We all know the Internet has its own language. From classic chatspeak to modern, nearly incomprehensible memes, online vernacular can be pretty difficult to follow, but can also give your brand and content more relatable to your target audience.
How the Meme Culture Impacts Tracking & SEO Tactics
“Voldemorting,” a term coined by Emily van der Nagel, refers to users specifically avoiding a person, company, or product’s real name to avoid tracking, not contribute to statistics, or simply to express disdain towards the subject.
For those unaware, the term comes from the popular Harry Potter series where characters referred to Voldemort as “He Who Must Not Be Named” to avoid invoking his power. This lingo follows a similar pattern, though usually with more derogatory names,
The term itself is fairly new and certainly not mainstream, so I don’t recommend checking UrbanDictionary yet. But basically, as Gretchen Mcculloch describes it, Voldemorting is about users from Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and other sites using obscure phrases or punctuation to express their dislike while also hiding their posts from search functions and, therefore, many SEO and tracking tools.
A few common examples include referring to a former president as an orangutan or other orange thing, Twitter as either birdsite or birdhell, or calling a Google Home/Alexa a personal FBI bugging device. Some also add asterisks or punctuation to the middle of the word so that their post or comment doesn’t show up on search functions.
The actual terms used in Voldemorting vary based on context and whatever noun it’s describing, but it’s always recognizable– at least to a human. Sadly, your keyword tracking can’t pick up Voldemort-ized words, which can be an extra hindrance for search volume and content topics.
The Impact on Full & Local SEO Strategies
Will internet slang impede on your local fencing company? Probably not.
Like the examples above, Voldemorting only works with large, well-known names (like international fast food companies or the president of the United States). If there’s any chance the new name or phrase may not be recognized, then it simply won’t work. Voldemorting almost always implies some form of derision towards the subject; it could actually be beneficial if these negative conversations aren’t showing up when people search.
Plus, the vast majority of Voldemorting occurs when users specifically don’t want to be found. They want to rant or vent or complain, but they aren’t necessarily looking for any kind of customer support or reply. Sometimes you just want to Tweet into the void without getting a response from an HR rep (or their unpaid intern).
There are plenty of other internet phenomenon that could impact search statistics though, such as trends like “doggo” language, which essentially replaces any word relating to dogs with a new, cuter and less sensical word.
If you want to target people with dogs, should you add doggo to your keyword list? What about pupper, pupperino, floofer, blep or blop? That’s up to you and your business’s brand to decide.
Incorporating Internet Humor into Content Marketing
For small, local businesses, you don’t have to keep up with the latest internet fad to have successful local SEO strategies, but you still can. By incorporating memes or colloquialisms into your social media or overall brand, you can distinguish yourself from your competitors and become a more approachable, casual business that may relate more to your consumers.
Of course, the efficacy of this strategy will depend on your industry. While a plumbing company can definitely get away with having a laid back tone and humorous brand, an estate attorney will not have nearly as much success.
When deciding on your company’s tone and branding, consider how you interact with your clients and what type of language works best for them. Do you explain things very simply? Can you joke around with your customers? Or does utilizing industry jargon instill more respect and confidence in your services? That can act as the pillar of your brand’s voice, and voice is everything in content marketing.
If your brand and voice can be more casual and comical, by all means, go for it. Branded memes make for great content on social media in particular, with the chance of being shared and viewed without any extra work. You can even incorporate internet lingo into your PPC strategies with visual or display ads to draw users’ attention.
Plus, lighthearted content is easier to understand and more fun to read, which means your potential customers are more likely to take a few extra seconds to actually see what you have to say (which means lower bounce rates and longer sessions, for SEO).
Once your customers are reading your content and connecting to your brand, they’re significantly more inclined to make a conversion.
Trust a Digital Marketing Agency
If you’re still worried that Voldemorting or memes may affect your SEO results, the best solution is simply to stay up to date with current trends. If you see a meme or trend that relates to your business in a positive way, jump at the chance to get some extra eyes on your brand!
But if you haven’t developed your brand’s voice or aren’t sure whether internet slang will help or hurt your business, trust a digital marketing agency in Austin to do the heavy lifting. At Motoza, we can develop your branding, voice, and strategies to match whatever tone will benefit you company the most. From local to national SEO, PPC management, and content marketing, we’ve got you covered.
TL;DR: Sometimes internet slang can make your business more relatable and help you stand out from the crowd. Try it out sometime!
