SEO. It isn’t a magic kingdom that only expert marketers have the key to. Rather, it is a series of small steps that any business owner can take to optimize their presence online, and despite what you may have heard, does not have to be complicated to achieve.
It does however, require a little bit of know-how about keywords, and what your customers are searching when they find you.
Remember, as a young company, it isn’t necessary to spend too much money on SEO. You may not have the platform right now to reap the full benefits of a big campaign. Starting with the basics and building upwards will ensure that you only spend what you need to at the time and can focus your efforts in growing your presence organically.
If you’re a business owner new to SEO, plan your marketing strategy around your audience then implement these SEO tips to build a foundation for great marketing online.
When you focus on SEO you choose to focus on your audience behavior. Before our list of easy-to-implement SEO strategies, you will want to answer the following questions about your audience:
- Who is your ideal customer?
- What do they do?
- Why do they buy? (pleasure, excitement, business, professional, student)
- When do they buy? (during the day, after work, after school, in the morning)
- How do they buy? (in person, online, over the phone)
- How much money do they have? (annual salary, revenue, allocated budget)
- What makes them feel good about buying? (values, education, prestige, validation)
- What do they expect of you? (quality, authority, delivery, value, personal and professional)
- What do they think about your competitors? (quality, authority, delivery, value, personal and professional)
Answering these questions can be used to implement a strong marketing message and engage more of the right customers. Your aim as a business owner?
CREATE CONTENT THAT USERS WANT TO READ
The purpose of your website is to provide value to your customers. Whether this is through product information, industry knowledge, or helpful how-to videos, the content on your website should answer your audience questions, and encourage them to return: As a business owner you will want to:
- Create and share the best possible content for your audience
- Create a positive user experience on your website
- Prioritize content that offers significant value to your audience
Some ways you can provide value to your audience is by staying consistent, staying current, and being easy to find online. Here are a few ways you can do that:
Write a Blog
Blogs are a great way to engage your audience, share new information and ensure that your website is being updated regularly. Try creating and publishing a blog that answers questions about your industry, publishes news, or helps your audience answer questions they may have about you and your service. Doing this once a week is recommended.
Maintain Social Media Accounts
Updating your social media accounts regularly and sharing links to your other accounts, and website and blog is a great way to connect your accounts, keep them current and act as a redirect for your audience, back to your website.
Research and Use Keywords Frequently
There are plenty of free keyword research tools that will help you research and select keywords that are aligned to your business. These keywords act like a foundation to create content, write blogs and inform your social media. Research and use them frequently!
Make Sure Your Business is on Google Maps
If you are a local business, the best way to get found by your audience is to add your business to Google Maps.
Add a Sitemap to Your Site
Google prefers websites with a sitemap. This will help you rank higher in the search results.
Make Your Website Mobile Friendly
Having a website that is mobile friendly is an important piece of catering to the user experience.
According to The Digital Examiner, “90% of buyers report that an excellent mobile experience is likely to convince them to make a repeat purchase from the same company”.
Establishing a presence online was the important first step for your business, now maintenance and making that presence work for you is easily attainable with a few easy steps and a bit of regular maintenance.
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