What Is a Purple Cow in Marketing & SEO? Learn to Be a Purple Cow

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Meaning of Purple Cow in Marketing and SEO by a visual of a purple cow among brown cows.

A Purple Cow means something truly remarkable, exceptional and memorable in the world of marketing a product, service, or idea that’s so unique and attention-grabbing that it naturally stands out in a crowded marketplace through good SEO. The term, popularized by marketing expert Seth Godin, highlights the power of being different in a way that makes people stop, notice, and talk about what you offer.

If you’ve ever driven past a field of cows, you know how quickly their presence fades into the background. But what if you saw a Purple Cow? You’d stop. You’d stare. You’d tell your friends. That’s exactly the idea behind Seth Godin’s famous concept—a Purple Cow is something remarkable in a world of ordinary.

At Ideas To Reach, we studied over 1,000 websites across industries in March 2025 and found that less than 2% of them truly fit into the Purple Cow category. The rest blended into the crowd — they were just regular browns. This presents a golden opportunity for businesses willing to rise above the noise.

What Is a Purple Cow in the Digital World?

A Purple Cow in the digital space refers to a website or brand that stands out online — through unique value, unforgettable experience, and most importantly, SEO excellence.

While most websites are content-heavy but visibility-poor, a Purple Cow website is not only visible but unforgettable. It earns attention, backlinks, and authority naturally — not by shouting louder, but by being better and more useful.

Why Your Website Needs to Be a Purple Cow

Search engines like Google don’t reward plain existence — they reward relevance, authority, and helpfulness.

Being a Purple Cow means your website:

  • Ranks for competitive search queries
  • Builds high Domain Authority (DA)
  • Earns organic backlinks
  • Engages visitors with genuinely helpful content
  • Provides a unique value proposition your competitors don’t

The Purple Cow SEO Formula: 3 Key Ingredients

Let’s decode the digital DNA of a Purple Cow.

1. Grow Your Domain Authority (DA) – Build Long-Term Trust

Your Domain Authority is like your online trust score. The higher it is, the more visibility you gain. Learn more about DA's role in SEO momentum in this blog.

Ways to increase DA:

  • Publish original, high-quality content
  • Gain backlinks from trusted, relevant websites
  • Fix SEO issues such as broken links, slow speeds, or poor mobile UX
  • Stay consistent and niche-focused

2. Create Fresh and Helpful Content Regularly

Most websites lose relevance because they stop updating or answering what people really ask.

Purple Cow content strategy includes:

  • Publishing weekly blogs answering niche-specific queries
  • Updating existing pages with current data and trends
  • Using natural language and semantic keywords
  • Writing with empathy, not just algorithms

3. Earn High-Quality Backlinks Organically

In SEO, backlinks are votes of trust. The more quality votes you earn, the more visible you become.

Purple Cow backlink strategies:

  • Get featured in media articles, industry blogs, and podcasts
  • Create link-worthy resources (eBooks, templates, statistics)
  • Use PR and HARO to reach journalists
  • Collaborate with influencers in your niche
  • Strengthen your internal linking as part of on-site trust signals

An example of a Purple Cow web page that ranks 1st on Google

Screenshot of a Google search result for the query complete guide to NRIs for real estate investment in Chennai showing a Purple Cow example in SEO. The featured snippet and the top organic result both belong to DRA Homes, demonstrating how a standout web page meets E-E-A-T criteria and achieves dual visibility on Googles first page.

For the search term 'complete guide to NRIs for real estate investment in Chennai,' Google shows both a featured snippet and the regular listing — one below the other — from the same Purple Cow page. This happens among several thousand competing websites because the page meets all the requirements of Google E-E-A-T guidelines. Our prestigious client, DRA Homes, gave us a mandate to increase the online visibility of their projects and services among NRIs — and they truly have a dedicated department functioning to serve NRIs in their real estate investments in Chennai.

Why This Matters More for Indian Businesses

The Indian digital space is growing, but the SEO game is still underutilized by most local businesses.

Here’s the edge for early movers:

  • High growth + low competition = Huge SEO opportunity
  • Many businesses overlook digital visibility strategies that build long-term traffic
  • Overdependence on paid ads leads to short-term wins but no organic equity

If your website becomes a Purple Cow in this scenario, you’ll attract attention, links, and traffic without chasing them.

Step Action Plan to Purple Cow SEO

1. Audit your website

Fix technical SEO errors, broken links, slow speed, or poor mobile UX. Begin with a site health review and our guide to updating your website.

2. Develop helpful content

Start publishing weekly blogs, guides, or educational pieces. Get ideas from our growing digital marketing blog.

3. Strengthen your DA

Seek guest posts, interviews, and high-quality backlinks. Enhance your site architecture with internal linking best practices.

4. Track and optimize

Use tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and Google Search Console to monitor your performance.

5. Be unmistakably different

Highlight your uniqueness in every page and post. Don’t forget to reflect E-E-A-T principles that matter to search engines.

What Is a Purple Cow? It Is About Being Impossible to Ignore

In marketing, a Purple Cow is simply something so different that people have to stop and look. If you are driving past a field of brown cows, you won't notice them. But if you see a purple one, you will stop the car.

The logic is simple: Purple Cow = Different + Memorable + Worth Sharing

In business, you are either a Purple Cow or you are invisible. There is no middle ground.

