It was not that long ago that the option for Search Box Optimisation (SBO) became possible on Bing and then Google. In the past, forerunners of modern Search Box Optimisation would have been considered to be Black Hat. And we all know that cheating the system – would have resulted in Google relegating your web assets into the sandbox – never to be seen in search again.
Is SBO a black hat method in 2023?
Inexperienced (and impatient) Digital Marketers have always tried to game the search engines. Back in the day (2009 / 2015) Black Hat was considered a sport where you would pit yourself against Google to game the system and beat the odds.
Short-term search gains for businesses were common. I was working in SEO back then, and I can tell you that EVERY SEO did all they could to gain a search advantage and beat Google at its own game. BUT let’s not forget that Google is the smartest AI on the block, and over time, it always wins.
Black Hat Techniques were commonplace and accepted in SEO. They included techniques like:
- Keyword Stuffing
- Cloaking
- Sneaky Redirects
- Poor Quality Content
- Paid Links
- Abusing Structured Data/Rich Snippets
- Blog Comment Spam
- Link Farms
- and more…
So now we are clear about real Black Hat methods, let’s talk about modern SBO.
Despite being a lesser-known strategy in the digital marketing world, SBO has the potential to disrupt the search landscape. Just like ChatGTP, SBO is out of the box – and like it or not it is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
it’s a fact of life that ChatGTP and its LLM AI rivals are now at the centre of many controversial conversations across a number of industries. New technology, especially those that level the playing field, or bring a so-called unfair advantage, inevitably met with distrust, dubiety, and even aggressive opposition before acceptance and mainstream pick-up. This is why early adopters will gain the best advantage.
SBO is an AI-generated, supported search optimisation method that is here to stay.
There is no doubt that adding it to your marketing toolbox will revolutionise your online visibility. It operates on the principle of optimising your business’s digital presence to appear in the dropdown suggestions of search queries, also known as autocomplete suggestions.
SBO is incredibly efficient in showcasing your business to potential customers in its best light. However, you do have to ensure that your business has a well-constructed, solid digital foundation in order to gain full dominance for your search terms and the best advantage.
Why SBO holds such transformative power:
- The Trust Factor: Searchers generally perceive autocomplete suggestions as reliable. They are directly provided by the Search Engine itself. This inherent trust generally leads to higher click-through to your web pages, making SBO a powerful tool in driving organic traffic.
- Cost-Efficiency: Unlike PPC, you are not in a constant bidding war for Keywords. You don’t have to continuously outbid competitors to maintain visibility. You get exclusivity to the keywords you desire, and these business-relevant keywords are yours as long as you include them in your monthly marketing budget. This regulates your marketing spend and eliminates the problem of escalating costs, allowing any business, regardless of size and budget, to benefit.
- SEO and Conversion Boost: Once your business is listed in the autocomplete suggestions, it’s a testament to your brand’s authority. This not only strengthens your SEO performance but also influences conversion optimisation.
Owning the Search Results
Once the searcher clicks your business in the Autocomplete, you own the whole Search Results page. Yes, you heard that right. Your business owns the page. The searcher is presented with your website, a breakdown of indexed pages, photographs of your business, your citations, client reviews from Bing, Google and any other reputation site. Your social media streams, articles and presence are listed.
The whole page says, “Look at how awesome this business is. Look at the social proof, the reviews, the authority and the online presence this business has”. Your new customer will see your full online presence and will think, “Wow, the search engine totally recommends this business; that’s good enough for me”.
Long-term Visibility: Once you secure an autocomplete listing for your exclusive targeted keyword phrase, it’s almost impossible for competitors to overtake that position. They have to find other keywords to compete with yours. So, you have a lasting online presence, which is crucial in this digital age.
Scalability: As your SBO performance improves and you attract more organic traffic, your costs remain the same. You do not need to increase your spend to increase your traffic for that keyword. This unmatched scalability allows your business to grow without straining your budget.
Reduced Marketing Cost: When you incorporate SBO into your search marketing strategy, you are able to substantially reduce your spending and reliance on PPC campaigns. This slashes your budget consumption and also delivers more measurable, faster results. It offers a clear, simpler path to growth without the constant worry of rising costs. Results are seen in Bing in 3 to 5 weeks and in Google in 2-4 months.
Keyword Exclusivity: With SBO, you are buying exclusive rights to as many relevant keywords as you want to ensure you retain the market dominance you are aiming for.
Qualified Traffic without the hefty price tag of PPC: SBO lets you fully own the qualified traffic you generate without having to share revenue with any third-party platforms. This means more income stays within your business, enhancing your profit margin.
SBO is the unsung hero of search marketing
In the world of search marketing, SBO offers a way to outshine every competitor in organic search results. It drives high-quality traffic and maintains your long-term visibility while building greater levels of trust signals with Google, all while keeping costs to a minimum. That is priceless.
In Conclusion
Businesses that harness the power of SBO are likely to experience a significant boost in their online visibility and overall growth.
We offer SBO as a Pay-Per-Result service!
Our results are 100% guaranteed. If we don’t get you into the search box for your terms, there is NO COST TO YOU.
If you own a business, consultancy, an eCommerce site, or you are seeking quality leads in a highly competitive niche, or if you are worried about escalating PPC and SEO costs and want a more cost-effective and reliable ROI, we would be happy to chat with you.
One caveat: You do need to have a digital marketing budget. You must be able to respond to new enquiries and take on more clients and customers. You must be genuinely curious and open-minded about how we can deliver up to 300% more traffic than you have seen before.