Categories
How We Can Help Local SEO SEO Services SEO Tips Small Business SEO

Don’t Get Your SEO in Trouble: Explore the Benefits of a Boutique Digital Marketing Agency Instead

You know the importance of SEO (search engine optimization) to a growing business, but learning its complex in’s and out’s to do it where it’s successful enough to be worth your time…well, as a busy small business owner, it can easily get lost in the mix or pushed down the road.

For that reason, businesses often seek out third-party services to boost their website’s visibility. However, relying on services like Townsquare, Scorpion, or Thomson Reuters can unknowingly lead businesses into trouble. There are legitimate risks associated with these services and they can potentially have a negative impact on your SEO efforts.

1. Their Tactics Are Not What You Think

In the SEO world, there is something called “ethical SEO techniques”. This includes creating high-quality content, optimizing meta tags, and building high-quality backlinks. All of this leads to sustainable long-term success.

On the other hand, services like Townsquare, Scorpion, and Thomson Reuters tend to rely on more manipulative tactics that may work in the short term, but quickly have consequences regarding your digital marketing strategy overall.

Townsquare, for instance, relies heavily on keyword stuffing, which can result in Google penalizing your site. Scorpion utilizes aggressive tactics such as creating duplicate content, which can potentially lead to an actual decrease in search engine rankings if not done thoughtfully and creatively. Thomson Reuters tends to rely on outdated techniques like exact-match anchor text, which now violate Google’s guidelines.

2. You No Longer Own Your Content

When you search through a site looking for a potential service, many of us tend to skip the Terms of Use section listed on the bottom of a page.

Yet, you know that before you sign an agreement, you need to read ALL the fine print. 

Let’s take a look at the fine print on Townsquare’s site:

“Ownership. As between the Parties: (i) all Townsquare-Furnished Material and all IP rights associated therewith shall remain the sole property of Townsquare and all use thereof by Client shall inure to the sole benefit of Townsquare; and (ii) all Client-Furnished Material and all IP rights associated therewith shall remain the sole property of Client and all uses thereof by Townsquare shall inure to the sole benefit of Client.”

In other words, for many of these larger SEO companies, the content their team creates for you, whether it be blogs, web copy, eBooks, etc., is owned by them. That means, down the road, if you decide to go in-house or in another direction, when you break up with that company, they still own the content. And you start back at square one.

Be sure that when you sign on to partner with an agency, you will own the rights to all of your business’ material, no matter who creates it, after that partnership is over.

3. Nothing Is Truly Personalized 

It can be tempting, while looking for an SEO team to partner with, to choose a larger, big name agency. You know they have established themselves in the industry and seem the “safe” way to go.

However, in such an agency, your business can easily become a “drop in the bucket”, especially if your needs are lesser for the time being. 

In a boutique digital marketing agency, there is a personal touch not found elsewhere. The team knows who you are, your passion for your business, and how you want it presented to the world. They work hard to develop an individualized digital marketing strategy that will grow your unique business. 

We at GoBeyond SEO prides ourselves on delivering both exceptional digital marketing results and high-end customer service. We enable you to create a valuable user experience to potential clients, from which you will see a positive impact on your website’s search engine rankings over time. Our ethical SEO techniques yield the benefits you actually want: increased search engine visibility, improved online presence, and a portfolio of content all your own. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out for a free strategy consultation

Categories
Blog SEO Tips

Why Having a Well-Optimized, SEO Powerful Website is Valuable if You Ever Sell Your Business

Maybe it’s not in the near future, but as a business owner, positioning your business to sell it for the most value is always in the back of your mind. It’s similar to owning a house. You might love your home and want to cozy up in it as long as possible…but resale is always lurking when you make major homeowner decisions.

If you’ve been in the business game long enough, you know the deal: having a strong online presence is absolutely essential. Part of that is a visually appealing website all those brilliant social media posts link back to. 

More important than that, though, is that attention-grabbing, super accessible website needs to be optimized for search engines. Search engine optimization (SEO) improves the visibility and ranking of your website in a search engine results page. Having an SEO strategy increases the likelihood that your company will appear towards the top of the results, leading to more traffic. 

Bonus points: resale value of the business itself goes up and the eventual selling process is that much easier.

Check out these four reasons why having a well-optimized, SEO powerful website is a must-have when you are preparing to sell your business.

1. Attracts Potential Buyers

When you do decide to sell your business, the goal is to attract buyers who are legitimately interested in acquiring your business. 

With a strong SEO strategy, your website will be more visible to those buyers searching online for businesses like yours. The result: you reach a much larger pool of potential buyers, increasing your chances of landing on the perfect fit candidate.

