Basic SEO Tips For Your Business Website

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More and more businesses are beginning to get a good understanding of SEO and the benefits they can get. There have been Google algorithm updates that have shown how an optimized mobile website can be great in supplementing your online activities.

Although there are changes that take place from time to time, there are some concepts you can implement every time because they are universal.

It is a good idea to know the basic SEO ideas even if you are going to hire an expert SEO agency to do the work for you. Below are some basic SEO tips your business site can use.

Understand your audience

This can sound like a simple thing, but this is an area you have the least amount of control over. This is very important if you want to increase traffic to your website.

Google no longer cares about the number of keywords you have in your content, they care more about their users getting satisfied with the results they are getting.

When you have a good understanding of your audience, you will be able to know what they are looking for basing it on their current market trends. When they visit your website, they will find what they are looking for, and this is going to help with rankings.

Looking at your competition

It is always a good idea to compare yourself to competition, and this is something Sam Walton of Walmart did. You should look at the things they are implementing and how you can do the same but even better. If you are not yet ranking at the top of the search engine results, then there is room to improve. Taking notes from a competitor will prove to be a very effective method for enhancing your SEO. You will need to invest some effort into the process so you can know what works for you and what doesn’t.

Creating a business blog

You should be sharing quality content online because it will help you with your ranking efforts, which results in more people reaching you.

Integrating a blog into a website has become cheap and simple. Adding a blog to your website will add traffic because people looking for your content will click on the link on the results page.

A blog gives you the chance of showing your prospective customers that you know your stuff, and you are the best option. You should have a call-to-action in every blog post because it could lead to more sales for your business.

Don’t go crazy on keywords

Keywords are one of the most important things when it comes to search engine optimization. If you have the wrong keywords, you might see an increase in traffic but it will not convert to sales. You need to choose keywords that are related to your business because you want to attract visitors who are already interested in what you are offering.

If you choose irrelevant keywords to increase traffic to your website, then you will be penalized by search engines and you drop in rankings. Search engines want to provide the best quality of results for their users. Keyword stuffing will end up achieving the opposite of what you want, avoid it.

Page loading speed

The speed at which your page loads will have an effect on your rankings. Search engines like Google like websites that load quickly. There are many marketers who have noticed even a delay of less than one second can have a big impact.

Many visitors will be expecting the page to load in about two seconds, and they will not be patient if it takes more than three seconds. For small businesses, every visitor counts.

One of the ranking factors used by Google is the page loading speed.

Linking

This will be one of the most expensive aspects of SEO. You need to have authoritative sites linking to your website because it will help in improving your rankings. Search engines will see you as a quality website. It is far much better to have fewer quality links than hundreds of poor quality links. You might have to pay more for quality links, but the results will be worth it in the end.

Using the above tips will help you see results from your SEO efforts.

On Page SEO Tips

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On-page SEO is very important in the SEO world as it makes search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo understand a site better. As such, it is good to ensure that it is done properly to help a site rank higher in search engine results.

On-page SEO entails optimizing a site’s pages internal elements with the aim of making them search engine friendly.

If you would like to use SEO, it is important that you know about On-page SEO.

In this article, we are going to look at some tips that can help you know some tips that can help you become good in on-page SEO. So, without further ado, here are tips to help you succeed with your on-page SEO:

Select the Right Keywords

To select the right set of keywords, you need to do extensive keyword research after choosing your niche.

The good thing about keyword research is that it will help you identify potential keyword opportunities that can help drive massive traffic to your site.

Find out how competitive the keywords you are considering are. Ensure that the keywords you choose can attract your target audience to your site.

Look for Good Domain Names

When it comes to On-page SEO a domain name matters and it matters a lot.

The domain name you choose should tell others what your site is about using few words.

A good domain name will fit your business, uses your niche keywords, and is memorable.

Optimize Your Metadata

Use content and Metadata to optimize your site and make it search engine friendly. The most important Metadata to focus on include Meta Descriptions and Title Tags.

Title tags can be defined as text advertisements for a certain website page that people see even while a page is still loading.

Making title tags unique and descriptive will attract people to your website and help you increase traffic to your website. It is a good idea to make sure that your Title Tags are between 4 and 8 words or between 60 and 70 characters each.

Meta Description can be defined as a snippet or summary of the content in your site that usually shows up during search engine results.

It is good to focus on what you put in the Meta Description as it can entice people to open your page and see what it offers. So, avoid using generic Meta Descriptions as it can have a negative impact on your website.

Create Attractive, Informative, Unique Content

On-page SEO often needs attractive, unique and high-quality content. Such content is what search engine web crawlers usually look for and is what your visitors are interested in.

In fact, the content you create for your website will determine the relevancy of your website and can have a huge impact on your search engine results.

