Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results

A CASE STUDY BY ANNA SEACAT

Anna Seacat started her career in a traditional marketing agency, where media buying was gold. However, as a graduate student, she became especially curious about earned media. Combining her experience in traditional advertising with her formal education in consumer behavior, market segmentation, and digital marketing, Seacat now consults businesses on search engine and social media marketing. She is particularly successful at utilizing theories in consumer behavior and market segmentation to organize valuable LSI keyword phrases into digital marketing campaigns that result in SERP domination for those phrases.

About the Author

+AnnaSeacat | @AnnaSeacat | seacatanna@gmail.com

-CONTENTS-

The following presentation will share results of an eleven-week SEM (search engine marketing) effort to increase the online presence

within Google’s organic search results for a KUMON center in Lexington, KY.

Background on the business in question and its marketing objectives

Description of the search engine marketing effort and how it was implemented

Before and after shots of SERPs (search engine results pages) for each targeted keyword phrase

Summary, key findings, and suggestions for each campaign and keyword phrase

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results

-BACKGROUND-

The owner of a KUMON center in Lexington, KY, contacted Anna Seacat of Socially Minded Marketing, because she wished to increase her business’s online presence and initiate social media accounts.

Prior to Seacat’s work to achieve these objectives, the only online presence owned by the KUMON center, beyond its corporate franchise-website, was a slightly active Facebook account.

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results

-PROPOSAL-

Seacat explained to the owner of KUMON that in order to increase the online presence of her business, a SEM plan would be designed and implemented, which would lay a strong foundation for activity on social media networks.

Most importantly, utilizing SEM would generate new leads for KUMON, because it takes into consideration consumer behavior.

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results

-TARGET MARKET & RESEARCH

-

Since the term of this marketing effort was only eleven weeks, and because no paid ads would be incorporated, it was decided to design an SEM plan that would narrowly focus on KUMON’s math program and target parents of young children in Lexington, KY (KUMON offers both math and reading to people of all ages).

During the first week of the 11-week marketing effort, a comprehensive SEM analysis was conducted, which evaluated the current SERPs for specific keyword phrases that a potential KUMON customer might enter during the 5-stage consumer purchasing process. This SEM analysis can be viewed at Socially Minded Marketing.

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results

-PLAN-

During the second week, the plan and corresponding schedule for each marketing campaign was created. The schedule and a summary of the plan, which outlines each keyword phrase and the marketing campaigns for the phrases, can be viewed on page 7 of this document.

The specific keyword phrases are also provided in the following diagram.

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results

-KEYWORD PHRASES-

Stage 1

•Problem Recognition•Who is the best math tutor in Lexington, KY?

Stage 2

•Information Search•Why do Asian Americans earn higher test scores in Lexington, KY?

Stage 3

•Evaluation of Alternatives/ Interruptive Marketing

•What is the difference between the Russian School of Mathematics and KUMON?/ Kindergarten Registration in Lexington, KY

Stage 4

• Purchase Decision• How do I enroll my child in KUMON?

Stage 5

• Post Purchase Behavior• What to do if my child wants to quit

KUMON?

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results

-SEM CAMPAIGNS FOR KEYWORD PHRASE-

The marketing campaigns that were designed for each keyword phrase consisted of a unique, well-researched, and information-rich blog post, additional sites of related/ repurposed content creation (YouTube video, Pinterest board, or SlideShare presentation), and the weekly promotion of the content on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+.

Samples from each of these campaigns will be provided for each phrase in the next six slides. Additionally, ‘Before & After’ shots of the corresponding SERPs, which were used to measure the results of the campaigns, will follow, along with a summary, key findings, and suggestions.

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search ResultsKEYWORD PHRASE:

Who is the Best Math Tutor in Lexington, KY?

Blog PostMultiple Sites of Repurposed Content & Sample of Content Promotion

SERP Results: Who is the Best Math Tutor in Lexington, KY?

January 7, 2014March 26, 2014

It is easy to see how the keyword phrase, “math tutor in Lexington, KY,” would be considered a high competition keyword phrase. In other words, acquiring premium spots on SERPs for this phrase would take a lot of time and a continual effort, since KUMON’s competitors are also focused on this phrase as shown in both the before and after shots.

Nevertheless, this case study showed that even a short-term content and social media marketing effectively bumped KUMON’s competitors’ listings off the first SERP and earned three spots on this page (albeit on the bottom-half).

To maintain these standings and earn premium spots, more content and the promoting of existing content would need to be added.

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:

WHO IS THE BEST MATH TUTOR IN

LEXINGTON KY?

