ReportWire

Tag: Search Engine Optimization

  • 5 strategies to maximize your real estate lead generation in 2026 – Houston Agent Magazine

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    The real estate industry in 2026 is more tech-driven, data-informed, and digitally sophisticated than ever. For real estate professionals, lead generation is no longer just a skill — it’s a science. Success now depends on leveraging AI-powered tools, immersive content, hyperlocal targeting and social media strategies tailored to today’s mobile-first, on-demand homebuyers.

    ● The mobile-first experience: In today’s fast-paced world, most potential homebuyers begin their search on a mobile device. Optimizing your online presence for mobile users is no longer optional; it’s essential. This means having a responsive website design, fast loading times and content that adapts seamlessly to various screen sizes.

    ● The rise of video content: Video remains king, but today’s buyers expect interactive, immersive experiences. Think 3D virtual tours, AI-generated staging, AR property previews, and live-streamed walkthroughs. These formats boost engagement and can dramatically shorten the time it takes to move a prospect from interest to showing.

    Social media continues to be a cornerstone of real estate lead generation. TikTok has emerged as a powerhouse for short, engaging property videos that can reach tens of thousands of viewers organically. Instagram remains ideal for visually rich content like reels, Stories, and carousel posts, while Facebook provides robust tools for hyper-targeted advertising and community engagement.

    In 2026, AI-assisted ad targeting across all three platforms allows agents to personalize campaigns based on predicted buyer behavior, ensuring your content reaches the right audience at the right time.

    ● The importance of SEO: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) algorithms in 2026 favor personalized, authoritative content. Beyond keyword optimization, focus on creating AI-assisted blog posts, dynamic local market updates, and interactive neighborhood guides that improve dwell time and conversion.

    ● Leveraging local search: Local SEO is more critical than ever. Optimize for neighborhood-specific searches, leverage Google Business Profile features like Q&A and posts, and use geotargeted ads to reach buyers before they even know they’re looking in your area.

    ● Virtual tours and interactive listings: In a digital-first world, offering virtual tours and interactive listings can set you apart. They provide an immersive experience, allowing potential buyers to explore properties virtually, which can be especially appealing in the current hyper-competitive market.

    ● Online calculators and quizzes: Interactive tools like mortgage calculators or home preference quizzes can be great for engaging visitors and collecting lead information. They add value to your website and encourage visitors to interact with your content, leaving behind valuable data.

    ● The role of paid services: While organic strategies are essential, paid lead generation services can be a valuable addition to your toolkit. These services can help amplify your reach, targeting specific demographics or geographic areas. They can be especially useful for boosting visibility in highly competitive markets.

    The real estate market continues to evolve, driven by technology and innovation. By embracing cutting-edge strategies, from optimizing for mobile users to leveraging social media and incorporating paid lead generation services, real estate professionals can significantly enhance their lead generation efforts. The key to success lies in staying adaptable, continually learning and experimenting with new methods to connect with potential clients in this ever-changing landscape.

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    Matthew Clark

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  • Why answer engine optimization now drives real estate leads  – Houston Agent Magazine

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    Answer engine optimization, or AEO, is moving to the top of the real estate lead funnel because AI-driven search tools reward clear question-and-answer content. 

    Real estate professionals have spent years learning search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM). The rules are not gone. But the order of visibility is changing. Buyers and sellers now ask full questions of Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and voice search. Those systems favor direct answers, structured pages and repeated brand mentions across the web. 

    What AEO means for real estate leads 

    AEO is the practice of publishing content that answers common questions in a format AI tools can read, summarize and reuse. 

    Your content needs to look less like a single blog post and more like a library of answers that match how people speak. 

    People are also using voice input more often. That changes the keyword strategy. Instead of short phrases, many searches are now full questions. That pushes “long-tail keywords” toward question-based search terms. 

    Why one blog post is not enough 

    SEO used to reward a strong page and inbound links. Those still matter. The newer shift is that “mentions” now matter alongside links. A link is a direct connection from another site to yours. A mention is simply your business name appearing on other platforms, with or without a link. 

    AI tools use those mentions as brand signals. They pull information from many places, not only your website. That is why publishing “everywhere” matters. 

    Google is getting less of the total attention it once had as users spread out across other tools and platforms. The result is more “zero-click” behavior. People get answers without visiting any website. 

    Zero-click behavior means fewer clicks, fewer page views and fewer opportunities to convert visitors after the search. It also means the agent who wins is often the one who shows up in the answer itself. 

    The content system that supports AEO 

    AEO favors consistent, repeatable publishing. It also favors reuse across formats. For years, I’ve lived by “record once, then repurpose everywhere.” This approach aligns with AEO because it creates more answer-ready content across more locations. 

    Here is the practical version for your real estate business: 

    • Record a three-minute video answering one topic (example: “How does a VA loan work in 2026?”). 
    • Create a written Q&A page from the transcript. 
    • Cut short clips into Reels, Shorts and TikToks. 
    • Turn the main points into an email newsletter. 
    • Post the same Q&A to your business profiles where allowed. 

    Repurposing your content is not “more content” for its own sake. A repurposing strategy increases the chances of appearing as the answer when someone asks a question. 

    The local layer: Profiles matter again 

    Local search is not only about your website. Business profiles are now feeding local data to AI tools. 

    Two platforms that many agents ignore: 

    Yelp and Bing provide local business data that LLMs use. If you already have a Google Business Profile, you can import that information into Bing Places instead of rebuilding it from scratch. 

    Yelp is “user-driven” and rewards authenticity. That means agents should focus on accurate profiles and current updates instead of dumping old posts into the system. 

    Technical setup: Schema markup 

    Schema markup is code that helps search engines understand what a page is about. Schema can support AEO by making your content easier to classify and surface. 

    Examples: 

    • Location schema for neighborhood or service-area pages 
    • Review schema for testimonials and ratings 

    Tools like WordPress plugins can support schema. The larger point is that your website should help search systems identify your pages as answers tied to a location, service or topic. 

    Speed to lead is the second gate 

    Visibility is only half the lead equation. Response time closes deals. 

    The first business to respond often wins, even when price is not the deciding factor. Many consumers will not leave a voicemail unless they already have a relationship with you. They call the next name. 

    AI phone assistants and chatbots are built around question-and-answer flows. They can answer calls, respond to basic questions and book appointments while you are in showings or meetings. In other words, fewer lead leaks after you pay for marketing. 

    AEO is not a trend to watch. It is a publishing-and-response system to run. The agents who publish answers and reply first will attract more clients organically, convert faster and waste less money on marketing and missed calls. 

    Download the FREE “189 Prompts to Workflows: Custom GPT Edition” and turn everyday real estate tasks into automated systems — starting today.

    Marki Lemons Ryhal is a top real estate coach, global keynote speaker and international best-selling author. She is also a licensed managing broker and Realtor and the first African-American woman inducted into the Chicago Association of REALTORS® Hall of Fame. She currently hosts two podcasts, “Drive with NAR” and “Social Selling Made Simple.”

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    Marki Lemons-Ryhal

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  • This Is the Marketing Strategy Every Small Business Can Afford | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    We hear the word “local” a lot these days, like local farms, local services or local support. But when it comes to your small business, especially one that is trying to grow online or compete with national chains, localization is no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s now something that directly affects how people find you, trust you and buy from you.

    Localization means you have to tailor your business (products, messaging, search visibility and even customer service) to the community around you. Here’s why it matters more than ever, especially if you’re running a small business in 2025.

    1. Your local audience is already searching differently

    Consumers are using more specific search terms than they used to. Instead of “coffee shop,” they type “coffee near Apalachee Road” or “best ice cream place in Morgan County.” If your site, social content or Google listing doesn’t mention those keywords, you’re just invisible to the people who live down the street.

    Google’s algorithm prioritizes businesses that appear relevant to local search intent. That means even if your coffee is better, the cafe next door that lists its street name in titles and tags will show up first. If you haven’t already optimized your website and listings for your city, neighborhood or zone, you will probably be losing customers without realizing it.

    Related: How Localizing Your Webite’s Content Can Boost Sales

    2. People want to support local — but only if it’s easy

    There’s a strong desire to support small businesses right now, especially post-pandemic. But emotional intent alone doesn’t lead to action. If your store hours aren’t updated online or your delivery zone is not clearly mentioned, people will move on to whoever makes it easier.

    It is not only convenient but also perceived as professional. Customers expect your local business to behave like a national one in terms of service and clarity.

    3. Localization reduces your marketing budget

    Advertising can quickly become costly. If you’re running broad Facebook or Google ads without geographic targeting, you’re paying for clicks from people who’ll never walk into your store or buy from your service area.

    Localizing your marketing through zip code targeting, city-specific ad sets and regionally relevant messaging is great, and it means you waste less money and reach better leads.

    It also improves ROI on content. A blog post titled “How to Prep for Monsoon in Georgia” will perform far better for a local outdoor gear shop than a general “Monsoon Readiness Tips” article.

    4. Word of mouth still works — but only with local visibility

    Digital reviews are just the online version of word of mouth. When someone in your area sees that their neighbor used your service or visited your shop, it builds instant credibility.

    Localization helps here in two ways:

    • It puts your business in front of the right people on platforms like Google Maps and Nextdoor.
    • It encourages more local reviews by showing that you’re an active, responsive part of the community.

    But to get there, you need to claim your listings, respond to reviews and first add your local contact details accurately. These small tasks make a real difference over time.

    Related: How I Helped a Local Service Business Generate $5.1 Million in 6 Months — Without Spending Big on Ads

    5. Your competition is probably not doing it well

    Most small businesses are still behind when it comes to local SEO, map listings or even using locally relevant content. It gives you an advantage.

    You don’t need a massive budget for starting, but you just have to have a consistent approach.

    • Update your site with a location page.
    • Add area-based keywords to your product descriptions.
    • Use customer photos and tag neighborhoods or landmarks.

    It’s small details, but it signals relevance to both humans and algorithms.

    And remember, when large chains enter your area, they rarely localize at the ground level. That’s your chance to stay ahead.

    6. Localization helps you build loyalty faster

    People are more likely to trust and return to businesses that understand their context. I am not referring to language or location — it’s about showing you “get” the environment your customers live in.

    If your Instagram shows weather-specific product tips (“What to wear for the Georgia heatwave”) or you create bundles around local holidays, you stand out. That kind of relevance keeps you top of mind without hard selling. And when customers feel like your business is part of their neighborhood( you are not just a vendor), they stick with you longer, even when cheaper options show up.

    7. Logistics and delivery actually depend on it

    This is the part most businesses overlook. Your delivery, service appointments or even store pickup options all depend on how well you define and manage your local area.

    A well-localized system avoids order confusion, reduces customer complaints and sets realistic expectations only. You don’t want someone in another city trying to order same-day delivery because your site didn’t make the coverage zone clear.

    Related: 7 Local SEO Strategies I’ve Used to Help Businesses Boost Their Revenue 10x — Especially Blue-Collar Companies

    8. Localized data helps you make better decisions

    When you’re tracking customer behavior, product sales or even foot traffic, broad analytics cannot always tell the full story. What works in one neighborhood might not work in another — even when they are a few kilometers apart.

    Localization helps you narrow down your data and spot patterns tied to specific zones, seasons or events. For example, maybe sales for a particular product spike in one district but stay flat in another. Or a certain payment preference change between urban and semi-urban customers. These insights will let you shift your inventory, marketing or service focus in a more agile way. You can stop guessing and start acting on real, local behavior.

    If you’re serious about growing in your local market, start by reviewing how visible, relevant and accessible your business really is to the people nearby. You just need consistency, some smart tools and a bit of time each month to review your data and make changes. Good luck!

    We hear the word “local” a lot these days, like local farms, local services or local support. But when it comes to your small business, especially one that is trying to grow online or compete with national chains, localization is no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s now something that directly affects how people find you, trust you and buy from you.

    Localization means you have to tailor your business (products, messaging, search visibility and even customer service) to the community around you. Here’s why it matters more than ever, especially if you’re running a small business in 2025.

    1. Your local audience is already searching differently

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    Murali Nethi

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  • How to Unlock Profitable SEO as AI Search Engines Take Over | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As AI technology continues to grow in capability and popularity, the online search landscape and search optimization are rapidly changing. AI search engines, including Perplexity, Google’s AI mode, ChatGPT Search, Gemini, Arc Search and others, are competing for their share of searches and are quickly catching up to traditional search engines.

    In fact, one study projected that AI search engines may have more users than traditional search engines by 2028. These constantly changing search dynamics have many businesses wondering whether their current SEO strategy is sufficient or whether they need to adapt to stay relevant. While many SEO strategies can help businesses rank in both traditional and AI search engines, there are some key techniques businesses can implement to ensure that the evolution of AI search engines does not leave them behind.

    Related: Want to Be Discovered in AI Search? These Are the Sources That Matter

    The increasing popularity of AI search engines

    AI search engines are generative AI platforms that create answers to queries entered by users. Rather than simply presenting results, like traditional search engines, AI search engines summarize and present information pulled from multiple sources. AI search engines are quickly becoming the first choice for many users.