Your content should offer visitors a good experience that makes them stay for a long period of time on your site. You are competing with many other websites offering what you offer and as they many people say “content is king”.

If your content is well written, it can make people use your site as a reference and they will consider you an expert in your field. This is the case especially when you are consistent when it comes to writing quality content.

Make Sure That Your Page Can Be Targeted for Other Media Elements

You should not only make your page targeted for text. You should also ensure that it can be targeted for other media elements that show up for different kinds of search engine results.

Some of these media elements include images, video and other elements that can make easily visible by search engine web crawlers.

For image files, use descriptive names preferably those that are related to your main keyword and a description telling your readers what the image is. File names are very important and can help your images rank highly on search engine results.

Alt Text or Alt Tags are also very important and need to be filled up with a short description of the image. Search Engine web crawlers use these tags to identify an image. And since these crawlers often identify text and cannot identify an image, using the Alt Text can help optimize your images for search engine results.

It is important to apply the tips above to be successful in On-page SEO.

These tips will help you rank better in search engine results. Even though it can take some time for you to start seeing results, the results are definitely worth waiting for.

Whitehat Vs. Blackhat SEO

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Ranking on Google and/or Bing is a matter of great importance to millions of website owners.

The targeted leads, brand awareness, and improved conversion rates make it a necessary marketing strategy. Anyone not focusing on the implementation of SEO is a step behind in this day and age!

While considering the value of SEO, many people come across whitehat and blackhat methods. Here’s a breakdown of what it means to dabble in whitehat SEO vs. blackhat SEO.

What is Whitehat SEO?

Whitehat SEO refers to the legitimate use of backlinks, keywords, and other optimization strategies to help rank your website for major keywords on search engines such as Google or Bing.

1) Valid Backlinks

This technique encompasses the use of well-acclaimed backlink strategies. For example, you will look for credible websites in the niche and ask for guest posts to help add value to their site.

By doing this, they allow you to add a short byline linking straight to your website. With a simple exchange of value such as this, you are able to build proper backlinks without tricking anyone.

2) Proper Content

The content on your website is going to be valuable, easy to read, and designed to improve the reader’s experience. If they are looking to learn about acne and you are running an acne treatment blog, they should get an opportunity to learn more about new treatments.

The goal with whitehat SEO isn’t to stuff keywords and only aim to rank the page. Instead, it is to add value to the reader’s experience on your website while targeting 1-2 keywords per article.

3) Well-Rounded Optimization

This method is all about building a well-rounded SEO strategy which includes the use of social media, backlinks, major keywords, and a variety of other related solutions.

The idea is to impress Google and/or Bing with the credibility of your website and how optimized it is.

What is Blackhat SEO?

Blackhat SEO refers to the nefarious use of backlinks, keywords, and other optimization strategies to help rank your website for major keywords on search engines such as Google or Bing.

1) Spammy Links

This form of SEO is all about getting as many links out there as possible. It doesn’t matter where those links are coming from as long as the numbers add up and Google/Bing don’t ignore them.

If the links get past Google’s bots, you are good to go.

This can lead to tremendously dodgy techniques for link building, which can cause the website to hang from the balance until the search engines catch up.

2) Rushed and/or Unreadable Content with Keyword Stuffing

Ranking for a keyword is a part of SEO. However, blackhat methods look to take this to the next level. The sole purpose of putting up an article using this method is to trick Google/Bing into believing you are running a legitimate website. This means most of the articles are nothing more than a random mish-mash of words.

These articles don’t add value to the reader’s experience nor do they make sense! In fact, all they do is act as a way to stuff keywords the website owner wants to rank for.

In some cases, this works for a bit before the search engine penalizes the page.

3) Greedy Optimization

To put it plainly, blackhat SEO comes down to greed and wanting to move things along as fast as possible. This means putting together a boatload of links, articles, and keywords in the hopes of something clicking. This is often short-lived but most website owners using these methods want to try their luck for as long as they can. It’s rarely about longevity in their eyes because they move onto the next domain once the site is penalized.

It is all about greed with blackhat strategies.

Final Thoughts

In general, whitehat SEO and blackhat SEO both have long-term followers. Some people swear by the idea of tricking Google and Bing by misusing various tools to help produce illegitimate results. For most sites, this doesn’t last long and new algorithm changes obliterate all of their progress.

Whitehat SEO has always been the way to go because it’s approved by all major search engines and doesn’t have you looking over your shoulder all the time!

Difference Between Local And Organic SEO

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SEO (search engine optimization) is one of those unique topics businesses continue to analyze on a daily basis.

There are so many moving parts whether it’s algorithm changes, new regulations, or even which keywords are popular in your niche. All of these variables have a role to play in how well the website ranks on major search engines such as Google and Bing.

