People seem to think that search engine optimization and conversion rate optimization are two totally different disciplines. One gets traffic and the other one converts it. That’s an overly simplistic way of seeing things. One only needs to consider the meta description. That’s an obvious part of what is supposed to be search engine optimization but is in reality conversion rate optimization. Conversion rate optimization and search engine optimization are not separate, they work together, and are merging more and more everyday.
I think you can optimize for conversions without traffic. If you understand the basics of conversion psychology, you can convert more than somebody who doesn’t, in almost every single situation. Yes, you can’t fine tune, and you can’t split test without traffic, that doesn’t mean you can’t use good sense and put the customer first and use so many of the principles that have been discussed in this group.
do you really need to prioritize search engine optimization? Because I can run a successful business with paid ads and great conversion rate optimization and completely ignore search engine optimization. So search engine optimization isn’t even necessary. On the other hand, conversion rate optimization helps at every stage of the marketing process.
Google Ads CPCs continue to increase and not everyone is in the fortunate situation that you are . So SEO delivers more cost effective traffic for us and I dont need to rely on paying Google for traffic.
What do you think the great meta description does? That’s conversion rate optimization.
You could also make the argument that search engine optimization has a much more fragile and shorter shelf life. Everything you know, can be taken away from you with a big algorithm change. Artificial intelligence could put most search engine optimization people out of work. Conversion rate optimization will be around a lot longer. The application and discipline of it is uniquely human, or so I like to believe.
You don’t need search engine optimization. But you do need conversion rate optimization at every point in the process. Moreover, conversion rate optimization can help with everything, from your in-person meetings, to your social posts, to your paid ads, to Flyers, to brochures, to phone calls, to emails, to newsletters, and on and on and on.
I think the reason people find SEO harder is that they are competing against everyone else for their listing. CRO is just you and your website and you can control all parameters which makes it “easier”. It’s just easier to control, not essentially easier to master.
I think conversion rate optimization is vastly more powerful. Even the meta description, which is widely considered to be a search engine optimization factor, is not. It’s a conversion factor. And you can succeed just fine without search engine optimization online. Conversion rate optimization is applicable to everything from emails, to newsletters, phone conversations, to paid ad’s, to social media, to in-person conversations, and on and on. Nearly every single form of marketing can be optimized for conversion. Search engine optimization, as powerful as it is, is more of a one-trick pony. It only works with websites, and it has a limited shelf-life. Artificial intelligence will come around and eventually put every search engine optimization professional out of work.
