Supercharge your online visibility: 10 strategies at the intersection of social media and SEO
Visibility is everything in business. That used to include spending money on a billboard and a flashing sign, but today it's all about your web presence. Google reports that 97 percent of consumers look for local businesses online. If you're a single entrepreneur or freelancer, you must have a good presence in web to stand unique from everyone.
However, what exactly is an online presence? How do you stand out from the crowd when there are so many small enterprises vying for customers' attention? This manual will explain the advantages of building an online brand for you and show you how to do it successfully.
1. Build a beautiful website
Create your website first. Even though it might seem clear, 28 percent of small businesses don't even have their own websites. Therefore, you freelancers are included. You may make it easier for clients to find you and boost the legitimacy of your freelancing job by having a dedicated website.
Don't bother about learning programming. There are many website builders available that can help you create amazing, professional websites in only a few days. Make sure your website is easy to navigate, clear, and has a strong web design that works well on a range of mobile devices.
2. Maintain your social media activity
To establish sincere contacts with your clients, you'll need more than just your website. Social media is the go-to site today for meeting new people. A profile or page on a well-known social networking site may be created for free, and if you update it frequently, you'll have a better chance of reaching more people than you would with only website traffic.
You'll importantly getting lots of free advertising when you give material that your devoted viewers share with their own accounts. Maintaining an online presence, particularly on social media, will help you build connections with potential clients.
3. Use fresh social media channels
No social networking site and its users are alike, of course. If you want to interact with your target audience on social media, focus on the platform they use the most. Of course, Facebook has an impact on practically everyone. The majority of Instagram's users are under 30, therefore you may decide to use it if your target demographic is primarily younger.
The majority of Social media management companies manage numerous social media profiles across various platforms, and they create a content schedule to assist them keep track of what they post when.
4. Produce pertinent content
By making content that your viewers find interesting, you may enhance your social media network. What precisely constitutes "content"? You have the choice.
- Launching a blog
- "Vlogs" refers to video blogs.
- Podcasts
- Electronic books and online flyers
When generating content, be sure to include a call-to-action (CTA). You may now invite your readers to subscribe, contact you, or use your services by using this tool. Your website likely has a content management system incorporated in it. If not, consider transferring your website to a service with a content management system, such as WordPress.
5. Feature highly regarded search engines
Make it easier for people to find you when they search for your business online. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of utilizing keywords in the text of your website to rank highly in search engine results. If your industry is well-known, think about adding long-tail keywords to help draw customers.
6. Build a list of subscribers
Building an email list helps you stay connected to your current clients. Email notifications with blog posts, business news, and information about upcoming sales are available.
One piece of advise is to use your most valuable content to obtain consumer data. For example, you may offer an eBook or online guide that includes "Top Tips for Increasing Your Home's Curb Appeal." For access to your guide, visitors will need to provide their names and email addresses. You can utilize this information to broaden your audience and increase the number of subscribers to your list.
7. Spend money on online marketing
You won't likely see much progress in the early stages of your small business if you just wait for people to locate your website through a search engine. Even search engine optimization (SEO) strategies may take months to fully pay off.
Due of this, a lot of online business owners employ pay-per-click advertising to reach prospective customers. Consider the case where your business sells athletic wear. When a user types the term "athletic wear" into a search engine, a little banner advertisement will show up on the search results page.
8. Personalize it
Naturally, your major objective is to disclose as much business information as you can. But don't be afraid to make it your own. Share your story with the audience so that they may learn more about you and your business.
Through video, potential customers may quickly connect your brand with your face. By starting a YouTube channel, you may discuss your passion for the industry in an honest and informal manner. By later publishing these movies to your various web channels, you can increase your exposure.
9. Collaborate with other companies
The power of numbers. Connect with businesses in your neighborhood to share content and boost your profile. In order to highlight how your sectors overlap, for example, if you work as a copywriter you might consider blogging as a guest on a blog for a web development company. If you have permission, you may use external links to point readers back to your website or landing page.
This tactic can be difficult because you want to avoid going to local businesses that are your competitors. Check to determine whether you and the other small business owner share the same understanding of your target market and a similar "brand voice," or the way you communicate with your readers and clients.
10. List yourself on different websites
Your on-site SEO plan should include using the right keywords and search terms to be found by today's search engines. However, you should also consider how off-site SEO might help you target the right demographic.
Off-site SEO involves connecting your website to other websites, which boosts traffic and the possibility that more people will become aware of your company. Already, networking with other businesses is a great way to get there. Another place to list your small business is online directories. Many of these directories are organized by specific industries, which can make it simpler for you to find your target market.
Conclusion
An ongoing aspect of your business should be maintaining your web presence. Always assess your performance across different search engines and change as necessary. As necessary to your business game as going over your money records should be this work.
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Peter Davidson works as a senior business associate helping brands and start ups to make efficient business decisions and plan proper business strategies. He is a big gadget freak who loves to share his views on latest technologies and applications.