy. However, it does raise an interesting issue. The more active you are on the social sphere for a given keyword or phrase, the greater the likelihood you’ll show up favorably in the SERP.

Where is your B2B marcom program when it comes to real-time search?

Here are a few more resources on real-time search:

How Real Time Search in Google and Bing Can Benefit Customers and Businesses Alike (I like point number 3… People care what others have to say. This is so true for B2B considered purchases.)

Google Real Time Search (Puts real time search into perspective relative to all the social media that B2B companies are beginning to explore such as Facebook and Twitter)

Relevance Meets Real Time Web (Here it is straight from the horses mouth!)

Google Real Time Search B2B (Good article on how Google will force all B2B companies to tweet.)

SEO tips: The Secret to Google Top 10 Real Time Rankings (Good advice on how to rank well in real time search.)

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About The B2Bblogger: Joan is a B2B marcom consultant and copywriter with more than 15 years experience helping high tech and industrial companies generate leads and sales through integrated marketing communications including SEO copywriting, social media and website content. She can be reached at www.jdamico.net or through her blog www.integratedmarcom.blogspot.com.

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