The only rule to follow is the most complex one, meaning be flexible and constantly evaluate both your company and your competitors.
Over the last several years, digital marketing has completely taken over the traditional marketing channels. It is quite understandable, considering the exponential increase in the amount of time people spend on the World Wide Web and their smart devices. Marketing has always been one of the areas where you must follow the latest trends in order to be successful, and so is the case with the digital trends. Paid advertisements are surely a viable option for increasing your website traffic, but they won’t provide you long term results. On the other hand, optimization of search engines will, and we’ll help you explore some of the most useful techniques and methods.
The importance of SEO
To help you choose the appropriate techniques for your business, it is crucial for you to understand how it works. There are several layers to optimizing your website and they can be internal (or on-site) and external, meaning relevant to appear in engines when people search for products or services your business offers. Most people will Google before purchase, and it is unlikely they will go beyond the first page of results. Therefore, having a website is simply not enough to get you on that page. This is when we get to the notion of ratings, and your goal is to be among the highest ones.
The thing is, people consider Google to be a trustworthy source, and will “listen” to it even more than recommendations from their friends and family. And since it is a search for something specific, you know those people have commercial intent, meaning they want to purchase said product or service. Once you’ve established the rating and they end up visiting your website or other landing page, you want to make sure it loads fast, is user-friendly and easy to navigate. This is the proven strategy for the best conversion rates – from visitors to buyers. Your choice of web host may also impact load speeds.
Targeted keywords
One of the most important factors which will largely influence your relevance in the searches are the keywords you choose to target. You need to precisely define your target audience to do so correctly, and try walking in their shoes. The key is to understand their point of view in order to determine what they would type in order to find a product or service you offer and they are in need of. You should start with brainstorming sessions with your marketing team, if your company has one. Think of related terms and synonyms, decide what the focus will be on and whether you are targeting local audiences or not. If you are, include the name of the city or an area your company is located.
The “organic” part in the title means you want to attract people in the most natural way when it comes to marketing, instead of paying for advertisements. A great way of properly selecting keywords to target is by organizing meetings of your focus group, or groups to help you understand the way they think. This will surely help you pinpoint several main phrases, but if you’re a beginner in this area, it is highly recommended to consult the experts in SEO management. If you are around here, a company such as GWM in Sydney will ease this whole process for you, guiding you every step along the way. Professionals in the digital marketing field are familiar with the most successful approaches, and will analyze your competition before settling on targeted keywords.
Technical and on-site optimization
As we’ve mentioned, once your desired audience lands on your website, you don’t want them to end up frustrated because it takes forever to load it. And by forever, we are talking about no more than five to six seconds. Numerous surveys have shown that if it takes longer than said period, most people will leave the website and continue with their research, ending up on your competitor’s website. You need to avoid the common mistakes and regularly monitor and evaluate your code, content, and links. Especially whenever your website is updated, because updates create a perfect opportunity for broken links. And you won’t find anyone who doesn’t end up frustrated with a broken link guiding them to the famous 404 error.
Another on-site optimization aspect is understanding people will access it from various devices, so you ought to adapt it to be friendly for mobile, iPad etc. The main goal is to create an experience of a smooth running website which is easy to navigate. All the content should be unique and relevant, your contact information should be visible at all times and you should try to engage your potential customers as much as you can. If you follow these guidelines, your website will be seen as credible, and your company as seriously professional.
Providing useful content
Back in 1996, Bill Gates wrote an essay titled “Content is King” and nowadays this seems more relevant than ever. Following the best practice examples, you ought to integrate more than specification of your products in order to raise your brand awareness, as well as increase your customer loyalty. The first step to follow this trend is to integrate a blog section on your website, and regularly publish both technically relevant and entertaining content. This will provide your visitors a more personal approach, showing you are on top of all the latest trends. Consumer intention changes and your strategy should do so accordingly.
People want to be informed and entertained, and this turns out to be among the top priorities while deciding to go with a certain brand. Your blog can be a creative outlet in a way, where you are sharing content in order to engage your visitors, with the ultimate goal of higher conversion rates. Regular posting means people will regularly visit your blog to check out the latest articles, videos, etc. Just think from a perspective that we are living in the era where most people share everything on social networks, from their relationship status to the meal they are currently having. The same is therefore expected from their favourite brands.
When it comes to textual content, you can publish stories of satisfied customers, step by step tutorials with images of how to properly use a product, then interesting how you came to a certain idea personal ones and so on. It will largely depend on the type of your company and what you have to offer. What matters is that you are subtly promoting your brand, while appearing friendly and committed to connecting with your target audiences. Every publication should have a comment section, as well as an option for sharing on social networks. Sharing is caring, and this way you will certainly establish a better and a more trustworthy connection with your visitors. It is highly recommended to offer a weekly newsletter sign up box, and those loyal visitors or preferably customers will be the first ones to know about your discounts and other benefits.
The second most searched engine on the Internet is YouTube, and there is a good reason behind the fact. Video form is rapidly taking over the textual one, as it is more engaging and easier to follow. All of the abovementioned, such as tutorials and personal stories will attract even more attention if done via video. In the world of Facebook and Instagram stories, try to use them to your advantage, reminding people of your brand on a daily basis, sharing on social media and always integrating a link to your website. Being present is the key, and it allows you the option of a real-time marketing, especially with the check-ins and live stream options on social media. Everything on the World Wide Web is a type of content, so ensure your visibility by providing it!
Conclusion
The only rule to follow is the most complex one, meaning be flexible and constantly evaluate both your company and your competitors. In the sea of information everyone is constantly surrounded with, it is not that easy to stand out of the crowd. Try to be unique and adapt to every trend in your own way, that way building an integrity which will follow your brand’s image. You should also be aware there is always room for improvement, so try getting as much feedback as possible. You can do so for every change and a campaign, by creating surveys and questionnaires for your audience. You can even integrate one in your newsletter, showing your audience you care about their opinion!
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