2. Builds Your Business’ Credibility

A website with solid SEO immediately builds trust with those potential buyers. When your website ranks higher in search engine results pages, it gives the impression that your business is both reputable and trustworthy. Sending this type of message can go a long way in attracting more serious buyers willing to invest in your business.

You might have tried PPC (pay-per-click) marketing in the past, with your site appearing towards the top of the rankings as an ad. However, an organic SEO strategy will work to improve the ranking so the site is seen without the word “ad” written next to it. The result: a more reliable reputation. 

3. Showcases Your Business’ Unique Strengths

When you optimize your website for specific keywords, you can highlight the strengths and key features of your business that make it stand out from the competition. 

Showcasing the business’ unique selling points can help potential buyers gain a better understanding of exactly what your business has to offer, which can motivate them to make the next move.

4. Increases the Value of the Business Overall

By already having implemented an SEO strategy, your business has established:

All of this serves as proof to your potential buyer that your business and your brand are strong. Those buyers are more likely to pay a premium, and you will be able to maximize your return on investment.

If you are considering selling your business, or even if you can see the opportunity years from now, it is important to invest in a website with good SEO to ensure you are able to reach the right buyers and get the best possible price for your business.

GoBeyond SEO is a full-service marketing agency specializing in SEO strategy. We are here to answer any questions and guide you in the right direction to build a distinct digital presence. Contact us to book a free strategy session.

Categories
Blog Business Blogging Search Engine Optimization Tips SEO Tips

Top 3 SEO Tips for Click-Worthy Headlines

Are you a reader or a skimmer? We’re going to guess you’re a skimmer. After all, in a world overrun with information, who has time to dissect every detail?

But what if you need your clients or potential clients to read? You’ve written a blog or published an article and the information you’ve included would actually help them, but alas, they don’t think it’s worth their time. 

There’s one way you can increase the chances that people would actually read your content: your blog titles and article headlines should be both obvious and promise a pay off.

Vague or off-beat titles may be fun to write–and you may even call yourself clever for writing them–but those titles do not get clicked on. Headlines are read six times more than the article itself is. You have a split second to get your reader’s attention and about two seconds to keep that attention. You’ve got to give it your best shot. 

With that being said, here are three tips to help you draw readers in with your headlines.

Tip #1: Keep Character Length to 70 or Fewer

Unless you’re trying to be funny and you know your audience will get the joke, don’t name your blog post like the new Kristen Bell show on Netflix. If you’re unfamiliar with it, here it is: 

The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window

If you want a click-worthy headline, make it clear and easy to read in under two seconds, preferably 70 characters or less–unlike the above example.

Tip #2: Bait the Hook Early

Tell your readers the most important thing they need to know first. Not only does this help with SEO because the “bait”, or most important thing to your reader, is most likely a keyword, but it makes them want to read more.

Example: Which of these two titles would you click on?

Bad: Digital marketing practices are helpful to most businesses.

Good: 67% of businesses experience business growth using SEO.

While both statements are helpful, the second cuts to the proverbial chase more quickly and is therefore more effective.

Tip #3: Use Numbers, “W” Questions, or Reveal a Secret

Nobody wants to feel ignorant. Pull in your readers by using information that they want or would feel foolish not having.

This includes information that you can use to answer “W” questions, such as who, when, where, what, and why. It also includes numbers, as people tend to focus on what stands out in an article or title–aka numbers in a sea of text.

Examples:

  • 5 Tax Write-Offs You Could Be Missing
  • What Does Q2 of 2022 Have in Store for Family Law Practices?
  • Why SEO Is No Longer ‘Nice to Have’ for Small Businesses in 2022

Bonus Tip: Act Like You’re Writing to a Real Person

When writing content for clients or potential clients, write like you’re writing to a person.

Not to people. Not to search engines.

To one singular person.

It may feel weird at first, but the writing connects better with your audience when you act like you’re writing it to one person. 

It takes a minute to get the hang of headline writing, but when you’re a small business owner, learning on the fly is what you do–you got this!
Find out more about how you can enhance your content marketing for the better by booking a free discovery call with GoBeyond SEO today.

Categories
Local SEO Marketing Small Business Marketing Small Business SEO

Three Reasons To Claim Your Google My Business Listing

If you haven’t already jumped on the Google My Business bandwagon, now’s the time. Leaving a Google My Business profile unclaimed (psst: even if you’re virtual) is like leaving an entire host of free marketing opportunities on the table and willingly ignoring their existence…and you know better than that. 

