𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 has become a pivotal battleground for businesses vying for the attention of their target audience. Today, I share insights on navigating this ever-evolving landscape and positioning your brand for success.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 revolves around a fundamental principle: being the first to show up when your potential customer has a question that your business can answer. It's about capturing that pivotal moment when someone is actively seeking a solution you can provide.

Your next customer is more online than ever before. They're researching you before they talk to you. As consumers become increasingly savvy and digitally inclined, their habits and expectations have shifted dramatically. They no longer wait for businesses to come to them; instead, they take the initiative to research, compare, and make informed decisions before ever engaging with a company.

We are living in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲, and your untapped audience likely won't make it to page 2. In this fast-paced digital world, attention spans are short, and your potential customers won't waste time sifting through pages of search results. If you're not visible on the first page, you might as well be invisible.

Aligning Your Brand with the Search Economy

I think the biggest problem is that a lot of businesses aren't aligning themselves and how they show up around consumer habits. Many businesses are still operating under outdated models, failing to recognize and adapt to the evolving behaviors and preferences of their target audience.

We all wanna create demand, but few of us really are good at capturing it. While businesses strive to generate interest and demand for their products or services, truly capturing that demand and converting it into tangible results remains a significant challenge.

It's undeniable that a change is going on. Your next customer is more online than ever before. They're researching you before they talk to you. This shift presents a golden opportunity for businesses that can position themselves as the first to provide answers and solutions to their target audience's questions and pain points.

The problem is, no matter how much experience I've had in marketing, marketing is always evolving and the things that I need to understand as a marketer are always changing. In the dynamic world of marketing, complacency is the enemy. Even seasoned professionals must continuously adapt and expand their knowledge to keep pace with the ever-changing landscape.

As I think about this, I think about where there are gaps, how do I make sure I fill in those gaps?  Self-awareness is crucial for marketers to identify their blind spots and knowledge gaps, enabling them to proactively address these areas and stay ahead of the curve.

Here are the Four Approaches I’ve Taken to Filling the Gaps

1. Learning: The Slow but Comprehensive Path

I can dig in and learn about marketing disciplines where I lack expertise. I can take time and make sure that I understand the discipline, how it impacts the work I'm doing and get my hands dirty and do it.  Learning a new marketing discipline hands-on can provide a deep and comprehensive understanding of its intricacies and applications.

The problem with learning is it's hard and time intensive. You have to do a lot of research. You have to go through many iterations, many reps and sets, and no matter how much time you spend learning, it's going to take time away from the other areas of opportunity and the other things that you're doing.  However, the learning process can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, potentially diverting focus from other critical areas of your business.

2. Hiring: Building an In-House Team

You can hire someone. So let's take for instance, your website needs someone to own it. You can hire someone to do that. Bringing in dedicated in-house talent can provide specialized expertise and ensure consistent focus on specific marketing disciplines or initiatives.

The problem is oftentimes when it's a discipline or something that you don't have a full grasp on, you hire someone and you don't really know how to coach them. You don't really know how to make sure that their time is filled up and the work that they're doing is helping support the overall marketing initiatives and your overall brand's position in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲. However, effectively coaching and aligning hired talent can be challenging if you lack a deep understanding of their specific discipline or role.

3. Outsourcing: A Quick Fix with Quality Concerns

You can outsource. You can get on Fiverr. You can go hire someone to fill the gap and plug it in. The problem and the benefit of this is you're probably going to get immediate support and you're going to be able to fill that gap instantly. Outsourcing can provide a quick solution to fill knowledge gaps and access immediate support.

The problem is the quality. How great is the work that is being produced? Is it okay? Is it average? Is it below average? The problem with outsourcing is that the person that you're typically working with doesn't have any skin in the game. However, outsourcing carries risks, such as potential quality issues and a lack of invested interest from the outsourced party, who may not fully understand or embrace your brand's goals and vision.

4. Partnering: The Strategic Approach

It's going through the process of evaluating the right partner at the right time and making sure you have a full understanding that that partner who's gonna come in is not just going to plug the gaps, but is going to serve as an extension of your team. Partnering involves carefully evaluating and aligning with subject matter experts who can not only fill knowledge gaps but also become an integral part of your team.

I think the more we think about partnerships and the more we think about our own weaknesses as marketers, as business owners, or as entrepreneurs, and think about who we can partner with in order to help, clear up some of those blind spots, the better off we're going to, be in positioning our brand in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲.  By partnering with knowledgeable experts who understand your target audience and the latest marketing strategies, you can effectively bridge gaps and position your brand for success in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲.

Ultimately, it's gonna help us grow and it's gonna help us earn new revenue. Strategic partnerships can not only address immediate knowledge gaps but also contribute to long-term growth and revenue generation by ensuring your brand remains visible and relevant in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲.

Embracing partnerships can be the key to overcoming weaknesses and capitalizing on opportunities. By aligning with subject matter experts and leveraging their knowledge and expertise, you can effectively bridge gaps, adapt to shifting consumer habits, and position your brand as the go-to solution for your target audience.

Remember, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 is all about being the first to answer your potential customer's questions. By partnering with those who deeply understand your audience and the latest marketing strategies, you can ensure your brand is visible, relevant, and poised for long-term growth and revenue generation.

So, take a step back, reflect on your blind spots and knowledge gaps, and embrace the power of strategic partnerships. It's time to improve your position in The Search Economy and dominate your online visibility.

The Content We Dropped This Week

In this week’s episode of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 podcast we completed  our new series on SCORE, which is the methodology that we use at Pneuma to help our clients find their next customer. We covered “E” which is editorial and how it relates to the impact that quality content can have on your brand. 

Please follow and subscribe to 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 wherever you consume fine audio and video content.

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• YouTube

Quick Tip for The Search Economy

Referrals are a great way to save time and get a fast pass to selecting your next vendor, but they aren’t everything. I spent some time recording an episode of the podcast with David this week where referrals came up as a primary topic. We got into the weeds about referrals and both came to the same conclusion: referrals should be one piece of the evaluation, but shouldn’t decide the evaluation. 

If you’re evaluating vendors to help you elevate your position in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 it’s critical that you make sure you’re getting the right questions answered for you. There have been many instances in my career where a vendor that was referred to me wasn’t a great fit. I’m a big fan of referrals, however, we should avoid taking a one-size fits all approach when we’re making a big decision about who to partner with next. 

If you’ve been debating new technology or services for your SEO program we’re always here to be a sounding board.  If you’re looking for a team that will help give you a jump start into 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 give Pneuma a shout for a free traffic audit!

What They’re Saying About Search

We’re dropping an episode on the importance of having a holistic marketing strategy soon. I stumbled across Riccardo’s post and couldn’t agree more. Stay tuned for that conversation. 

If you’re looking for a team that will help give you a jump start into 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 give Pneuma a shout for a free traffic audit!

Content That Supports The Search Economy

Let’s stay on the topic of vendor selection. Let’s say you’re in the process of selecting a SEO vendor to uplevel your position in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲. It’s never straightforward, but the more resources that you have going into it the stronger chance you’ll be happy with your process and decision. I stumbled across a conversation from Farotech that went deep on the topic and thought it might be helpful to share with you. 

You can listen to the conversation here. 

I appreciate you being here for 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 newsletter. If you’re looking to learn more about how your company can get found by your next customer then give the Pneuma team a shout.