How Customer Journey SEO Turns Clicks Into Conversions
Before you decide what to buy, you probably decide where to shop — which means turning to your favorite search engine. With online searches dominating as the starting point of most purchases, customer journey SEO is now mission-critical for every business.
I honestly can’t remember the last time I made a purchase without some online research first. Earlier today, I fell down a Google rabbit hole looking for bulk-dried tortellini. Last fall, it was a new MacBook.
By the time I was searching for the best deal on a MacBook, I had already done the bulk of my research — comparing specs, vendors, and reviews. And that tortellini search? It introduced me to brands I never would’ve found if they hadn’t optimized for the SEO-driven customer journey.
Here’s the real question: If your brand isn’t showing up when customers are searching, how much business are you losing to competitors?
Table of Contents
- What is customer journey SEO?
- Mapping Your Customer Journey
- Creating Your Customer Journey Map
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Align SEO With Your Customer Journey
What is customer journey SEO?
Customer journey SEO is simply where SEO and customer journey mapping intersect. While most businesses focus on SEO as a way to rank higher, that’s only part of the equation.
The best SEO strategies do drive traffic. But they take it a step further, supporting customer inquiries through every step of the journey from discovery to purchase, maximizing visibility, engagement, and conversions.
Understanding Different Types of Searches
So, how do you integrate SEO into your customer journey? It starts by understanding the three core types of search: navigational, informational, and transactional.
As you can imagine, each phase correlates with different types of search queries. Aligning your SEO strategy to the customer journey means tying your efforts to each type of search.
Navigational Searches: When Customers Already Know You
Your prospect has a solid idea of what they’re looking for and just wants help going to a specific site.
Using my MacBook example above, some navigational searches I used were:
- “Apple new releases”
- “Costco computers and laptops”
- “Best Buy Geek Squad”
I knew I wanted an Apple product, and I was headed to different vendors I trusted to find out more about the models and to get the best price.
Successful SEO optimization for navigational searches focuses heavily on branding.
Informational Searches: When Customers Are Exploring Options
Your prospects are looking for answers, knowledge, and help. This usually means more top-of-funnel content. Examples of these searches for new laptops might be:
- “MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro”
- “Best laptops for running an online business”
- “Is the latest MacBook worth it?”
When I was still deciding on a MacBook version and confirming that I wanted Apple over Windows, I looked for content like blog posts, comparison articles, and product reviews.
Successful SEO optimization for information searches means leaning …read more
Source:: HubSpot Blog