    Rather than using a traditional search engine, people prefer to use AI search engines for more specific, conversational queries. AI search engines consolidate and summarize information, which appeals to many users, particularly when they have a longer, more specific search query or are researching a new topic. Users can also utilize AI search engines to compare products or generate a list of multiple service providers without needing to visit various websites.

    4 strategies for ranking in AI search engines

    AI Search engines cite the websites they pull information from. Having your website cited as a source is an effective way to generate organic traffic and increase leads. Fortunately, many of the SEO strategies that are effective for ranking in traditional SERPs remain effective for ranking in AI search engines. Additionally, search engines pay attention to ranking positions when they select websites to pull information from and cite. However, for businesses looking to stay ahead of their competition, here are a few strategies that we implement at Outpace SEO to make sure our clients rank in AI search engines as well as traditional SERPs.

    1. Audit your strategy

    AI search engines prioritize credibility and relevancy. Before you begin, audit your current SEO strategy and identify its strengths and weaknesses. Who is your target audience, and are they likely to use AI search engines? Are you hoping to rank nationally or locally? Answering these questions can help you adapt your strategy for continued success.

    2. Ensure visibility

    It’s essential to make sure that AI search engines can index your website and easily understand the context and relevance of your content. In-depth technical SEO is crucial to ensure that your website is visible to the relevant search engines. Some search engines have specific primary crawlers that need to be enabled in your robots.txt file. Make sure that your pages are indexed by Bing, not just Google. Your site should have a simple and easy-to-understand site architecture that allows AI engines to navigate it effectively. Other technical strategies include optimizing alt text, URLs, meta titles, page speed and internal linking to enhance your website’s visibility.

    Related: How AI Is Transforming the SEO Landscape — and Why You Need to Adapt

    3. Create concise, organized content

    AI search engines summarize information in conversational language. This means that they can more easily extract information from websites that provide clear and concise content. Answering questions clearly in a sentence or two increases the chance that AI search engines will cite your website in answers to search queries. Creating content that is clearly organized with header tags is an effective way to make sure that users and search engines can easily skim your content and identify its relevance. Using high-volume, long-tail keywords as titles and headers also increases the chance that AI search engines will use your content when they generate answers to popular questions. How you write your content can significantly increase your chances of ranking both in traditional search engines and AI search engines.

    4. Build online authority

    Both traditional search engines and AI search engines are more likely to rank your website if it has a strong online presence. AI search engines pay particular attention to websites with regularly updated content and a strong off-page authority. The type of brand mentions and backlinks you acquire is also significant; backlinks from websites in your industry with strong domain authority will do more to boost your website’s profile than links that are irrelevant or appear untrustworthy. By consistently creating on-site and off-site content, you can establish authority and credibility within your industry, resulting in increased rankings, leads and traffic.

    Final thoughts

    As more people use AI search engines, it may not be enough for businesses to simply rank on SERPs. If your target audience is likely to use an AI search engine to find businesses, information and products, then it’s essential to adapt your SEO strategies to rank in AI search engines as well as traditional search engine results pages. By creating content strategically, implementing technical optimizations on your website and developing your online authority, you can provide your business with a competitive edge and keep up with rapidly advancing AI technology.

    As AI technology continues to grow in capability and popularity, the online search landscape and search optimization are rapidly changing. AI search engines, including Perplexity, Google’s AI mode, ChatGPT Search, Gemini, Arc Search and others, are competing for their share of searches and are quickly catching up to traditional search engines.

    In fact, one study projected that AI search engines may have more users than traditional search engines by 2028. These constantly changing search dynamics have many businesses wondering whether their current SEO strategy is sufficient or whether they need to adapt to stay relevant. While many SEO strategies can help businesses rank in both traditional and AI search engines, there are some key techniques businesses can implement to ensure that the evolution of AI search engines does not leave them behind.

    Related: Want to Be Discovered in AI Search? These Are the Sources That Matter

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    Summit Ghimire

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  • How I Helped a Local Company Generate $5 Million in 6 Months | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Most people think you need a massive ad budget to grow fast. But earlier this year, I helped a service-based business generate over $5.1 million in just six months — and we did it by focusing on strategy, not spending.

    Let’s Get Moving started as a single-location moving company. Today, we have over 70 locations across North America, and I’ve led the SEO and digital marketing behind that growth.

    We didn’t rely on hacks or hope. We built a system that generated consistent, high-converting leads across every franchise, even in highly competitive markets like Toronto, Vancouver and Houston.

    This is the real story of how we scaled and what any entrepreneur running a service business can take away from it.

    Related: 31 Ways to Market Your Business on a Budget

    1. We consolidated a disjointed online presence into a scalable system

    When I first joined the team, Let’s Get Moving had four active locations: Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Hamilton. Each operated under its own subdomain, a structure that not only fragmented our brand identity but also made it nearly impossible to build SEO authority across the board.

    While Google Ads were driving decent results, the long-term organic growth potential was being held back by a lack of a centralized SEO strategy.

    Our first step was to rebuild the digital foundation — migrating all locations under one unified domain structure, developing dedicated SEO-optimized pages for each city and implementing a consistent content and review strategy across all franchises.

    That move alone positioned us for exponential, scalable growth and created a system we could replicate as we expanded to 70+ locations.

    2. We built location pages that actually convert

    Most franchise websites create a page for each city, add the name of the location and call it a day.

    We went deeper. Every location page became its own mini landing page optimized for the keywords people actually search in that city (like “movers in Chicago with great reviews”), with real reviews, service highlights and clear CTAs.

    We didn’t just want visibility. We wanted calls, quotes and bookings.

    This helped us dominate local search in dozens of markets without paying for clicks.

    3. We turned Google Business Profiles into lead machines

    Google Business Profile (GBP) isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s your homepage for local customers.

    We optimized over 70 GBP listings to show up in the top three of Google Maps (the “map pack”) by:

    • Consistently updating business details, hours and photos

    • Encouraging genuine, timely reviews from happy customers

    • Posting regular updates and offers

    • Using BrightLocal to monitor ranking and visibility

    For some locations, our Google Business Profile drove more than 50% of inbound leads. It was free. And it worked.

    Related: Ultimate SEO Guide On How to Get 100,000 Visits Per Month From Google

    4. We created content with the customer’s real questions in mind

    We didn’t blog just to blog. We asked:

    “What is our customer Googling the moment they realize they need our service?”

    Then we answered those questions clearly, concisely and locally.

    For example:

    • “How much do movers cost in Toronto?”

    • “Can I hire movers on the same day in Los Angeles?”

    • “What’s the best time to move to NYC to save money?”

    This kind of content didn’t just get traffic — it built trust. It positioned us as the go-to expert before they ever picked up the phone.

    We also focused on formatting. Every article used conversational headlines (based on actual search terms), bullet points for scannability and short paragraphs that respected the reader’s time. We weren’t trying to sound like a content mill. We wrote like humans answering real questions.

    And it paid off. The more content we published, the more leads came in — and we were ranking for high-intent searches across dozens of cities, all without spending a dollar on paid traffic.

    5. We scaled without sacrificing quality

    One of the biggest challenges with franchise growth is maintaining consistency across all locations. To solve that, we built internal systems to support every franchise equally — a strategy that many overlook when implementing SEO for franchises.

    This included:

    • Centralized SOPs for SEO and content

    • Shared review generation templates

    • A monthly dashboard for rankings, calls and traffic

    • Ongoing support and local keyword research for every new franchise launch

    By giving each location the tools to succeed and tracking performance, we created a self-sustaining lead generation system.

    The result

    In six months, our combined locations generated over $5.1 million in tracked revenue without relying on PPC, traditional advertising or gimmicks.

    And we’re still growing.

    What other entrepreneurs can learn from this

    Even if you’re not in the moving industry or don’t run a franchise, here are the key takeaways that apply to any service-based business:

    • Think beyond traffic, and optimize for search intent and conversion.

    • Treat every local market like its own opportunity.

    • Build a brand people trust before they ever contact you.

    • Create repeatable systems so you can scale without chaos.

    • Don’t ignore the tools that are free but powerful, like Google Business Profile.

    Related: 7 Local SEO Strategies I’ve Used to Help Businesses Boost Their Revenue 10x — Especially Blue-Collar Companies

    We didn’t win by spending more money; we won by thinking smarter, moving faster and obsessing over what our customers were already looking for.

    If you’re building a service business in 2025, SEO isn’t optional — it’s one of the highest-ROI growth channels available. But only if you treat it like the revenue engine it truly is.

    Most people think you need a massive ad budget to grow fast. But earlier this year, I helped a service-based business generate over $5.1 million in just six months — and we did it by focusing on strategy, not spending.

    Let’s Get Moving started as a single-location moving company. Today, we have over 70 locations across North America, and I’ve led the SEO and digital marketing behind that growth.

    We didn’t rely on hacks or hope. We built a system that generated consistent, high-converting leads across every franchise, even in highly competitive markets like Toronto, Vancouver and Houston.

    The rest of this article is locked.

    Join Entrepreneur+ today for access.

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    Fahim Ludin

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  • How to Get the Most Out of Your Link-Building Efforts | Entrepreneur

    How to Get the Most Out of Your Link-Building Efforts | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Five years from now, 94% of marketers think that links will continue to be a ranking factor in Google algorithms.

    However, many companies offering link-building services engage in questionable practices, such as selling links from manipulated or low-quality websites. These links can not only fail to provide value but may also harm the website receiving them. Therefore, it’s essential to exercise caution when hiring an external partner for link building.

    So, here are a few key tips to help SaaS businesses get the maximum from their link-building efforts.

    Related: 10 Powerful Link-Building Tactics for Boosting Your Website’s SEO

    1. Take metrics with a grain of salt

    It’s crucial to approach metrics with skepticism. Website owners often inflate numbers like Domain Rating (DR). You might see a DR of 70, but in reality, the website holds little to no authority in Google’s eyes. Of course, that’s not always the case. In reality, Domain Rating correlates with higher rankings

    While metrics can be useful, especially when sorting through large lists of websites, don’t rely on them alone. Always look deeper into the site’s real quality.

    2. Organic traffic for real keywords is key

    Pay attention to the keywords a website ranks for. Ideally, the site you’re getting backlinks from should have organic traffic, which shows Google values it. More importantly, the traffic should come from relevant, industry-specific keywords. Some sites may rank for irrelevant terms like “celebrity news” despite being in a completely different niche — or worse, they may use fake traffic. Always ensure the keywords are a good fit for your business.

    3. Get links from real businesses

    The best way to determine if a website is worth getting a backlink from is to see if it’s a real business. Many sites exist solely to sell links and are often just link farms. Focus on acquiring links from legitimate businesses, as these are the ones that offer the most value.

    4. Use internal links

    Let’s face it — quality link building is hard. And if you find it hard to get backlinks to your service or landing pages, start by linking to your blog posts instead. Then, use internal linking across your site to ensure link equity flows throughout your pages. Without proper internal linking, you won’t fully benefit from the backlinks you’re building.

    Related: Top 8 Backlink Strategies to Boost Your Traffic

    5. Prioritize links to target pages

    When building backlinks, your main focus should be on your money-making pages. Links to these pages are critical. If you’re working with an agency, ensure they are targeting specific commercial pages. Even if you’re only getting a couple of links per page per month, if they’re targeted, it’s highly effective.

    6. Optimize anchors

    Anchor text optimization is essential. From my experience, optimized anchor texts perform very well. If you’re hiring an agency, send them a list of preferred anchor texts along with your target pages, so they can focus on both elements.

    7. Focus on do-follow links

    There’s ongoing debate about the impact of no-follow links on rankings. While no-follow links have some influence, it’s hard to quantify. Based on my observations, they seem to be about 30-50% as effective as do-follow links. In a LinkedIn poll I conducted, 43% of participants believed no-follow links were 25% or less effective than do-follow. However, keep in mind that many respondents may not have had enough experience, so their opinions are just that — opinions.

    8. Get listed on the top of listicle posts

    There are countless “comparison” and “alternatives” pages for popular tools, generating significant search volumes. For instance, searches like “Canva alternatives” are common. If your product is in a competitive niche, you want to be featured as the number one option on these pages created by bloggers and websites. Not only will you gain valuable backlinks, but you’ll also get more clicks and recommendations as the top alternative, greatly boosting your link-building efforts.

    This also creates a snowball effect. Future writers and bloggers working on alternatives for that specific tool will often reference existing lists. When they see your product featured prominently, they’re more likely to include it in their own lists, further amplifying your exposure and link-building efforts.

    9. Outsource to the right company

    According to some research, 56% of SaaS marketing departments utilize a combination of in-house and outsourced staff to reach their marketing objectives.

    When selecting a company, make sure they specialize in link building for SaaS and deliver high-quality work, as word of mouth and testimonials can be very effective indicators of their reliability.

