• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, July 13, 2009

Environmental search marketing campaigns could become the next frontier in tying a brand's reputation to social media and Web content served-up on engines and social media sites. Clownfish, a global sustainability consultancy firm, unveiled Monday a search engine optimization program that gets consumers thinking about brands as being, well, green.

Since sucess takes more than keywords in a client's list of media buys, Clownfish has developed an application that allows brands to participate online in conversations about green issues. Through a software matrix application developed with search engine marketing company iProspect, Clownfish can help consumers find the information on environmental issues. "Relying on keywords would require you to link with the words consumers search on, but no one will search for 'Coca-Cola's sustainable development policy,'" says Diana Verde Nieto, London-based Clownfish CEO. "Sometimes what the consumers search for and the words in Web content do not match."

Verde Nieto says the "sustainability" strategy focuses on meeting the needs today of future generations without depleting natural resources. It emphasizes the relationship between people, planet and profit. Not philanthropic causes, but managing natural resources to create wealth for employees and communities.

The matrix reviews factors that impact the brand's business, as well as the impact the brand has on social and environmental issues. This includes government legislation and economic frameworks. It also considers how consumers interpret this information in relation to the brand and analyzes the environmental, social and economic impacts.

Brands need to become more aware of the impact Web and social media content has on the brand as they begin to manage their "green" reputation through search engine optimization. The service aims to provide insights into the things that will pull consumers to brands. As environmental and social concerns continue to climb, brands must communicate plans for sustainability as consumers seek information on the Web. Understanding how, why and where people search for environmental topics has become critical to developing effective communications strategies.

Toyota, for example, likely finds it easy to communicate environmental benefits from its Prius hybrid model in search engine queries. Google, which supports search through huge server parks known to emit carbon, might have a more challenging time convincing environmentally conscious consumers it's a good idea to stick with purchasing carbon offsets as part of a portfolio of renewable energy and efficiency improvements. Carbon offsets are credits canceling out the purchaser's greenhouse gas emissions by triggering actions and projects that prevent pollution. Another factor, companies may not communicate corporate and sustainability strategies, similarly.

"You can't communicate these messages through search alone with what's in social media, but you can put in the consumers' hands the necessary information," says Verde Nieto. The strategy also may require reviewing the brand's historic investments and projects on the topic, monitoring consumers' conversations and then, if required, creating the link that joins the two.