So you have a website but no one is coming to it. How do you get more exposure online? The number one way to grow traffic and leads is with Search Engine Optimization (also commonly referred to as SEO). SEO is the process of determining what keywords, search phrases, and topics your target demographic is looking for in search engines and optimizing your site so that it is placed on the first page in the search results.
While most SEO agencies like to keep their strategies secretly guarded, we’re more than happy to explain ours to clients. First, we start out with a strategy called keyword research. This is the tedious process whereby we sift through hundreds (or sometimes thousands) of search phrases to find ones that your target demographic is searching for. We also research your competitors to see what search phrases that earn them the top spot in search engines. Once we have complied a list of keywords/topics that your target demographic is searching for we use them to thoroughly optimize your site. “Optimizing”, when referred to in SEO, means ensuring that the search engines know which of your website pages should be on page one in the search results for specific keywords that you’re targeting. This process is done in many ways. Here are a few examples:
- We make sure that the keyword is in the page title.
- We make sure that the keyword is in the meta description.
- We make sure that the keyword is in the HTML heading tag.
Once we have fully optimized your website it’s time to start backlinking. Backlinking (often referred to as off-page SEO) simply means getting links from other websites that point back to yours. Why are links important? Search engines view links as votes. The more links/votes your website has, the more power it has in the eyes of the search engines and thus the higher it will be placed in the search engines results. However, not all links are created equal. For a search engine to count a link coming from another site back to yours, it must follow certain guidelines.
- It must be relevant to your industry.
- It cannot be “spammed” on another website.
- It must be earned through relevant, insightful, and informative content. Not paid for.
As you might guess, backlinking is a tedious (yet rewarding) element of SEO. Where we differ from most SEO companies is in our ability to generate high-quality backlinks to your site. Many SEO agencies purchase links on shady websites or spam websites to gain hundreds of links back to your website. While these strategies may work in the short term, search engines will eventually catch on to them and penalize your site. This could leave you with a website that doesn’t even show up in the search results at all!
Due to our partnerships with various PR agencies and our connections at high-profile publications such as Inc, Entrepreneur, The Huffington Post, Elite Daily, and others, we can ensure backlinks in content that empower your site. This not only helps your SEO but also your business’ brand on a whole.
Interested in learning exactly how SEO can help your business grow? We’d love to talk. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation!
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Frequently asked SEO questions.
How much does SEO cost?
The cost of Search Engine Optimization varies depending on things such as the size of your business, whether you are targeting customers on a local/national/global scale, and how competitive your industry is. Be wary of any SEO Agency that offers their services for $1,000 per month or less. Why? SEO takes time, effort, and strategy. Often times, the agencies that offer such low rates are outsourcing these services overseas where shady SEO can occur and end up doing more harm than good to your site.
How long does this process take?
Depending on the size of your site, the initial SEO process of keyword research and website optimization can vary between two weeks and two months. The more pages your current site has, the more work that needs to be done.
When can I expect results?
SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. It is important to realize that while some digital marketing strategies (such as Pay-Per-Click Advertising and Email Marketing) offer immediate results, SEO is more long term. After optimizing your site, it can take up to one or two months for results to be seen. If your site is brand new, it may take longer. However, once a solid SEO foundation is in place, you will continuously be able to bring in targeted traffic (and leads) to your website.
Will I need to redesign my website?
Is your site old and built with outdated code? Does it take a long time to load? Does it load properly on mobile devices? All of these things factor in to SEO. If you answered yes to any of these questions, a redesign and development may be in order for your site to launch a proper SEO campaign. However, if your website is built on a content management system such as WordPress or Drupal, there is no need for a total redesign, only a refresh and optimization.
What other site elements affect SEO?
Beyond the major factors such as keyword optimization and backlinks, SEO is affected by other things such as: site speed, ease of loading on mobile devices, amount of content on the site, and proper schema markup (rich snippets). We take all of this into account when optimizing your site for SEO.
Do I need you to do SEO consistently to maintain my rankings and traffic?
SEO is an ever-evolving industry and strategy. It changes more every month than most other strategies do in a year. This is because the search engines are updating their algorithms and always trying to serve those searching with the best information possible. Unlike some other strategies, SEO is not “set it and forget it”. It requires consistent work to monitor keywords, create fresh/unique content on your site, and generate backlinks. It is only then that your site will grow traffic and leads. To answer the question, you don’t always need to pay us to maintain your results. However, if you don’t, you will need to ensure that SEO is made a priority in your business in some other way.
How do we get started?
It’s simple! Drop us a line here and we’ll be in touch to schedule your free initial consultation.
