Cats get great SEO results. Half the results you get for any search on the web are cats (that might be an exaggeration, but only slightly). Why do we feel such love and fierce loyalty towards towards those furry little weirdos? Because they're masters at marketing themselves. Talk about achieving brand loyalty!
Ok, so cats probably aren't as calculating as people make them out to be. But there are characteristics and behaviors shared by most cats that endear us to them--which can actually be applied to marketing.
Here are 5 things my cat taught me about marketing.
1. Be an opportunist.
My cat knows that when I put a plate of food on the table, she better act fast. She'll usually have gotten a good taste in before I come back with a glass of water. She's on it.
As a marketer, aim to have the reaction time of a cat. Be aware of current events that you can engage with in your content and outreach. For example, if there's an election going on, produce content about the candidates; or if there's a holiday coming up, create content geared towards its celebration.
It's especially important to be aware of news within your industry, as there may be opportunities for commentary or collaboration. You want your brand to be savvy, which means staying up to date on current events.
2. Set a routine.
Cat's work on clockwork. At 6:30 sharp every morning my cat wakes me up so I can feed her her much coveted wet food. She doesn't care one bit about daylight savings time or weekends. Time is money and money is wet food.
Work is time-consuming. That's why it's important to set a routine for yourself, to optimize your time spent. That might mean allotting the first 3 hours of your day to sending out emails, researching new sites for backlinks, or trying new tools. It could also mean designating one day a week to crack down and write a bunch of content.
It's also important to set aside time to respond to emails, organizing spreadsheets, and any other clerical work that can fall to the wayside. Setting a routine will help you be more organized and more productive.
3. Be selective (but not too selective).
Cat's don't waste their energy and affection on just anybody. Even if your cat is very friendly like mine (she greets strangers with the enthusiasm of a dog), she knows to come to me specifically for playtime and treats. But she's smart about it. She knows that purring and cuddling up to me is the best way to butter me up, rather than hassling me (well, she still hassles me sometimes).
You should try to adopt the attitude of a friendly cat. Reach out and connect with the right contacts. You want to form good relationships with contacts that you can come back to again and again. But it can't be a one-way street. You need to also offer something in return; be open, enthusiastic and willing to return the favour. Look for ways that you can benefit both their business and your own.
Take the time to ask them about their week at the beginning of emails. Try to remember what projects they're working on if they mention anything, and follow up about them later. Showing that you care about your your contacts as people, rather than just resources, will help you form stronger and more lasting relationships.
4. Be curious.
How many time has your cat's explorations gotten them into weird situations? There was one time my friend's cat ended up inside the wall and he didn't find her for two days. When he did find her, she was hungry and covered in dust but (hopefully) a bit wiser for the experience.
While it's good to practice tried and true marketing methods, it's also important to be exploratory. If you think of a new idea, try it out. The digital landscape is in constant flux and you need to adapt to its changes. Just because your current outreach strategy is working well doesn't mean you can't find one that will work even better. If a new Google algorithm comes out, you will need to find new ways to get good SEO results. Look for gaps where you could do more to appeal to people and try to fill them.
If all you're doing is engaging with existing conversations, try starting your own. For example, if you contribute to your brand blog, you could try conducting original research. Giving users something interesting and new to read will build your credibility and invite traffic to your site.
5. Walk it off.
Cats are the masters of making it look like their blunders happened on purpose. Every time my cat rolls off the coffee table in spectacular display of gracelessness, she gets right back up and saunters off like she just performed a perfectly controlled gymnastic flip. The picture of dignity.
Ok, so when it comes to business, it's a classier move to own up to your mistakes than to pretend they didn't happen. But it's important to not let mistakes trip you up. Bounce back with cat-like reflexes, fix the problem, and move forward.
Say a marketing move is received poorly, or ignored almost all together by your target audience. The amount of rejection that you can face as a marketer can be frustrating and demoralizing at times, but it's important to stay confident. Look for new strategies to reach out and get people's attention (again: be curious!).
Follow the cat way of marketing and you're sure to climb the ladder of success (but you might need need help getting down).
Has your cat taught you anything about marketing?