• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, June 14, 2018

Searchmetrics on Thursday launched a consulting practice to help brands and agencies get the most out of earned media.

Data from Searchmetrics’ marketing software will guide the strategies developed for campaigns. The new practice, called Searchmetrics Digital Strategies Group, consists of a team of experienced SEO tacticians and digital marketers who will work with customers and agencies to create content with the goal of creating content that “consistently” rises to the top of search engine results, according to the company.

German retailer DM Drogerie Markt is using the service, according to a Cliff Edwards, Searchmetrics director of marketing and communications. He said about 30 employees support the program, which rolled out globally. 

The company is run by a bunch of self-proclaimed “nerds.” So at the hub of the new model sits a SEO method called “Agile Content Development” that centers data and machine learning to target specific audiences. Using data from the Searchmetrics Suite software, Agile Content Development will continuously optimize the content to change with the needs and interests of consumers searching the web.

The practice will focus on strategic and operational advice for developing new and existing content tactics for channels like mobile and voice. It also will support ways to improve content for website technical performance, SEO tactics and creating optimized content that drives improved search performance.

Nearly 74% of small businesses with marketing budgets of at least $100,000 partner with an SEO consultant or agency, and more than 90% of small businesses with a marketing budget of more than $500,000 invest in SEO, according to The Manifest report  that surveyed more than 350 small business owners and managers.