How Search Generative Experience Will Affect Local SEO & Businesses via @sejournal, @JRiddall

If you own a local business, it’s quickly becoming imperative to understand Google’s new Search Generative Experience (SGE) and how to adjust your local SEO strategies to maintain and even enhance your presence for optimal visibility, traffic, and revenue.

The good news is if your business has been employing local SEO and content marketing best practices all along, you are well-positioned to adjust to this evolution of search.

AI is rapidly changing how much of the digital world works.

Search engines are also evolving in how they work and deliver results to searchers.

SGE, while still experimental and currently available in 120 countries via Google Labs, is likely going to transform the way people interact with search results by pulling those results directly into Google, providing a more interactive search experience with follow-up content and link suggestions.

In many cases, this may negate the need for searchers to click through to websites at all.

SGE uses a variety of AI-based technologies, including natural language processing, machine learning, and deep learning.

These technologies enable the search engine to understand a user’s search query, process relevant content, and formulate an appropriate response.

Understanding SGE: Beyond Just Links

Traditional search engine results typically provide a list of links relevant to a searcher’s query, where the searcher may need to investigate further to find the optimal answer to their question.

The goal of Search Generative Experience is to go several steps further. Powered by advanced artificial intelligence and language models, SGE aims to:

• Synthesize, not just curate information: SGE doesn’t just find relevant websites. It analyzes the content on web pages, extracting specific facts, figures, and insights in order to present a concise, informative answer directly within the search results. As such, SGE is more likely to come into play for searches with informational, rather than navigation or commercial, intent.
• Understand nuances: SGE aims to better interpret the intent behind a user’s search. Instead of only focusing on keywords, it will try to grasp the reason for the question. This means local businesses must focus on solving problems, not just selling services or products.
• Provide multi-faceted answers: Sometimes, a simple, single answer to a question isn’t sufficient, and SGE provides opportunities for searchers to ask follow-up questions and/or dig deeper for complete answers. If you’re in an industry or niche with divergent approaches, ensure your content is comprehensive enough to be considered and included.
• Be creative (sometimes): In select cases, SGE can even generate its own suggestions or solutions to a problem. While not the norm, this demonstrates the shift towards search engines becoming more proactive problem-solvers. This is also one of the known hazards of AI, as it can be prone to “hallucinations” in its attempts to provide answers.

From a local search perspective, SGE looks to enhance experience via a Places module, which replicates a local pack in traditional results, including citations, reviews, and other pertinent local business details.

A recent BrightEdge study found nearly half of SGE results generated in February 2024 included a Places module, with local restaurant and travel queries being the most prominent, while it did not show up in other B2B and entertainment-related queries.

Illustrating SGE

Let’s clarify SGE’s approach with an example. Imagine a consumer searching for “best hikes to see fall foliage near me.” SGE might do the following:

• Locate: Access real-time location data and understand “near me.”
• Gather information: Scan hiking websites, hiking or outdoor adventure blogs, local park authority pages, etc., focused on the user’s region.
• Prioritize “fall”: Identify content within those sources specifically discussing fall foliage, not just general hiking information.
• Potential response: Display a short list of suggested hiking trails, their difficulty level, estimated foliage peak dates pulled from websites, images sourced from relevant pages, and maybe relevant hiking guide services.

Herein lies an opportunity for a local provider of hiking-related services or products to appear within the results for such a query; provided they have relevant, experience-backed, trustworthy, helpful content for Google to reference.

For reference, here’s an actual result SGE provided for this search:

Screenshot from search for [best hikes to see fall foliage near me], Google, March 2024

SGE’s Impact On Local Search

How are local search results pages (SERPs) changing with SGE? Here’s what we’ve seen so far:

• Google Business Profile is King: With organic website traffic potentially decreasing, high-performing Google Business Profiles (GBP) with updated information, strong reviews, and relevant content will become even more critical for visibility.
• Evolving Map Packs: While traditional local Map Packs will remain important, as noted SGE includes a Places module depending on the type of search being conducted. SGE may incorporate information from businesses featured in the Map Pack, but also include additional businesses to provide even more comprehensive and helpful answers to a user’s query.
• Featured Snippets matter: Businesses with content optimized to be concise, accurate, and directly answerable to queries are poised to dominate Featured Snippets.

