What are the secrets to great SEO? There really aren’t any! We know you were hoping we were going to open the big vault of search engine optimization secrets, but in reality — getting your blogs and website found is a concerted and diligent effort.
SEO can do a LOT for your business, but you need to know how to care, feed and grow it.
To improve your website copy and its searchability you need to know:
What terms are people using to find you
What terms do you want to be found for
Do you want to use local search or are you an online business so location doesn’t matter as much
The Secrets To Great SEO
Let’s start with your blog:
Optimize the title. Make the blog title be something people would search for. This blog post title for example is searchable. If I’d written: SEO is a secret that can get your blog found…What? First of all it’s too long. Second it’s not a search phrase that someone would use intuitively.
Use tags in your post. Use an H2 tag with your blog post in the body of the content. The H2 helps your blog rank in a search and it also breaks up the text and makes it easier for your audience to read.
The optimal length of a blog post title is a topic that is debated. Some say it should be 60-100 characters (including spaces) or six words (six words is easy to read on mobile).
Long-tail keywords should be in the blog (in this one it’s great SEO)
Use a tool like SEO by Yoast as a way to help optimize your content for search.
When you add an image, use alt text tags. Use the blog title and a meta description of the image. For this post, for example: Alt text could be: Great SEO; the image title could be: SEO secrets; the meta description could be: Word game tiles spell SEO – Secrets To Great SEO. These steps can boost searchability.
Focus on long-tail keywords. For example. This title could be optimized by “secrets to great SEO” a long tail keyword could be “secrets to great SEO for swimming pool contractors.” You’re making the title specific and if the swimming pool contractor wants to know how to amp up his or her SEO, he would likely add “swimming pool contractor” to his or her search.
Make the post long enough. Post length again is a hotly debated concept. They should be AT LEAST 350 words. Some people believe consumers want LONG blog posts — in the 2-3,000 range. Others feel that shorter is better because readers are busy and are consuming your blog on their phone or tablet. You need to test it for yourself until you hit on the right combination.
SEO is an ever-moving target. If you’re focusing on your business and your core competency you may want to outsource your blogging and social media and SEO tasks to an experienced professional. Give Rex Richard a call or contact him through his site, or leave a comment on his blog — he can help!
Is this the time for you to pursue an entrepreneurial endeavor you’ve always dreamed of? If you’ve been furloughed because of the coronavirus you may be eventually telling the tale of how coronavirus may help launch new businesses and you could be among one of those who flourished during the pandemic.
How many times have you wondered about being your own boss? How often have you wished you could work from home and pursue your passion? Why not do that right now while you’re forced to stay home and may not be working. Don’t squander this time.
How Coronavirus May Help Launch New Businesses
We know there are many people who will be launching blogs as a way to share what their new business is all about. We have tips on how your blog can enhance your business growth efforts.
Find a niche. You can’t be everything to everyone. Narrow your niche and focus all your efforts there. Know whom you want to serve, why and how your product or service will address a pain point they are experiencing.
Talk with us or another service provider and find out the best platform for you website and blog. There are many to choose from just as there are many domain name sellers from which to choose.
Speaking of domain names… grab yours.
If you want to make money through your blog, how will you do that? Check out sponsorship opportunities and look for ways to monetize the site itself to enhance the income from your product or service.
Set up your social media platforms. Once you have written a blog post, share it there.
Don’t forget to consider your branding. What colors to you like? How do you want your brand to appear — fun, professional, a combination? When someone sees your colors or logo will they know what you do or will they be left scratching their heads wondering if you’re a fit for them.
A blog is a great way to market essentially for free, your new business idea. Make the most of this time as it may never (hopefully) happen again. Don’t go back to work wondering what might have been.
Now that you’re a remote employee, a work from home individual, how much do you enjoy it? Some people truly do not function well on their own; they enjoy the company of their co-workers and the almost constant hum of conversation and computers in the office. How to be an effective remote worker may not be something you’d thought of, but there are tips and tricks to make the workday productive and to help separate home from work.
When you don’t have a commute from the office to the home and a chance to decompress and get your head around the idea that the workday is done and now your home awaits.