    Related: How to Shake Up a Stale Link Building Strategy

    In summary, while links remain vital for SEO, it’s crucial to prioritize quality over quantity. Focus on securing high-quality backlinks that directly target your key pages, using optimized anchor texts to make a meaningful impact. Your link-building strategy should align with your overall branding strategy to maximize effectiveness. By being selective and strategic in your approach, you can build a robust link profile that genuinely enhances your SaaS business’s online presence.

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    Georgi Todorov

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  • Double Your Traffic and Boost Your Sales With This Ecommerce SEO Guide | Entrepreneur

    Double Your Traffic and Boost Your Sales With This Ecommerce SEO Guide | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Many ecommerce brands spend huge budgets on paid advertising to generate leads. They invest time and money into pay-per-click campaigns, but once the ad spend stops, so does the traffic.

    What they’re missing is a sustainable strategy that continues to drive traffic and sales without ongoing ad costs.

    That’s where SEO comes in. When you optimize your website for search engines, you can attract a steady stream of potential customers who actively search for what you offer.

    In this article, I’ll show you the best SEO tips to double your ecommerce organic traffic and increase revenue without relying on expensive ads.

    Related: 5 Simple SEO Strategies to Improve Your Rankings

    Why is SEO important for ecommerce businesses?

    There are more than 26.5 million ecommerce websites worldwide, which makes it incredibly hard to get yours noticed. With the right SEO strategy, however, you can boost your online presence, attract targeted traffic and drive more sales.

    When you rank well for certain keywords in search results, it makes it easier for potential customers to find you when they look up relevant products. These people are actively searching for your products, which means they are more likely to become your customers.

    High rankings also boost your brand’s credibility and authority because consumers perceive top-ranking websites as more trustworthy.

    So, let’s see how you can use SEO to get these benefits for your small business.

    5 steps for doubling your ecommerce organic traffic

    Doubling your organic traffic may seem daunting, but with a clear SEO strategy and consistent effort, you can achieve it quicker than you think. The trick is to master the basics, which are often overlooked while chasing for some secret formula that gives instant results.

    That’s why you should:

    1. Do more extensive keyword research

    Keyword research is crucial for ecommerce businesses, as it helps identify keywords potential customers use when searching for products. To do it right though, you need to go deeper than traditional metrics like search volume and difficulty.

    Instead, focus on understanding the search intent behind each keyword. Some people are looking to learn more about a topic, while others may be more interested in buying a product.

    You should focus on keywords with clear purchasing intent, which are more likely to drive sales. For example, if you have a beauty products store, you may initially target a high-volume keyword like “best skincare routine.” However, people searching for this term are typically seeking information, not necessarily looking to buy.

    Targeting keywords like “best price for anti-aging cream” can increase sales, as people searching for these terms are ready to make a purchase.

    Related: Trying to Rank for a Keyword on Google? Don’t Fall for These 3 Myths.

    2. Optimize product pages

    Well-optimized product pages can significantly increase conversion rates, boost user experience and improve search engine rankings.

    Here are a few actionable tips on how to optimize your product pages:

    • Create clear and keyword-rich URLs for your product pages.

    • Use power phrases like “X% off” or “Lowest price” to get people to click on your page.

    • Provide detailed product descriptions that include key features, benefits and specifications.

    • Incorporate relevant keywords naturally into your product descriptions.

    • Use high-quality images and videos to show your product’s features.

    • Display customer reviews and ratings to build trust.

    • Place clear and engaging CTAs, such as “Add to cart” or “Buy now” across the page.

    • Use schema markup to help search engines understand your product information better.

    • Ensure your product pages are mobile-friendly, as most online shoppers use smartphones.

    3. Optimize category pages

    Optimizing category pages is a crucial SEO tip for improving user experience, boosting rankings and driving more sales. In the beauty products industry, for example, well-structured category pages like “Skincare,” “Makeup” and “Hair Care” can attract users searching for these terms and guide them to specific products.

    Further optimize your category pages by using relevant keywords in titles and descriptions, writing unique content that focuses on product benefits and ensuring a clean layout with high-quality images.

    You should also implement schema markup for rich snippets and add internal links to related categories to improve navigation.

    4. Increase content velocity

    Your competitors are likely publishing a lot of SEO content. So, to stay competitive, you need to publish even more.

    If you only publish two blog posts per month, you won’t be able to rank effectively and might risk falling behind. Increasing content velocity is an essential part of SEO writing that helps you cover more topics, target more keywords and reach a wider audience. As a result, you can improve your website’s visibility and get an influx of fresh organic traffic.

    However, to engage potential customers and drive more conversions, it’s essential that each piece of content is relevant to your audience’s interests and matches the unique user intent for each keyword.

    5. Build high-quality backlinks

    Building high-quality backlinks improves your search engine rankings and domain authority, which makes it easier for customers to find you.

    The key to effective link-building is to focus on quality and relevance. One high-quality backlink is worth more than a dozen links from link farms. Similarly, a backlink from a relevant source can boost your rankings more than numerous irrelevant links.

    For example, a beauty products store can benefit from backlinks on reputable beauty blogs, skincare forums or collaborations with industry influencers. These backlinks improve SEO and drive targeted traffic from audiences already interested in beauty products, which supports your visibility and credibility.

    Related: 7 Link-Building Tactics You Need to Know to Skyrocket Your Website’s Rankings

    Consistent effort and strategic SEO practices can help you stand out in a crowded market and achieve sustainable growth. The key is to focus on deep keyword research, optimize product and category pages, increase content velocity and build high-quality backlinks.

    Follow these simple ecommerce SEO tips to double your website traffic and get ahead of your competitors.

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    Nick Zviadadze

    Source link

  • Is Google Lying To Us? Google’s Algorithm Secrets Revelead – Southwest Journal

    Is Google Lying To Us? Google’s Algorithm Secrets Revelead – Southwest Journal

    [ad_1]

    Google has been accused of bias in its search algorithms. Recently, CEO Sundar Pichai was called to Congress to address these allegations.

    Conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, have claimed that Google and other tech platforms favor left-leaning views.

    Trump tweeted in March 2019 that Google, Facebook, and Twitter support the Radical Left Democrats.

    Other users have also reported potential biases impacting their websites.

    Concerns include Google possibly penalizing their sites or favoring competitors with better user experience practices.

    This raises the question: Is Google impartial in its algorithmic treatment of different viewpoints?

    What Makes Google Biased?

    What Makes Google Biased

    Google’s operations cannot be considered entirely neutral due to the inherent value judgments they must make regarding search engine results pages (SERPs). One significant bias is against thin content and anything potentially harmful to users as per Gotch SEO.

    Google prioritizes content that meets users’ needs effectively, and if a website fails in this aspect, its rankings will suffer. This bias is favorable as it promotes high-quality content that benefits users.

    Another aspect of Google’s bias stems from its dual role as a search engine and an advertising platform. Google’s primary goal is to serve users to maintain its position as the leading search engine. However, it also seeks to monetize this user traffic through its advertising services. This duality results in a bias towards the interests of paid advertisers.

    In early 2020, Google made a change to how paid search results were displayed. Paid search results were placed at the top of the SERPs, making them nearly indistinguishable from organic results. This change underscored the importance of businesses utilizing effective tools to navigate the evolving landscape of search engine results.

    The new ‘Ad’ label introduced by Google closely resembled a favicon, making it harder for users to differentiate between paid and organic results. This modification faced significant backlash, and Google eventually reversed the change. However, the intent behind the adjustment highlighted Google’s tendency to prioritize paid advertisers’ interests over those of users and organic search results.

    Aspect Description
    Content Bias Prefers high-quality, user-friendly content over thin or harmful content.
    Advertising Bias Places interests of paid advertisers above organic search results.

    Moreover, the necessity for Google to monetize its services is clear. The search engine’s strategy to accommodate paid advertisers indicates how businesses must adapt. Utilizing membership management software and other tools becomes crucial for businesses navigating these biases.

    Strategic Steps to Navigate Google’s Bias

    A Man Navigating Google's Bias on His LaptopA Man Navigating Google's Bias on His Laptop
    This Image Is Generated by Midjourney

    Google’s preference for high-quality content that benefits users highlights the importance of focusing on valuable and relevant information. Here are some steps to effectively navigate this landscape:

    1. Create User-Centric Content: Developing content that addresses user needs and questions can enhance visibility in search results. Emphasize authenticity and usefulness. 
    2. Engage in Ethical Link-Building: Establishing reputable and organic link-building efforts can significantly boost your content’s standing. Avoid engaging in black-hat SEO techniques that can harm your site’s reputation. 
    3. Adopt a Balanced Paid Advertising Strategy: While pursuing organic reach, remain aware of Google’s alignment with advertisers. Leverage paid advertising judiciously to complement your overall strategy. 
    4. Monitor Industry Actions and Legal Proceedings: Stay informed about ongoing legal issues involving Google, such as allegations of market consolidation. This awareness helps you understand potential shifts in the landscape. 
    5. Advocate for Search Neutrality: Encourage transparent practices by tech giants. Actively engaging in discussions about search neutrality can help maintain a fair online environment. 
    6. Analyze and Adapt to Algorithm Changes: Regularly review updates to Google’s algorithms and adjust your strategies accordingly. This proactive approach ensures ongoing alignment with search engine preferences.

    4 Ways to Boost Page Ranking!

    1. Review Your Page Performance

    Man Reviewing His Page Performance on a LaptopMan Reviewing His Page Performance on a Laptop
    This Image Is Generated by Midjourney

    To create a successful SEO strategy, it’s important to address existing issues or concerns first. Conducting a thorough page audit helps identify areas that need attention.

    • Domain: Ensure your domain is relevant to your products and services.
    • Page Factors: Assess critical elements such as page loading time, a significant factor in Google’s ranking criteria.
    • Content: Evaluate the length and accuracy of your content, both crucial for high rankings.

    Analyzing these factors helps understand your current standing and guides the creation of an effective improvement plan.

    Additionally, staying updated with SEO trends for 2024, such as the increased importance of AI-driven search algorithms, can provide a competitive edge.

    2. Create Excellent Content

    High-quality content significantly impacts Google search rankings and helps attract and convert leads.

    • Keywords: Choose relevant keywords that align with what your target audience typically searches for. Utilize SEO tools to find effective keywords with low competition.
    • Relevant Information: Ensure your content is accurate, timely, and provides valuable solutions without being forced or overly promotional.

    Well-crafted content that meets these criteria can significantly boost your page ranking.

    3. Improve User Experience


    User experience is defined by how visitors perceive their interaction with your website. Several factors contribute to a positive user experience:

    • Page Loading Time: Optimize loading times by sizing images appropriately, reducing user frustration.
    • Navigation: Simplify navigation to make elements easily accessible, preventing visitors from leaving your site.
    • Mobile Responsiveness: Adapt your website for mobile devices, considering different screen sizes and layouts.

    Enhancing these elements can keep visitors engaged and improve your rankings.

    4. Continuously Update Content

    In the fast-evolving digital world, regularly updating content ensures it stays accurate and relevant. This practice prevents the spread of outdated information and helps identify opportunities for improvement.

    Keeping your content fresh and current can significantly enhance your website’s appeal and overall ranking. Regular updates also align with how search engines prefer frequently refreshed information.

    4 Steps to Take Now that You Recognize Google’s Bias

    1. Develop a Quality Content Strategy

    Man Working on a Quality Content StrategyMan Working on a Quality Content Strategy
    This Image Is Generated by Midjourney

    Google’s preference for high-quality, user-focused content means that developing a robust content strategy is essential. This includes:

    • Creating Relevant and Valuable Content: Focus on producing articles, blogs, and other materials that provide genuine value to the reader.
    • Enhancing User Experience: Ensure that your website is easy to navigate and user-friendly, as Google favors sites that offer a good user experience.
    • Building Links: Link building remains crucial. Quality backlinks from reputable sources can significantly enhance your site’s visibility in search results.

    2. Promote Transparency in Advertising

    Given Google’s bias towards its paid advertisers, it’s important to advocate for transparency in advertising practices. This involves:

    • Monitoring Legal Developments: Stay informed about ongoing legal proceedings, such as the lawsuit alleging Google’s collusion with Facebook to dominate the online advertising market.
    • Advocating for Fair Practices: Support initiatives that push for transparency and fairness in how ads are displayed and ranked on Google.

    3. Stay Informed and Proactive

    Man Staying Informed About Google's Actions While Working on a LaptopMan Staying Informed About Google's Actions While Working on a Laptop
    This Image Is Generated by Midjourney

    Maintaining awareness of Google’s responses to public concerns and regulatory actions can help you stay ahead. Keep track of any changes in Google’s policies and practices related to their search algorithms and advertising.

    • Monitor Google’s Actions: By keeping an eye on Google and other major tech companies, you can better advocate for search neutrality.
    • Advocate for Change: Encourage efforts aimed at ensuring that search engines do not unfairly favor paid advertisers over organic, user-focused content.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can Search Results Be Manipulated on Google?

