A case study that demonstrates how search engine optimization tactics can be used to earn multiple spots on search engine results pages without the aid of paid digital ads. This case study highlights the results of an eleven-week SEM plan designed and implemented by Anna Seacat of Socially Minded Marketing on behalf of a KUMON center in Lexington, KY.

1. Using SEO Tactics to
Increase Presence in
Organic Search
Results
A CASE STUDY BY ANNA SEACAT

2. Anna Seacat started her career in a traditional marketing
agency, where media buying was gold. However, as a
graduate student, she became especially curious about earned
media. Combining her experience in traditional advertising
with her formal education in consumer behavior, market
segmentation, and digital marketing, Seacat now consults
businesses on search engine and social media marketing. She
is particularly successful at utilizing theories in consumer
behavior and market segmentation to organize valuable LSI
keyword phrases into digital marketing campaigns that result
in SERP domination for those phrases.
About the Author
+AnnaSeacat | @AnnaSeacat | seacatanna@gmail.com

3. -CONTENTS-
The following presentation will share results of an eleven-week SEM (search engine
marketing) effort to increase the online presence within Google’s organic search
results for a KUMON center in Lexington, KY.
 Background on the business in question and its marketing objectives
 Description of the search engine marketing effort and how it was
implemented
 Before and after shots of SERPs (search engine results pages) for each
targeted keyword phrase
 Summary, key findings, and suggestions for each campaign and keyword
phrase

4. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
-BACKGROUND-
 The owner of a KUMON center in Lexington, KY, contacted Anna
Seacat of Socially Minded Marketing, because she wished to
increase her business’s online presence and initiate social media
accounts.
 Prior to Seacat’s work to achieve these objectives, the only online
presence owned by the KUMON center, beyond its corporate
franchise-website, was a slightly active Facebook account.

5. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
-PROPOSAL-
 Seacat explained to the owner of KUMON that in order to increase
the online presence of her business, a SEM plan would be designed
and implemented, which would lay a strong foundation for activity
on social media networks.
 Most importantly, utilizing SEM would generate new leads for
KUMON, because it takes into consideration consumer behavior.

6. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
-TARGET MARKET & RESEARCH
-
 Since the term of this marketing effort was only eleven weeks, and
because no paid ads would be incorporated, it was decided to
design an SEM plan that would narrowly focus on KUMON’s math
program and target parents of young children in Lexington, KY
(KUMON offers both math and reading to people of all ages).
 During the first week of the 11-week marketing effort, a
comprehensive SEM analysis was conducted, which evaluated the
current SERPs for specific keyword phrases that a potential KUMON
customer might enter during the 5-stage consumer purchasing
process. This SEM analysis can be viewed at Socially Minded
Marketing.

7. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
-PLAN-
 During the second week, the plan and corresponding schedule for
each marketing campaign was created. The schedule and a
summary of the plan, which outlines each keyword phrase and the
marketing campaigns for the phrases, can be viewed on page 7 of
this document.
 The specific keyword phrases are also provided in the following
diagram.

8. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
-KEYWORD PHRASES-
Stage 1
•Problem Recognition
•Who is the best math tutor in Lexington, KY?
Stage 2
•Information Search
•Why do Asian Americans earn higher test
scores in Lexington, KY?
Stage 3
•Evaluation of Alternatives/ Interruptive
Marketing
•What is the difference between the Russian
School of Mathematics and KUMON?/
Kindergarten Registration in Lexington, KY
Stage 4
•Purchase Decision
•How do I enroll my child in KUMON?
Stage 5
•Post Purchase Behavior
•What to do if my child wants to quit KUMON?

9. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
-SEM CAMPAIGNS FOR KEYWORD PHRASE-
 The marketing campaigns that were designed for each keyword
phrase consisted of a unique, well-researched, and information-rich
blog post, additional sites of related/ repurposed content creation
(YouTube video, Pinterest board, or SlideShare presentation), and
the weekly promotion of the content on LinkedIn, Twitter, and
Google+.
 Samples from each of these campaigns will be provided for each
phrase in the next six slides. Additionally, ‘Before & After’ shots of the
corresponding SERPs, which were used to measure the results of the
campaigns, will follow, along with a summary, key findings, and
suggestions.

10. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
KEYWORD PHRASE:
Who is the Best Math Tutor in Lexington, KY?
Blog Post
Multiple Sites of Repurposed Content
& Sample of Content Promotion

11. SERP Results: Who is the Best Math Tutor in Lexington, KY?
January 7, 2014 March 26, 2014

12. It is easy to see how the keyword phrase, “math tutor in Lexington, KY,” would be
considered a high competition keyword phrase. In other words, acquiring
premium spots on SERPs for this phrase would take a lot of time and a continual
effort, since KUMON’s competitors are also focused on this phrase as shown in
both the before and after shots.
Nevertheless, this case study showed that even a short-term content and social
media marketing effectively bumped KUMON’s competitors’ listings off the first
SERP and earned three spots on this page (albeit on the bottom-half).
To maintain these standings and earn premium spots, more content
and the promoting of existing content would need to be added.
SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:
WHO IS THE BEST MATH TUTOR IN
LEXINGTON KY?

13. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
KEYWORD PHRASE:
Why do Asian Americans do Better on Tests in Lexington, KY?
Blog Post
Multiple Sites of Content & Sample of
Content Promotion

14. SERP Results: Why do Asian Americans do better on tests in Lexington, KY?
January 7, 2014 March 26, 2014

15. While this keyword phrase only has a moderate level of relevancy on a national scale, it has
a great potential to target parents in Lexington, KY, because the top elementary school in
the city is also the one with a large population of Asian Americans (specifically Japanese).
Consequently, there is an ongoing discussion among parents and administrators about why
Asian American students outperform other racially defined groups on tests and in the
classroom.
Therefore, it was critical to use content marketing and social media to show local searchers
that KUMON is the reason behind the local standard. This marketing effort resulted in SERP
domination for the targeted keyword phrase.
To maintain the scenario of SERP domination, KUMON would need to continue to conduct
further research into the topic and publish findings.
SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:
WHY DO ASIAN AMERICANS DO BETTER ON TESTS IN
LEXINGTON KY?

16. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
KEYWORD PHRASE: Kindergarten Registration in Fayette County Schools in
Lexington, KY
Blog Post
Second Site of Content & Sample of
Content Promotion

17. SERP Results: Kindergarten Registration in Fayette County Schools in Lexington, KY
January 7, 2014 March 29, 2014

18. This keyword phrase was not apart of the original plan, but entered as a substitute by the request of
the owner of KUMON in Lexington to create a campaign that would target young parents with very
young children. It was decided that Kindergarten registration was a major, local event where
interruptive marketing techniques could be successfully employed via rich content and social
media.
This keyword phrases proved to be more competitive than originally thought, presumably due to the
number of institutions that have older websites with current information regarding Kindergarten
registration in Fayette County. Nevertheless, the marketing campaign that was created for KUMON
resulted in earning the fourth organic listing. Furthermore, because the listing is a video, the click-
through potential is high.
Since this marketing campaign revealed a highly competitive keyword phrase, KUMON should
strongly consider incorporating PPC listings in addition to creating and promoting additional unique
content.
SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION IN LEXINGTON, KY

19. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
KEYWORD PHRASE:
How do I Enroll My Child in KUMON in Lexington, KY?
Blog Post
Multiple Sites of Content & Sample of Content
Promotion

20. SERP Results: How do I Enroll My Child in KUMON in Lexington, KY?
January 8, 2014 March 26, 2014

21. During the initial SEM analysis of this keyword phrase, the local specificity was
not included, i.e. “Lexington, KY” was not apart of the search phrase.
However, it was decided to add the location due to the natural processes
involved in consumer behavior.
However, as shown in the previous SERP, the content that was created in the
campaign for this keyword phrase produced a result on the first SERP that
excluded the location. When the local specificity was added, SERP
domination was achieved.
To maintain the state of SERP domination, KUMON would need to continue to
add fresh and relevant content and promote that content on social networks.
SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:
HOW DO I ENROLL MY CHILD IN KUMON IN
LEXINGTON, KY?

22. Using SEO Tactics to Increase Presence in Organic Search Results
KEYWORD PHRASE:
Why Does My Child Hate KUMON in Lexington, KY?
Blog Post
Second Site of Content & Sample of
Content Promotion

23. SERP Results: Why Does My Child Hate KUMON in Lexington, KY?
January 7, 2014 March , 2014

24. Unfortunately for the KUMON brand, customers, who have had a negative experience with the
program and have not been helped by a KUMON representative in a way that recovers their
faith in the methodology, have a strong online presence. In fact, a listing on the first SERP for
the keyword, “KUMON,” displays the meta title tag, “8 Things to Hate about Kumon…”
This is evidence that KUMON’s current search engine marketing is not targeting consumers in
the final stage of the purchasing process. The marketing campaign displayed in the previous
slide was an effort to contribute to content that answers questions of parents, who have
children that “hate” KUMON. However, because of the user-generated content already
ranking prominently on SERPs, this is a highly competitive keyword phrase.
The results of the campaign with a local specificity produced SERP domination,
however it is strongly suggested that KUMON produce a stream of relevant and
unique content to target this area of consumer search.
SUMMARY, FINDINGS, & SUGGESTIONS FOR TARGETING THE KEYWORD PHRASE:
HOW DO I ENROLL MY CHILD IN KUMON IN
LEXINGTON, KY?

25. This presentation used results from an eleven-week marketing effort for KUMON to show that online
presence within Google’s organic search results can be attained and/ or increased through a
thoughtful search engine marketing plan that utilizes theories in consumer behavior, as well as
content marketing and social media marketing tactics.
For more information about how to implement a similar marketing effort to increase your brand’s
online presence, please email seacatanna@gmail.com.
SociallyMindedMarketing.com | +AnnaSeacat | https://www.linkedin.com/pub/anna-seacat/16/a27/767
CONCLUSION