How to Succeed in SEO When There's No Search Volume for Your Product
Welcome to another edition of Weisbord Friday! This week, we’re diving into a particularly challenging problem in the world of SEO: how to market a product, service, or idea when there’s virtually no search volume around it.
Many businesses and startups face this dilemma—launching something innovative with no existing keyword demand. While it might seem like SEO isn't an option in such cases, there are strategic ways to create visibility, build brand awareness, and eventually generate search demand. Let's explore how.
1. Identify Your Target Audience
Before you even think about keyword targeting, you need to define your audience:
- Who are they?
- What are their job titles?
- What are their interests and demographics?
For example, if you’ve created a new design search engine like “Nice,” your target audience might include designers, artists, content creators, and branding professionals. Knowing your audience allows you to craft a strategy that appeals to them through alternative channels.
2. Understand What Else They Search For
Even if there’s no direct search demand for your product, your target audience is searching for related topics, tools, and resources. Use keyword research tools to explore:
- Related queries
- Tools and platforms they use
- Common challenges they face
For instance, designers might be searching for “UX inspiration,” “Photoshop tutorials,” or “best design tools.” You can create content that aligns with these searches and subtly introduce your product.
3. Leverage Content Marketing & SEO
If people aren’t searching for your product yet, you need to attract them before they know they need it. Content marketing helps you create demand by:
- Writing blog posts, guides, and case studies that provide value
- Creating content that ranks for broader industry-related terms
- Building a content hub that becomes a go-to resource for your audience
For example, if Nice is a visual search engine for designers, they could create content like:
- “Top 10 Design Resources Every Designer Should Bookmark”
- “How to Find Unique Visuals for Your Next Project”
- “The Ultimate Guide to Design Inspiration”
By ranking for these broader topics, you attract the right audience and introduce them to your tool.
4. Target the Right Platforms
Since traditional search traffic isn’t an option, you need to go where your audience already spends time:
- Social Media Ads: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest allow hyper-specific targeting based on job titles, interests, and behaviors.
- Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with industry influencers who can introduce your product to their audience.
- Guest Posting & PR: Get featured in industry blogs, newsletters, and digital publications to increase exposure.
- Community Engagement: Participate in relevant forums, subreddits, and Slack groups where your audience is active.
For Nice, this could mean running targeted Facebook ads to designers, guest posting on design blogs, and sponsoring content on platforms like Dribbble or Behance.
5. Develop Viral & Shareable Content
Look at the types of content that have gained broad distribution in your industry. This could include:
- Infographics & Data Visualizations: Eye-catching and easily shareable.
- Industry Reports & Research: Unique insights attract backlinks and media attention.
- Interactive Tools & Free Resources: Free templates, quizzes, and generators drive engagement.
For instance, Nice could compile a weekly “Top 10 Design Projects” list and feature designers, encouraging them to share their inclusion with their networks.
6. Build Brand Awareness & Authority
If your market doesn’t exist yet, you need to own the narrative around it:
- Define the Industry Term: Establish a clear name or phrase for your offering (e.g., “smart home” for Nest, “virtual reality gaming” for Oculus).
- Press & Public Relations: Secure media coverage in relevant publications to introduce your concept.
- Dominate Organic Rankings: Optimize for emerging terms so that your brand becomes synonymous with them.
If Nice positions itself as “the visual search engine for designers,” they can work towards dominating search results for that phrase, even if it doesn’t yet have high search volume.
Final Thoughts
When no one is searching for what you offer, it’s not an SEO dead-end—it’s an opportunity to shape and create demand. By strategically identifying your audience, leveraging content marketing, targeting the right platforms, and building brand authority, you can make SEO work for you, even in an untapped market.
With patience and persistence, your product can become the go-to solution for your niche, driving traffic, awareness, and ultimately, demand. See you next week for another edition of Weisbord Friday!