Many people are captivated by dinosaurs. However, being a dinosaur brand doesn’t equate to maintaining fascination. In reality, it’s a fast track to losing credibility with your customers.
### How do brands become dinosaurs?
No brand anticipates becoming outdated or stagnant. Yet, many companies inadvertently fall into this trap through behaviors such as:
– Lack of execution.
– Product improvements stalled due to resource competition.
– Long-term initiatives, like SEO fixes, going unaddressed year after year.
In summary, brands that become dinosaurs are slow, neglected, and eventually forgotten by consumers.
Even well-established brands aren’t immune to extinction. So, how can brands stay at the top and navigate the constantly changing digital landscape?
The key is adaptability — adapting to changing markets, circumstances, and shifts in search intent. Change is a constant, especially in technology.
Unless you’ve been comparing SEO advice from 2010 to more recent articles, you might think you’re faring well. Even if your brand is behind in marketing, operations, or SEO, avoiding pitfalls that lead to dinosaur-like behavior is crucial.
### What is dinosaur brand behavior?
Dinosaur brand behavior occurs when an older company operates in an outdated manner or is slow to implement change, especially in areas critical for sustainable growth:
– Strategy
– Tactics
– Collaboration
– Data
### Strategy
Strategic thinking means being aware of your current situation to move to a more favorable one. Companies should not only be aware of themselves but also how they are perceived by customers and competitors. The SEO industry is particularly prone to challenges with dinosaur brands because, before the Internet became mainstream, business was slower-paced. SEO can’t rely on a static strategy; it depends on technological advances.
Dinosaur behavior in SEO involves building a strategy based on outdated information. Brands must remain self-aware and adapt continuously.
### Tactics
Tactics are the specific actions taken to execute strategies. Dinosaur behavior includes:
– Using outdated methods that no longer work.
– Not providing clear ways for customers to unsubscribe.
– Assuming existing site content needs no further investment.
– Ignoring modern engagement methods like influencer programs.
Brands should embrace modern opportunities and adapt to new search dynamics.
### Collaboration
SEO requires teamwork. It shouldn’t exist in a silo, especially at the enterprise level. Successful SEO initiatives depend on collaboration across various teams. Live events present opportunities, driving search demand and requiring cross-functional planning. Brands need to harness such events, moving beyond traditional holiday sales to capitalize on opportunities from other significant events.
### Data
Effective data management is essential. Neglecting data hygiene can result in noisy, unhelpful information. Brands must maintain and validate data regularly to ensure they are operating with accurate information. Proper data management involves updating analytics platforms, cleaning analytics tags, maintaining modern storage solutions, and clear documentation for channel attribution.
### The hard truth for dinosaur brands: perception is reality
Brands stuck in their ways face the reality that consumers have numerous options. If consumers don’t physically see or aren’t advertised to by a brand, they may assume it no longer exists. Both online and offline appearances matter greatly. Websites need to be user-friendly and fast, whereas stores should be well-maintained and properly staffed.
Brands risk becoming obsolete without sufficient brand awareness efforts. For instance, a brand’s online presence must be robust, or it risks being another victim of the “retail apocalypse.”
### Risk of not adapting to changes in search intent
Search intent evolves over time. Brands must continually invest in adapting their website content to meet dynamic search demands. Search is the language of demand. For example, search intents for retail have shifted significantly since the start of the pandemic.
### Spare no expense on adaptability
The business landscape is about execution. Brands should aim to remain relevant through constant self-awareness and willingness to adapt and execute necessary changes. SEO thrives on execution in technical improvements, content, and links. Avoiding investment in SEO fundamentals spells the most obvious form of dinosaur behavior.
### Conclusion
Build strong teams to keep your brand at the top of the food chain. Adaptability is the quintessential competitive advantage.
