Top Five SEO Tips

When a company first begins to think about SEO, it can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips when starting an SEO plan.

Keywords are Key: From content to blogging to link building, keywords are key! Really think about the service or product your company can provide when building your keyword list. Start out focused on 10 or so keywords and phrases and build from there.

Build a Brand: Go beyond just online marketing or SEO and think about your brand. Who are you? What is your company all about? What sets you apart from your competitors? What do you do to make a positive impact on your community?

Stay White Hat: Think about what you don’t like when surfing online and what spammers do and DON’T DO IT. You will not only alienate your potential customers, you will detract from your SEO campaign. Don’t be a spammer!

Use Analytics: Make sure to utilize an analytics program for your website, your blog and other other online site your company may manage. Analytics programs provide key data on how your potential customers are finding you, how long they stay on your site, how many pages they visit and most importantly what keywords they are using in their search. Remember, this is not a “set it and forget it” type of plan.

Do More than Just “Sell:” When people go online, they are most often looking for information. If a potential customer feels like they are just getting a sales pitch, they will quickly navigate away. By providing information, you are essentially helping your potential customer while simultaneously showing you have in-depth knowledge in your field. Help solve a potential customer’s problem and they will go from a potential customer to a customer!

These are just a few considerations when building an SEO or online marketing campaign. It is always a good idea to work with an SEO specialist or online marketing consultant when it is time to manage your company’s online presence. These individuals can really help build your brand and make a positive online impact!

Always Think About Your Brand

Yesterday on Fox and Friends, a segment highlighted three “mompreneurs” that started their business at home while raising their young children. One thing all three mentioned was building their brand.

It is important that companies consider their brand when developing an online marketing campaign. A brand is how the public will perceive your company. It goes beyond the service or product you provide. Who are you? What is your company all about? Do you care about your local community? This all goes in to building your brand.

So, don’t just think about advertising and marketing. Think about how the public considers your company and what your brand is all about. If you are having trouble with these steps, then consider hiring a consultant that can help you build your brand in addition to finding the right words for your web content to make sure your message is spot on!

Cory Booker: A Study in Social Media

Last weekend, the Northeast was hit with a blizzard. If you live in New York City or New Jersey, you know for the most part, snow removal was not handled well. That is, unless you live in Newark.

Cory Booker’s use of Facebook, and especially Twitter, is a great example of how to make social media a useful and important communication tool.

He used social media to keep in touch with his constituents during the storm as a way to identify trouble spots, people who needed help and other snow-related issues in his city. As a result, he received rave reviews for his handling of the storm, while New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie both received failing marks for their snow removal management. Especially Chris Christie, who was away in Disney with his family during the storm and the Lt. Gov., Kim Guadagno was also away on vacation, leaving the state in the hands of State Senate President, Stephen Sweeney.

So, for those of you who aren’t sure if social media is worth the time and effort, I say look to Mayor Booker’s use of social media and take a page from his playbook!

Branding Reinvented

In today’s age of SEO, social media and instant information, the concept of “branding” has definitely been reinvented and redefined. When a company or individual works to develop a brand strategy, it should not be taken lightly. It is often considered the most difficult step in developing a marketing plan. After all, this is how you will be presenting yourself and your business to the world. This is how your or your company will be identified by the public at large. There are, however, a few steps you can take to help start the process, so it feels less daunting.

Identify Your Audience

First and foremost, you need to identify your target audience. This will help you in a number of ways. It will help to identify the best ways to reach your audience, which can vary widely depending on the market. For example, a manufacturing plant manager will find relevant market information differently than an engineer. Additionally, it will begin to help set your marketing budget, which will now be realistically based on the best ways to reach that audience instead of just throwing darts at the board.

Look at What is Working

Work to become familiar with what avenues reach your target audience and “learn the lingo.” Understand how industry professionals communicate with each other and utilize that when developing your brand.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Regardless of where you are working to communicate to your audience, make sure you put your best foot forward. Establish yourself as a knowledgeable and professional individual in your industry. Attend industry and networking events. Always keep business cards with you and develop your “elevator pitch.” You never know when you could make that perfect professional connection!