Searching online was easy, but now it's become a science.
Content Marketing Strategy - What Entrepreneurs Need
Today, entrepreneurs need to understand hundreds of ranking factors to appear at the top of the SERPs and get free, near-limitless traffic.
The internet has evolved a lot since its early days, as has the complexity of search engine optimization.
It's now vital for businesses to be found online. It requires excellent technical know-how, an understanding of hundreds of ranking factors, and a deep familiarity with Google's core search algorithms.
Major updates like Panda, Penguin, and Hummingbird have changed the landscape of SEO, making it more difficult to achieve organic search success and free traffic from the top of search engine results pages.
It's a challenging field to navigate, but mastering it is paramount to gaining exposure and success online.
Content Marketing Strategy - How do you market your business online?
To effectively market your business online, use a mix of short and long term strategies like SEO, content marketing, email campaigns, and social media.
Investing time in these will bring results over time, but ensuring you provide valuable content is vital.
Other ways to market your business online are:
1. Create a blog and post high-quality content regularly.
Blogging is an essential online marketing tool for entrepreneurs. You can build an authoritative presence in your niche by creating valuable and engaging content.
This long-term strategy will bring organic traffic, attention from consumers and the media, and eventually, visibility and sales. Investing in a blog is a smart move to help your business succeed.
2. Market your content on Medium and Quora.
Create a high-quality article on your site, ensuring it's keyword-centric, unique and adds value.
Then, write another article on a site like Medium or Quora, linking to the central theme with a relevant keyword.
Content marketing is the most effective way to gain traction on Google and reach existing audiences.
3. Connect with others on LinkedIn groups.
LinkedIn groups are a great way to quickly connect with people in your industry and promote your content. Add value to conversations and discussions before trying to drop your links.
You can also use LinkedIn groups to contact people you don't have mutual connections with - just stay in the spotlight without oversharing.
Share updates often and take advantage of this powerful networking tool.
4. Use Facebook ads and strategically-targeted landing pages.
Facebook ads offer an excellent opportunity for reaching the right consumers.
Use metrics like interests, location, age, etc., to target the right audience and send them to squeeze pages.
Experiment with micro-spends to find the best ad copy and squeeze page. With a profitable campaign, scale up your spending. It may take time, but it's worth it.
5. Leverage the power of Instagram influencers.
Social media gives us access to a global audience in an instant.
However, algorithms and visibility can hinder our reach. To combat this, we need amplifiers, power users and influencers to help spread our messages.
This won't be free, but selecting the right Instagram influencer will give us access to a broad audience in our niche.
6. Create helpful video tutorials on YouTube.
YouTube is an excellent resource for marketing your business.
By focusing on creating helpful video tutorials, you can reach a vast amount of people. Ensure quality recordings and content, and include a link to your site's relevant content.
This can help you build your audience and add value without much concern for generating profit.
7. Develop a relationship with your customers through email marketing.
Email marketing is essential for business owners. Offer something of value in exchange for an email address.
Create a free report or ebook related to your industry, then use an email marketing platform to nurture the relationship.
Don't purely focus on selling. Connect first, then sell.
Email marketing can be difficult, but with the right approach, it can be rewarding.
8. Use Angie's List or TripAdvisor.
Angie's List and TripAdvisor are great resources for reaching potential customers. Listings on these sites can help with SEO and access a large audience.
Create a good listing and drive customers to leave reviews based on their experiences with your business. This will help build trust and credibility with your target audience.
Take the time to make sure your listing stands out and resonates with the right people.
9. Build consumer trust on platforms like Yelp and Trust Pilot.
Sites like Yelp and Trust Pilot can help businesses gain trust with potential customers by providing past customer experiences.
These sites are the world's largest for online reviews and can increase transparency and help consumers find the right company to work with.
Leveraging these sites can help build trust, allowing businesses to establish customer relationships.
10. Utilize rich snippets, AMP and FBIA.
Gain traction with your content by using rich snippets, AMP, and FBIA.
