In March 2024, a study by SparkToro and Datos unveiled new insights about where users spend their time versus where traffic referrals originate. This study, having reached over 250,000 people, has sparked discussion in the marketing world.

Rand Fishkin, Founder of SparkToro, followed up with an article stating that focusing solely on SEO is not a comprehensive strategy. He emphasized:

“The only smart approach is to invest in the sources of influence your audience cares about: the social accounts they follow, the YouTube channels they watch, the podcasts they listen to, the websites they visit, and the events they attend. Anything less is missing out.”

At first, this data seemed eye-catching, but a closer look reveals potential flaws.

Fishkin’s views are highly influential, and if you’re among those who have seen this study, I urge you to reconsider before dismissing SEO for a full pivot toward social channels and newer platforms like Threads.

Key Insights from the Study:

The study may lead you to think:

• Search engines generate the most traffic, but you shouldn’t rely solely on them for business results. Instead, focus on popular high-traffic sites and audience engagement.
• Social media draws the highest number of visits, so more budget should be spent there.
• Threads is the fastest-growing platform, and therefore, deserves attention.

The study starts with the statement:

“‘Most of our site’s traffic comes from Google, so we should spend most of our marketing budget there.’ – This is a terrible approach to marketing.”

This frames how the rest of the data is interpreted.

The chart titled “Site Categories That Sent Referrals vs. Received Visits” shows that while people visit certain sites to engage, search engines still drive the most traffic. Social media remains the most frequently visited category, and Threads is rapidly growing in popularity.

Fishkin’s advice—invest in what your audience already follows—seems to suggest prioritizing social media over SEO. But will this strategy deliver the results you want?

SparkToro’s Own Experience:

If focusing on social media over SEO was the key to success, SparkToro itself should be thriving. However, in 2024, SparkToro has seen a decline in growth.

Initially, SparkToro gained traction thanks to Fishkin’s strong social media presence, which led to a burst of interest. But that interest has dwindled significantly over time.

Currently, SparkToro ranks only for brand-specific keywords like “SparkToro” or “audience research tool,” which have low search volume. This indicates that relying only on social media isn’t sufficient for long-term growth.

Google Trends shows a 41% drop in search interest for “SparkToro” from 2023 to 2024. Further, SparkToro’s lowest-paid package dropped from $150/month in 2022 to $50/month in 2024, signaling a shrinking user base and difficulty in maintaining growth.

If social media alone was enough, wouldn’t SparkToro be thriving?

Despite these challenges, SparkToro could be playing the long game, trying to create a new category in audience research. Since SparkToro’s launch in 2018, search volume for “audience research tool” has risen by 33%, suggesting they are succeeding in defining this niche.

Why Search Still Matters:

SparkToro is focusing on demand generation for keywords within its current category. According to Semrush, the tool holds the top spot for “audience research tools.” This shows that SEO is still a crucial driver of growth, even when developing a new market category.

Users searching for non-brand-specific keywords often have specific problems to solve and are looking for products or services to meet their needs. This indicates strong buyer intent.

If SparkToro isn’t building a brand-new market category, they should focus on high-search-volume keywords with clear buyer intent.

Can SEO Work for New Categories?

Yes, SEO can succeed even in emerging markets by targeting adjacent segments that address similar problems for different audiences.

For example, SparkToro could leverage its ability to build contact lists from press sites with overlapping audiences. By creating a PR and SEO campaign targeting corporate PR professionals, they could develop content for keywords like “journalists seed list audiences” and land pages that provide contacts for major outlets like CBC or Fox.

Although some keywords may have low search volume, developing content around these topics could build credibility and attract more qualified leads. By doing a PR topic tour, SparkToro could demonstrate how targeted outreach can amplify campaign success.

SEO in Emerging and Mature Markets:

As markets mature, buyers increasingly use search engines to learn about products or services. The innovation adoption curve can guide targeting for SEO:

• Innovators: Technical enthusiasts who solve new problems.
• Early Adopters: Visionaries who see the potential in solving problems.
• Early Majority: Users who want proof of a solution’s effectiveness.
• Late Majority: Skeptics who adopt established practices.
• Laggards: Users resistant to change.

A case study on the keyword “ebike” illustrates the growing search interest as adoption of this new technology rises. With monthly searches ranging from 100,000 to 1 million and a 900% year-over-year increase, ebikes are a perfect example of an emerging market where SEO plays a significant role in growth.

Estimating Traffic and Conversion:

Let’s assume:

• Monthly Searches: 300,000
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): 40%
• Monthly Clicks: 120,000
• Conversion Rate: 5%

Based on these figures, monthly sales could reach 6,000, demonstrating how effective SEO can be even for emerging markets.

While social media and emerging platforms like Threads are essential, don’t neglect the power of search. SEO continues to play a crucial role in driving traffic and converting leads. A balanced marketing strategy that includes both search and social is the key to long-term growth. SparkToro’s experience shows that solely relying on social media is risky—SEO remains essential for sustaining growth in both mature and emerging markets.