What is Search, Anyway? The Salmon Example - Part 3

Here we have an example of what search marketing is, while using a different context to illustrate what it is and what it is not.

One of the main reasons I decided to write my story is that time and time again, I have seen almost all organizations, ad agencies and digital marketing specialists going into this Google Ads space with a traditional marketing approach to this system. And it does not work. It is like the saying goes: when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. They are envisioning the creation of an interaction with complete strangers strictly from the perspective of their own self interest. The question: What’s in it for me? is not being addressed. Therefore, this is actually what it objectively looks like.

The fisherman wishes to catch a salmon because that is what he wants to have for dinner. That is his goal. Since he is looking at this interaction from his own self-interest, he decided to put a bait at the end of his fishing line which his favourite salmon recipe, because that is what he wants to. He thinks this is the right way to convince the salmon to bite on that thing. Can you imagine the salmon cruising around and laughing his ass off on how poor this marketing strategy is to catch him? In doubt, the salmon would also have the freedom to ask his salmon buddies, asking something like:

• Salmon 1: Hey, have you ever bitten on one of those things? What are your thoughts?

• Salmon 2: No, When it looks too good to be true, it probably is. But, my cousin bite on one of those. He ended up on a grill, so I heard. I am telling you, this is not the best way to go.

No? Not convinced yet?

How about a message that talks about how awesome his fishing boat is including the brand message and the boat company tagline that comes with it? Again, we want to convince the salmon that this is a good idea… to jump on this guy’s boat for a “tour” because it offers such a great “experience”. Even the salmon is smart enough to understand that it is not such a great opportunity. This is EXACTLY what everyone has been doing. They are looking at each potential interaction from their own perspective, with a brutal lack of empathy. That lack of empathy in this context offers some very good material for comedy. I am not an expert in salmon fishing but I am thinking it might work far better if you put something at the end of your fishing line that the salmon actually likes. Don’t you think? It is even more disturbing when you think that the entire eco-system operates with salmon in captivity, because these are already pre-selected in the interaction based on the keywords they use… search operates in a confined space basically, for each business and their respective marketing landscape. This is how easy it is. How can everybody miss this? Nevertheless, I think what I am describing is more prevalent in what we call the long tail of search queries, so very specific requests, where ads are not tailored towards for the most part and where AI takes over from the slack of effort in Google Ads campaigns development.

Key Take Aways

All you have to do is think like a salmon for 2 minutes and put something at the end of your fishing line that the salmon would like to eat. That is it. So no marketing messages, no branding, no taglines, none of that self-serving stuff! This is your food of choice, not his. Just answer the question in search results. You have 30 characters to get this done and it is more than sufficient. Why? Because it is simply a virtual handshake, not a marketing PowerPoint presentation. In doubt? Use this is in your “ad” text: I have precisely what you are searching for. And you want to know what the disturbing part of all this is? Most people think that I am smart. Smart? Am I? You think I am smart by recommending to put a worm at the end of your fishing line so that it reaches the proper objective, as opposed to your public marketing masturbation exercise? Wow. Are you kidding! My god, you must be confused when you take the skytrain in Vancouver. That is complicated. Have you considered another profession? Marketing might not be for you. Please read the full blurb here, share & subscribe before I die of stupidity overload: Imfeelinglucky.ca

Which kinda reminds me an old story when we went prawn fishing with Monique and James. Trying would be a more appropriate way of putting it though. We caught like 4 prawns, 1 per person on board. It was just like Forest Gump. Yeah, that bad. James said, the guy at Steveston marine where I bought the stuff said that prawns really like cat food. Cat food? Can you please explain to me how this discovery came about? I am curious. Was there a time when a prawn accidentally ended up face to face with a cat and the cat from a sudden burst of generosity started sharing his food, to the amazement of the prawn, and since then he has a thing for cat food. And then told all the other prawns about how great it is. What was the initial encounter? I want to know who was the first dude to try this out.

Bottom line, forget about your own interest, put yourself in other people’s shoes in the same way you would to catch a fish and give them something they like. Answer the question: What’s in it for me? Towards your audience. You would be surprised how effective this strategy is.s