So you’ve started a business. Now comes the hard part. You’ve got to let everyone know it exists. Your website may be online, but publishing digital content isn’t enough to get others to notice it. You want a strategy so search engines can find your company’s site and rank it highly.
Search engine optimization, better known as SEO, might be what every business owner with a website needs. However, entrepreneurs just getting their feet wet usually don’t have a ton of resources to put into SEO. Solopreneurs are in even more of a pinch since they’re in charge of everything from accounting to marketing. In short, implementing an effective SEO plan can be difficult for small businesses strapped for cash and time. Here are a few ways to get it done.
Know Your Targets
You can’t pull off an SEO strategy without knowing your audience. This knowledge includes what their interests are and the keywords they’re searching for. Your business could have the right solutions to solve your audience’s challenges. But what good is it if the words in your online content don’t match the phrases your market uses?
Keyword research tools help narrow down what verbiage to target. These tools don’t always cost a lot or require extensive training. Platforms with free versions give you access to the basics, including associated long and short-tail phrases. You’ll also discover additional information, such as search volume and rank difficulty. Some tools go a bit further by revealing the top-ranking content for keywords, so you know what you’re up against.
While finding a list of keywords is crucial for SEO, make sure they align with your overall brand objectives. You don’t want to sprinkle words and phrases into your website just because they’re trending. Sometimes targeting keywords with a lower search volume or ranking difficulty can help your brand stand out. Your targeted words should match your audience’s needs, brand voice, and thought leadership goals.
Create Guest Posts
Backlinks are when another piece of online content links back to yours. The more credible, high-authority backlinks your site gets, the better it is for your SEO. When someone else links to your content, it lets the search engines know others find it useful. They may be using your information as a reference or an example. Either way, good backlinks help boost your search engine rankings and drive more inbound traffic to your website.
If your content is authoritative with unique insights, it might accumulate backlinks without much effort. At the same time, reaching out to other thought leaders doesn’t hurt. It’s part of a content marketer’s strategy, but there’s more than one way to get quality backlinks.
Writing guest posts is one of several methods, and it’s a win-win approach. Instead of asking someone to link to your content, you create it for their site. Within your post, you can include a backlink to one of your digital pieces or mention your company’s brand. Still, you’re writing something the other site can use, distribute to its audience, and benefit from. The key is to work with those who target similar audiences and work in like-minded industries.
Scope Out Competing Content
Every business should have a content strategy mapped out for at least six months. A year is better, but honestly, some companies operate in faster lanes than others. Creating a 12-month editorial calendar isn’t feasible when a business may need to pivot with little notice. Yet, the content may not climb the search engine ranks if it doesn’t deliver unique, relevant value.
Try to steer away from publishing pieces that are too similar to your competition. You must put on your investigative hat to ensure you’re doing this. Find out if they rank for the same topics and keywords you want to target. Better yet, pinpoint what your competition is ranking for and the information the content contains.
Can you add something new to the conversation? Or could you develop what others are saying a bit further with original data and case studies? Scoping out your competition doesn’t have to take up too much time. There are tools to help you analyze already published content quickly based on topics, keywords, and website domain names. Think of it as a competitive analysis for potential online content instead of a particular market.
Bring in the Experts
SEO is both technical and qualitative. Achieving business success may be your end game. But not every entrepreneur has the time to build an array of SEO skills. It’s why it may be a good idea to outsource some of your strategic tasks.
Say you don’t have an in-house tech team, but you can’t neglect the technical aspects of maintaining your website. Online tools may help you audit your digital content to determine whether it’s up to speed and mobile friendly. Even so, finding out what’s broken doesn’t mean you know how to fix it. Partnering with technical SEO experts can cover these bases while you focus on filling your editorial calendar.
In the same way, you may need help optimizing content and executing more narrow local SEO strategies. Working with skilled contractors can be a way to gain agency-like expertise without a huge price tag. You might also consider using freelancers to develop blogs, videos, and infographics. Entrepreneurs are often stretched thin enough, so using contractors can ensure the company meets its content creation goals.
Using the Power of SEO
Gaining online visibility for your business is all about search engine rank. If people can’t find your content, you’re wasting your time. But knowing what to do and doing it well are challenging for entrepreneurs with limited means. With freemium content tools and strategic partnerships, business owners can gain the resources they need to execute effective SEO. By leveraging the tricks of the trade, you’ll get in front of the hearts and minds you want to capture.
