If you have a website, especially if it’s, it’s probably not getting the views you expected it would. That somewhat disappointing result happens because websites are not standalone pieces of marketing collateral. They are part of a complex system, and they work closely with your other marketing materials, including social media, print media, earned media, published articles, and videos. Getting the traffic you expect on your website takes maintenance and optimization for search engines. This is called search engine optimization, or SEO. If you don’t currently have an SEO strategy, here’s how to start.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the optimization of a website to match search engines’ standards to boost your ranking on the search engine results page (SERP). Good SEO means more people find you when they’re looking for information on the internet. Search engines use algorithms to determine what to display when a user enters certain words into the search query. The goal of SEO is to speak the language of search engines so your content appears before your competitor’s.
The Link Between Keywords and Content
Keywords are terms or phrases that consumers use to find content. Embedding the right keywords into content is important for companies do to—and do well—because it is foundational to search engine optimization. Companies should research how often users are searching for particular terms in order to create a plan that will bring them the most web traffic.
The Right Keywords
What you think are the “right” keywords for your business might not be what your potential customers are searching. Say you’re a contractor. You might think your best keyword is “general contractor services” because that’s what you say you do. But your customers aren’t searching “general contractor services.” They’re searching for “contractors near me” or “best contractors in Houston.” Write content and optimize your website for your client, not your business.
But Remember: Keyword Spamming is More Harmful than Helpful
It is important to note that keywords and content go hand in hand. Quality content is essential for SEO effectiveness. The content on a website should be relevant and useful to the company’s target audience, be fresh and timely, and be frequently updated. Above all else, do not write content for the keywords (otherwise known as “keyword spamming”). Write content for your customer, using keywords as tools and enhancers.
SEO can be overly complicated, but it’s really not rocket science. Search engines’ value proposition is giving users the content they want to see. If you make a website that is geared towards high-quality, educational resources that users want to see, you’ve done 95% of what SEO is all about. The other 5% is just tagging, which webmasters or marketing agencies can help you flush out.
SEO for Business-to-Business Marketing
SEO looks a lot different if you target accounts rather than aim for mass market appeal. SEO is much more complicated for mass market appeal, where the slightest shift in ranking can mean thousands of dollars of business being redirected to a competitor.
Targeted B2B SEO is more about high-quality content that appears in front of the right user when they’re looking for it. B2B relationships are serious things that require lots of research – and where is most research done nowadays? Online! Most potential buyers (70%) find content on websites to inform their purchases. Don’t make your website hard to find. Use search engine optimization strategies to optimize your website, so your potential buyer finds what they need, when they need it.