Why It Is Hard to Stand Out Right Now

The internet is full of the same old thing. Every day, thousands of new sites go live, but most of them just copy what everyone else is doing. They follow the crowd because it feels safe.

But being safe is actually dangerous. To get noticed, you have to be brave enough to be different. You don't need fancy tricks. You just need to be genuinely helpful and real. Being a Purple Cow means saying what others are afraid to say and fixing the problems that others ignore.

Real Examples of Purple Cows

These companies won because they refused to be "normal":

  • Apple: They stopped making "gray boxes" and made computers look like art.
  • Tesla: They made electric cars cool and fast, not just "green."
  • Zappos: They decided that being nice to customers was more important than saving money on support calls.

In SEO, being a Purple Cow means you build a site that people actually love. When you do that, Google treats you better. You don't have to spend a fortune to beat the big players; you just have to be better.

How This Mindset Helps Your SEO

Google actually likes unique websites. When you stop trying to fit in, good things happen for your rankings:

  • Fresh Content: You write stuff that people haven't read a thousand times before.
  • Real Links: Other sites link to you because you are actually an expert.
  • Happy Visitors: People stay on your site because it is interesting and human.
  • Trust: Google sees that you are a real authority, not just a copycat.

Are You a Purple Cow Yet?

Check your business against these four points:

  • Do strangers share your work just because they like it?
  • Is your traffic going up without you paying for every click?
  • Are leaders in your industry talking about you?
  • Are your competitors trying to figure out how you do it?

If you said "no," it is time to stop trying to blend in. Standing out is a choice you make.

Our Study Shows 99% of Websites Are Just Ordinary

In March 2025, Ideas To Reach India Private Limited looked at over 1,000 websites. We found that 99% of websites are boring. They look the same, talk the same, and offer nothing new. Only a tiny 1% actually stand out.

At Ideas To Reach, we make sure we stay in that 1% by:

  • Keeping our Google Ads skills sharp and updated.
  • Keeping our Google Partner status for years without a break.
  • Using SEO methods that actually work in the real world.

If you are tired of being part of the 99% that gets ignored, check out our best SEO services in Chennai and let's make your business remarkable.

FAQs on Purple Cow in SEO – Stand Out or Stay Behind

What does a “Purple Cow” mean in SEO and digital marketing?

A “Purple Cow” is something truly remarkable—a brand, website, or content that grabs attention because it’s genuinely different. In SEO, it means going beyond checklists to create experiences people remember and share. It's about value, uniqueness, and visibility that sticks. For a broader framework on standing out, explore The Tipping Point in SEO.

Why does being a Purple Cow matter so much today?

Because average is invisible. In a digital space overflowing with “me too” content, only the exceptional gets noticed. Being a Purple Cow helps you:

  • Compete for high-value keywords
  • Build Domain Authority over time
  • Earn organic backlinks naturally
  • Engage users with content they trust and enjoy
  • Win loyalty and mindshare long-term

How can I make my website a Purple Cow?

Start by standing out—for the right reasons:

Can small businesses become Purple Cows too?

Definitely. Being a Purple Cow isn’t about budget—it’s about thinking differently. Whether you’re a startup or a legacy brand, what matters is how you present your uniqueness. We help businesses of all sizes with tailored strategies—see our SEO services designed for real results.

What are some real-world examples of Purple Cow brands?

Apple changed the game with design. Tesla disrupted with tech. Zappos earned fame through service. In SEO terms, Purple Cow websites are those bookmarked, shared, and linked to. Want to rise without the noise? See how Blue Ocean Strategy in SEO helps you win without fighting.

How does the Purple Cow mindset impact SEO results?

Here’s what changes when you go Purple:

  • More backlinks—no begging
  • Better engagement and longer dwell time
  • Greater credibility in Google's eyes
  • Stronger positioning for AI search and voice results

It's a mindset shift—from algorithm-chasing to value-delivering.

What makes Purple Cow SEO different from traditional SEO?

Traditional SEO checks boxes: keywords, tags, speed. Purple Cow SEO goes beyond. It weaves in originality, storytelling, and purpose. It blends strong internal links with a bold brand voice. Want to build your edge from the foundation up? Start with smart keyword research.

How do I know if I’m already a Purple Cow?

Ask yourself:

  • Do people share or mention your content unprompted?
  • Are you earning backlinks naturally?
  • Are you ranking for key terms without spending heavily on ads?
  • Are competitors watching you instead of the other way around?

If you nodded along—you’re doing something right. If not, it’s time to bring your difference forward. Build more trust with Google using stronger E-E-A-T signals.

Why is the Purple Cow strategy especially relevant for Indian businesses?

Because in India, most brands still play it safe—template websites, recycled content, and SEO done just for the sake of it. That’s where opportunity lies.

If you choose to be different now, you won’t just compete—you’ll dominate. A Purple Cow strategy allows you to carve a bold path, capture attention early, and become the name others refer to. It’s your unfair advantage in a market still warming up to advanced digital tactics.

We help businesses across India do just that—through creative, insight-driven strategies. Start your journey here: Ideas to Reach.

Final Thoughts – Blending In Is the Real Risk

In a world full of templates, tools, and templated thinking — what sets you apart?

Being a Purple Cow online means doing SEO differently. Not with gimmicks, but with clarity, value, and consistency. It’s a blend of authentic branding, trust-building content, and modern AI-focused search strategies.

Remember: You’re not just fighting for rankings. You’re fighting for relevance.

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