Everyone wants to come up on the first page of Google! The problem is that Google keeps changing the rules. Here the the SEO basics that you need to know.
Class notes: https://azsocialmediawiz.com/wp-content/uploads/SearchEngineOptimizationSEOBasics.pdf
“My online marketing isn’t working! I have a website, but I’m not getting any sales! What am I doing wrong? I need to drive traffic to my website!”
I hear this all the time. As a small business owner, you know that having a website is important. Furthermore, it’s way more than an online brochure! Regardless of whether the business is B2B or B2C, as I review websites, I see the same mistakes over and over again.
You need to convert visitors to leads then nurture them into sales. That’s where a good Marketing Automation campaign comes in. First, you need a good Call-to-Action. Something of value to your target market – an ebook, free course, webinar, whitepaper (if your business is more technical) or a coupon. Keep the form short. Ask only for their email address and first name. In addition, you can ask 1 or 2 questions to segment your email list, but no more than that. Once you’ve got their email address, put them in an email drip system. I use MailChimp (affiliate link). They have a basic automation service for only $30 a month and it works great. Think out your email messages strategically to direct your warm lead into a sale.
Not fully thinking out what you want to accomplish with the website. What are your goals and objectives? Who do you want to reach? Sure, your main objective is to increase sales, nevertheless, your site needs to walk the visitor from the landing on your page, to where you want them — the conversion. You want to convert a visitor into a warm lead and then you need to nurture that lead into a sale. (See #2 above) Having well-done market and keyword research along with a strategic marketing plan will work as a guide for you website and online marketing efforts.
In conclusion, any mistakes are fixable. Some repairs are simple, some not much. Nonetheless, they you need to address them if you want your online marketing efforts to work. Let me take a look at what you’ve got and I’ll give you a truthful analysis and advise you on what you need to do to make 2017 a successful year for your business.
With over 1 billion websites on the Internet and over 2 billion users, having your website stand out among the crowd is a challenge.
In other words, if your target market enters a search term in the Google search box,
94% of First Impressions are Design-Related
![Does your website have what it takes to be successful? [Infographic]](https://i1.wp.com/azsocialmediawiz.com/wp-content/uploads/how-visitors-see-your-website.jpg)
Look at your website from the eyes of your potential target market. Step back. Look at it objectively. If you were your target, would you convert? (Buy, sign-up, request more info, etc.) If you feel that you should rebrand, reconsider your target, or even if you’re just starting out and you’re in the process of designing your website, then the Social Media Success Pack is for you!
The social media networks: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube, each have very powerful internal search engines that rival Google.
If you don’t have your business profiles optimized for their search engines, you won’t come up in search results. They work the same as Google — based on keywords and phrases that searchers enter into the search box to find what they need.
Also, your social media business profiles come up in Google search. Searching for information on a business, I entered the name and their LinkedIn company profile came up first – above their website! I was searching to get more information on a candidate and when I Googled her name, her Facebook business page came up before her website.
Once you have your keywords, it’s time to get creative with your social media profile descriptions.
You have only 7 seconds to catch a visitor’s attention. Make it good!
Your graphics should be of good quality, not fuzzy and a visitor should know instantly what it is you do and have to offer.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – everyone with a website wants it. Yet, it can sometimes be elusive if not done properly.
Now, I am assuming that you have a finished website optimized for the search engine properly by a webmaster worth their salt.
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If you don’t have a blog on your website, you’re missing out on the main means of keeping the Google search engine happy. The more fresh, original content that you create on your website, the more the Google spider will come and index it.
It’s been proven that 3 times a week is the charm. Use an editorial calendar to plan your posts ahead of time. If an idea comes to mind, use your phone’s reminders or voice memo to “jot” down the idea so you don’t forget it.
Why do you want to send traffic to someone else’s site?
It’s not that expensive to have your own WordPress website with the blog incorporated into it. We offer a class on how to build your own WordPress site for just $75. You can’t find someone worth their salt to build one for you for less than $500.
Why You Shouldn’t Use a Website Builder
I recently did a consult for an auto repair shop in the Phoenix Valley. He needed to boost the business to his local, brick-and-mortar shop. He had some social media set-up, but had no idea what to do.
I did a Google search for “auto repair _____ (his city)”. His listing came up about 3/4 of the way down on the 2nd page.
I was curious about the one that came up first in the Organic search results (non-paid). I clicked on his link and here’s what they had in common:
So, if you’re marketing like it was the last century here are your choices:
With Google launching their new mobile-friendly algorithm on April 21, 2015, they’re also changing how your site’s name appears in mobile search engine results pages (SERPs) to use your site name and they will truncate long URLs.
Unfortunately, there are still many websites with “Home” in the title or even blank like this:
Your company name is not “Home”
Sloppy SEO on your website hurt you before and even more so now.
Mobile search is increasing.
In these posts, Google explains how improve your Mobile SEO and make sure your site shows up in the SERPs.
Better presentation of URLs in search results
Include Your Site Name in Search Results
Remember, having good website SEO is only part of the Inbound Marketing puzzle. Content Marketing and Social Media are the other two components.
You can’t do one without the other two and expect good results!
Simply, SEO is optimizing your website so it comes up in first page of the search engines for specific keywords or phrases related to your business and what you have to offer.
Here’s some other SEO/Internet industry jargon defined:
SERP – Search Engine Results Page – The page that comes up when someone searches for specific keywords.
PPC – Pay-Per-Click – Online advertising where an advertiser pays only when someone clicks on their ad. You see these ads highlighted when you do a search. They are based on relevant keywords or phrases.
Link Love – Links to web pages or blogs on quality sites like the social media networks, other blogs related to your industry and directories relevant to your industry.
Google Juice or SEO Juice – activities that help you get a higher placement on the SERP.
Google Owns Search!
Google now has 93% of global searches. Microsoft’s Bing only 3% and Yahoo only 3%. Google is a verb – I sincerely doubt that Bing and Yahoo will ever be.
Google, with their algorithm updates, Panda, Penguin and Hummingbird, is looking for fresh, relevant content written for the human reader in natural language.
That’s Content Marketing, aka blogging. It’s that simple. Give Google what it wants and you’ll get on the first page of their SERP.
There you have it. We offer a free 30-minute phone consultation and analysis of your website, blog and social media efforts. Contact us so we can show you how to get on the first page of Google.
Giselle Aguiar
Social Media Marketing Trainer & Strategist
AZ Social Media Wiz
Contact
Content Marketing – Getting People to Read Your Blog [Infographic]
