3 Reasons Why Urgency-Based Search Intent Marketing Is Worth It

Any marketer worth their salt knows that a variety of sub-strategies need to be operational at the same time. Relying on only one or two outreach efforts will only set the company up for disappointment. This is where an urgency-based search intent strategy, combined with intent-based targeting, can make a big difference.

As a marketer, the last thing you want is to be called in for a sit-down and asked why sales and metrics aren’t improving. You really need to be constantly on the lookout for conversion-focused content opportunities if you want to succeed. In this article, let us explore the concept of why urgency-based search intent marketing works and how it can unlock a new level of growth.

#1. Urgency-Based Search Intent Tends to Drive Fast Decision Making

This is something that every human understands on a personal level. The hesitation and time taken to weigh the pros and cons of a decision evaporate during emergencies. There has even been research to confirm this.

According to a study on 38 undergraduate students by Lin and Jia, decisions were quicker and riskier when made under the pressure of time. They also found that the feedback-related negativity (FRN) was significantly smaller under high time pressure. This implies that the brain is less sensitive to negative outcomes when making rushed decisions.

So, while it is unethical to take advantage of potential customers during such moments, there’s nothing wrong with being there to help people in crises. This is the basis of any urgency marketing strategy. Many businesses craft their branding techniques based on human psychology and take different emotions into account. For now, let’s simply look at a few examples of how you can position yourself in an ethical manner.

Let’s say Summer is approaching, and you anticipate that people will be running their air conditioners extra long. There’s likely going to be a lot of people needing AC repair service technicians.

This is when you can anticipate urgency and adjust search engine optimization keywords in your website to rank for queries like “fast response AC repair.” This isn’t really predatory, because you are just positioning your company in an ideal spot.

All you have to do then is ensure your marketing strategy attracts those kinds of customers. As you can imagine, this can be achieved through several strategies. You can pay attention to buyer intent SEO, general SEO strategy, your social media campaigns, and even the colors you use in marketing material.

Essentially, your actionable steps involve:

• Using high-intent keywords like “emergency AC repair near me” or “24/7 plumbing service” so that you show up when an urgent need occurs.
• Incorporate emotional cues in your blog posts and copy
• Respond quickly to any leads that do come your way
• Update your metadata and headers to reflect any ongoing emergencies like floods or heat waves.

Implementing these simple steps is all you need to start the process of marketing during a crisis.

#2. Traffic Spikes Can Be Used as a Funnel

Another great reason that urgency has so much value for marketing is that you get to increase website traffic fast. If you follow the insight from the previous point and optimize your SEO strategy, you might see traffic spikes during special situations. These could be breaking news stories about a disaster or some new regulation that affects businesses.

As Alex Quinn, CMO of a digital marketing firm, explains, the funnel starts when you acquire leads and continues even after they make a purchase. Quinn notes that the three benefits of funnels are increased sales, better marketing, and more targeted marketing.

If you can get potential customers to land on your website during that initial rush in their search for clarity, you can make big marketing wins. In America, we see this happen often in the legal field. For context, look at the AFFF lawsuit situation. As TorHoerman Law notes, this came about due to toxic chemicals in certain types of fire extinguishers.

So, what would implementation look like here? Well, you would:

• Set up Google Alerts
• Use real-time SEO tools
• Run PPC ads that target trending search phrases
• Audit and optimize your website to ensure it loads as fast as possible

If a veteran is watching TV at home and sees a news story about a new AFFF lawsuit update that affects ex-military, he becomes alert. He might remember all the time he was exposed to AFFF firefighting foam during drills and start looking up the situation online.

#3. You Have a Great Opportunity for Trust Building

Here’s the thing: potential customers know that they’re in a vulnerable position during crises. You taking advantage of the situation isn’t lost on them, but they don’t really have another choice. However, if you choose to respond fairly and without trying to gain from their crisis, that can win you great loyalty for your brand name.

Naturally, finding and operating on this fine line can be challenging. You’ll have to simply read the buyer’s intent and position yourself as ‘an option’ without trying to push your service or product too hard. It goes without saying that predatory pricing and similar tactics are an instant no-go.

This is not the time to win a few extra dollars. This is the time to win loyalty, which will lead to hundreds or even thousands of loyal dollars over time. Many companies understand this and ease up on the profit-first goal during urgent situations.

The Stanley water bottle company is a great example. After a woman’s car caught on fire, her Stanley Cup managed to survive. Unfortunately, the car did not fare as well as. What the woman didn’t know yet was that she would soon receive an offer from Stanley to replace the car. What did the company get out of this? Well, by the end of that year, Stanley saw sales increase by 275%.

Meanwhile, many companies would not even bother to replace just the cup. They miss out on the wins that come with helping during emergencies and urgent moments.

Thus, putting all this into place will involve:

• Offering free consultations for people in crisis (increases the odds that they come back later)
• Don’t hide pricing or terms and clauses
• Give them more than they expect (generosity in a crisis is remembered)
• Train your customer-interacting staff to empathize (but not in an inauthentic manner)

All these steps are critical in ensuring that potential customers don’t feel like they are being taken advantage of. This is the biggest factor that you will have to account for. It’s one of those situations where even if your intent is well-meaning, a bad word or phrasing choice can drive away people.

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