Maybe you’ve been at it for a while, or you’re brand new to the game. Either way, you’ve found yourself here because something just isn’t working. In a sea of sharks, how can the little guys swim? We’ve got the answers to the mysteries of SEO broken down into four steps. Here’s all you need to know about how to beat the competition and boost your business with SEO.
1. Start with a Strategy
Every mission needs a strategy. Your mission is to get your business the traction it needs to succeed. Do your background research on the SEO strategies that have proven to be the most effective for your particular business area and emulate these strategies everywhere that you can. The SEO strategy for a software company will probably look different than the strategy for a cannabis startup. A common SEO strategy is to meet all of your local markets. This means finding a seat at the table everywhere you eat. Have an active keyword presence on your website, listings, and social media platforms to ensure that others are aware of your position in the industry. Hyperlinking your services to local communities will also help build trust and clientele. If you’re unsure where to start, consider hiring a SEO audit service; SEO experts can review your site in its current state and make key recommendations to improve your rankings in the future.
2. Think Like A Local
Everyone knows by now that local SEO services are essential to business exposure. To really get ahead, articulate your SEO so that it is using “voice search” language. Voice search refers to the searches that customers are making to find the kinds of products and services your business offers. This means being aware of keywords and phrases that your potential customers are using to find what they’re looking for. You’re more likely to show up in their results if you’re anchoring yourself to the way that customers think. Since you’re more than likely starting with local markets, match your marketing to the voices of local customers. All business sharks know that in order to succeed, you’ve got to be the fish the customer hooks.
3. Reach Local Markets with Digital Flyers
The bulletin board at your neighborhood’s digital coffeeshop has a thumbtack with your name on it. Post ads through social media sites that act like digital flyers and business cards. Most major social media platforms offer SEO advertising at affordable rates. This is a free and easy way to connect with others online, including locals, so that you can build a reputation in your online and real-life community. You’re likely to gain clients and their referrals by keeping your SEO language, “flyer-friendly”, meaning that you stick to the basics: just advertise your service and where you can be found. Feel free to incorporate a related feel-good image, but don’t waste characters on wordplay.
4. Keep Branding Emotional
The allure of any business is its brand. On a basic level, customers want to know what you can offer them, but underneath that, what they really want is for you to make them feel a certain kind of way. Even if your business is something considerably unemotional, like lawn care services as an example.
Your brand should still consider what kinds of feelings are likely to arise in satisfied customers. Ask yourself, what does cut grass actually give the customer? It might be a sense of pride in one’s land, a feeling of organization, or the joy of a clear walking path. Determine how what you do makes your customers feel. Once you’ve determined these feelings, your branding should emulate these emotions. You can use SEO to frame your business’s brand by including keywords, headings, backlinks, and images that emotionally capture what it is you’re selling or providing.
SEO attracts searches and sites together using algorithms, making it possible to reach more people in less time than traditional advertising alone, and with the kind of outreach and branding personalization that is unavailable anywhere else. If you want to capture your customers with the uniqueness of your business, it’s time to start using SEO.
