One of the most efficient ways to attract new customers is to increase your online visibility through Google-ability. This is when your business climbs to the top of the results list during a basic Internet search. Search Engine Optimization – known as SEO – is a marketing strategy that cannot be ignored, especially in a time when people almost exclusively find businesses through the Internet.
And content is what matters most.
What is content?
Content is any tool used to reach your audience. It’s the words on your website or a blog about industry trends. It’s using social media to connect with new audiences and to generate web traffic. Content makes a huge difference in the success of a business’s web-based visibility.
There are three simple avenues to improve web-based results with content and when used together, businesses can expect to start moving to the top of the result list. They are:
- Optimized website content
- Basic social media sharing
- Online blog
Let’s take a closer look:
Optimized Website Content: If your website has not been written to include valuable search terms, then it might not be as easy for potential customers to find your business. For example, if someone is searching for “Chicago Area Dentist” and your website does not say “Chicago Area Dentist” then it is unlikely to show up as a search result. Modifying the wording within a website is one easy way to optimize it for SEO
Including the following information can also help increase search results:
- Showing a map of your location,listing an address on the homepage and linking to Yelp
- Listing the names of your business executives will help your business show up in Google results when that name is searched
- Writing out all your specific company expertise will drive Internet traffic when someone searches that service. (For example, instead of a description that says: “Provides innovative support and program management,” write something like: “Our supportive team of experts provides custom support to manage your website development process.” See the difference? Now people searching website development, supportive team of experts, custom website support and more will all be linked to that website.)
Basic Social Media Sharing: The search logarithm developed by Google is boosted when a business uses Google+ to promote content. In addition, natural “clicks” increase web results. So, if you’re using social media to promote even general industry trends to a wide audience to serve as a resource, it will drive the search results higher when someone local is looking for a similar business. In addition, people pay attention to the names they see on social media. While it might not seem like your customers are finding information via social media, it can drastically improve brand recognition if it results in even a few clicks each day.
Online Blog: Developing custom content that highlights specific services in more detail can make a big difference. For example, discussing industry trends, creating Top 10 lists and positioning your business as a thought leader will oftentimes propel your organization to the top of search engine results. Mixing in promotional content using key search phrases can lead to more clicks and more interaction with potential customers. In addition, a content specialist will look into the key words that people are searching, so that those words can be matched to the content of your website.
Take the challenge
If you're unsure about how your business stacks up, then take our simple challenge. Start by Google searching your company. Scroll through the pages until you find it. The results should show content from all of the pages on your website, in addition to your home page. Maybe when you do this you realize that the results aren’t exactly where you hoped they would be. So now take a close look at the writing on your site. Pretend that you aren’t an expert on the topic. Is it clear what you do? Is the information easy to find? What stands out?
Now do the same thing with one of your competitors.
About Yakkety Yak:
Yakkety Yak helps you find the words you were looking for. Our content management services encompass everything from website copy, custom blogs and newsletters, content audits, press releases, case studies, annual reports, social media marketing and custom publishing. We want to figure out how to say what you want to say together – so Let's Yak.