“Omae wa mou shindeiru” SEO: NANI

A search engine allows consumer to search for a distinct information by typing keywords into the search bar. It assist consumers in seeking relevant information or products to address their needs.
The purpose of SEO is to help marketers put their links at the top of the search result with the intent of appealing to consumers.

However, SEO is dying due to the emerging trend of social media as well as mobile applications targeting niche markets. These alternate platforms provide consumers with a more specific and educated information, allowing a simpler decision making process. Resulting in the rapid split of consumer traffic online.

FOOD

Take searching for food as an example, instead of searching ‘best food to eat in Singapore’ and receiving this generic answer,

consumers prefer browsing through Facebook or Instagram to look at what their friends are having for their meals. Consumers gains better assurance as posts by their friends are more relatable, they are also able to ask their friends for the overall experience which provides them with a greater sense of personal touch as compared to recommendations by websites.

Consumers can also look up Youtube videos of various influential figures or mavens for their recommendations.
As the saying goes ‘action speaks louder than words’. These videos provide consumers with a better visualization of the food and how it taste rather than trying to picture it through text and images. The amount of views, likes, as well as comments section yields the credibility for consumers.

MUSIC

Music-lovers are using Spotify to get their dose of music updates and daily recommendations, it also allows them to enjoy the music instantly. Serving greater convenience as compared to searching it on the web and having to find a different platform for listening. Spotify also recommend musics from relevant genre the consumer is interested in. Again, it is more relatable.

The main focus here is ‘relatability’. Marketers need to understand their target audience and decide which is the most suitable channel that their consumers can relate to. After all,  appearing at the top of a search result does not equate to higher traffic and higher purchase if it doesn’t appeal to consumers. A low Return on Investment is also a waste of marketing efforts.