Screenshot from search for [fixing my knee pain in Barrie], Google, March 2024

• Prioritizing user intent: Search engines will become even better at understanding why a user is searching. Localized searches (i.e. those including “near me” or a geographical identifier) will continue to have high relevance.
• Mind the long tail: A preliminary SGE study by SE Ranking has found that SGE is more likely to be engaged by long-tail (multi-word) keywords, where searcher intent is generally clearer and more precise.
• Less reliance on traditional “10 blue links”: You’ll likely see a decrease in prominence for standard website listings, though they won’t disappear completely. As such, there has been the suggestion of organic search traffic for some websites dropping by as much as 30%. While initially alarming, there is also the optimistic hope with SGE any organic website traffic received will be of higher quality, as consumers are better informed.

Key Strategies For Local Businesses To Thrive With SGE

Businesses need to focus on managing their web presence, providing helpful, relevant content, demonstrating Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), and optimizing images and videos to succeed in the world of SGE.

Specifically, areas to consider include:

Optimize Your Listings

Ensure the business details in your GBP and all other local listings are complete and accurate.

Far too many local businesses still don’t appreciate the value of GBP and local directories, which may be as, if not more, important than their website in many cases.

Become A Review Magnet

Positive reviews and high star ratings aren’t just a nice-to-have, they’ll likely influence SGE’s assessment of your business.

Encourage happy customers to leave reviews and be sure to quickly respond to any and all reviews as this speaks to the quality of service you offer.

Conduct A ‘Question Audit’

Identify the most common questions your customers ask. Turn the answers to those questions into dedicated content pieces on your website or blog.

• Example: A local bakery might find customers frequently asking, “Do you offer gluten-free options?” They create dedicated content addressing this, perhaps even a full FAQ page about dietary restrictions.

Keyword Research With A Twist

Look beyond simple keywords tied to services and products. What problems are people trying to solve that your business addresses?

What questions might they be asking related to your specific niche? Target long-tail keywords and create content that specifically addresses them.

• Example: Instead of just “pizza delivery,” a local pizza business might also target “late-night food options near me”, “kid-friendly birthday party places” or “affordable first-date options.”

The Power Of Structured Data

Search engines love structure as they crawl across the web. Schema markup code can be added to your website, providing Google with structured data about your business and a clear understanding of your content.

Schema removes the guesswork, providing an “instruction manual” for search engines. It’s like a neatly organized label for search engines, clarifying details like;

• Business type: Are you a restaurant, a clothing store, or a plumber?
• Location: Precise address, not just the general city.
• Hours of operation: When you’re open and when there are any holiday changes.
• Services: What you specifically offer.
• Reviews and ratings: Aggregated star ratings from your website or elsewhere
• And more: Schema can cover menus, pricing, events, etc.

SGE is new and will undoubtedly evolve, but schema is a standardized format, ensuring that even if the way search engine results are presented changes, your essential data will be readily crawled and understood.

Answer Questions, Clearly

Break down your content into easily digestible question-and-answer formats. FAQs and clear content sections addressing common queries will boost your chances of inclusion in SGE results.

• Example: A gardening center might have a section titled “When to plant tomatoes in [City Name]?” followed by a concise answer with climate-specific information for the specified location.

Mobile-First Is A Must

Mobile searches dominate, particularly for local queries, as busy consumers look for answers on the run. Ensure your website is optimized for smaller screens and loads lightning-fast.

Hyperlocal Matters

Emphasize your specific neighborhood and surrounding areas in your content to enhance your local relevance. Partner with other local organizations or participate in local events to boost your local authority.

E-E-A-T is Crucial

Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness are key signals for SGE. Ensure content available to SGE demonstrates your in-depth knowledge of your services and products.

Highlight credentials, awards, or testimonials that support your trustworthiness, both on your website and any reputable external platforms.