Here’s the deal: 80 percent of internet searches go through Google. Think of the last time you actually searched through Bing or Yahoo. Yet, 56 percent of potential Google My Business accounts have not been claimed. This means the business will not be told when a review comes through, you’re allowing third-party photos to be attached to your business without your knowledge, and you’re missing out on a wealth of leads and potential sales.

Keep reading for the top 3 reasons to claim your Google My Business listing.

1. Claim Google My Business Listing for Local SEO

Claiming your Google My Business profile gives you the ability to boost your ranking, free of charge, by instantly making yourself more of an authority in your space. See, Google’s algorithm primarily considers three features: relevance, proximity, and prominence. By claiming your profile, you are essentially sounding an alarm to the algorithm that your listing deserves a higher ranking because of information you’ve provided. Here’s why:

  • By adding your website to your profile, you are adding backlinks, which builds up your site’s reliability.
  • You’ve now provided Google with a location, which tells the algorithm when it should come up in more localized searches.
  • It makes your business more established and well-known in the eyes of Google.

2. Get Found By Potential Clients

As your SEO improves, your business appears earlier in the search ranking, and, as a result, your website traffic increases. Even simply filling out the information in the profile, however, and turning it into your own, enables your business to share necessary content with your potential customers. 

By claiming the profile, you are able to put your ideas, via posts and blogs, in front of them. You give your audience a chance to learn about your business, the hours it operates, any pertinent or new information, and how to find out more. The more information your customers consume, the more likely it is the interaction will end in a sale.

3. Use GMB for Reputation Management

Google reviews are all the rage right now, and it makes total sense. The last restaurant you’ve visited, the electrician you’ve hired, the last salon you’ve entered…I would be surprised if you’ve never checked out some reviews before making a decision. 90 percent of people read reviews. 90 percent. 

When you claim your Google My Business profile, you become notified when there’s a review. And, as every smart business owner knows, when there’s a review, there needs to be a response. Without claiming the profile, you don’t know when the review comes in, and you leave it unnoticed. As positive reviews build up, more positive reviews come in, and all this leads to more sales for you.

Beyond that, Google My Business recently added a messaging feature. More customer interaction means more engagement and loyalty which, again, means more sales.

How Do I Claim My Business on Google?

So now you’re convinced, but have no idea how to claim your Google My Business listing. Follow this process, and if you run into an issue, don’t hesitate to reach out for help.

  1. Go to https://business.google.com/create and create an account.
  2. Add your business name.
  3. Add your business category. If your business shows up after this step, it’s possible that your business has already been added via a third-party. This may require a bit more poking around. If you get stuck, reach out for assistance.
  4. Add your location or indicate that you’re virtual.
  5. Different questions will arise based on your answers. Just fill them out.
  6. Add pictures where you can. When adding your pictures, give them names. Most images are labeled with IMG_123 or something to that effect, which doesn’t help your SEO at all. Label your images with a specific name that lets Google know what you’re about, such as “Best-Dog-Groomer-Charlotte”.
  7. Once you’ve completed and reviewed your details, click “Claim this business.”
  8. It typically takes about 24 hours for your business to show up in the Google listings. You’ll receive an email confirmation that your business listing is active.

Don’t leave your business behind by leaving your profile unattended. Google My Business is a fast and easy way to improve your visibility, engage your audience, and provide a ton of content, and it’s all for free. 

Sign Up for the GoBeyond SEO Blog

Kristy is an Assistant & Coordinator of Awesome. She has worked extensively in academic administration and brings a varied wealth of knowledge. As a self-starter, she is ready to take on news projects and see them through to completion. Always curious, Kristy is an avid researcher and delights in the challenge of learning new skills.

When Kristy isn’t organizing or researching something, you can find her listening to a true crime podcast, re-watching How I Met Your Mother or The Big Bang Theory and coming up with some crazy shenanigan for her family’s next adventure.

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KRISTY

  1. Kristy prefers the Harry Potter books over the movies. Her favorite book is The Prisoner of Azkaban and her favorite character is Luna Lovegood. Ravenclaw house. She just started her 8-year-old son on listening to the books.
  2. Kristy has a nail technician license, esthetician license, medical assisting certification, associate degree, and bachelor’s degree. She didn’t get her full cosmetology license because she can barely do her own hair, she shouldn’t be trusted with someone else’s.
  3. She doesn’t know how to gamble but is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada. She moved to Colorado three months before her 21st birthday.
  4. Her high school graduating class consisted of only 20 people.
  5. Kristy loves gift giving. One of her great joys in life is finding the “perfect” gift.
Kristy Elias