With this in mind, you will want to think about two of the more important forms of search engine optimization. It’s best to know the difference between local and organic SEO.

Ranking for Major Keywords

Organic SEO is built around the premise of ranking for major keywords. These keywords are niche-related and don’t have a location attached to them.

A good example of this would be something as simple as “top hairdresser” because you will want to rank for the keyword immediately.

However, local SEO works in a different way to this approach and aims to only target local leads. This means you would go for something along the lines of “top hairdresser in NYC” while building a new marketing campaign.

Geographical Keywords

Local SEO is all about geography and how it plays into the ranking process.

For example, let’s imagine you are a barber shop in the heart of New York City. You will want customers from the area since a person living in Boston won’t be riding over for a quick buzz cut! This is why it is best to go after customers willing to visit your website and your shop with an eye towards spending money.

Geographical keywords are what make local SEO different. With organic SEO, you will aim for keywords such as the “best barber shop” and nothing more. While local SEO requires you to aim for keywords such as “best barber shop in NYC” or “best barber shop near me.”

Improved Targeting

Targeting is one of the main requirements for people looking to bring in new leads to their business. As you put together an SEO campaign, you will have two routes available to you. Organic SEO is going to be about targeting everyone in the audience at once. While local SEO is going to push towards ranking for a much smaller group closer to the business address.

Each path is unique but it’s best to account for both of them as soon as it is time to optimize your website and business. Otherwise, you can lose out on potential leads down the road!

Type of Backlinks

The backlinks can shape how successful each type of SEO is.

Organic SEO is reliant on authoritative backlinks, which are sourced from some of the highest ranking websites in the world. For example, backlinks from CNN are going to do a lot more than backlinks from a local mommy blog. In the same line of thought, local SEO has a more rigid approach to backlink building.

The goal is to target local websites, directories, and forums instead of international alternatives. If the website is local and posts a backlink to your website, this gives you far more juice in comparison to anything else.

Online Footprint

With organic SEO, the aim is to have a well-rounded online footprint (i.e. backlinks, citations, targeted keywords). This can be more than enough to build a full-fledged SEO campaign for years of continued success.

However, local SEO works differently and it’s more about picking the right ways to build an online presence.

For example, a local directory holds far more weight than an international counterpart. This is where being selective comes in handy as you work hard on building something truly meaningful using local SEO techniques.

Final Thoughts

In the end, both strategies have merit and work well as long as you are committed to the ranking process. It’s not going to happen overnight and it’s best to use a little bit of both in your overall marketing strategy.

For example, you can’t ignore niche-friendly keywords in a bid to only target local keywords.

However, it is also important to make sure local keywords do remain in your mind throughout the marketing campaign. Otherwise, you may lose out to local competitors when people begin to search for your business.

This is why a well-designed and well-rounded approach to SEO goes a long way!

What is Search Engine Optimization and How Can it Help Your Business?

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What is search engine optimization and what can it do for your business online? In this read, we are going to unravel the purpose of SEO and how to utilize it properly.

Well, search engine optimization or SEO is a term that describes the processes that affect the visibility of your website online or rather the position it shows up on the search engines.

Here’s an example:

If you own a site that’s all about growing climbing roses, then you want the website to be set up in a manner that it appears on the first page of Google’s search results if a person types “how to grow climbing roses”. Of course, it would be much better if it was in the very first position on the first page.

So, why is this important?

Well, it’s all about the traffic or simply put, visitors to your website. The more traffic you get, the higher the chances of making sales.

In order to drive the point home, research has it that the second results page on Google gets less than 15% of total clicks and the top 3 spots on page one get about 60% of clicks. That simply means that the website on the first position will enjoy over 30% of the total clicks.

How do you achieve high-rankings?

The ever-changing Google’s algorithm or formula for determining the relevance of a site’s page has been the subject of great debate.

While the company does reveal a substantial amount of information regarding it, the precise manner in which it’s applied is still somewhat mysterious.

However, all you need to know is that Google and other search engines are focused on providing their visitors the highest quality and most relevant search results.

Relevance

We’ve already hinted this and it’s the most important aspect when it comes to SEO.

In a nutshell, search engines want their users to have an ideal experience and that simply means that they should be able to find exactly what they are looking for.

Using the example we used above if a person searches “how to grow climbing roses” on Google, instead of a page that is all about gardening, in general, appearing high on the search engine, the top page should be one that’s specifically focused on growing climbing roses.

Go about it ethically

It is highly advisable that you work with the search engines and avoid deceiving them in any way in order to get high rankings. These companies have very smart individuals working for them and trying to outwit them is a policy that’s highly discouraged.

