You’re ranking high on Google. The title tags are on point. The meta descriptions are short and snappy. The keyword research is on the money.
You’ve done the hard yards. You’ve got the desired ranking.
But what if you are still missing out on a huge, invisible slice of your audience?
An audience that starts product discovery on TikTok, hunts for the perfect infographic on Google Images, watches quick tutorials on YouTube and seeks inspiration on Pinterest.
This invisible audience could be a very active and tangible part of your target market. Vertical SEO can fill those holes in your strategy and act as a bridge to everyone from an in-house marketing specialist to a digital marketing agency.
So, What is Vertical SEO?
Vertical SEO goes beyond Google Search. It expands the scope and visibility to other platforms where your target persona might be looking for relevant information. Think of other in-app or in-platform search engines in places of discovery like YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, Amazon and even industry-specific ones like Airbnb and Zillow. Users go to such platforms for very specific use cases in which there is a very conducive ecosystem to channel user intent into action. If your business has any linkage to such behaviour, positioning your content in such spaces can have a strong ROI.
Why Vertical SEO Matters More Than Ever
The content ‘landscape’, for the lack of a better word, is currently in a state of flux. AI models are having a seismic impact on the way we search for information on the internet. LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT are ushering in a new era of conversational search. Relying only on Google Search to drive website traffic can be a dicey bet in the long run. Diversifying the traffic source to other avenues can lower the risk of disruption and keep the cash flowing in. It is not out of the realm of possibility in the not-so-distant future that you might have the best site on Google but still miss out on a sale. By investing time, effort and resources into Vertical SEO, you could insulate your prospects from traditional SEO mayhem. Below are some actionable strategies to implement for specific platforms.
YouTube
YouTube is no longer the home to just cat videos and parody skits. It has emerged as the second-largest search engine in the world. Just like in traditional SEO, keyword research is the key to popping up in searches and recommendations. Tools like TubeBuddy are a great resource to do just that. Another key focus area would be thumbnail design, to convert those impressions into clicks. Don’t be afraid to go wacky and try different things. YouTube can be a great platform for a wide spectrum of businesses, from SaaS companies to bakeries and solopreneurs to D2C brands.
This platform is all about the aesthetics. People here are not merely scrolling for leisure (unlike similar platforms such as Instagram and Facebook). The intent is more nuanced and action-oriented. This means that your pins (or posts) need to look more than just pretty. The primary motivation for coming to Pinterest is to seek inspiration with a very specific goal in mind. It could be anything from home decor ideas for a party to finding a week’s worth of meal prep plans. If you could solve such issues for your target market and present your business as a key enabler to that solution, your efforts could give rich dividends. For instance, if you are a niche clinical design company, providing high-quality and hard-to-find infographics on such topics could create a lead funnel of researchers who might be interested in your consulting services.
LLMs
It is now an open secret that LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are eroding Google’s search engine market share. Users are opting for a search journey with less friction and more contextual awareness. While the shift is gradual, the warning signs are already there as Google’s global search market share dropped below 90% for the first time in nearly a decade. If you want your business to show up in such AI-led conversations, you will have to focus more on structured content like FAQs, numbered lists and comparison tables. Use schema markup where applicable. Keep the language simple, clear and concise. Back your claims by using data, whenever possible. Implementing these simple tactics can increase your chances of appearing in those LLM conversations.
Amazon
The one clear advantage of Amazon (or any other similar marketplace) is that user intent is already known. Unlike Google Search, the user is there to initiate a transaction and not indulge in informational queries. To win the battle of purchase intent, focus on finding the best possible keywords and investing in quality product images. Use bullet points in your product description to highlight benefits to improve readability. Encourage positive reviews from satisfied customers and answer customer queries promptly.
Niche Review Sites
Depending on your field of business, it is likely that you could have a thriving review site that is frequently visited by your target market. If you’re in hospitality, health food, or lifestyle products, platforms like AllRecipes, Zomato, Yelp or even ProductReview.com.au can drive huge amounts of vertical traffic. Such sites tend to have sticky visitors who trust the community. To get visibility, start by creating a business profile. Upload high-quality images, update working hours (if applicable) and leave a contact number for queries. You could even gently urge or reward your happy customers to leave a positive review on such spaces. Reply to reviews (especially the negative ones), answer public questions and regularly update your menu, services or product details.
Users aren’t just on Google anymore. They’re everywhere. They are discovering new products on TikTok and YouTube, looking for the perfect inspiration to copy from on Pinterest, asking queries to ChatGPT and making the final purchase decision on marketplaces like Amazon. Putting all your eggs in one basket in an increasingly scattered market could prove to be fatal for your business. If your brand isn’t showing up where your audience hangs out, someone else’s will. Vertical SEO can help ensure that you are present wherever your potential customers might be.
