Search Engine Optimization is part of the biggest shift in business since the Industrial Revolution. The internet has changed the way we do business. Get started with this checklist of five important but basic aspects of SEO.
1. You Must Have a Website
Not only do your competitors have a website, but websites improve corporate image and customer confidence. If someone wants to buy the best cupcakes in town, and you only have a Facebook page but your competitor has a website, whose cupcakes seem more legitimate?
A professional-quality website is essential to instill confidence in your potential customer. In the modern era, first impressions are often made on the web.
Another thing people don't often think about is when to start thinking about SEO: you can start now! Plan your SEO before you've even launched your website.
2. Study Your Market
The words and phrases that people punch into Google are called keywords. To be successful on the web, you need to discover exactly which keywords people use to find the goods or services your business offers, then use those words strategically in your website's content and in the anchor text of inbound links.
Simply put, anchor text is the clickable text in a link. If a link reads "greatest online marketing company ever," that phrase is the anchor text, and it gives search engines a clue about the page it points to. Good keyword research is the foundation of all of this, so it's worth investing real time in.
You must know your market. Study the competition to determine what they're doing well and what they're doing not so well. What can you do better?
3. Content Is King
Content is king. Chances are, you've heard that many times. From day one, start creating content that solves problems, answers questions, is genuinely informative, and is reader-friendly. SEO stands for "Search Engine Optimization," but never forget that your content should be for the reader first, the search engines second.
Google employs a team of very smart people who work very hard to make sure its search results are as relevant and useful as possible, weighing hundreds of ranking factors. In fact, Google's helpful content signals are now part of its core ranking system, which makes genuinely useful, people-first content more important than ever.
If content creation and blogging overwhelm you, don't worry: our blog is full of tips and tricks to help you get going.
4. Links are Queen
The worldwide web is just that, a web of interconnected sites that spans the entire world. A site without inbound links is a lonely site indeed. Inbound links are an essential ingredient of a well-traveled website, and they remain a primary factor in how well a site ranks in any given Google query result.
Basically, Google factors in the number, the quality, the relevance, and even the anchor text of the links pointing to your website. These days, a few links from relevant, reputable sites are worth far more than a pile of low-quality ones, and spammy or paid links can actually hurt you. You earn good links by posting phenomenal original content that makes people want to link to you. Show your expertise, make yourself an authority in your field, and quality links will follow.
5. The Social Media Revolution
Social media marketing is its own kind of marketing, but it also overlaps with SEO. If people are talking about you on social media, they're more likely to link back to your site, whether through their own posts or their websites. That creates both good links and good publicity.
The rise of the social web means it helps to have a presence on the platforms that fit your audience (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, and so on), which can also send visitors and links back to your website.
Establishing yourself as an authority means knowing which platforms your business should actually be on. If you do a lot of business-to-business work, LinkedIn is great for you. And if you have a physical location, your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is essential, since it's what puts you on Google Maps and in local search results. Research the platforms that match your demographic, create accounts on the right ones, and start building relationships now.
Finally, SEO is like a shark: both must continually move forward. Working on SEO is a must for the long-term health of your business. Designate someone in your company to be responsible for online marketing. It's not your IT guy, or an intern; maybe it's time to consider hiring a specialist. Regardless, SEO needs to become an ongoing facet of your marketing strategy today.
Today, it isn't whether you should invest in online marketing; it's how you'll invest in it most efficiently.
It's time to start investing intelligently. If you'd like a hand, see how our SEO team can help.
This is part of our guide to marketing your small business online.
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