• Examples: A hair salon features stylist bios mentioning advanced certifications or years of experience on its website. Medical professional bios link out to the institutions where they obtained their credentials. Trades-related businesses highlight the training and certifications their staff members have received.

Linking for Authority

Any solid local SEO strategy must include linking (external website links to reputable, relevant local/industry and backlinks from the same) to provide Google with additional signals of a business’ localness and topical focus; thereby enhancing local and topical authority.

• Examples: A local med spa utilizing a particular piece of equipment as part of its service offering links to a detailed product page on the equipment manufacturer’s website. The same med spa obtains a listing and link to its service page via a partner directory offered on the manufacturer’s website.

Visual Content Optimization

Use descriptive file names and alt-text (with location data, where applicable) for images and videos as these assets will also undoubtedly make their way into SGE results.

Add captions to images and transcripts to videos. Showcase visuals highlighting your local area and establishing your “localness.”

• Example: A restaurant includes an image of their patio with the file name “outdoor-dining-[neighborhood-name].jpg”

Leverage AI Content Generation With Caution

With the call for more content and the rise of generative AI, there is naturally a temptation to just let the machine do all the work.

However, a recent Google algorithm update has already punished many websites for taking this approach. The focus, as always, should be on quality over quantity, and here are a few reasons why AI-generated content lacks the former:

• Accuracy concerns: AI-generated content may not be factually accurate, especially on specific details or niche topics. Remember the “hallucinations” mentioned earlier. This could negatively impact your E-E-A-T and damage your reputation, so be sure to fact-check everything.
• Lack of originality: AI often struggles to create genuinely original content. Generic, repetitive text is a common pitfall. SGE is likely to pick up on this and may not include such content in its responses.
• Inconsistent voice and tone: Maintaining a consistent brand voice is essential for building trust with customers. AI-generated content can sound robotic or disjointed, failing to capture your brand’s unique personality.
• Missing the ‘why’: Great content doesn’t just answer what, but also why. AI might provide factual answers to questions but struggles to explain the reasoning or incorporate valuable insights derived from personal human experience.

So, by all means, leverage AI to ideate, create first drafts, edit or proofread your content, but be sure to add your human touch to any and all content published and shared.

Monitor And Adapt

SGE is relatively new. SEO best practices will continue to evolve.

Use local SEO monitoring tools to track changes in your authority/visibility and stay informed, being ready to adjust your content strategy as needed.

The Future Is Bright: Seize The Opportunities Of SGE

Search Generative Experience presents exciting challenges and opportunities for local businesses.

Similar to Google, a local business’ goal should be to equip its customers with all of the information they need to make informed, confident purchase decisions.

By understanding its mechanisms, prioritizing helpful, relevant content, demonstrating E-E-A-T, and always keeping the user experience central, you can position your small business for success in the evolving search engine results.

It’s a call to truly know your customers, provide value, and leverage technology in a customer-centric way.

More resources: 

Featured Image: Thx4Stock team/Shutterstock

Google E-E-A-T: What Is It & How To Demonstrate It For SEO via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) has been a cornerstone of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines for years. Recently, Google added a new “E” to the mix – Experience.

Understanding and optimizing for E-E-A-T strongly correlates with SEO success.

In this article, you’ll learn what the E-E-A-T criteria mean, why Google values first-hand experience, and, most importantly, how to demonstrate E-E-A-T for your brand and content.

Drawing from Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines, this piece will equip you with actionable insights to boost your E-E-A-T signals.

You’ll also find real-world examples of websites that exemplify E-E-A-T principles across different niches. And with the rise of AI-generated content, we’ll discuss how to navigate E-E-A-T in the age of ChatGPT and other AI tools.

What Is E-E-A-T?

The acronym “E-E-A-T” stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

E-E-A-T is an evolution of the original E-A-T concept.

Google introduced E-A-T, which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, to evaluate web content’s overall quality and credibility. It became a key component of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines, which human raters use to assess search results.

