SEO & Integrity

First rule for effective SEO: Don’t panic!

Many small business owners, upon learning of the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), immediately leap into a frenzied state for which they’ll fork over money to anyone who promises to handle this mysterious, internet success and online life-threatening mandate for them. If you’re freaking out, trust me—someone out there is eagerly waiting to sell you some snake oil.

Since SEO is important to those businesses who rely on search engines to direct traffic to their site and the owners of those businesses are busy, well, doing business, they become easy prey for the SEO marketing predators. This article will help you better understand what you need to do to improve your search engine results. But be forewarned, because Big Vision Media Group is committed to integrity, we’ll tell you the truth: good SEO is not an easy fix.

You already know that the internet evolves and continues to do so even as you read this. That means the SEO tactics also evolve. Google and Bing don’t really want you to use tactics at all because tactics can distort authentic results when trying to connect the web user with the information they need. Big companies who have more resources can outpower you. Shady marketers can use “black hat” tactics. Yet the web is supposed to be a place of equal access, right? For that reason (among others), the search engines don’t want you to know their constantly changing algorithms for determining search engine results. The secrecy and frequent changes means internet marketers must watch patterns and test results to discern how to best be found.

Unfortunately, much of the information you find for SEO is outdated. Additionally, most of the automated SEO programs (used by those marketers who promise you the moon if you’ll let them handle your SEO) use this outdated info or worse, can be shifty in their tactics and end up causing you more harm than good. Learn more about Black Hat SEO.

Here are the facts you need to know:

1. Know your keywords and themes. What search terms will people use to find your site? What is unique about your products and services? Don’t forget to include local, geographic terms.
2. Proper links. Develop a sound URL structure with an XML sitemap and smart use of internal linking.
3. Quality content. Use keywords and themes in your website content. Alter existing content and continue to develop new content wisely. Optimize graphics and videos with these keywords and themes, too.
4. Competitive analysis.  Find the opportunities to maximize keywords and themes in your content that your competitors have overlooked.
5. Analytics. Know how much traffic you’re getting, how your site visitors are finding you, what pages they view, what actions they take. Optimize your content accordingly.
6. Build legitimate incoming links. A bit more work, this requires building relationships with other websites. BoostSuite is a helpful tool as well as taking opportunities from HARO.
7. Social media marketing. You can amplify your efforts through backlinks, social shares and campaigns. Quality blogging is also a vital part of social media. If you create the right content, your followers will want to share it.
8. PPC. If you have the budget, AdWords, Facebook Ads, Post Boosts, Page Boosts and other PPC efforts will also increase your SEO results.

As you can see, these tactics are not easily automated. If it seems overwhelming, start at the top and work your way down the list. The result will help your website to be found by those who are earnestly looking for you. Feel free to contact Big Vision Media Group for help with your Search Engine Optimization.