You sit down with a cup of coffee, sign into your laptop, and check your latest SEO report. The numbers in front of you could not be better. Today is the day when your investment of time, energy, and marketing budget has been realized – yet somehow, this is a bittersweet moment, and you find yourself wanting more.
Achieving your ultimate SEO goals sounds like a glorious occasion, but for many brands, it can be a lackluster milestone. Where do you turn when you need more organic growth but you’ve already tapped your available opportunities?
You Did It! … Now What?
Once you’ve reached the coveted top position for your target search terms, there seems to be no more room for growth. In many industries, your primary keywords just don’t receive enough search volume to meet your goals.
On the other hand, maybe you’ve realized that your brand lacks the authority needed to rank for highly competitive terms, and that has left you in the same situation – without any (realistic) opportunity for growth.
In either situation, barnacle SEO could be the solution to your problems.
What is Barnacle SEO?
Barnacles are small crustaceans commonly found clinging to the hull of a boat or ship. As the vessel embarks on its journey, the barnacle hitches a ride. As a result, the small creature can cover vast distances that would otherwise be impossible.
Likewise, barnacle SEO is a term encompassing a variety of methods that allow you to grow beyond your natural boundaries.
This can include visibility obtained from targeting adjacent keyword phrases – search terms that may not directly relate to your brand yet are relevant to the same target audience. It can also involve directly gaining exposure from other sites – usually more authoritative ones – which rank for competitive terms that might be out of your reach.
While the methods may differ, barnacle SEO ultimately involves driving growth by latching your brand onto something bigger than yourself.
For this approach to be effective, it has to attract the ideal audience. Even if your SEO campaign is massively successful, the extra eyes on your brand are of little value if they aren’t interested in the products or services you offer.
Let’s explore a few examples of how barnacle SEO can work in practice.
Example #1: Optimizing for Adjacent Keywords
With a bit of creativity, you might discover topics that aren’t directly related to your brand yet still attract your ideal buyer persona. Two examples of this are competitive phrases and complementary industries.
Competitive Phrases
If your competitors have built a strong brand, then they likely generate a significant amount of brand-focused search queries. By focusing on these terms (especially those that indicate the customer is doing comparative research), you have an opportunity to introduce yourself and pitch your USP.
This approach commonly includes “alternatives” and “versus” queries. In the following example, Shopify has capitalized on users looking for an alternative to the Wix platform:
In a more direct head-to-head comparison, QuickMail has used this opportunity to highlight its advantages over rival platform Mailshake:
This approach can be especially valuable when your company isn’t as well-known as your competitors.
Complementary Industries
Another approach is optimizing content around relevant information from adjacent industries. A great example is this wedding photographer optimizing a blog post to include details pertaining to a local wedding venue:
This can be extremely effective when scaled since just a few of the most popular venues in an area can easily attract 10 (or even 100) times the search volume that terms like “wedding photographer” receive. While these visits are likely to be higher in the marketing funnel, this exposure is exceptionally helpful in building brand recognition.
In this example, it can also help a potential client become familiar with the photographer before they have even started thinking about which one to hire.
Example #2: Sponsored or Guest Content
If you’ve discovered a large, authoritative blog or editorial outlet in your industry, another opportunity for barnacle SEO might be available. By working together to publish your content on their site, you get to leverage their reach and authority to attract a much wider audience than would otherwise be possible.
In addition to an increased opportunity for that published piece to rank well for competitive terms, you will have the chance to speak directly to your own readers, which has the potential to be equally valuable.
These arrangements can either be simple content submissions or sponsored arrangements, where the outlet is paid to publish your content. In either case, you normally have a chance to introduce your brand and provide a link where the reader can learn more.
Example #3: Review & Directory Websites
In many cases, it is relatively easy to outrank sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Angie’s List, or other review & directory sites that are relevant to your industry. In other cases, this can be an unrealistic goal, especially when your domain lacks substantial authority.
Either way, there is typically little to lose from ensuring your own website is in a good position to be included in their lists. Depending on the platform, this may involve claiming your profile, adding additional details, or simply submitting your company via an online form.
Example #4: Roundups, Listicles, and Resource Pages
When you discover a prominent site that shares resources similar to those offered by your company, you’ve found a great opportunity for barnacle SEO.
Getting in touch with the editor can be especially productive when you offer to answer questions and provide additional details. By making it as painless as possible for them to learn more about your company, you maximize your chances of being included in future posts (or you might even be added to existing lists).
Feeling More Like a Barnacle Latched onto a Rock?
The comprehensive marketing services offered by BigPxl can put you on the right track to growth. For a customized consultation or to learn more about how we can help, drop us a line or give us a call today!