The addition of the second “E” for “Experience” is a more recent evolution.

Google recognized that first-hand experience is critical to expertise and credibility for many topics.

This is especially true for “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) topics, where the content can impact a person’s health, financial stability, safety, or well-being.

By expanding to E-E-A-T, Google is signaling that it values the content creator’s credentials, reputation, and direct, real-world experience with the topic.

It’s important to note that E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor in Google’s search algorithm. Instead, it is a guideline used by human quality raters to evaluate the overall quality of search results.

However, Google uses the data from these evaluations to improve its algorithms. So, while E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking signal, optimizing for it can indirectly improve a site’s search performance over time.

Why E-E-A-T Is Important

By prioritizing E-E-A-T, Google aims to surface the most reliable, trustworthy, and valuable content for any query.

This benefits users by providing them with higher-quality search results. It also benefits brands and content creators who invest in building genuine expertise and authority in their field.

E-E-A-T is particularly critical for YMYL brands and topics. For these sensitive subjects, users need to be able to trust the information they find. Content created by those with direct experience is often seen as more trustworthy and reliable.

However, the importance of E-E-A-T extends beyond just YMYL pages. Users value content from those with first-hand knowledge and experience for virtually any topic. This could apply to product reviews, travel guides, technical tutorials, etc.

For example, if an author is writing an iPhone review, they should have used the product – or if they are writing about the best restaurants in San Francisco, they should have visited them.

Google’s updated Search Quality Rater Guidelines say this about experience:

“Consider the extent to which the content creator has the necessary first-hand or life experience for the topic. Many types of pages are trustworthy and achieve their purpose well when created by people with a wealth of experience.

For example, which would you trust: a product review from someone who has personally used the product or a “review” by someone who has not?”

In addition to adding experience as a factor, Google is placing renewed emphasis on trust.

See the diagram below for how trust is placed in the center of Experience, Expertise, and Authoritativeness.

Image from Google, June 2023

Trust is the most critical component of E-E-A-T, Google says, “Because untrustworthy pages have low E-E-A-T no matter how Experienced, Expert, or Authoritative they may seem.”

Experience, expertise, and authoritativeness support a quality rater’s trust assessment.

If you’re following Google’s guidance regarding E-E-A-T up to this point, you’re well on your way to building the level of trust Google’s quality raters seek.

Here’s how to ensure you maintain that trust by demonstrating first-hand experience.

[Recommended Read] → Ranking Factors: Systems, Signals, and Page Experience

How to Demonstrate E-E-A-T For Your Brand

To demonstrate a high level of E-E-A-T, brands and content creators should focus on each of the four components:

• Experience: Show that your content is created by people with direct, first-hand experience with the topic. This could be through author bios, “behind the scenes” content, or by directly referencing personal experiences within the content itself.
• Expertise: Demonstrate your subject matter expertise through the depth and accuracy of your content and author credentials and by citing reputable sources and studies.
• Authoritativeness: Build your brand’s authority by consistently publishing high-quality content, earning coverage and mentions from other respected sites, and growing your reputation within your industry.
• Trustworthiness: Be transparent about who is behind your content, provide clear contact and customer service information, maintain a positive reputation, and follow ethical content practices.

How Google’s Quality Raters Evaluate E-E-A-T

Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines have multiple chapters evaluating E-E-A-T, from a high to a low level.

Chapter 4.5.2: Lowest E-E-A-T

Chapter 4.5.2 of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines states:

“If the E-E-A-T of a page is low enough, people cannot or should not use the MC of the page. If a page on YMYL topics is highly inexpert, it should be considered Untrustworthy and rated Lowest. Use the Lowest rating if the website and content creator have an extremely negative reputation, to the extent that many people would consider the webpage or website untrustworthy.”