    Search results on Google can potentially be influenced through various means. This includes search engine optimization (SEO) techniques where websites employ specific strategies to rank higher in search results. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential for bias in Google’s algorithms, which some argue may favor certain types of content over others.

    What Measures Does Google Have to Ensure Truthfulness in Their Search Results?

    Google uses a variety of methods to verify the accuracy of information presented in search results. This includes algorithm updates, fact-checking partnerships with reputable organizations, and continuous refinement of their ranking criteria to reduce the spread of misinformation. 

    Has Google Been Known to Provide Inaccurate Historical Data?

    Instances of Google presenting incorrect historical information have been reported. These inaccuracies can stem from errors in the source data or limitations in Google’s algorithmic understanding. 

    Do Google’s Services Include Any Form of Espionage on Users?

    There have been concerns about Google’s data collection practices and their implications for user privacy. Google collects vast amounts of user data to improve service personalization and ad targeting. While there is no definitive proof of espionage, these practices have sparked debates over privacy and surveillance.

    Are There Ways to Detect Inaccuracies in Information Provided by Google?

    Detecting inaccuracies in Google search results involves cross-referencing information with multiple reputable sources. Users are encouraged to read critically, verify facts against authoritative publications, and use fact-checking websites. Additionally, Google’s transparency report provides insights into how they handle requests for information removal, offering some level of oversight.

    How Does Google Ensure the Reliability of The Information It Provides?

    Google invests heavily in artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the reliability of search results. This includes updates to their core search algorithms and collaborations with industry experts to improve content quality. The goal is to prioritize high-quality, authoritative sources in search results, though this system is not foolproof and continues to evolve to better address misinformation.

    Final Thoughts

    Does Google Lie?

    While Google does not actively manipulate its biases, these biases favor websites with high-quality content and strong user experience. The steps highlighted above, such as creating superior content and advocating for transparent advertising practices, are effective strategies for aligning with Google’s preferences.

    These methods can lead to a better chance of your content being favored by Google’s algorithms, thereby improving your website’s visibility and reach.

    [ad_2]

    Srdjan Ilic

    Source link

  • Is Google Lying To Us? Google’s Algorithm Secrets Revealed – Southwest Journal

    Is Google Lying To Us? Google’s Algorithm Secrets Revealed – Southwest Journal

    [ad_1]

    Google has been accused of bias in its search algorithms. Recently, CEO Sundar Pichai was called to Congress to address these allegations.

    Conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, have claimed that Google and other tech platforms favor left-leaning views.

    Trump tweeted in March 2019 that Google, Facebook, and Twitter support the Radical Left Democrats.

    Other users have also reported potential biases impacting their websites.

    Concerns include Google possibly penalizing their sites or favoring competitors with better user experience practices.

    This raises the question: Is Google impartial in its algorithmic treatment of different viewpoints?

    What Makes Google Biased?

    What Makes Google Biased

    Google’s operations cannot be considered entirely neutral due to the inherent value judgments they must make regarding search engine results pages (SERPs). One significant bias is against thin content and anything potentially harmful to users as per Gotch SEO.

    Google prioritizes content that meets users’ needs effectively, and if a website fails in this aspect, its rankings will suffer. This bias is favorable as it promotes high-quality content that benefits users.

    Another aspect of Google’s bias stems from its dual role as a search engine and an advertising platform. Google’s primary goal is to serve users to maintain its position as the leading search engine. However, it also seeks to monetize this user traffic through its advertising services. This duality results in a bias towards the interests of paid advertisers.

    In early 2020, Google made a change to how paid search results were displayed. Paid search results were placed at the top of the SERPs, making them nearly indistinguishable from organic results. This change underscored the importance of businesses utilizing effective tools to navigate the evolving landscape of search engine results.

    The new ‘Ad’ label introduced by Google closely resembled a favicon, making it harder for users to differentiate between paid and organic results. This modification faced significant backlash, and Google eventually reversed the change. However, the intent behind the adjustment highlighted Google’s tendency to prioritize paid advertisers’ interests over those of users and organic search results.

    Aspect Description
    Content Bias Prefers high-quality, user-friendly content over thin or harmful content.
    Advertising Bias Places interests of paid advertisers above organic search results.

    Moreover, the necessity for Google to monetize its services is clear. The search engine’s strategy to accommodate paid advertisers indicates how businesses must adapt. Utilizing membership management software and other tools becomes crucial for businesses navigating these biases.

    Strategic Steps to Navigate Google’s Bias

    A Man Navigating Google's Bias on His LaptopA Man Navigating Google's Bias on His Laptop
    This Image Is Generated by Midjourney

    Google’s preference for high-quality content that benefits users highlights the importance of focusing on valuable and relevant information. Here are some steps to effectively navigate this landscape:

    1. Create User-Centric Content: Developing content that addresses user needs and questions can enhance visibility in search results. Emphasize authenticity and usefulness. 
    2. Engage in Ethical Link-Building: Establishing reputable and organic link-building efforts can significantly boost your content’s standing. Avoid engaging in black-hat SEO techniques that can harm your site’s reputation. 
    3. Adopt a Balanced Paid Advertising Strategy: While pursuing organic reach, remain aware of Google’s alignment with advertisers. Leverage paid advertising judiciously to complement your overall strategy. 
    4. Monitor Industry Actions and Legal Proceedings: Stay informed about ongoing legal issues involving Google, such as allegations of market consolidation. This awareness helps you understand potential shifts in the landscape. 
    5. Advocate for Search Neutrality: Encourage transparent practices by tech giants. Actively engaging in discussions about search neutrality can help maintain a fair online environment. 
    6. Analyze and Adapt to Algorithm Changes: Regularly review updates to Google’s algorithms and adjust your strategies accordingly. This proactive approach ensures ongoing alignment with search engine preferences.

    4 Ways to Boost Page Ranking!

    1. Review Your Page Performance

    Man Reviewing His Page Performance on a LaptopMan Reviewing His Page Performance on a Laptop
    This Image Is Generated by Midjourney

    To create a successful SEO strategy, it’s important to address existing issues or concerns first. Conducting a thorough page audit helps identify areas that need attention.

    • Domain: Ensure your domain is relevant to your products and services.
    • Page Factors: Assess critical elements such as page loading time, a significant factor in Google’s ranking criteria.
    • Content: Evaluate the length and accuracy of your content, both crucial for high rankings.

    Analyzing these factors helps understand your current standing and guides the creation of an effective improvement plan.

    Additionally, staying updated with SEO trends for 2024, such as the increased importance of AI-driven search algorithms, can provide a competitive edge.

    2. Create Excellent Content

    High-quality content significantly impacts Google search rankings and helps attract and convert leads.

    • Keywords: Choose relevant keywords that align with what your target audience typically searches for. Utilize SEO tools to find effective keywords with low competition.
    • Relevant Information: Ensure your content is accurate, timely, and provides valuable solutions without being forced or overly promotional.

    Well-crafted content that meets these criteria can significantly boost your page ranking.

    3. Improve User Experience


    User experience is defined by how visitors perceive their interaction with your website. Several factors contribute to a positive user experience:

    • Page Loading Time: Optimize loading times by sizing images appropriately, reducing user frustration.
    • Navigation: Simplify navigation to make elements easily accessible, preventing visitors from leaving your site.
    • Mobile Responsiveness: Adapt your website for mobile devices, considering different screen sizes and layouts.

    Enhancing these elements can keep visitors engaged and improve your rankings.

    4. Continuously Update Content

    In the fast-evolving digital world, regularly updating content ensures it stays accurate and relevant. This practice prevents the spread of outdated information and helps identify opportunities for improvement.

    Keeping your content fresh and current can significantly enhance your website’s appeal and overall ranking. Regular updates also align with how search engines prefer frequently refreshed information.

    4 Steps to Take Now that You Recognize Google’s Bias

    1. Develop a Quality Content Strategy

    Man Working on a Quality Content StrategyMan Working on a Quality Content Strategy
    This Image Is Generated by Midjourney

    Google’s preference for high-quality, user-focused content means that developing a robust content strategy is essential. This includes:

    • Creating Relevant and Valuable Content: Focus on producing articles, blogs, and other materials that provide genuine value to the reader.
    • Enhancing User Experience: Ensure that your website is easy to navigate and user-friendly, as Google favors sites that offer a good user experience.
    • Building Links: Link building remains crucial. Quality backlinks from reputable sources can significantly enhance your site’s visibility in search results.

    2. Promote Transparency in Advertising

    Given Google’s bias towards its paid advertisers, it’s important to advocate for transparency in advertising practices. This involves:

    • Monitoring Legal Developments: Stay informed about ongoing legal proceedings, such as the lawsuit alleging Google’s collusion with Facebook to dominate the online advertising market.
    • Advocating for Fair Practices: Support initiatives that push for transparency and fairness in how ads are displayed and ranked on Google.

    3. Stay Informed and Proactive

    Man Staying Informed About Google's Actions While Working on a LaptopMan Staying Informed About Google's Actions While Working on a Laptop
    This Image Is Generated by Midjourney

    Maintaining awareness of Google’s responses to public concerns and regulatory actions can help you stay ahead. Keep track of any changes in Google’s policies and practices related to their search algorithms and advertising.

    • Monitor Google’s Actions: By keeping an eye on Google and other major tech companies, you can better advocate for search neutrality.
    • Advocate for Change: Encourage efforts aimed at ensuring that search engines do not unfairly favor paid advertisers over organic, user-focused content.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can Search Results Be Manipulated on Google?

    Search results on Google can potentially be influenced through various means. This includes search engine optimization (SEO) techniques where websites employ specific strategies to rank higher in search results. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential for bias in Google’s algorithms, which some argue may favor certain types of content over others.

    What Measures Does Google Have to Ensure Truthfulness in Their Search Results?

    Google uses a variety of methods to verify the accuracy of information presented in search results. This includes algorithm updates, fact-checking partnerships with reputable organizations, and continuous refinement of their ranking criteria to reduce the spread of misinformation. 

    Has Google Been Known to Provide Inaccurate Historical Data?

    Instances of Google presenting incorrect historical information have been reported. These inaccuracies can stem from errors in the source data or limitations in Google’s algorithmic understanding. 

    Do Google’s Services Include Any Form of Espionage on Users?

    There have been concerns about Google’s data collection practices and their implications for user privacy. Google collects vast amounts of user data to improve service personalization and ad targeting. While there is no definitive proof of espionage, these practices have sparked debates over privacy and surveillance.

    Are There Ways to Detect Inaccuracies in Information Provided by Google?

    Detecting inaccuracies in Google search results involves cross-referencing information with multiple reputable sources. Users are encouraged to read critically, verify facts against authoritative publications, and use fact-checking websites. Additionally, Google’s transparency report provides insights into how they handle requests for information removal, offering some level of oversight.

    How Does Google Ensure the Reliability of The Information It Provides?

    Google invests heavily in artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance the reliability of search results. This includes updates to their core search algorithms and collaborations with industry experts to improve content quality. The goal is to prioritize high-quality, authoritative sources in search results, though this system is not foolproof and continues to evolve to better address misinformation.

    Final Thoughts

    Does Google Lie?

    While Google does not actively manipulate its biases, these biases favor websites with high-quality content and strong user experience. The steps highlighted above, such as creating superior content and advocating for transparent advertising practices, are effective strategies for aligning with Google’s preferences.

    These methods can lead to a better chance of your content being favored by Google’s algorithms, thereby improving your website’s visibility and reach.

    [ad_2]

    Srdjan Ilic

    Source link

  • 5 SEO Techniques to Help Your SaaS Business Rank in 2024 | Entrepreneur

    5 SEO Techniques to Help Your SaaS Business Rank in 2024 | Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Software as a service (SaaS) is a booming industry full of potential and innovation. However, many SaaS businesses rely heavily on paid advertising for lead generation and customer acquisition, often overlooking the incredible power of organic traffic. This leads to high customer acquisition costs, which slows down business growth.

    Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages. Investing in SEO can drive sustainable organic traffic, reduce acquisition costs and attract highly qualified buyers ready to book demos.

    In this article, I discuss five essential SaaS SEO techniques to help you rank higher, increase the number of organic website visitors and drive more conversions in 2024.

    Related: 3 Powerful SEO Techniques That Will Boost Your Website’s Search Engine Ranking

    1. Do in-depth keyword research

    In-depth keyword research helps you identify the specific terms your potential customers use to find software solutions like yours. For SaaS businesses, the main focus of keyword research should be on your target audience’s needs and more specifically, long-tail keywords.

    For example, if you offer time management software, your first instinct would be to target keywords like “time management software.” However, websites that rank well for this keyword are well-established and have great authority, so climbing to the first spot on Google would take forever.

    Instead, you should focus on more specific, long-tail keywords. In this case:

    • “Time management software for freelancers”

    • “Affordable time management software for startups”

    • “Time management apps with project tracking”

    • “Best time tracking tools for remote teams”

    Long-tail keywords typically have higher buyer intent because they are specific, indicating that the person has a clearer idea of what they are looking for. Targeting keywords with clearer user intent and less competition makes it easier to rank, as well as to attract and convert leads looking for specific features or benefits that align with your SaaS offering.

