Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Businesses, particularly small ones, must use their time and especially their money wisely. Then why put so much money and time into websites, blogging and social media? Doesn’t it seem like money and time down the drain? It can be if it isn’t done right. The goal of all of it is SEO, Search Engine Optimization. The goal behind it is for individuals and businesses to find you when they need you. Otherwise, you are surely throwing your money down the drain. You want your business to magically appear in the #1 spot on Google and other search engines when someone searches for your type of business, and of course, like most things, that is easier said than done. Here, however, are a few tips that may help you reach your goal.

1. Have a Google+ business page. Who uses Google+, you might ask? To be honest, not many warm blooded humans, but Google does. What is important is that most people rely on Google when they start searching for a product or service, so it’s important to be on Google’s good side.
2. Have as many forms of social media as you can manage and keep up with them regularly. Daily if possible. This can include Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram and others depending on your business and the type of market you are trying to reach.
3. In addition to social media, have a website. Make sure that your website is easy on the eyes, easy for people to traverse, and that it directly states the products and services you offer. Have people review your website and give an opinion. Make sure all of the links on your site work and that your contact info is present and easy to find. Seems simple enough, but you wouldn’t believe the amount of people who seem to hide that most important piece of info. If you can, add meta tags to your website so people searching for the particular subject of your site will find yours a little easier. Advertise your website on your social media and through your blog.
4. If you can manage it, write a regularly featured blog or hire someone to write one for you. It should be short (less than 400 words) and to the point and written on a regular basis so you can build up a following. Preferably, release it on the same days of the week every week so people look forward to it every week. Add tags to your blogs so anyone searching for a blog on the particular subject of a given blog will be able to find yours. Attach your blog to your website and advertise your blog on your social media.

Determine what your business’s keywords are and use them frequently in all of your social media, websites and blogs. Keywords are the words that people will use on Google or any other search engine when they are searching for a business like yours. Now this is the tricky part: don’t use your keywords so often that you sound like an idiot. You hope to attract people to you with these different forms of communication. If you have an air conditioning business and figure out some way to put that word in every sentence, it’s not going to help you gain business. You have to come out as intelligent and very knowledgeable on your subject. Use your key words but in an intelligent way that will draw people to you.

Now you see why having a good online presence can be a daunting task and why medium to large sized business often hire a team of people just to take care of it. If you decide you need help to get you started or to maintain it for you once you’re in the trenches, feel free to email me at socialwrites@outlook.com or call me at (208) 546-9257, and I’d be happy to help out.