Search engine optimization (SEO) allows marketers to reach consumers without having to push a product on them, an expert has suggested.

Industry commentator Paul Gillins made his remarks in a post for his blog, noting that people are increasingly resistant to having promotional messages for goods and services forced upon them.

However, when a consumer has entered a search query, they are in a receptive state – they want to engage with companies and products, he continued.

This is why it is important to rank highly within search engine results, Mr Gillins explained.

"Search is the great equalizer," he stated.

"The leading engines’ proprietary algorithms are designed to screen out material that their developers consider uninteresting. Your challenge is to match your content to their preferences."

Search engine Google encourages marketers to create helpful, information-rich pages if they want them to rank highly.

It states that the content of a page is the "single most important" aspect when seeking higher rankings.

Katherine Griwert is Brafton's Marketing Director. She's practiced content marketing, SEO and social marketing for over five years, and her enthusiasm for new media has even deeper roots. Katherine holds a degree in American Studies from Boston College, and her writing is featured in a number of web publications.