Tips to Make Your Website Search Engine Friendly

We’re not going to be able to give you an entire course on SEO in this post, but we can give some of the most important things that you’ll want to take into consideration.

On-Site Search Engine Optimization

Your website must have relevant and original content.

You need a lot of copy that is highly focused on the topic you’re wanting to rank for on every page of your website. The keyword is the subject of that page.

Using our example again, the page should have the URL site name/growing-climbing-roses, the page title which should be “growing climbing roses” and that term should represent around 2% of the content on that page.

Off-Site Search Engine Optimization

One of the biggest ranking factors in SEO is having links coming from other websites also known as backlinks. The higher those websites are ranked, the better.

You can get backlinks by posting comments and guest posts on websites that are highly authoritative. Getting such links is not easy and that’s why it is important to nurture relationships in your niche and focus on producing high-quality content.

This is just a small fraction of the things that you can do to improve your rankings on the search engines.

Using SEO techniques to drive traffic through search engine rankings has the benefit of being a free method, but of course, you will need to put a high value on your time.

However, there’s always the option of employing a professional SEO company to do the tough work for you. There is a huge array of both free and paid methods to drive traffic, but in this read, we are confident that we have answered the question, what is search engine optimization?

How To Become An MVP

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This is something it has been asked so many times I can’t even count and, thanks to a community contributor who suggested this to me, I decided to make some clarifications around that.

As you may know, the MVP Award Program is an Award for your past community contributions. But what does this mean exactly?

– In short: it’s about all of the many community activities you may have done in the past. It could be speeches, blog posts, conferences, webcasts/screencasts, forum posts, written technical articles, books and so forth.

Again, what is important here is the one –> many relationships. Replying to e-mails from a technical standpoint is a 1:1 relationship, even if you reply to tons of them. So, if you get a lot of them, why don’t you tell the person requesting a technical solution to go to the forums (wherever they are hosted) and ask the community? Because doing so will help other people solving the same issue.

– Back to the Program: it’s about a specific product.

You can do a lot of things, from a community standpoint, and touch a lot of products but think about it: how can you be an “expert” of multiple products and technologies? Tough to answer and tough to evaluate too… – It’s a balance between quantity and quality. I always remember a SQL MVP who once compared some forum posts made by one MVP between the forum posts made by another SQL MVP. The first one replied to almost 1,500 questions. The other one replied to 400 questions (almost). So basically the difference here is that the first one was giving a lot of resources’ links and other links to solve issues while the first one was writing his replies as they were technical articles. Every single one of them. Both of them were (and are) great MVPs.

– It’s about giving feedback.

How many times are you giving useful feedback on specific Microsoft Products? How many beta products are you testing? This is another important pillar to make note of. And here are some questions you may have in your head right now: – Does it last forever? No, it’s a 1-year Award and it is re-evaluated each year.

– Do I need to know anyone to be included in this group of individuals?

No.

– Is it a lobby?

Not at all. Ask me, ask some MVPs if you know any, write to me and I’ll give you more details on how it’s a totally different thing. Yes, if you know MVPs you’ll probably get some insights about the Program. And yes, if you are collaborating with a Microsoft Subsidiary will help too. But it’s not mandatory, please bear in mind this.

– So if I don’t know anyone, how can I reach this important goal (of, of course, if it’s is important to you)?

You can write to mvpga@microsoft.com to ask and be a potential nominee and also be a referral for another potential nominee, including name, technical area of expertise and some examples of his/her community activities.

So, to summarize, the MVP Award Program recognizes community individuals who share their technical knowledge, on a specific Microsoft Product, online and offline.

Last but not least, there’s one more thing to mention and I’ll never give up on saying this to anyone who’s involved in a User Group or a community website or whatever the community is located.

– The MVP Award Program is about Passion.

You can change your job, you can change your Country for business reasons, you can be married and have kids but you won’t change your passion. And that’s a fact. You can probably lose it, and that may happen. But the Passion? I consider it to be the “Most Valuable Value” of the Program.

Now it’s your turn! Are you willing to get involved and be engaged ?! 🙂

Original article by Alessandro Teglia
Maintained on belead.me

Lead Generation in 2018

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After a brief delay our website is back up!

Things are different in 2018. The old strategies will no longer work!

If you’re going to create a successful business online, you’re going to need to learn how to create leads from your website visitors.

Gone are the days of websites that have no design or strategy. A beautiful looking website is no longer going to cut it.

You need to know why visitors are coming to your website and why they will or won’t interact with you.

You need to get contact info so you can follow up with them and create a relationship.

Many people aren’t going to call you or email you. They want something of value right away!

We’re planning some great blog posts to outline all of this.

For now, check out this great new video by Jill Biggs!