Bites of Search and Social for Consumer Packaged Goods

Think your kitchen is safe from the clicking and whirling of your computer?

Think again. The internet is revolutionizing culinary culture. Not by way of digital spatulas and Google-branded ovens – at least not yet – but certainly in terms of the recipe research and planning process.

As Thanksgiving and the season of food descends upon us, it’s more important than ever to understand the trends and motivation behind food behavior and marketing products.

Food brands within the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry can increase visibility through search (SEO) and social (SMO). An influential digital presence requires a combination of both to drive traffic and sales.

The optimization of food products on search engines is largely contingent on linking. Both on-page and off-page SEO efforts are crucial. When it comes to your brand site, it is completely worthwhile to include recipes. Not only is it appreciated by customers, but it can increase SEO rank. Creating exclusive recipes, or incorporating your brand items into existing recipes, encourages increased product sales as well.

47% of consumers report searching for digital coupons/specials, while 42% report searching online for recipes. According to Forrester, web users predominantly click on the top four results for any particular search, and then move on. This illustrates the importance of incorporating an SEO strategy into your overall digital marketing campaign.

When it comes to social media, 49% of consumers report turning to networks for food inquiries. Blogs and Pinterest are especially known for niche culinary expertise. Food blogs allow users to establish a sense of trust with the blogger, therefore making a partnership between bloggers and marketers extremely valuable.

A blogging partnership has the potential to spread product visibility, engage new customers and establish brand credibility, as well as increase off-site links. Often, bloggers have a strong social media presence and following on other sites such as Twitter and Instagram.

Pinterest is the fastest-growing social network, and within the site, food is the fastest-growing category. Recipes generate the most re-pins, with an average of over 50%.

It’s becoming commonplace to answer “Pinterest” when someone asks where you got the idea for those delicious pumpkin cookies. Considering the ability to save and compile recipes according to specifics like ingredients and occasion, dare we call it the new digital cookbook?

As seen above, search and social play an equally critical role in promoting brands with the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry. If correctly optimized, they can increase customer acquisition and sales as well as the overall success of your digital marketing strategy. All of our SEO and SMO solutions can be monitored and measured through our S2 platform.

Contact ZOG Digital today for an SEO/SMO audit.