WordPress plugins exist for all three, making implementation easy. Rich snippets cover articles, local businesses, music, recipes, and more.
AMP and FBIA give you an edge on SERPs and newsfeeds. Google and Facebook prioritize mobile, so having AMP and FBIA articles helps keep you visible.
11. Collaborate with famous bloggers in your niche.
Reach out to famous bloggers in your niche to market your business. Offer your services as a guest blogger to collaborate.
You must have writing experience, and it may be hard to find a popular blog to allow you to do this, but try, and it could be worth it.
12. Regularly contribute to industry-specific forums.
Don't spam links when joining a forum. Instead, join conversations, add value, answer questions, and make suggestions.
After a few posts, or when the rules allow, add your link to your signature.
Spamming links will not yield results, but adding value to the forum will.
Show that you care about the community and its people, and your efforts will pay off.
13. Offer a free product or service to customers.
Offering your customers a complimentary service or product can be a great way to create goodwill. Get their contact details, and you can later upsell them to your paid services.
Research has shown that people are more likely to accept something for free than pay a nominal price.
It also creates a sense of obligation in customers, making them more likely to purchase from you in the future. Use this opportunity to your advantage!
14. Use business listing sites like Yahoo Local and Google Local.
List your business on local business listing sites like Google Local and Yahoo Local to attract nearby customers.
Ensure your information is accurate and up-to-date, providing details like your address, store hours, and other info related to your business.
Google Local is a powerful way to list and verify your business, making it appear on Google Maps. Take advantage of this opportunity to draw in local customers.
15. Optimize your website for SEO.
Optimizing your site for relevant keywords is essential for online marketing. However, if your business is new, you may need help to rank highly on Google.
To reach your goal, create excellent content and focus on On-Page and Off-Page SEO.
Consider factors such as site speed, mobile usability, meta descriptions, etc.
Be encouraged if you don't see immediate results - this is a marathon, not a sprint.
16. Co-sponsor an award or giveaway in a contest.
Networking with others using tools such as LinkedIn and Facebook can help locate a like-minded company or professional to co-sponsor an award or contest with you.
Give away something to add value in the public eye and partner with another company, group or professional in your field.
Take advantage of this opportunity to reach new customers and grow your business.
17. Give a talk at a professional conference or at a webinar.
You can build your authority by talking at a professional conference or webinar.
TED Talks are a great opportunity, but there are other professional conferences and online webinars you can speak at too.
Webinars are especially powerful for marketing, gaining more exposure and credibility. Plus, it will be a great addition to your portfolio or resume.
18. Use press releases to communicate important company news or events.
Press releases will only get you immediate media coverage. Outlets like Help a Reporter and PR Web may be used but won't guarantee news coverage.
Writing a good press release with a strong link profile can help with SEO and is an excellent way to share company news or events that can be used to actively pursue media outlets.
19. Create a branded email signature.
Promote your business with a branded email signature. Include links to social media, relevant marketing pieces, and any accolades your company has received.
Add a tagline or one-sentence catchphrase about your business and its mission to further increase your reach. This is an easy and passive way to market your business online.
20. Implement the 80-20 rule to identify and market to high-value clients.
The 80-20 rule, or Pareto Principle, states that 80% of the results come from 20% of the efforts.
This also applies to sales, meaning 80% of the revenue comes from 20% of the clients.
To maximize sales, it's essential to identify which clients are generating the most income and focus on them.
You can do this by sending them additional offers or targeting them online. Doing this will help you scale your sales and increase revenue.
21. Post photos and videos with relevant hashtags on Pinterest, Flickr, Tumblr and Instagram.
Posting photos and videos on high-domain authority sites like Pinterest, Flickr, Tumblr, and Instagram can help build a following.
Use hashtags and descriptions to categorize posts, follow relevant users and engage with their content.
Building a following takes time, but adding value and passion will help. Comment, like, and engage with other people's posts to get yourself out there.
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