Chapter 5.1: Lacking E-E-A-T

Chapter 5.1 of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines has examples of what quality raters are instructed to look for when evaluating a low level of E-E-A-T:

“Low quality pages often lack an appropriate level of E-E-A-T for the topic or purpose of the page. Here are some examples:

• The content creator lacks adequate experience, e.g. a restaurant review written by someone who has never eaten at the restaurant.
• The content creator lacks adequate expertise, e.g. an article about how to skydive written by someone with no expertise in the subject.
• The website or content creator is not an authoritative or trustworthy source for the topic of the page, e.g. tax form downloads provided on a cooking website.
• The page or website is not trustworthy for its purpose, e.g. a shopping page with minimal customer service information.”

Additionally, Google says a positive reputation cannot overcome the lack of E-E-A-T for the topic or purpose of the page.

Chapter 7.3: High Level Of E-E-A-T

Chapter 7.3 of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines has information regarding the criteria for achieving a high level of E-E-A-T.

Regarding demonstrating experience, Google says:

“Pages with High E-E-A-T are trustworthy or very trustworthy. Experience is valuable for almost any topic. Social media posts and forum discussions are often High quality when they involve people sharing their experience. From writing symphonies to reviewing home appliances, first-hand experience can make a social media post or discussion page High quality.”

Chapter 8.3 Very High Level Of E-E-A-T

Chapter 8.3 of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines has information regarding the criteria for achieving the highest level of E-E-A-T:

“Very high E-E-A-T is a distinguishing factor for Highest quality pages. A website or content creator who is the uniquely authoritative, go-to source for a topic has very high E-E-A-T.

A content creator with a wealth of experience may be considered to have very high E-E-A-T for topics where experience is the primary factor in trust.

A very high level of expertise can justify a very high E-E-A-T assessment. Very high E-E-A-T websites and content creators are the most trusted sources on the internet for a particular topic.”

E-E-A-T And AI Generated Content

The rise of advanced AI tools like ChatGPT has raised questions about how AI-generated content aligns with E-E-A-T guidelines.

Since the “E” in E-E-A-T refers to first-hand experience, content created solely by AI may struggle to meet these criteria for specific topics.

Google has advised against publishing AI-generated content without human review and editing. The company clarified that using AI isn’t inherently against guidelines, but the content must be evaluated for accuracy, usefulness, and compliance with other quality guidelines.

Marie Haynes, a respected expert on E-E-A-T and search quality, has been closely following the impact of AI on search. She notes that Google seems increasingly focused on rewarding original, high-quality content while devaluing generic or low-quality AI-generated content.

This aligns with recent developments like Google’s March 2024 Core Update, which resulted in the deindexing of hundreds of websites, many of which were found to contain significant amounts of AI-generated content.

This update and Google’s guidance on evaluating AI content for “originality” suggest that the search engine is actively combating the rise of low-quality, generic AI content that doesn’t meet E-E-A-T standards.

For brands and content creators, the key is to use AI to assist and enhance human-created content, not replace it entirely.

AI can help with research, outlining, and even drafting, but the final content should always be reviewed, edited, and enhanced by a human expert with real-world experience. This approach allows for the efficiency benefits of AI while still maintaining the E-E-A-T qualities Google values.

3 Examples Of Websites Demonstrating E-E-A-T

1. Dogster

Screenshot from dogster.com, March 2024

Dogster.com is a strong example of a website that demonstrates the principles of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) in several ways:

• Experience: Many articles are written by authors with relevant credentials and experience, such as veterinarians, certified dog trainers, and other canine experts. This suggests the content is informed by real-world, first-hand knowledge.
• Expertise: The breadth and depth of topics covered, from dog health and nutrition to breeds and training, indicate a high level of subject matter expertise. The site provides detailed, informative content comprehensively addressing common questions and concerns.
• Authoritativeness: Dogster.com’s reputation as a leading resource for dog owners, its use of expert authors, and its ability to secure interviews with recognized figures in the dog world lend it authority within its niche.
• Trustworthiness: The site provides clear author bylines, links to additional resources, and disclaimers where appropriate. This transparency helps build trust with readers. The fact that veterinarians review content also enhances credibility.