    2. Maintain high content velocity

    Publishing one blog post per week is not enough to remain relevant in the SaaS industry. To stay ahead of the competition, you should increase your content velocity and publish as much high-quality content as possible.

    Producing more relevant and informative content in your niche signals to search engines that your website is a credible source of information. This boosts your topical authority and user trust, which is especially crucial for small business SEO.

    Increasing your content velocity also provides more opportunities to include various keywords, which boosts your chances of ranking high for more search terms.

    To effectively increase your content velocity and stay competitive in the SaaS industry, consider creating a variety of content types that cater to different aspects of your audience’s needs and interests. That includes:

    3. Create product-led SEO pages

    Product-led SEO pages focus specifically on your products, which is highly effective for attracting qualified leads who are more likely to convert into customers.

    The most common examples of product-led SEO pages are:

    • Comparison pages: Create detailed comparison pages like [Competitor product] vs. [Your product] to highlight your product’s unique features, benefits and advantages over the competition.

    • Competitor comparisons: Generate pages that compare multiple competitors, such as [Competitor product] vs. [Competitor product]. This positions your brand as a knowledgeable authority in the space and can help potential customers understand what the industry has to offer.

    • Best-of lists: Create lists like “X Best [Your Niche] Tools in 2024” and include your product to establish it as a top option.

    • Niche-specific landing pages: Optimize landing pages for specific keywords, such as “time management software for freelancers.” These pages should be rich with information about your product, including features, benefits, testimonials and calls to action.

    Related: 6 Ecommerce SEO Tips to Help You Rank on Google

    4. Build high-quality backlinks

    There are more than 9,000 SaaS companies in the U.S. with around 15 billion active users across the world. The SaaS industry is more competitive than ever, and most businesses use SEO to attract more customers.

    Building high-quality backlinks to your product pages and blog posts is an SEO technique that helps improve your search engine rankings and domain authority to get an edge over the competition.

    Some of the ways you can build backlinks include:

    • Guest posting on relevant industry blogs

    • Claiming unlinked brand mentions

    • Producing high-quality content like infographics and whitepapers to attract backlinks

    • Collaborating with other companies and influencers to create mutually beneficial content that includes backlinks

    If you want your link building to work, though, you need to also focus on quality and relevance. The best approach is to acquire backlinks from established websites in your industry because they contribute more to your SEO results. Backlinks from reputable websites signal to Google that your content is trustworthy and authoritative.

    For a SaaS company, you want backlinks from technology blogs, industry publications and authoritative websites in the software niche.

    5. Develop strong internal linking

    Internal links are hyperlinks that point to other pages on your website. They help Google understand the structure of your site, the hierarchy of your pages and the importance of specific content.

    Strong internal linking can improve your website’s SEO by making it easier for search engines to crawl and index your pages, which in turn can boost your rankings.

    Include as many relevant internal links as possible with every article you write. To find all relevant pages, go to Google and type: “site:yourwebsite.com [relevant keyword].”

    The best SEO tip is to use descriptive anchor text to provide context about the linked page’s content. For example, if you’re writing an article about “time management software for freelancers” and want to link to another article talking about best tools for remote workers, you can use the anchor text “best time tracking tools for remote teams.”

    Lastly, you should regularly update older posts with new internal links to keep the SEO content fresh and improve relevance.

    Focusing on the right SEO strategies can help you reduce customer acquisition costs and attract more organic traffic to your SaaS website.

    The best approach is to:

    • Conduct in-depth keyword research

    • Maintain high content velocity

    • Create quality product-led SEO pages

    • Build high-quality backlinks

    • Develop strong internal linking

    Try these techniques to improve your rankings, drive more qualified leads, boost conversions and get better SEO results this year.

    Related: 5 Common SEO Mistakes That Are Hurting Your Rankings

    [ad_2]

    Nick Zviadadze

    Source link

  • This Google Update Could Be Tanking Your Traffic. Follow These Steps to Boost Your Page Views and Revenue Now. | Entrepreneur

    This Google Update Could Be Tanking Your Traffic. Follow These Steps to Boost Your Page Views and Revenue Now. | Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Google’s March 2024 Core Update was a seismic event for blogs and website owners relying on organic search traffic. This significant algorithm change targeted low-quality content and AI-generated spam, leading to the deindexing of hundreds of websites in its early stages. The consequences were that severely affected sites lost valuable organic traffic and advertising revenue overnight.

    The update aligned with findings from an Originality AI study, which revealed a high prevalence of AI-generated content among the deindexed websites. 50% of impacted sites had 90-100% of their posts generated by AI.

    This crackdown demonstrates Google’s commitment to enhancing search result quality and combating manipulative tactics like AI content spam. But it also raises an important question: How can website owners increase organic traffic significantly in this new reality?

    Related: The Rules of SEO Are Changing — Here Are 5 Powerful Strategies to Help You Rank in 2024

    Strategies for increasing organic traffic in 2024

    In the wake of the March 2024 Core Update, website owners must adapt their strategies to regain lost ground and significantly increase organic traffic. Here are some key focus areas:

    1. Perform a comprehensive content audit

    The first step is thoroughly analyzing your content. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify:

    • Articles performing well but not ranking in the top search results (prioritize these)
    • Content that has stopped performing after the update
    • Underperforming content that has never ranked well

    You can strategically allocate your optimization efforts by understanding which content assets are working and which need improvement.

    2. Focus on your best-performing content that hasn’t yet ranked #1 in searches

    Double down on your strengths to increase organic traffic rapidly. Find high-volume, low-competition keywords with a difficulty score of less than 10 that rank between 2 and 8. These are more likely to get that coveted highlight in the rich snippet position.

    Related: The Rules of SEO Are Changing — Here Are 5 Powerful Strategies to Help You Rank in 2024

    3. Optimize for featured snippets

    The highlighted results at “position zero” above the primary organic listings are known as featured snippets. There are four primary categories of them:

    • Paragraph snippets
    • List snippets
    • Table snippets
    • Video snippets

    4. To improve the ranking of your website and attract more highlighted snippets, it is essential to adhere to current SEO best practices:

    • Understanding the query’s intent and matching the snippet format.
    • Defining your topic succinctly in two to three sentences for paragraph snippets.
    • Using objective, fact-based language and avoiding personal pronouns.
    • Structuring content logically with proper heading tags.
    • Writing simply and using language your audience understands.

    Above all, prioritize providing a superior user experience over basic keyword optimization.

    Google’s stance on AI-generated content

    While Google has not explicitly banned AI-generated content, the message is clear: quality, originality and user value are paramount. AI should be leveraged as a supportive tool, not replacing human expertise and creativity.

    Matt G. Southern of Search Engine Journal aptly says, “Google is not waging a war against AI; the battle is against mediocrity.” The responsible use of AI as a content creation aid is acceptable. Still, it must be coupled with human insight, editing and a commitment to providing genuinely valuable information to users. AI should be leveraged as a supportive tool, not replacing human expertise and creativity.

    Related:

    The intelligent use of AI

    While the update penalized sites for over-relying on AI content, Google’s emphasis has always been on originality, depth and reader value. The ethical use of AI as a research aid and writing co-pilot is acceptable as long as human editing ensures unique, high-quality content.

    The future is E-E-A-T moving forward — Google’s prioritization of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) will be essential. Establish your topical authority by:

    • Citing reputable sources.
    • Showcasing author expertise prominently.
    • Providing accurate, trustworthy information.
    • Ensuring an optimal user experience through intelligent design.

    Websites solely focused on keyword optimization rather than holistic quality signals will increasingly be left behind.

    The March 2024 Core Update ushered in a new era of search where quality, originality, and authority reign supreme. You can significantly increase organic traffic in this new landscape by auditing your content, capitalizing on your strengths, and adhering to E-E-A-T principles. The path ahead requires a steadfast commitment to creating an exceptional user experience through genuinely valuable content.

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    Ekaterina Ovodova

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  • Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals Why. | Entrepreneur

    Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals Why. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Have you ever wondered why some businesses consistently top search engine results? It’s often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

    As a technical SEO expert with over two decades of experience in website development and digital marketing, I’ve seen firsthand how AI is revolutionizing the SEO landscape, making it more efficient and targeted.

    AI in SEO is like a super-sleuth assistant, effortlessly analyzing mountains of data to uncover trends and insights, leading to smarter, more impactful SEO strategies.

    Transforming keyword research

    Gone are the days of manually sifting through keywords. AI transforms this process, delving deep into data to reveal not just popular keywords but also niche phrases and emerging trends. It goes beyond just picking keywords — it’s like getting into your audience’s heads and really understanding their needs and wants.

    Making AI work for you in keyword optimization

    Ever wonder how AI can work wonders for your SEO? It all starts with choosing the right AI tool—think of it as finding a savvy partner in your SEO journey.

    Choosing the right tool

    You need an AI-driven keyword tool that matches your business’s unique needs and brings a set of skills that can truly make a difference. Think of it as finding a tool that speaks your language and understands your goals.

    Look for a comprehensive data analysis tool. It should dive deep into the sea of data and surface with valuable insights. Consider SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, which are like the seasoned guides of the SEO world.

    They can predict trends and provide insights into what your audience is actually searching for. It’s not just about having a lot of data; it’s about having the right data that can tell you about user intent and future search trends.

    This way, you’re not just shooting arrows in the dark but strategically aiming based on informed predictions.

    Understand user intent

    Diving into the world of user intent is a bit like being a mind reader. It’s all about understanding why someone typed a query into a search engine.

    Is it to buy something? To learn? To find a specific website? Or to have a question answered? AI tools are here to help you crack this code. For example, when you use a tool like MarketMuse or Clearscope, it’s like having a conversation with your audience without them saying a word. These tools analyze search queries and give you insights into what your audience really wants from their search.

    Now, imagine you run an online gardening store. AI might reveal that a significant portion of your audience searches for “how to care for indoor plants.” This is a clear signal to focus on informational content, perhaps a blog post or a how-to guide, rather than just pushing product pages. Conversely, if you notice a high volume of searches like “buy indoor plant fertilizer,” that’s a transactional intent where your product pages should take center stage. But here’s a twist: not all traffic is beneficial.

    Suppose your AI tool shows a surge in queries like “free indoor plants.” This traffic might not be valuable if your goal is to boost sales, as these users are likely looking for giveaways or contests, not to make a purchase. In this scenario, understanding user intent helps you refine your SEO strategy to attract the right kind of traffic — the kind that aligns with your business goals and converts.

    Stay agile

    Embracing AI in your SEO strategy is a bit like surfing. You need to stay agile and ready to ride the waves of change as they come. AI tools are fantastic at providing real-time data, offering a snapshot of what’s happening right now. It’s like having a weather forecast for your SEO strategy. Just as a surfer would check the weather and wave conditions, using AI tools allows you to monitor current trends, search patterns and changes in user behavior.

    Let’s say you run a fitness website and notice a sudden spike in searches for “home workout routines” due to an unexpected event, like a lockdown. This real-time data is your cue to quickly pivot and focus on creating content that matches this emerging interest. Perhaps you could introduce a new blog series or video content around home workouts. But here’s where agility really counts: not every trend or surge in searches is worth pursuing.

    It’s about discerning which waves are worth riding. If a trending topic doesn’t align with your brand or offers little potential for conversion, it may not be beneficial to chase it. The agility afforded by AI isn’t just about quick reactions; it’s also about making smart, strategic decisions based on real-time insights.

    Merge AI insights with your content strategy

    Incorporating AI insights into your content strategy is like having a seasoned chef in your kitchen — one who knows exactly what your guests crave. It’s about blending the science of data with the art of content creation.

    AI tools do more than gather data; they offer insights that can shape your content strategy, ensuring it’s not only rich with the right keywords but also resonates deeply with your audience. For instance, imagine you’re running a travel blog. AI might reveal that your audience is increasingly searching for “sustainable travel tips.” This insight is a goldmine.

    It guides you to create content focused on eco-friendly travel, perhaps a series of articles or an in-depth guide on the topic. This targeted approach ensures your content is not just relevant but also highly engaging and likely to attract the right kind of traffic — people genuinely interested in sustainable travel.

    However, it’s important to remember that AI is a tool, not a magic wand. It provides the map, but you need to embark on the journey. While AI can suggest topics and keywords based on trends and user intent, the creativity in how you present this content — the unique voice, the compelling storytelling is up to you. This is where your understanding of your audience’s preferences, combined with your brand’s unique perspective, comes into play.

    Related: How Does AI Writing Impact Your SEO? Here’s What You Need to Know.

    Merging AI insights with your content strategy enables you to create content that’s not only optimized for search engines but also genuinely valuable and engaging for your audience. It’s about striking that perfect balance between data-driven precision and creative flair.

    Conclusion

    Integrating AI into your SEO strategy, particularly for keyword optimization, isn’t just a nice to have; it’s becoming essential in a digital world where staying ahead of the curve means understanding and leveraging the latest technologies. By embracing AI, you’re not just optimizing your SEO efforts — you’re setting your business up for smarter, more successful online engagement.

