During a marketing meeting to set 2018 goals, a client recently shared his wish list. He wanted the organization to be first on Google for search.
OK, that is probably everyone’s wish. And it can be done. Plunk down money on ad words and top ranking can be yours!
… But then what?
Sure, your organization may be found more readily, but these days search engine optimization is – or should be – a package deal of sorts to high ranking.
While buying ad words can be an expensive endeavor, costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars per month, there are many digital marketing strategies businesses and organizations can implement themselves for free.
They are not sexy like a Facebook or Instagram advertising campaign, but, when implemented and maintained over time, will bring positive results. I am sharing an overview here. For more in-depth information, I highly recommend the various articles and SEO tools available on Moz.
- Keyword research
Keyword research is an important SEO component.
Think of keywords as words people type into Google when they’re trying to find something – except these are words that you will test and use for people to find you. Even if you never buy Google ad words, it’s important to know what people are searching for and how it relates to your organization or industry. Determining the best keywords will help you create content that’s most relevant to your audience. Click here to do keyword research through Moz’s Keyword Explorer.
- Link backs
Once you know which keywords to include in your content, it’s important for content posted elsewhere to link back to your Website. Think of these redirects to your Website as a stamp of approval, letting search engines know that your Website is a credible source of information for your industry. The more your Website is talked about – i.e. linked to – by high-ranking Websites the better for your overall SEO.
- Content marketing
Link building and content marketing go hand-in-hand. To help drive traffic to your Website and increase your search engine ranking, variations of your blog, for instance, should be shared on Websites relevant to your audience. Links directing readers to your Website serve the dual purpose of driving potential customers to your Website and improving your rank. It’s a good idea to create unique posts so Google isn’t reviewing and auditing the same content. Another idea is to follow and comment on online forums relevant to your niche. In addition to improving your Website’s rank (with link backs included in responses, of course) it presents you as an authority in your field.
- Online audit
Besides your Website and the social media sites you use, your company or organization is probably listed other places as well. Sites like Yelp, Trip Advisor, Home Advisor and Angie’s List, for example, may have created listings about your organization based on customer reviews. In many cases, you can (and should) claim the listing, update it with your own photos, content and link back to your Website. Claiming the listing also sets up notifications for when new reviews are posted. I wrote about the importance of understanding reviews and using them to market your business in a separate blog.
This blog merely scratches the surface of SEO and (hopefully) points you in the right direction to get started. There are countless tools you can use to improve your search engine optimization. If I can help review ideas or pull together a strategy, please reach out to me directly: Theresa@Katalinascommunications.com.
