ReachLocal is a US based marketing company that provides a range of services including Search Engine Marketing and Display Advertising for SMBs.

SMK recently caught up with ReachLocal's Senior Internet Marketing Consultant, Darren Vowles, at the company's Melbourne office where we talked about search and why Vowels thinks SEO is dead.

Search and ye shall find

Vowles believes brands should be investing more heavily in search advertising such as Google AdWords. 

“You can't play on a $35billion machine like Google and not expect to pay at some point. Through our tracking we can see, for example, which keywords led to a phone call and buy the AdWords around this,” he says.

Ringing in results

A point of difference in ReachLocal's offering is its ability to track and monitor phone calls resulting from an AdWords spend, with Vowles explaining calls more likely to end in a sale than an email.

“Customers can hide behind an email but if they're committed to call then this has a better chance of resulting in a sale for our clients.”

SEO is dead

While Vowles says brands should explore a range of options when connecting with customers, he is unapologetic about his views on SEO. 

“SEO is dead. Brands might think that 'French Restaurant Melbourne' is the best keyword to purchase, but through our metrics we can see that, for example, 'French' spelled with two 'n's'' yields better results.

“Any brand that just relies on SEO, especially with Google giving preference to brands on Google+, is seriously hurting their chances of success.”

Metrics

Vowles says that in addition to search marketing, real time tracking is crucial to any campaign, meaning tweaks can be made on the go.

“Online metrics mean we have to tell the truth about our numbers, which clients appreciate. We track all of our campaigns and make adjustments that will benefit the advertiser on a daily basis.”

Reaching out

What is Vowles' advice for brands wanting to break through the online chatter and reach consumers?

“Pay to play, and don't expect to trick Google. AdWords, images and video advertising are the best targeted ways to reach users. It's as simple as that.”

To find out more visit ReachLocal's website here.

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