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results

KEYWORD PHRASE: Why do Asian Americans do Better on Tests in Lexington, KY?

Blog PostMultiple Sites of Content & Sample of Content Promotion

SERP Results: Why do Asian Americans do better on tests in Lexington, KY?

January 7, 2014 March 26, 2014

While this keyword phrase only has a moderate level of relevancy on a national scale, it has a great potential to target parents in Lexington, KY, because the top elementary school in the city is also the one with a large population of Asian Americans (specifically Japanese). Consequently, there is an ongoing discussion among parents and administrators about why Asian American students outperform other racially defined groups on tests and in the classroom.

Therefore, it was critical to use content marketing and social media to show local searchers that KUMON is the reason behind the local standard. This marketing effort resulted in SERP domination for the targeted keyword phrase.

To maintain the scenario of SERP domination, KUMON would need to continue to conduct further research into the topic and publish findings.

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:

WHY DO ASIAN AMERICANS DO BETTER ON TESTS IN

LEXINGTON KY?

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results

KEYWORD PHRASE: Kindergarten Registration in Fayette County Schools in Lexington, KY

Blog PostSecond Site of Content & Sample of Content Promotion

SERP Results: Kindergarten Registration in Fayette County Schools in Lexington, KY

January 7, 2014 March 29, 2014

This keyword phrase was not apart of the original plan, but entered as a substitute by the request of the owner of KUMON in Lexington to create a campaign that would target young parents with very young children. It was decided that Kindergarten registration was a major, local event where interruptive marketing techniques could be successfully employed via rich content and social media.

This keyword phrases proved to be more competitive than originally thought, presumably due to the number of institutions that have older websites with current information regarding Kindergarten registration in Fayette County. Nevertheless, the marketing campaign that was created for KUMON resulted in earning the fourth organic listing. Furthermore, because the listing is a video, the click-through potential is high.

Since this marketing campaign revealed a highly competitive keyword phrase, KUMON should strongly consider incorporating PPC listings in addition to creating and promoting additional unique content.

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION IN LEXINGTON, KY

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search ResultsKEYWORD PHRASE:

How do I Enroll My Child in KUMON in Lexington, KY?

Blog PostMultiple Sites of Content & Sample of Content Promotion

SERP Results: How do I Enroll My Child in KUMON in Lexington, KY?

January 8, 2014March 26, 2014

During the initial SEM analysis of this keyword phrase, the local specificity was not included, i.e. “Lexington, KY” was not apart of the search phrase. However, it was decided to add the location due to the natural processes involved in consumer behavior.

However, as shown in the previous SERP, the content that was created in the campaign for this keyword phrase produced a result on the first SERP that excluded the location. When the local specificity was added, SERP domination was achieved.

To maintain the state of SERP domination, KUMON would need to continue to add fresh and relevant content and promote that content on social networks.

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:

HOW DO I ENROLL MY CHILD IN KUMON IN

LEXINGTON, KY?

Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search ResultsKEYWORD PHRASE:

Why Does My Child Hate KUMON in Lexington, KY?

Blog PostSecond Site of Content & Sample of Content Promotion

SERP Results: Why Does My Child Hate KUMON in Lexington, KY?

January 7, 2014March , 2014

Unfortunately for the KUMON brand, customers, who have had a negative experience with the program and have not been helped by a KUMON representative in a way that recovers their faith in the methodology, have a strong online presence. In fact, a listing on the first SERP for the keyword, “KUMON,” displays the meta title tag, “8 Things to Hate about Kumon…”

This is evidence that KUMON’s current search engine marketing is not targeting consumers in the final stage of the purchasing process. The marketing campaign displayed in the previous slide was an effort to contribute to content that answers questions of parents, who have children that “hate” KUMON. However, because of the user-generated content already ranking prominently on SERPs, this is a highly competitive keyword phrase.

The results of the campaign with a local specificity produced SERP domination, however it is strongly suggested that KUMON produce a stream of relevant and unique content to target this area of consumer search.

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:

HOW DO I ENROLL MY CHILD IN KUMON IN

LEXINGTON, KY?

This presentation used results from an eleven-week marketing effort for KUMON to show that online presence within Google’s organic search results can be attained and/

or increased through a thoughtful search engine marketing plan that utilizes theories in consumer behavior, as well as content marketing and social media marketing tactics.

For more information about how to implement a similar marketing effort to increase your brand’s online presence, please email seacatanna@gmail.com.

SociallyMindedMarketing.com | +AnnaSeacat | https://www.linkedin.com/pub/anna-seacat/16/a27/767

CONCLUSION