If your business isn’t getting the search traffic you deserve, you might have a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) problem, but it might not be the one you think. The solution isn’t changing your name, doubling down on existing terms, or renaming your services; it’s positioning them as solutions to problems. Let’s go over why this problem happens, how people search, and marketing solutions you can act on.
Understanding the Marketing Problem
At the core of the problem is understanding customer behavior. Some customers know exactly what they want, do their research, and then choose a vetted business. But many have a problem and are looking for a solution by asking the internet (typically search engines or AI agents). They may not be aware of what your service is called, can’t properly or concisely explain their problem, or don’t know where to start. You need to meet them where they are.
People Asking Questions: From Google to AI
The good news is that most users know where to go to get questions answered. The bad news is those platforms are changing. While Google Search (and other search engines) used to reign supreme, generative AI agents are starting to catch up. Either way, one of the major ways people interact with these platforms is by asking questions. In this case, we’re interested in the questions they ask about your business, so you need to be ready to answer them.
Solutions to Help People Find Your Business & Services
So, how do you answer these questions in a way that helps people find your business? Below are the three most common marketing solutions to help customers find your business.
- Have Better Website Copy: Many websites, especially for service-based businesses, suffer from poor and outdated copy. It’s time to write longer and more detailed copy. See our article, 6 Pointers for Creating Great Website Content, for tips.
- Include Blogs & FAQS: Asking and answering questions about common problems and solutions in your industry works best when done naturally. Writing blogs and having dedicated FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions) both help people find your content online.
- Utilize Paid Search Advertising: By knowing the questions people are asking, you can use Google Ads to target people using those phrases (known as keywords) so your business appears at the top of searches for those solutions. There is a bit of a learning curve.
Whether you’ve got questions about your marketing or need help implementing question-answering marketing for your business, Vision can help. We produce websites, write blogs, and focus marketing on driving leads to your sales team (and answering questions for them). Contact us today to learn more, and check out the rest of our Vision blogs, our enVisioning Success podcast, and our downloadable Marketing Strategies Playbook.
