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Insights Web Design, Development & Internet Marketing
Get to the top of Google
What it takes to be the dominant result when customers “Google” you
T
oday’s business reality is that when the your SEO mix include:
need for a product or service arises, ■ Map listings and business profiles
the overwhelming first step taken is to ■ Your corporate blog
search for that keyword phrase via an Inter- ■ Videos, podcasts and slide casts
net search engine (Google, Bing, etc.). ■ Articles, e-books, whitepapers, work-
In truth, no one but Google knows how to sheets, checklists and buyers’ guides
always be the No. 1 result, and no one can ■ Case studies of successful projects or ser-
guarantee that placement. However, with vice delivery
proper search engine optimization (SEO), ■ Client testimonials and reference links
you can dominate your Google results so you ■ Social media and bookmarking channels,
show up at the top of the search results page, profiles and engagements
and appear in as many results as possible. ■ Optimized press releases
“It is essential to keep up with SEO practic- ■ Reviews on consumer websites and
es to ensure your business ranks high and of- group forums
ten in search engine results,” says Kevin Hou- When a customer searching for your prod-
rigan, the president and CEO of Web design, uct or service sees a search engine results
Web development and Internet marketing page that shows not only your main website,
agency, Bayshore Solutions. “Otherwise, your but many of the above items pointing to your
business seriously risks online invisibility.” Kevin Hourigan business, they are instantly impressed with
Smart Business spoke with Hourigan about President and CEO the credibility, breadth and depth of your
SEO and what it takes to keep your business Bayshore Solutions expertise. They are also more likely to be-
on top of online search results. gin their relationship with you through your
online content offerings that address their
Why is SEO different today? search questions.
to be your ‘secret sauce’ in the content you
The algorithms that Google and other will offer freely online. The hard fact is that How do I get started?
search engines use to determine where to most of the information you would hold close
rank your business and when to show it to is already available online from your competi- Smart content strategies are often inter-
searchers is always evolving. The search en- tors. It is very important to offer content that connected in that the development of one
gines’ main goal is to show relevant results to consumers (not necessarily you) deem valu- item can feed or inspire one or many others.
a searcher so they can quickly find what they able in exchange for even their contact name A very helpful habit to develop in your opti-
are looking for. Years ago, a preponderance of and e-mail address. Consider when, where mized content marketing is to develop a for-
keywords appearing on a Web page indicated and why you want to keep such roadblocks mat and distribution matrix. Use this matrix
its relevance to the searcher’s intended query. up, and remove them wherever you can. as a framework to evaluate the content items
As both searchers and search marketers ad- When you can share as much information as you already have or are considering creating
vanced (and as unscrupulous SEO tacticians possible to help a potential customer reach and ask, ‘With some slight adjustments, what
found ways to game the algorithms), search their best decision, you win by being the one other formats can this item address?’
engines have become much more complex in that has developed that trust and relationship For example: Can your blog posts be ex-
the way SEO tactics are weighted, rewarded during their research phase. Also, you stand panded upon to create articles? Could you
and/or punished in the results. a very good chance of taking them out of the record and post them as videos or audio pod-
The SEO basics of proper keyword use, competitive market by being a click (or less) casts? Could you extend customer satisfac-
tagging and site-mapping are now joined by away as they are experiencing your content. tion polls to encourage online reviews? Do
achieving the right volume and quality of When packaging your content for distribu- you have a list of frequently asked questions
links to your website through a multitude of tion in as many relevant online places as pos- about your product or service? How many
online sources. The power of appropriate link sible, make sure that you are building in links formats could the answers be addressed in?
strategy in SEO is a pivotal key to success. back to pages on your website. It is equally How many different distribution channels on-
Relying on the SEO tactics of yesterday amid important to embed calls to action for further line could these apply to?
the search dynamics of today is a sure path information or inviting a conversation. Make These are focused disciplines that often
to failure. it easy for the recipient to be in control and to draw upon advanced skill sets. For sustained
reach out to you. best results, they require dedicated resources
How do I get the right links for SEO? either in-house or with an Internet partner.
What content should I develop? Content marketing and SEO are two facets of
Successful SEO revolves around an ad- the same system that need to be in synch with
vanced strategy of content marketing. The The right array of content items is different each other. When done properly, you can dom-
more relevant content you can give to search- for each business’s SEO strategy. Some im- inate your search engine results pages, and
ers, the better chances you have of ranking portant content items to optimize and use in achieve superior lead generation power. <<
high and showing up when they’re searching
for you online. For a snapshot of Bayshore Solutions’ Web marketing methodology, click to: www.BayshoreSolutions.com/method.
This means re-evaluating what you consider KEVIN HOURIGAN is the president and CEO of Bayshore Solutions. Reach him at (877) 535-4578 or www.BayshoreSolutions.com.
Insights Web Design, Development & Internet Marketing is brought to you by Bayshore Solutions
© 2011 Smart Business Network Inc. Reprinted from the March 2011 issue of Smart Business Florida.