Something I get asked about now and then by clients old and new… They have a great website with good content and now “want some SEO”.
Just what does that mean these days? A few years ago it was more obvious – research your keywords and apply them through your site (in a basic nutshell) then find some relevant sites to link through to you. But it’s just not that straightforward these days, if you want the rewards – visitors, customers, clients – whatever it is you need (which of course is the first thing you need to get to grips with – not as obvious as you might think), you have to work harder for, at least to start with.
So what are we supposed to do? Well we have so many ways to attract people now that we have to work out just what is likely to be most effective. Of course in order to do that you still have to understand what you’re selling and what you want people to do upon visiting your website or your blog. And then you give it to them. Well, that’s what it boils down to, but those visitors and customers, shoppers and subscribers are all over the place these days (so to speak).
For instance, one of the services Lynn Tulip of Assessment4Potential provides is excellent advice for people considering a job or career change. There are many people offering similar services so how do we get the job seekers to read Lynn’s posts and books, getting to know her style so they want to hire her to help them? Well by demonstrating her knowledge within her articles, these then need to be shared as widely as possible, in the places those job seekers are looking. LinkedIn, for instance, is one good place for professionals. Facebook perhaps? It does not need to be direct, but sharing on Facebook may have her articles seen by people who know others who are looking – especially in that festive fortnight when people get a chance to think about their jobs a bit more, resolutions considered, and the like… Where else might be a good place to share this?
You see it’s not just a matter of putting in the keywords – those search phrases people use – that is going to be one of the hardest ways to attract people and there are arguably just handful of positions available. Do people even search for what you do on the search engines? Do they prefer recommendations or to find something in their more comfortable online “club”? StreetLife is a recent place to consider, for local businesses, and not as somewhere to advertise necessarily, but for your happy customers to recommend you, or for you to step forward in a friendly manner.
What might work for you? Where are your customers? Are you someone who can “chat” on Twitter so people get to know you somewhat, even within those meagre 140 characters, enough to look further, or certainly to welcome the occasional tweet related to what you do? I know for some the constant selling on Twitter works, but I’m not keen – but then I’m not fabulously successful or wealthy, so my approach is not going to be what works for everyone – I fit my online marketing to suit my life and business mix.
It really is all a matter of testing – dip your toe into the various online media and see what works. Watch your visitor activity on the website and through your calls to action – is there any? Perhaps time to rework the plan of action, for me as well as for you…
I’ll start with a post later in the week on where to explore – you might be surprised, and it may be easier than you imagine, this “SEO” lark…
photo credit: marciookabe via photopin cc