Search engine optimization (aka SEO) is now more popular than ever. For businesses across the United States, being able to optimize unique messaging across multiple media channels is essential in receiving brand recognition. This, however, doesn’t mean that your business has to have a complicated strategy. Keeping SEO simple is the best way to start your company on the path towards success. There are 4 easy SEO tips for businesses that will help you get things rolling. Our expert team have come together to provide you with these easy, useful tips.
Start Communicating with a Blog
If you’re unsure of how to begin optimizing search engines, begin with starting a company blog. Be careful not to start a blog just to start a blog. It’s actually one of the worst things you can do. Not only will the blog lack originality and context, but you most likely stop blogging after a short period of time. That can severely and damage your company’s image and be a waste of time and money. Your blog should have purpose and relevance in order to gain the most attention. This will also provide search engines with information they deem worthy to offer to their searchers.
When considering a blog strategy, begin with what means the most to your business. When blogging, your goal is to become the content experts in the areas that you provide products and services in, so make sure to stick with what you know. As an example, if you’re an expert in the realm of IT and Communications, it’s not suggested that you try to provide expert advice on masonry – even if your company is designing a new location.
Keep it simple, keep the content robust, and make sure that you really are the experts in your area of relevance.
Make It Easy to Find Your Business
Especially after having written a blog, make sure to clarify your headers, URL slugs, meta tags, and meta descriptions. Clarifying your headers will allow Google to easily pick up on the context of your articles and web pages. Making sure that your meta description for each page is saturated with relevant keywords is also essential in optimizing your company’s SEO reach.
A quick tip to help you create a unique description is to make sure that at least two keywords are within the description. An example of a keyword for a roofing company would be something like, “roofing company in Cleveland, Ohio”. This keyword should then be placed in your meta description. A meta description could start with, “Ranked the best roofing company in Cleveland, Ohio for five years in a row…” to provide you with an example.
Also, make sure that your description, as well as any meta element, is short, to the point, and as content rich as possible. Meta elements are essential in helping to start spreading the e-word about your business.
Get Going with a Google Business Account
There is yet another factor that will also help make your business easy to find and one that our team highly recommends. If you haven’t established a Google Business Account, that is a major step in helping up your business’s SEO game. If you’re a brick and mortar company, such as a roofing company, this will tell the Google-world that you exist as a business.
Here are some simple steps to help set up a Google Business Account:
- Go to https://www.google.com/business/ and click on “Start Now”
- Type in your business’s information, including name, location, and website. If you don’t have a website, stop reading this article right now and talk to someone about getting one built, and don’t cut corners.
- Follow the directions to continue the setup dependent upon which path you follow.
If you have a home-based business, we’d recommend that you register a PO Box; unless your comfortable or it’s appropriate to reveal your location.
Register with Off-Site SEO Avenues
If you’re familiar with Yelp and Angie’s List, they’re classified as off-site SEO directories. The term “0ff-site SEO” is another way to electronically put your business on the map. Aligning yourself with popular review companies is essential in developing off-site profiles. This tells Google that you essentially have a pulse and are becoming relevant within the communities you provide services in.
Here are some examples of off-site, industry-specific directories that you may want to see yourself on:
Home Improvement & Renovation
- Angie’s List – A very common home improvement and home contractor site, Angie’s List has been around for over a decade and is highly trusted amongst consumers. There are free and paid memberships for this directory.
- Home Advisor – Similar to Angie’s List, Home Advisor is another directory that many consumers use and has nation-wide recognition.
- Yelp – This directory has used for multiple different business types, mostly restaurant; however contractors and home improvement reviews are present as well.
- Homewise – a very dependable non-profit style resource.
- Houzz – a very popular real estate sale and review site for real-estate agents, properties, and contractors.
Restaurants & Hospitality
- Restaurants.com – a great place for restaurants to offer local gift certificates and promotions, but also a very highly trafficked site for reviews.
- Directory Restaurants
- OpenTable.com – if you are a restaurant that calls for reservations, make it easy for your customers to reserve their lunch or dinner online. This site also allows for reviews as well and will greatly help your relevancy.
- TripAdvisors – allowing your company to be listed on TripAdvisor brings great awareness to traveling visitors and provides the ability for loyal customers to refer your amazing services.
These are just 4 easy SEO tips for businesses that could greatly benefit your local and national brand reach. Don’t underestimate the power of SEO and your business; and even more so, the strength of having a team of professionals strategically design your SEO plan.
Elevare has a proven track record of providing businesses with effective SEO strategies that have yielded strong results. Contact us today and fill out the form below to learn more about how you can design an SEO strategy to achieve great things for your business.
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