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    Ludwig Makhyan

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  • Is Your Website's Traffic Plummeting? Stop Making This Toxic SEO Mistake — And Do This Instead. | Entrepreneur

    Is Your Website's Traffic Plummeting? Stop Making This Toxic SEO Mistake — And Do This Instead. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Have you noticed your site’s organic traffic has plummeted over the past few years? This may have been caused by evidence of spammy link-building practices finding their way into your SEO work.

    Google’s link spam update was rolled out in December 2022, supported by the AI algorithm SpamBrain. This update is intended to combat spam and improve the browsing experience for anyone using the search engine. Successful marketers need to be aware of its effects to maintain a squeaky-clean backlink profile that helps, rather than hurts, their site’s organic visibility.

    In this post, I’ll take a closer look at what SpamBrain is, its effects on SEO and three of the most effective strategies for aligning your link-building strategy with this element of Google’s ranking algorithm.

    Related: How to Shake Up a Stale Link-Building Strategy

    What is SpamBrain?

    SpamBrain is an AI-based algorithm made by Google to identify poor-quality spam content and make it less visible in Google search results. Though it was first launched in 2018, Google only acknowledged it publicly as part of the company’s 2021 Webspam Report, suggesting that it’s become a larger part of Google’s ranking system over time.

    Google’s 2022 link spam update was rolled out to identify and neutralize backlinks that come from low-quality, spammy sources, preventing webmasters from artificially inflating their rankings.

    What does SpamBrain mean for SEO and marketers?

    The link spam roll-out caused a lot of websites’ rankings to plummet. These were websites with backlink profiles characterized by spammy link-building practices that Google has consistently warned against, including:

    • Buying links to artificially inflate a website’s rankings.
    • Excessive link exchanges between one website and another.
    • Using spammy, low-quality directories and “link farms” that provide no value to the end user.
    • Link building through forum comments with spammy, over-optimized anchor text.
    • Excessive distribution of links in widgets, footers, etc.
    • Using automation to generate links with no concern about relevance or context.

    If you noticed a drop in rankings or organic traffic following the December update, it’s possible this was caused by evidence of spammy link-building practices that have made it into your backlink profile.

    As Google’s algorithm updates become more focused on delivering the best possible user experience and more adept at identifying backlinks that go against its policies, it’s essential for SEOs and webmasters to consciously build links that avoid spammy practices and run a tight ship when reviewing the state of their link profiles.

    Related: 19 Sure-Fire Subject Line Formulas for Link-Building Emails

    Three link-building strategies to avoid being penalized by SpamBrain

    Now that you have an understanding of what SpamBrain is and its function in Google’s algorithm, here are three crucial link-building strategies you can use to maintain a healthy backlink profile, maximize the value of your link-building campaigns, and avoid getting penalized by Google’s link spam policies.

    1. Regularly audit your backlink profile

    It can be easy to let backlink profile audits fall by the wayside as part of your routine SEO work, especially if you’ve been investing in organic marketing for some time and your backlink profile is already large and diverse. However, this is an essential step towards ensuring your campaigns operate within Google’s policies and not putting your rankings at risk of penalization.

    Block off some regular time in your calendar to analyze your site’s backlinks, checking for any signs of poor-quality, spammy links that can be flagged for removal. This should include links with low-quality or irrelevant referring domains or those that use unnatural, over-optimized anchor texts. While using Google’s disavow tool will ensure that spammy referring domains won’t affect your rankings in the future, it’s important to exercise caution before entering a huge list of domains for disavowal.

    Occasionally, you might come across a link with spammy or irrelevant anchor text resulting from poor-quality past SEO work but it exists on a quality domain that could be a major asset to your SEO. In these cases, it’s better to disavow specific referring pages or ask webmasters to remove the links manually.

    2. Review link-building practices

    To ensure that you’re not going to be affected by link spam in the future, it’s a good idea to set clear link-building policies that you or your staff can follow when executing a link-building campaign. This will ensure new backlinks meet a certain quality threshold and don’t run the risk of creating a spammy backlink profile.

    Some of the things you might want to set policies about for a robust link-building SOP include:

    • Minimum domain authority.
    • Pointers for ensuring your content is relevant, high-quality, and authoritative in line with Google’s EEAT guidelines.
    • Approved anchor text.
    • Strategies and examples for framing backlinks in the content.

    By going into each link-building campaign with a set of firm anti-spam policies, you’ll eliminate the risk of spammy practices being flagged by Google as you build your backlink profile.

    Related: How To Maximize the Number of Linkable Assets on Your Website

    3. Commit to high-quality content

    Remember that the ultimate aim of SpamBrain and every Google algorithm update is to improve the experience for anyone who uses Google. They want to keep their users loyal, which means serving up the content that’s most relevant to their search queries.

    One of the most effective things you can do to ensure your link-building stays on the right side of Google’s spam policies is to keep an ironclad commitment to high-quality content. This is important for your linkable assets and the content that will serve as referring URLs in your campaigns.

    This means creating content that provides tangible value to its target audience, demonstrates a high level of expertise in the subject matter, and is written for a human audience rather than in a style that’s intended to artificially “game” a search algorithm.

    Though it’s not always easy, maintaining a high content standard in all aspects of your link building will prevent spammy practices from seeping into your backlink profile and will set you up for future success with Google’s user-focused algorithms.

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    Jeff Peroutka

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  • 5 Tips for Creating SEO Content That Ranks | Entrepreneur

    5 Tips for Creating SEO Content That Ranks | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    If you want to rank well on Google and drive organic traffic, it’s essential to know how to create content that’s optimized for search engines (SEO content).

    SEO-friendly content is fundamentally different from conventional content, which means there are some caveats you need to consider if you want your blog posts to rank.

    In this article, I will give you five practical SEO tips for creating content that ranks.

    Why is SEO content important?

    Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important because it can place you on the top of search engine result pages, improving your online visibility and driving more organic traffic to your website.

    To do that, you need to create content that’s engaging and valuable to humans and also optimized for search engines. It’s the only way to land on the first page of Google and attract the right audience you can later convert to customers.

    Here’s how you can create quality SEO content:

    Related: 5 Simple SEO Strategies to Improve Your Rankings

    1. Write with a keyword in mind

    Before you start writing, you need to pick a keyword your audience looks up on search engines. You can use a keyword research tool to find relevant keywords with a good balance of search volume, relevance and competition.

    After you select a keyword, type it into Google and read content that ranks for it. Analyze these top-ranking articles, reverse engineer their structure, identify common themes, and learn why Google views them as valuable.

    Then, use these insights to craft your article around the target keyword. This method ensures your content aligns with search intent and has a better chance of ranking high on search engines.

    Writing an article first and attempting to fit a keyword afterward is a common SEO mistake. But it’s like fitting a square peg into a round hole — it just won’t work.

    2. Write for robots and humans

    Creating SEO content is all about striking a delicate balance between writing for search engines and your target audience.

    Writing for robots means strategically incorporating relevant keywords throughout the text, optimizing meta titles and descriptions, and using header tags. These and other SEO strategies help search engines understand the context of your content, improving its chances of ranking.

    While writing for robots is crucial, Google’s primary goal is to deliver valuable content to human readers. That’s why you also need to craft engaging and helpful content that matches the search intent of your audience.

    One important tip is to structure your SEO content to improve readability. That’s because users mostly scan articles instead of reading every word. You need to write engaging subheadings, bullet points and short paragraphs to help the readers quickly find the information they’re looking for.

    3. Start with a content outline

    Creating a coherent article without a proper outline can be challenging, even if you’re an expert. That’s why having a content outline to guide you can help with the article’s flow and prevent content overlap or repetition between different sections, improving the quality of your content.

    An outline helps the writer know exactly what information they need to provide to meet the search intent, creating a more straightforward writing process. This ensures a well-organized article that conveys all the necessary information.

    Creating an outline doesn’t need to be complicated. You can just Google your main keyword and analyze the structure of top-ranking articles of your competitors. Use this information to create a winning outline, covering the most important points and your unique insights.

    Related: 3 Ways to Build Content Pillars That Will Boost Your Google Ranking

    4. Create high-quality content

    Today, Google is a lot smarter than it was in the early 2000s.

    Back then, you could get away with writing short-form, mediocre blog posts and still manage to rank and drive organic traffic.

    Today, however, unless your content is as high quality as possible, your chances of ranking are very slim.

    Here are some simple SEO techniques that can help you create better-quality content and improve your online visibility:

    • Focus on long-form content: Although Google has mentioned that word count isn’t a ranking factor, long-form articles tend to rank better. That’s because this type of content is more likely to satisfy search intent and tick all the right boxes with search engines and readers alike.

    • Outshine your competitors: Identify gaps in the existing content of your competitors and include additional explanations to provide more value to the readers.

    • Use simple language: Write in clear and simple language, avoiding jargon that may alienate readers. Make your content universally understandable to cater to a broader audience.

    • Include visual elements: Create a better user experience by including images or videos to improve engagement and understanding of your content.

    • Leverage compelling data: Use data, statistics and expert quotes to enhance the credibility of your article and position yourself as an authority.

    • Cite high-quality sources: Referencing reputable sources to back up your claims makes your content more trustworthy and provides additional resources for your readers.

    5. Focus on content velocity

    Content velocity refers to the frequency with which you publish new content. You want to increase your content velocity as much as possible to improve your authority and your chances of ranking high.

    Your content can’t rank if it isn’t published, so you need to establish a regular publishing schedule with as many articles as possible. If you don’t have the time to focus on this strategy, working with an SEO agency can help you increase content velocity.

    Publishing content regularly signals search engines that your website is active and authoritative. However, it’s essential to find the right balance — while quantity is important, you should never sacrifice quality for quantity, because your content simply won’t rank if it’s bad.

    Related: The Best Way to Get More Results From Your Content

    SEO content is important because it helps search engines understand what your website is about. By optimizing your content for search engines, you increase the chances of ranking high.

    You can create better SEO content by starting with a content outline, writing with a keyword in mind, writing for robots and humans, focusing on quality, and increasing content velocity.

    Use these five tips to take your SEO content to the next level and start ranking high on Google.

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    Nick Zviadadze

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  • 10 Powerful Link-Building Tactics for Boosting Your Website's SEO | Entrepreneur

    10 Powerful Link-Building Tactics for Boosting Your Website's SEO | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Link building is an essential cornerstone of any solid SEO strategy, and with Google’s continued trend towards machine learning in its algorithms and rewarding sites that display relevance, quality, and authority, building a healthy link profile is harder than ever.

    In this post, we’ll look at 10 of the most powerful link-building tactics you can use to build a quality backlink profile and start climbing your target SERPs.

    Related: Why Is Link Building So Controversial?

    Guest blogging

    Guest blogging is the classic go-to for link-building tactics for one simple reason: it works!

    This tactic involves contacting blogs and online news sources in your niche and pitching the site owners’ content outlines. If they accept and like your content, you can link back to your target website either as part of an author bio or within the body of the content.

    There are a few better ways to ensure your backlink’s referring page has the kind of topical relevance that Google loves to see. It’s also a great way of demonstrating your expertise to your target audience in the process. Just be sure to cast a wide net with your blog outreach, and don’t just stick to sites that explicitly call for submissions.

    Leverage your existing network

    Leveraging your existing network is one of the easiest link-building tactics out there, yet it’s unfortunately neglected by many SEOs.

    If you’ve spent a long time in your industry, you’ve likely built a rich network of ex-colleagues, partners or other contacts. These people may be able to authorize organic dofollow backlinks on their site and will already be familiar with your level of expertise in a particular topic.

    Ask around and see if your network can throw some relevant links your way.

    Register on business directories

    Directories are a controversial subject in the modern SEO community. However, considering how cheap and easy it is to acquire these kinds of links, there’s very little downside to finding directories with a clear relation to your niche and getting listed with a link to your site.

    If you choose your referring domains wisely and look for a high degree of relevance for both the directory site as a whole and the businesses that are listed on it, you’ll be able to build a high volume of valuable links in a very short space of time.

    This can be a particularly useful link-building tactic for local brick-and-mortar businesses looking to optimize for localized keywords, such as “florists in Honolulu.”

    Related: 19 Sure-Fire Subject Line Formulas for Link-Building Emails

    Broken link building

    Another big one among low-cost, low-effort link-building tactics, broken link building is a great way to build links at scale for those embarking on a new SEO campaign.

    This tactic involves finding broken links (pointing to a dead page) on websites that have a topical relationship to your business and reaching out to webmasters, suggesting that they amend the link to point to one of your resources.

    The referring webmasters get to improve their user experience, and you get a powerful new link!

    Unlinked mentions

    Link-building through unlinked mentions is one of the more attractive link-building tactics because it doesn’t involve creating fresh external content to act as a referring page.

    In this strategy, you simply find mentions of your brand name on external sites, then reach out to the webmasters and ask them to link their mention of your business. As they’re already familiar with you and are happy to mention you as an authority in your industry, you’re likely to have a high success rate.