2. GadgetMates

Screenshot from gadgetmates.com, March 2024

GadgetMates is an excellent example of a site that demonstrates E-E-A-T for several reasons:

• Experience: GadgetMates is an established electronics repair center with brick-and-mortar locations in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada. Its team has firsthand experience repairing devices like iPhones, computers, game consoles, etc.
• Expertise: The site’s extensive knowledge base of articles, guides, and tips showcases in-depth technical knowledge about electronic devices, repairs, and related topics.
• Authoritativeness: As a top-rated, go-to repair shop in its local area with 5-star reviews across platforms like Google and Yelp, GadgetMates has built authority as a leader in its market. Customers widely trust the company for repairs on high-value devices, which speaks to its authoritative standing.
• Trustworthiness: Several site elements point to GadgetMates’ trustworthiness and transparency, such as customer reviews and testimonials, clear contact info and location addresses, an “About Us” page, privacy policy and terms, and warranties. Offering free diagnostics also shows they aren’t just out to make a quick buck.

3. Homesteading Family

Screenshot from homesteadingfamily.com, March 2024.

Homesteading Family is another great example of a site that demonstrates E-E-A-T for the following reasons:

• Experience: Josh and Carolyn Thomas, the site’s creators, have firsthand experience living a self-sufficient homesteading lifestyle on their 40-acre property in Idaho. They grow, preserve, and prepare most of their own food for their large family of 11 children, lending credibility to the information they share.
• Expertise: The blog posts, videos, recipes, and classes demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of homesteading skills. The content provides practical, detailed information that reflects the creators’ expertise gained through years of study and practice.
• Authoritativeness: Over time, the site has established authority in the homesteading niche. With an extensive library of in-depth content, an engaged community, appearances on major media outlets, a popular YouTube channel, and a podcast, the brand is well-established as an authoritative resource for this lifestyle. Other websites also frequently link to Homesteading Family articles.
• Trustworthiness: Several factors indicate the site is trustworthy: the creators openly share their identities, photos, and stories; the “about” page provides background info; a clear contact page is provided; the content is high-quality and non-spammy; sources are cited; and a privacy policy and terms are posted. The personal, transparent tone also builds trust with the audience.

E-E-A-T Is A Sustainable, Long-Term Approach To SEO

Google’s evolution of E-A-T to E-E-A-T signifies a growing emphasis on first-hand experience in evaluating content quality. For SEO professionals, this means a renewed focus on creating content that demonstrates genuine expertise, experience, authority, and trust.

Key takeaways:

• E-E-A-T is not a direct ranking factor, but optimizing for it can indirectly boost search performance over time.
• First-hand experience is especially critical for YMYL topics, but it’s valuable for any content niche.
• Demonstrate E-E-A-T through author expertise, citing reputable sources, building brand authority, and maintaining transparency.
• When using AI tools, ensure human experts review and enhance the content to maintain E-E-A-T.
• Studying examples of high E-E-A-T websites can inspire your own content strategy.

By considering these principles and consistently creating content that exudes E-E-A-T, you’ll be well-positioned to earn search visibility and user trust.

As search engines prioritize quality and credibility, investing in E-E-A-T is a sustainable, long-term approach to SEO.

More resources:

Featured Image: diy13/Shutterstock

Search Marketing Generalists Vs. Specialists: Pros And Cons via @sejournal, @coreydmorris

Search marketing is a unique aspect of digital marketing in that it requires multiple skills and “hats” to wear if you want to have a person or team manage it from end to end.

SEO, especially, requires more disciplines than just those with SEO titles. Even paid search requires more than just managing ads in a search engine ad platform.

Experienced search marketers should know the full range of what goes into SEO or paid search. However, they often will gravitate toward aspects of each discipline they like the most, are the best at, or have seen the most success with.

That could mean an SEO pro who is more focused on technical SEO, one who is focused on content, or even a backlink specialist.

UX design, copywriting, web development, and even IT overlap with both SEO and PPC responsibilities. Plus, depending again on the number of hats worn, measurement and analytics could be an outside resource, too.

There are a number of different types of people you can hire to your in-house digital marketing team, agencies you can hire, or others to partner with to work toward your search marketing goals.

