When it comes to getting your small business website found online, finding the most effective ways to drive traffic to your site can be a bit confusing. It’s easy to fall victim to trends in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). They are quick fixes that sometimes offer temporary results, but ultimately end up hurting your site’s success.
Instead of sketchy SEO tricks and shortcuts, focus on creating long-lasting results by adhering to these best practices for getting your site found online:
Create fresh and interesting content. When writing content for your site, consider what visitors want to know. Put the customer’s needs first, and you’ll get the chance to say what you want after you cultivate loyalty. Use relevant keywords. People enter specific keywords in search engines to find the products and services they want. Do some research to discover commonly used keywords for the products and services you offer, and include them in your site’s content.
Write for real people.Those search engine spiders that crawl the Web for keywords aren’t going to buy your products or services. When including keywords in your content, write naturally – like you would speak to customers and prospects. Avoid awkwardly cramming keywords into your content in a wayward attempt to boost SEO.
Leverage social media and local review sites. You gain online visibility when you’re active on social media networks like Facebook® and review sites such as Yelp®.
Boost inbound links from relevant, reputable websites and blogs. Partner with other, complementary businesses to link to each other’s sites—a great way to help you get found online! Be picky, though, because your credibility is at stake.
After you take these smart steps to get found online, check the effectiveness of your work with website analytics. Find a web analytics product you like (many are free) to learn how many people are visiting your site, how they’re finding it, and if your marketing efforts are working the way you want them to.
To learn more about how website analytics can help you get found, click here.
Don’t let the endless amount of SEO info out there confuse you. Following these simple guidelines can help you get found in a cyber-sea of sameness.
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This guest post is courtesy of GoDaddy®. As the Web’s top platform for small businesses, GoDaddy can help you easily start, confidently grow, and successfully run your own venture.
Author Bio: Mike Hathcote is a small business owner and serial entrepreneur with 16 years of small business experience. His current title is Manager-Customer Care Communications at GoDaddy, where he helps small businesses succeed. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding and voiceover acting.