    Competitor link building

    Competitor link building involves analyzing your competitors’ backlink profiles to determine which kind of content is most likely to garner high-quality links within your topic focus.

    Using a backlinks analytics tool, you’ll be able to see whether your competitors get the lion’s share of their links to infographics, ultimate guides, tutorials or other kinds of content, and also discover the actual focus of the content.

    You can use this research to inform your own content calendar and maximize the chances of attracting quality, organic links from similar referring domains.

    Related: 6 Elements Your Link-Building Campaign Must Include

    Repurposing content

    Think about your site’s MVP — that one piece of content that gets a huge proportion of all the traffic and shares and has kept on proving its value long after it was first published.

    If it’s done well in its current format, it will likely see the same success in other formats, such as a video or infographic.

    Though it’s one of the higher-effort link-building tactics on this list, repurposing content can pay dividends by building on your stock of evergreen content and offering plenty of long-term value.

    Redirect links pointing to inferior content

    During your research for SEO drives, you’ve probably come across pieces of competitor content that have a ton of quality backlinks despite the content being fairly mediocre.

    If you’ve got a page on your site that you know blows a certain competitor out of the water, then you may be able to acquire new, powerful backlinks by reaching out to the referring domain authors and suggesting they link to your content instead.

    Considered one of the “gray hat” link-building tactics, redirecting competitor backlinks will not only help your visibility but could decrease your competitors’ in your target SERPs.

    Forum link building

    Forums and similar sites are often associated with spammy, low-quality link-building tactics. However, they can be fantastic referring domains for links to content and resources that are relevant to the conversation and useful to the site users participating in these communities.

    One of the best link-building tactics for sites with a rich library of authoritative content, this strategy involves looking for discussions about your business niche on sites like Reddit or Quora, offering some useful input, and linking to your content as a reference.

    Social media link building

    Social media can be a hugely effective tool in your link-building arsenal, enabling you to become a more visible authority and develop a strong network of content creators who are likely to cite you as an authority.

    Some of the most effective social media link-building tactics include using popular hashtags when sharing content to get your online assets in front of journalists and bloggers, following journalists in your niche to look for interview and citation opportunities, and actively participating in industry discussions to get your brand in front of potential linkers.

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    Jeff Peroutka

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  • 3 SEO Techniques to Help You Rank High on Search Engines | Entrepreneur

    3 SEO Techniques to Help You Rank High on Search Engines | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has been around for more than 25 years. The industry, however, has evolved a lot since its inception, and it seems like every year brings a major algorithm update that completely changes the game.

    Because of the dynamic nature of SEO, many online guides on the topic offer outdated advice. Strategies like keyword stuffing, link farming and writing exclusively for search engines simply don’t work anymore.

    In fact, they are likely to hurt your website’s ranking.

    And yet, SEO remains an invaluable tool for businesses to reach more customers, drive organic traffic and boost brand visibility. That’s why I wanted to share the three most important SEO strategies that can help you rank in 2023.

    Related: 5 Simple SEO Strategies to Improve Your Rankings

    What is SEO and why is it important?

    SEO is a comprehensive approach that combines multiple optimization strategies to improve your website’s visibility in search engines like Google. Whether it’s on-page SEO, off-site SEO or technical SEO, you need to be familiar with the latest practices to improve your website’s ranking.

    Today, SEO is not just an option — it’s a necessity that can help your business to:

    • Improve online visibility: SEO helps your website rank high on search engines, ensuring more potential customers see it.

    • Drive organic traffic: SEO brings visitors to your website, attracting customers who are genuinely interested in your content, products or services.

    • Boost user experience: SEO involves creating high-quality content, improving page loading speed, making your website mobile-friendly and taking advantage of other practices that can offer your website visitors an overall better experience.

    • Establish authority: SEO can make your website seem more authoritative. That’s because users tend to trust search engines to present them with the best possible content.

    3 SEO techniques that work in 2023

    As search engine algorithms continue to evolve, it’s important to stick to strategies that yield the best results. Here’s what you can do to rank better in 2023:

    1. Focus on content velocity:

    Content velocity is a strategy that emphasizes the importance of publishing a significant amount of content as quickly as possible. The idea behind this is that your content can’t rank if it doesn’t exist.

    Simply put, the more content you create, the more opportunities you have to rank for relevant keywords. This may sound like a basic principle, but most websites out there don’t adhere to it.

    Content velocity is important because the faster you publish content relevant to your niche, the faster Google will recognize your website as an authority.

    Although content velocity is vital for ranking high, you shouldn’t sacrifice quality for quantity. This means that every piece of content you create should provide value to your readers and align with user intent. Striking this delicate balance between quantity and quality can be challenging, but it’s definitely rewarding.

    When I start working with a client, I recommend creating a minimum of 20,000 to 30,000 words of new content monthly. By publishing content faster and incorporating relevant keywords, you can reach topical authority more quickly. Although Google doesn’t have a specific authority metric, a website with a small number of pages can rarely be considered an authority.

    That’s why content velocity is a great strategy to climb search engine rankings faster.

    Related: 5 Ways to Optimize Your Content for Better Google Rankings

    2. Do value-backed guest posting:

    Guest posting has been one of the most common ways to build backlinks over the years. However, reaching out to a website and pitching a guest post will most likely get an instant rejection.

    That’s because authoritative websites get hundreds of such requests, and when they do approve them, they usually receive content that adds no value to the reader. Nobody is interested in a 500-word uninspiring blog post that does little more than clutter the web with the same old information. Worse yet, these days, a lot of guest posters simply deliver AI-generated content that has zero originality.

    A more effective alternative is to offer a value-backed guest post that can benefit their website. For example, offering a 2,000-word article that is optimized around a keyword relevant to their business is a much better deal. That way, you actually deliver some value to the website owner. They get a long-form article that they would otherwise have to pay for, and you get a backlink in return. Win-win.

    3. Improve your writing processes with AI:

    AI is not good enough to replace human writers. However, it can help content writers significantly improve the writing process by increasing efficiency and productivity.

    To give you an example, AI tools like ChatGPT are great for quickly creating attention-grabbing headlines or intro sections following proven formulas. For example, instead of spending an hour coming up with an angle for an introduction following the AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action) formula, you can generate it in seconds with ChatGPT with a simple command like: “Create an introduction section for an article titled [Title]. Follow the AIDA copywriting formula.”

    You can also use AI to generate content outlines, come up with new keywords and personalize content to add a unique touch to your articles. For example, you can ask ChatGPT to create a pun, make a comparison or provide an example to emphasize a point, making your content more engaging and relatable.

    Related: 5 Essential SEO Strategies For Entrepreneurs to Boost Their Traffic

    SEO helps businesses improve online visibility, increase authority, boost organic traffic and enhance user experience. However, it’s important to say goodbye to outdated SEO strategies and embrace proven SEO techniques that help you rank in 2023.

    Focusing on content velocity, doing value-backed guest posting and improving your writing processes with AI are the things that can be the biggest game changers for your SEO strategy.

    Try them, and watch your SEO rankings improve.

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    Nick Zviadadze

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  • How to Boost Your Business’ Visibility and Beat the Competition | Entrepreneur

    How to Boost Your Business’ Visibility and Beat the Competition | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Boosting recognition in your local community is crucial for businesses, regardless of their size — after all, 46% of all searches on Google include local intent, according to one report. It not only helps build a loyal customer base but also presents an opportunity to tap into the immense value of nurturing a local audience.

    Over the years, there has been a significant surge — 500% — in local Google searches with keywords like “near me” and “buy now,” the same report said, and the popularity of “shop local” messaging during the pandemic indicates a strong desire among people to engage with businesses in their community.

    Let’s explore proven techniques and actionable tips to enhance business visibility in your community. By implementing these strategies, you will not only boost your brand recognition but also foster a loyal customer base that values your contributions to the community.

    Related: Struggling in Local Search? Here’s What Your Local SEO Strategy Needs to Compete

    Importance of boosting recognition in the community

    As a local business owner, boosting your visibility within the community is essential for long-term success. It goes beyond mere visibility; it establishes a strong foundation for long-term success. By actively engaging with the local community, businesses can build a loyal customer base and tap into the immense value of nurturing a local audience.

    When businesses actively collaborate with other local organizations and participate in community events, they create impactful partnerships and demonstrate their support for the neighborhood’s well-being. This not only strengthens their brand’s presence but also directly connects them with potential customers who value local businesses.

    Furthermore, fostering interactions through localized content on social media builds bonds among residents and encourages their patronage. By positioning your brand as deeply rooted in communal values, you enhance recognition and loyalty from those who matter most: locals.

    Focus on localized efforts

    Build relationships with local institutions and organizations to enhance your visibility within the community. This can involve sponsoring a youth sports team or volunteering at a charity event. By actively participating in these initiatives, you portray your business as invested in the well-being of its surrounding area.

    Sharing these engagements on social media also piques interest and fosters trust among members of the same community. Earning their loyalty through genuine involvement facilitates word-of-mouth marketing, increasing visibility while showcasing a commitment to communal welfare.

    Local searches result in purchases 28% of the time, highlighting the significant impact of boosting recognition in the community.

    Incorporate local SEO strategies to further enhance your visibility within the community. When you sponsor a youth sports team or volunteer at a charity event, it not only portrays your business as invested in the well-being of the surrounding area but also contributes to your local SEO efforts.

    Related: How Local SEO Works and Why It Matters for Small Businesses

    Improve Google ranking

    Improving your Google ranking directly boosts business visibility in your community. It increases online presence, establishes trust, aligns with local search intent, enhances community engagement and provides a competitive advantage. Prioritizing local SEO strategies helps connect with more local customers and establish your business as a top choice in the community.

    To accomplish this, businesses can leverage the power of AI SEO and AI-driven search engines. These advanced solutions allow businesses to tailor their website content and structure to enhance visibility both for search engines and users. Notably, AI-powered search engines such as Google Bard and Bing AI have emerged, capable of understanding user intent and delivering highly relevant search outcomes.

    Key optimization tactics include optimizing website speed, ensuring mobile-friendliness and optimizing Google Business Profiles. Incorporating relevant keywords, meta descriptions and alt text further augments search engine visibility. Data analysis drives informed decision-making and facilitates ongoing SEO enhancements.

    Leverage print marketing

    Harness the power of local newspapers, magazines and direct mail campaigns to reach potential customers offline. Print materials like flyers or brochures can effectively showcase your products or services while drawing attention at community events.

    Collaborate with other neighborhood businesses for joint promotional efforts that benefit all parties involved. Thoughtfully designed print advertisements highlight brand identity and complement online strategies in a comprehensive approach to building familiarity within your target market locally, fostering loyalty and trust among prospective clients residing nearby.

    Run geo-targeted digital ads

    Geo-targeted digital ads focus on local consumers by displaying your advertisements within a specific geographic area. Utilize platforms like Facebook and Google Ads to create hyper-localized content that appeals to individuals nearby.

    This targeted approach will enable you to connect with potential customers in the vicinity who are more likely to engage with your business, driving greater foot traffic and increasing overall brand awareness among those residing or working close to you.

    Related: 5 Ways to Optimize Local Search Results and Compete With the Big Guys

    Gather reviews from local customers

    Encourage reviews on popular platforms like Google, Yelp and Facebook. Positive testimonials from local clientele build trust with potential clients in your community. To garner more feedback, try offering incentives such as discounts or contest entries for submitting a review.

    Remember to respond: Thank reviewers for their thoughts and address any negative experiences constructively. Showcasing genuine appreciation towards customer opinions strengthens relationships and can improve your overall reputation within the area you serve, propelling business growth through word-of-mouth referrals.

    Boosting your business visibility in the community requires a comprehensive approach that incorporates both online and offline strategies. By prioritizing localized efforts, improving your Google ranking, leveraging print marketing, ensuring consistent branding, running geo-targeted digital ads and gathering reviews from local customers, you can enhance your visibility within your target community. Additionally, taking advantage of Google Maps and other local services can be beneficial.

    Investing time in creating a reputation worthy of recognition by people browsing online and those within the physical area itself sets the foundation for long-term success. By implementing these strategies and actively engaging with your local community, you’ll strengthen your brand’s presence and foster a loyal customer base that values your business’s contributions to the community.

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    Sonu Yadav

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  • Why Using AI to Write Content Won’t Help You Rank on Google | Entrepreneur

    Why Using AI to Write Content Won’t Help You Rank on Google | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    When it comes to navigating times of recent upheaval, few industries have had to navigate change as much as the world of search engine optimization. It’s been chaotic, to put it mildly.

    After surviving the seismic shifts of Google’s Helpful Content Update, rolled out in the fall of 2022, SEO professionals were caught up in the uproar ignited by OpenAI’s ChatGPT program in early 2023. By February, Google was issuing guidance regarding artificial intelligence-created content. Then, in March, it released its first core algorithm update of 2023, followed by a page experience adjustment in April and a significant reviews system update.