Within each decision and type, you have pros and cons to face to make sure you get the right type of partner and resource to cover the range of needs you’ll have for SEO and PPC.

There’s no single right answer for everyone, and it is important to understand your needs and ensure they fit with the type of partner you select.

I encourage you to consider the pros and cons of both search marketing generalists and specialists to make the best decision for your needs.

Search Marketing Generalists

A search marketing generalist is a person or agency that does everything.

That could include both SEO and paid search. Within that, services could include all aspects of search marketing.

That means everything from strategy to tactics to measurement and everything in between.

Generalists: Pros

• Single entity facilitating communication.
• A deeper understanding of your brand and subject matter.
• Greater accountability for performance is achieved by having one person/team/agency.

Generalists: Cons

• Potentially lacking depth of expertise in granular areas of search compared to some peers.
• Strategy and implementation may be more big-picture-focused and less tangible.
• May lack experience in certain channels, networks, or aspects of search.

Generalists will have a lot on their resumes. If it’s an agency, it will do all aspects of search and likely a lot of other digital and traditional marketing as well. SEO may be a line item amongst many others.

That doesn’t mean they lack the skills necessary to be a good fit for you. However, you might need to dig deep during the interview process to ensure they have the depth of knowledge that you need for your brand.

There are a lot of advantages in the areas of communication, depth of connection with your business, and the cost of their salary or fees scaling well if a generalist.

You may not want to be a general contractor managing many specialists or agencies. Or, you may want one relationship to be ultimately focused and accountable for search performance.

You want to be careful when you have complex search issues that a generalist isn’t familiar with or able to address in depth.

If SEO or PPC are just a single line item on a resume or agency of record contract, you need to dig deeper to ensure their experience and what they bring to the table matches your needs and desires.

Search Marketing Specialists

A search marketing specialist is a person, team, or agency focused on a specific aspect of search marketing.

That could mean they focus on just SEO or PPC.

They could be even more focused than that on specific aspects of PPC or within the spectrum of SEO, like the technical layer or content.

Specialists: Pros

• Deep expertise in specific channels, networks, or aspects of search.
• Ability to go to extremes in troubleshooting and problem-solving.
• Can go deeper than competitors.

Specialists: Cons

• Likely further away from business outcomes and goals.
• Lack of ability to manage broader effort and team.
• More expensive resources and possibly more resources needed in total.

A specialist person or agency can bring a competitive advantage to your team. They can take your efforts to a deeper level than your competitors and solve some of the biggest business, digital, and search challenges.

Overall, with a specialist, you’re getting a resource who will bring strategy and recommendations and will be balanced in focusing on what works now and staying up to date on what is coming in the industry.

However, they can be more expensive on their own or when added up against other hires you have to make.

They might not integrate as well with your ultimate business goals because they spend their time deep in the subject matter. They might also have a limited toolset to bring to the job.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a bias in this article and think you’ve found one, I’m okay with that. However, my goal wasn’t to overstate any pros and cons or endorse either search marketing generalists or specialists.

I think you lean a certain way on what you want or need in your organization.

While I own a digital agency focused on search, I could categorize my agency overall and its employees into both categories and see both sides of the generalist vs. specialist conversation.

There’s not a clearly defined line showing where a generalist vs. specialist starts and ends.

I like that aspect of both paid and organic search.

While I started my career as an SEO professional in the early days when I could do about 90% of the job by myself, I’m happy with how the industry has shifted over time away from being siloed and more into the mainstream.

My goal in this article – now that search is so much more mainstream in marketing plans – is to emphasize that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution or approach.

Whether building an in-house team, hiring an agency, or a combination of creative ways to resource search, it is important to know what resources you have, your strengths and weaknesses, and to set ROI expectations accordingly.

With so many people having SEO or PPC on their resume and so many agencies saying they do it, you really need to work to understand what you’re investing in so you get the right fit for where you are as a company and where you’re going.

More resources:

Featured Image: Wichien Tepsuttinun/Shutterstock