By now you probably know what SEO stands for, but just in case you have been living under a rock, SEO stands for search engine optimization. When a consumer makes an internet query, a search engine like Google produces a page, ranking the results based upon a number of factors. SEO takes these important factors into account and increases the likelihood that a business will rank at the top of a search page. The top results usually are based upon relevance to the search, distance to the searcher and prominence or popularity of the product or services.
For many small businesses, kickstarting a local SEO plan can seem daunting, which is why there are individuals that specialize in this very important industry. For example, an online search shows that there are dozens of SEO and web design firms in the Philadelphia and Bucks County area, but most consumers will only ever click on the top three names listed on a search results page. It is the same in almost every industry, a consumer has dozens of options to choose but will only click on top results. This illustrates the importance of improving your result ranking to get your business noticed by people searching within your area. If you are not at the top of the search results page, you risk being missed.
Here are three crucial ways that a local SEO plan orchestrated by the experts at Infinity can benefit your business:
More links and more links and more links
At Infinity, we use tools to track trending keywords and links to develop an understanding of the current online ranking for your business. We look at website links to your business and develop strategies to improve existing links as well as create new ones.
There are three types of links and citations that we look to identify, explore and expand upon. For example, if your business sponsors a local little league team, the team’s website probably mentions your business’ name. We will reach out to the team and ensure that every mention of your business contains a link to your website. We refer to these types of links as “sponsored links.” These links are similar to advertising, in that you receive them because you are supporting the team, not simply because the team endorses your website or product.
We will also scour the web to locate media mentions of your business, including press releases or news in your industry, hunting for links from media back to your business. We refer to these as “promotional links.” These links are highly coveted and getting backlinks from major news sources like these can be a challenge but is not quite as difficult as many people have made it out to be. Here at Planet 8 Digital, we know the tactics that get your business noticed, like a well-written press release is always a part of an ongoing SEO strategy. Press releases are great pieces of content that tend to get more attention and create more opportunities for promotional links.
Finally, we look for the “informational links,” ones you can trace to local discussion groups, blogs on websites and those by shared by folks within your industry. These links are shared because your content is unique and has something important to say. They are often generated by a blog post that people naturally want to link to when they find it. There is no shortcut to these types of links, they are generated solely with the creation of stellar content. And that brings us to our second important point:
Content is king
Content is still the number one boost for local SEO and its importance cannot be overstated. Blog posts, infographics, videos and tutorials are all content critical to the success of your SEO plan. Content marketing requires adequate planning and creativity and is not a matter of simply throwing together a few paragraphs filled with keywords relevant to your industry. On the contrary, your business must ensure that your content invites interaction with an audience and that the posted content is of good quality. If your content is well-written and nicely structured, chances are much higher that readers will actually stay on your site to read your post. Slap up some poorly written gibberish, and coveted customers will bounce right off your page and onto a competitor’s page.
2017 looks to be a year where content marketing skyrockets, which means now is the best time to maximize your content, and specifically, the reviews and testimonials listed on your website. Remember that most consumers decide to make an online purchase based on the posted reviews. Asking your customers for reviews is a great way to generate the type of website content that helps convert internet searchers into paying customers.
Still not sure how to create content that gets you noticed on social media? Contact us! Planet 8 can craft your content, request and organize your reviews and ensure that everything on your website is of high quality and gets the attention of consumers and search engines alike. Which brings us to our final point:
We can manage your online presence
How does your business rank on a results page? Are you at the top of the food chain or buried 5 pages deep? If you are not where you want to be then it is to your benefit to make improvements. Your business may have crucial pieces of misinformation online and you do not even know it. Planet 8 uses tools like “Google My Business,” to request information like name, address and phone number, ensuring your most basic business facts are relevant and reliable.
Ultimately, you want to ensure that your business is highly visible to consumers searching online in your community. Imagine what you could do with a top search engine ranking in your immediate neighborhood or in the closest city? Your business would be an impressive illustration of the power of SEO and the success that comes with high visibility.
If you want to be at the top of the results page but you aren’t sure where to start, give us a call at (215) 355-5381. That’s what we do. Our mission is to help your business dominate the internet.