    May then arrived, and with it, the annual Google I/O developer conference; it was here that the Alphabet Co. announced the gradual rollout of a new update for its helpful content system. The update is designed to help the company take into account personal and expert points of view, integrating a high value placed on experience when it comes to its search results and rankings system.

    Suppose we step back and consider the myriad changes throughout 2022 and 2023; we sift through the haze of the “AI vs. Human” content creation debate. Clearing out all the confusion, we can hone in on core principles of “people-first content creation” moving forward.

    For a truly impactful user experience, designers must prioritize every part of Google’s E-E-A-T guidance: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. When paired with an effective page experience, quality content will satisfy the algorithm and, most importantly, the visitors.

    Related: Small Businesses Can and Should Consider Investing in AI Technology — With a Cautious Approach

    Google’s Helpful Content Update and the emphasis on people-first content

    In late 2022, Google completed its Helpful Content Update rollout, a major course adjustment designed to be a haymaker punch against a glut of SEO-first content. The goal was to better recognize and reward websites that prioritize people-first content.

    The company fights a relentless battle against content with little-to-no value, the meaningless content that clutters up the internet and endlessly frustrates web users searching for — you guessed it — truly helpful content. Google has long been committed to ensuring a quality user experience for everyone that uses its search engine, and rightly so. Website visitors deserve not just high-quality content but easy-to-find resources.

    The company’s Q2 2023 core update in March carried intentions similar to the initial Helpful Content Update. The company explained, “The changes are about improving how our systems assess content overall.”

    First announced in May, the new wave of changes is driven by the same motivation. In addition to a new “Perspectives” filter designed to highlight the relevant experiences of others in search results, the gradual update also aims to find the “hidden gems” often lost in “unexpected or hard-to-find places.”

    Quality content matters, whether from AI or human effort

    In February 2023, Google clarified its position on AI-generated content, clearing up the confusion that had been brewing. The company prioritizes high-quality content, regardless of whether humans or machines generate it.

    On the Google Search Central Blog, the company wrote, “It’s important to recognize that not all use of automation, including AI generation, is spam. Automation has long been used to generate helpful content.” More so, it continued, “AI can power new levels of expression and creativity, and serve as a critical tool to help people create great content for the web.”

    This is the heart of the matter: AI is a tool, not a comprehensive replacement. It is one tool among many in the creator’s toolbox.

    However, it is abundantly clear using automation or AI strictly to manipulate rankings in search results is viewed as a violation of the company’s spam policies. The company has a long track record of prioritizing the integrity and trustworthiness of high-quality content.

    Related: How to Make Great Content — And Get More Views

    Intention is key to Google’s algorithm

    When creating content, it’s important to begin by clarifying your intention. What is the purpose of a website’s content? The search algorithm is finely tuned to identify the markers of generic content designed only to snag the attention of the crawlers that scout the nooks and crannies.

    Operate with the intent to provide “original, valuable content that offers a satisfying experience,” and you’ll set yourself up for success, with the caveat for content creators that any final product “adheres closely to their area of expertise.” In 2023, experience may be a finalist for the SEO industry’s themes of the year.

    Three questions can serve as effective guardrails during the creative process; Google recommends asking: Who? How? Why?

    • Who authored it? Is the byline easy to find? Is further information about the author(s) accessible or evident?
    • Is it clear how a piece of content was created? Is there evidence to substantiate the information given? Was automation or artificial intelligence used in the creative process? If so, why?
    • Why was the content created? Specifically, how is it helpful or useful for visitors?

    Adding an E to E-A-T: the importance of evident experience

    Above all, Google’s ranking systems aim to identify content demonstrating expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). In December 2022, Google added the second E for experience.

    They’ve recognized the importance visitors place on the validity of the information. They want to see evidence of relevant experience that an author possesses. The more the visitor believes in the author’s experience and knowledge, the more they are likely to trust the authority and trustworthiness of the content, and the better their overall experience.

    Related: How to Outrank AI-Generated Content With Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness

    Focus on quality content to boost user experience, regardless of how you attain it

    One constant throughout the evolution of Google’s search algorithm is the importance of the user’s experience. Ensuring quality websites populate for any query is the foundation of retaining visitors. A positive user experience encompasses many elements outside of content quality, like a site’s page performance — but ultimately, content is king.

    However you decide to integrate AI technology into your creative process, the quality of and intention behind the content and the level of expertise made evident should serve as your guideposts to the sustained success of your website.

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    Summit Ghimire

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  • 5 Critical Marketing Tools for Fast-Growing Companies | Entrepreneur

    5 Critical Marketing Tools for Fast-Growing Companies | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As I can personally attest, working for a company that is quickly expanding has its perks and is an exhilarating experience. The environment is fast-paced, always changing and employees at all levels have opportunities to stretch the boundaries of their current roles to grow professionally. At the same time, setbacks are inevitable for any business — but for fast-growing companies in particular, scaling and resources can be some of the biggest challenges, which is why choosing the right marketing tools is crucial for long-term success.

    Here are the five most indispensable marketing tools that will take your business to the next level.

    Related: 10 Marketing Strategies to Fuel Your Business Growth

    1. Marketing automation software

    What if you had a tool that could help you stay in front of your prospects and customers with content that is both timely and relevant? That is the power of marketing automation, making marketers more efficient and their communications more personalized. A recent survey we conducted found that email marketing was the most common area where B2B marketing leaders utilize marketing automation, though more are beginning to use it in other channels.

    The same survey also found that 87% of respondents now have some or all of their customer journeys fully automated, with many respondents reporting plans to continue to optimize this piece of their marketing strategy. This isn’t surprising due to the host of benefits that can accompany the use of marketing automation — notably, it can help to eliminate mundane, time-consuming tasks for your marketing team, which in turn allows them to focus on the larger strategic initiatives to drive business growth.

    As a fast-growing company, you likely don’t have the time or the resources to get it all done. Marketing automation is essentially an extra hand (or two) that can be a tremendous help. Plus, customers have no idea if something is automated or not because you can still personalize your content as though it was sent especially for them based on their preferences and behaviors.

    2. SEO intelligence applications

    You could be writing amazing blog posts and webpages, but if you’re not hitting on the right keywords, you’re missing the mark. Effective, optimized content continues to be the most long-term, high-value strategy that companies rely on. Without an SEO tool, your team is merely guessing and possibly flying blind. There are many choices available and some have ultra-low and even free entry points, so the message is clear: Pick one and act on it. These tools will help you choose the right keywords and phrases to use and help you monitor the competition to see where you can improve.

    Related: 3 Marketing Tactics Entrepreneurs Should Implement to Improve Their Return on Investment

    3. Middleware/app connectors

    This is about leveraging the application programming interface (API) economy to connect and optimize all of your software tools. In 2022, organizations worldwide reported that they were using an average of 130 SaaS applications. That is a lot of software! It also means that integration is one of the keys to success for fast-growing companies, especially when it comes to applications. If your platforms aren’t “talking to each other,” your customer relationships will likely suffer as a result.

    If you have a sales software program and a separate billing app and they aren’t synced, your customer isn’t going to be too happy when you reach out about a new feature if they were overcharged for something. But you won’t know this if your sales and billing software don’t integrate. By utilizing an app connector, you can create workflows across IT, marketing, HR, finance, sales and customer support to leverage your tech stack to its fullest potential. When the process is seamless, your growing customer relationships and profits will flourish as a result.

    4. A project and task management tool

    Your marketing team is an interconnected group of experts who rely on each other to achieve their goals. For example, when your digital marketers run an ad, they need the content team to write copy, the graphics team to design ads and the marketing operations team to schedule follow-up emails when people engage with ads. These things must happen in a sequence so that everyone meets their deadlines; e.g. the design team can’t design the ad without the copy coming first.

    In short, communication and hand-offs among these team members are vital, and therefore a project management tool is a must. If your team is two or three people, perhaps a spreadsheet and a Slack channel will do. Any more than that, and you’ve got to up your game.

    Related: 3 Marketing Trends to Adopt in 2023

    5. A CRM that scales as you grow

    Customer relationship management (CRM) is one of the most important tools that all companies, especially fast-growing ones, need to invest in. That’s because CRM enables a heightened customer experience by showcasing the status of each relationship in real time, which is critical. When utilized, you have a 360-degree view of each customer at all times across all of your internal teams. One important factor that fast-growing companies need to factor in when choosing a CRM is that it must be able to scale with you as you grow. Legacy CRMs can be limited in their scope as your business grows, but a modern CRM tool will do the opposite — they were built for businesses of all sizes, and the platform is flexible and scalable, which is key.

    Being part of a fast-growing company is exciting and terrifying at the same time, but if you implement these strategic marketing tools into your plan (and budget), you can scale successfully to grow and flourish with the right marketing systems in place.

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    Chip House

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  • Why SEO Is Critical for Small Businesses | Entrepreneur

    Why SEO Is Critical for Small Businesses | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Search engine optimization (SEO) helps increase website traffic by improving search engine ranking. If you’ve wondered whether your small business really needs to focus on SEO, you aren’t alone.

    Over 50% of small businesses don’t have an SEO strategy, and 22% have no plans to create or implement one in the coming year. Considering that SEO can help businesses establish authority within an industry and build brand awareness, neglecting to explore the world of SEO can severely limit growth.

    Further, it’s a great way to organically promote a business for free. Organizations of all sizes can benefit from SEO, whether it is an online shop or a brick-and-mortar business.

    Related: 5 Essential SEO Strategies For Entrepreneurs

    Benefits of SEO for small businesses

    As stated, good SEO practice for small businesses is a must. Here are just a few reasons why:

    • Cost-effective: When compared to paid advertising, SEO is a cost-effective strategy for small businesses. You may choose to invest in paid software to help you measure your results, but the benefits will far outweigh the costs.

    • Improves the user experience: By focusing on SEO, you’ll improve the user experience for your website visitors. This will improve engagement and likely result in higher conversion rates.

    • Competitive advantage: By investing in SEO, you’ll gain a competitive advantage over other businesses in your industry. For instance, let’s say you run a service-based business and target local customers. Focusing on SEO means your business will show up higher in search results when customers look for local businesses in the same category.

    • Long-term results: SEO is a long-term strategy that will continue to benefit your business for years to come. Paid ads stop generating traffic once you stop paying, but SEO will continue to deliver results over time.

    How to develop an SEO strategy

    Without a proper strategy, it will be impossible to capitalize on SEO. Here are four strategies small businesses can use to create a strong SEO strategy that will carry a business into the future and pay dividends in the long term.

    1. Keyword research:

    Google’s algorithm is always changing, but one SEO strategy that has remained fairly consistent over the years is keyword research. When you do keyword research, look for words and phrases that your target audience will be searching for on Google.

    As your business begins to rank for those keywords, you’ll start to get more traffic to the company website. When you’re just getting started, it’s a good idea to look for high-volume, low-competition keywords.

    That means a lot of people are searching for that keyword, but it’s still pretty easy to rank highly for it. The easiest way to find this information is by using a keyword planner. This software can be expensive, but you can find free tools to use.

    Related: 7 Ways Small Businesses Can Use SEO to Boost Customer Service

    2. Optimize your website:

    Once you know what keywords you’re trying to rank for, you’re going to strategically place them throughout your website. For example, you can use certain keywords in the alt tags of images, the titles of your posts and page descriptions.

    Simply adding keywords to your website won’t be enough on its own — you also need to consider how well the website functions overall. For example, your page speed is a significant ranking factor because a fast-loading website improves the user experience.

    Since most people use phones to access the internet, you also need to make sure your website is mobile-optimized. If not, you’ll probably have a high bounce rate since the website won’t format correctly on mobile devices.

    3. Get backlinks from high-authority websites:

    Google gives more weight to credible sources, so another SEO strategy is to get backlinks from high-authority sites. One way to obtain backlinks is by becoming an expert source for journalists and bloggers.

    If you join a free site called Help a Reporter Out (HARO), you’ll see requests from journalists looking for sources to use in articles they’re writing. You can monitor these requests daily and send pitches when you have something valuable to contribute.

    This strategy isn’t easy, and it’s important to always send high-value pitches. Still, if you stick with it, you’ll start to receive backlinks and build your domain authority over time.

    4. Regularly create new content:

    Consistently creating new content is another way to improve SEO ranking since Google rewards sites that create high-quality content. However, you need to publish new content on a regular basis, not just every once in a while.

    The easiest way to do this is by coming up with a content calendar and publishing schedule. Brainstorm 12-15 potential blog posts you could write, and figure out how often you can realistically write new articles. You can also start incorporating relevant keywords into your blog posts.

    If you’re wondering whether SEO matters for small businesses, the answer is a resounding yes. As a small business owner, SEO can help you increase your online visibility, build credibility and attract the right audience to your website.

    It’s a cost-effective marketing solution that delivers long-term results. You won’t see results immediately, but with time and effort, you’ll continue to improve your Google ranking.

    Related: A Basic Guide to SEO and Its Impact on Online Businesses

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    Joseph Camberato

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