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- According to Blauw Research,4 in 5 Dutch people want to eat healthier.
- 1.5 million Dutch people use a meal box.
- According to SCP, more than half of the Dutch have 'too much on their mind'
With a combination of these three things, you end up at a promising start-up for which we recently started a project: Plant B to the top of Google.
Dragons Den
After starring in Dragon's Den earlier this year, Joost Esser of Plant B also wanted to shine with the vegetable frozen meals on Google. So, we made an appointment to go through the possibilities. After a few conversations — including a trunk full of freshly frozen meals — we were out: there's a lot of growth to be had.
A shock
It happened that a few days later the teams of Plant B and upMention met in the kitchen where the chefs of Plant B prepare the meals. We got unique insights into the huge freezers where the meals are frozen via shock-freezing (It is the only method that ensures nutritional values and vitamins are optimally preserved)
Open door
As a startup, you want to open the door wide for new customers. So, you can't ignore online findability. However, is it also wise –to advertise in search engines – to choose your next customer via the unpaid results of Google? For this reason, we have listed 6 lessons learned about startup online marketing for you.
1. The long term determines the relevance of a startup
Optimizing for the unpaid results of Google (startup SEO) is something that will pay off in the long term. A startup is often still surviving in the short term. Nevertheless, the long-term value determines the real relevance. Throwing a bucket of money into ads can certainly work, however, you have to build up long-term value through the 'natural' results in Google.
2. The media feasts on fresh startups (and so does Google!)
You score better and faster in Google when you are mentioned. That is an important part of a startup's marketing with SEO. Hip, fresh startups are simply loved by the media. These are startups that do something 'new' and are 'newsworthy', not entrepreneurs. Not only can the mentions be locally in Utrecht and Brabant, but also in professional media such as MarketingTribune and on the website of de Telegraaf: Plant B is setting a trend with the concept that the media cannot avoid
3. Dare to take risks, forecasts are less accurate
Normally, you build SEO forecasts from past results. You multiply it to the desired level. You combine that with an analysis of websites that are already at the top of Google and the potential of search terms with the corresponding search volumes. With startup SEO you can estimate what can be achieved, however, what it yields next requires general calculations. Nonetheless, the concept has not yet been proven, so the risk that fits startup online marketing also applies to the investment in SEO.
4. The P of Place offers more and more opportunities (Google My Business)
In principle, we think that the low-hanging fruit in Google has already been harvested, however, our mouths drop open when we see how much is currently being done by users of Google with the results in Google my company. We see more and more that it is used as a kind of 'mini-website'. It is now more possible to add the products and descriptions of Plant B to the operating result, this partly replaces the websites, because a lot is already in Google. In addition, the most important company updates can be posted.
5. Focus is the magic word, also in SEO
As a founder of a startup, you are almost always a creative mind. It's brimming with groundbreaking ideas. Like a kind of popcorn in a pan, keep popping up. However, persistence is the art. In the case of SEO, that includes focusing on a fixed list of search terms. This is because, at google, divided attention means fewer results. Any additional ideas carry the risk of detracting from what it takes to be viable. Focus. Focus. Focus.
6. Keep enjoying (you have that hip hockey stick again)
Scoring in Google’s unpaid results is almost always via the well-known hockey stick model. In other words: at first, everyone is hard at work, but there is still little to see in high positions or visitors on the website. So, a logical ingredient to get nervous about whether your company is going in the right direction. When suddenly it's there: your positions and visitors skyrocket! Google loves you. Do you want to know what the marketing costs of a startup are approximate? Ask us!
