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Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an incredible way to get the internet to do the heavy lifting for you. With careful planning, some time, and a little financial investment, you can bring your Google search from page 6 to the front page. That’s not an accident.
Joe and Andrew discuss the best starter tips on why you should SEO, how to SEO, and where to SEO - all in under 20 minutes.
Join us as we discuss:
- What exactly is SEO?
- How to get your company search to the 1 spot
- Why bad SEO is like advertising in another state
What exactly is SEO?
SEO is something most have heard of but how many people really understand what it is? While some experts like to hope that they know what they’re talking about, it is ultimately still up for debate.
“SEO is funny. It's like black magic. It's like waving a wand; no one really knows how it works.” — Joe Martin
Despite its obscurity, there’s no question of its usefulness. Think of a dating app that pairs people based on their interests. If your ideal date night is ordering pizza and watching wrestling at home, you want to connect with people who want the same thing. SEO is the tool you can use to connect with your audience.
So, when your intended audience is searching for your product or service, it becomes important to be listed in the top results on Google — The first page, where most people start and end their search. Good luck on page two and so on…
Taking the first step
Recognizing the importance, how do you get started? For Andrew, step 1 is about knowing your audience.
“Step 1 for SEO is really understanding what keywords you need or how people will find you.” — Andrew Adams
For example, if you’re selling shoes to men, the words shoes and men will be two of your top keywords. And if this sounds familiar, it’s because companies have been using this tactic for decades with the names of their businesses.
A good place to start for those struggling — Look at your competition. Figuring out what they’re ranking for can be the perfect way to give yourself a leg up.
SEO will take time to master and a heavy investment if you want it to truly make an impact for your business. But know that it’s worth it in the end.
How to get your company search to the 1 spot
You now understand how to get started with SEO; but it’s still not enough to make you stand out if you’re only doing the minimum. If you want to achieve those first page search results, Andrew explains that it takes a myriad of things to make that happen.
Finding keywords: Have a detailed list of all the words you’ve researched, but only focus on approximately 10; if you have a 1,000, you’ve become too broad.
Focus on the website: Keywords not only need to be placed within the website, but must be placed in the correct areas for them to have an impact.
Having analytics set up: SEO is a long haul process. Having the metrics to keep you encouraged and on track is critical.
The good news: If you’ve made it to page 1 of the search results, it means that you’ll stay there, given that your process continues in the same way it has been.
Why bad SEO is like advertising in another state
With some goals, making a little progress is better than no progress. SEO is not one of those goals. If you’re going to commit to landing number 1 on search results, there needs to be a level of consistency. Otherwise, it’s like you’re not doing it at all.
If you’ve spent money to create one blog a week, make sure that blog is posted every week. While it might not seem dire to forget, missing just one week can throw your progress off completely.
A key takeaway
SEO is complicated but not impossible. Focusing on a concise number of keywords, adding them to the website correctly, and posting regularly can help you stand out, especially as a smaller local business.
More information about today’s topics:
- Joe’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joemartinmba/
- Andrew’s Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsadams/
- Joe’s Twitter - twitter.com/joedmarti
- Andrews Twitter - twitter.com/astroma
- Company Website: www.scorpion.co
