How to deal with the traffic without Google

What if the Google popularity dropped one day and the traffic had moved to other search engines like Yahoo, MSN, Ask or even Snap, newer one? Have you ever pondered a plan B to deal with this? Here are some suggestions by Paul J. Bruemmer.

Before implementing Plan B, you'll want to review your site objectives and SEO plans to ensure maximum traffic from Yahoo, Microsoft and Ask. Your strategy will vary depending on your site category. In "The Marketer's Common Sense Guide to E-Metrics" (PDF), Bryan Eisenberg and Jim Novo define four types of websites: ecommerce, content, lead-generation and self-service. We might now add social networking sites. The objectives for these sites will vary.

• 1. Ecommerce sites want to increase sales while decreasing marketing expenses.
• 2. Content sites want to increase readership, visitor interest and site stickiness.
• 3. Lead-generation sites want to increase segment leads.
• 4. Self-service sites want to increase customer satisfaction while decreasing customer support costs.
• 5. Social-networking sites want to increase membership numbers and the amount of member interactivity.

The above objectives require different optimization strategies and different measurement metrics. That said, consider starting by identifying your business goals, performing extensive keyword research and some basic predictive ROI modeling; then you'll be prepared to take a look at executing a search marketing plan without Google.

Next, it is important to understand why businesses use search engines, a.k.a. interactive marketing, within their standard five-year marketing plans. Essentially there are five reasons:

1. Create brand awareness
2. Sell products/services
3. Generate leads
4. Drive traffic
5. Provide information

Based on accomplishing your business goals, select one of the five above and use the appropriate organic and paid search marketing strategies and tactics at Yahoo, MSN Live Search and Ask.