Getting found online is no easy feat.
For some small business CEO’s, it is a shock and surprise to learn that getting found online requires more than just a few keywords embedded on their website.
One of the keys to being found online is to have a very clear understanding of how your customers are searching for you.
Oftentimes, the person writing the copy for the website is writing with a company first perspective. Others write with the web crawler in mind. Both are incorrect. Getting found online requires you to write your content for the user. Meaning, identifying keywords that your users will use when searching for companies like yours.
Keyword Search Tools
Using a keyword research tool will help you get a better understanding of how your customers are looking for you. Google offers a free keyword research tool, called a Keyword Planner.
Using the right keywords is the first step to getting found online. The Keyword research tool gives you insight into how often certain words are searched. The research tool also shows how those searches have changed over time. This can help small business owners narrow their keyword list down to the ones that you want and yield better results.
Google Trends
Another free tool from Google that offers similar functionality is called Google Trends (google.com/trends). This tool will help you make meaning out of your search. Simply enter a topic or search term and Google Trend returns graphs, charts, stats, and facts. This helpful information allows small business decision makers to hone in on terms that are most relevant over time.
Your research should also include knowing, not guessing, how your customer is finding you. Just because the marketing director is always on their phone, doesn’t mean the customer is doing the same.
“The reason that’s important is you want to make sure you’ve got a web experience that’s tailored to how your customer is likely finding you. If 80% of your traffic is coming in via mobile, but your site is slow on mobile and you’re trying to load a lot of huge images and video, you probably need to rethink that strategy,” said Bob Goricki, director of digital marketing at Strategic 7 agency in Ohio.
Next, as you’ve tweaked your keywords, found relevant trends, and understand how your customers are finding you, it’s important to know if Google is able to find your site. Optimizing your site is critical following all the front-end work you just conducted. Google is going to be looking at things like page titles and headlines.
According to Goricki, Google’s Search Console is a nice dashboard designed to track any technical issues you might be having with Google. Google’s going to flag any technical issues in this dashboard for you so you can address it quickly.
Lead Conversion
Finally, once you have brought the traffic to your site, the next area of focus is converting traffic into leads or sales. Conversion is the key to a successful online presence getting found online.
The process of lead conversion will vary. For sites that sell products and services online, it comes down to user experience. Also, making sure that purchase process is as simple as possible from a technical standpoint. If somebody wants to buy your product, your site is not throwing up unnecessary hurdles.
Lead conversion is beyond just tracking traffic or taking names. It is ensuring the prospect goes into the funnel and that lead is nurtured. How long to keep a lead? Easy; until they become a buyer and ultimately, a repeat customer. Investing in CRM software and content management software such as Hubspot, will allow small business owners and marketers to streamline the process, track qualified leads, and better understand their customer personas. But save for another blog.
As you have read, getting found online is an involved process. A small business owner can not afford to sit back passively hoping the keywords are right and the buyers will notice.
Learn more from Bob Goricki on the BizChat Ohio podcast episode “Getting Found Online.” Bob also welcomes inquiries for a website audit of your business. Visit strategicseven.com for a no-cost assessment.
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