How To Be An Effective Remote Worker
We have always had a remote workforce and our team understands the importance of communication, productivity and effective workflows. If you’re new to working from home, it’s easy to procrastinate, watch television and walk the dog — a LOT. During the COVID-19 quarantine chances are you’re not having coffee dates or lunches out with friends, but that doesn’t mean you’re working effectively.
Here are our tips.
Get dressed. It is easy and there are a lot of memes about having your “sleeping pajamas” and your “working pajamas.” You don’t have to dress as fully in office wear if you don’t want, but brush your hair and your teeth, put on pants and a shirt or blouse. Take your work as seriously from home as you would at the office.
Be aware of your background if you’re on a video call. Do you want your team to see your bedroom or your messy office? Check your view and make sure it’s a good one. If you simply have no choice over the view, upload a photo background.
Separate work from home. When you’re at work — even if it’s in the corner of your bedroom, that is work time. When you take a lunch break, get out of the bedroom office and step away from the computer. Eat lunch in a different room. Once work is over put a routine in place that will help you “shut the door” on work and get back into your home life.
Working from home may have seemed like a dream come true, but many people are missing the routine of getting out and going to work. Is that you? Are you struggling with accountability, productivity and efficiency? If so, drop us a message and let’s talk.
Coronavirus has brought about many changes in the business world. Many businesses won’t survive the pandemic and the forced closure of their businesses and this is why customer service matters more now than ever.
Simply touting, “We’re the best!” “We care about our customers!” and “Our customer service cannot be rivaled!” are just words. What business owner wouldn’t say that? What customer would buy from someone who didn’t promise all of that and then some?
What you need to do is SHOW your customer how you’re better, bigger, faster… you get the picture. You certainly don’t want your customer to come to you because “you’re the cheapest game in town” right? Selling on the cheapest price isn’t a great strategy!
You need to be: consistent, memorable and unique.
Why Customer Service Matters More Now
Professionalism matters — but be authentic. Don’t bad mouth the competition. Don’t neglect to return phone calls or answer questions. Don’t show up late for meetings or phone calls. Even if you work in a relaxed or creative or outdoor business — dress appropriately. Swimming pool contractors should show up dressed in a company uniform — not cut offs and t-shirts.
Build community. Stay connected with your customers and engage with them outside of the sales process.
Be positive. Even if you’re going to miss a deadline, set the tone for the expectation early and don’t lay the blame on another team member. You’re the company owner, it’s all on your shoulders.
Don’t take your customer’s money, then not talk with them until you deliver the product or project. Stay in touch — email, phone call, text — whatever you need to in order to keep them from having buyer’s remorse. Remember, you’re in it for the long run and that means fostering a good relationship.
Coronavirus has brought about many changes for many people. One of those changes is a switch from working in an office to working from a home office. Many people who are working from home don’t even have a home office – they are lucky to grab a corner of the kitchen table! How to work effectively from home is something many people had to learn the hard way.
How can you be effective if you have to work from home, or are working from home because of the COVID-19 quarantine. When you’re home, there are so many distractions – the pets, the laundry, vacuuming, errands, the television and many others.
How To Work Effectively From Home
If you’re still wondering how to be more effective, or if you’re looking to strike out on your own as an entrepreneur, these tips are for you.
Be reasonable in your expectations. Chances are you won’t get as much done in an eight-hour day at home as you would have if you were in the office cubicle. Yes, you will be saving on the commute time, but you are still faced with home distractions and it’s easy to linger over that cup of coffee until your work hours don’t start until 10 am or later!
Set a routine. Get up. Get dressed. Act as though you were going into the office. Set your office hours, start time, stop time, lunch time and breaks. Stick to them. A routine will help you get more done and be more effective in your day.
Get on track. If you set yourself up for failure by thinking you’d get more done than you could, be more realistic goals. Working from home, no matter if you have a dedicated space, is a challenge for many. Add to the mix, if you have children who are home from school because of the shut-down and you can see how you may not meet all the goals set.
Get up and move around. Set a timer if you have to at the top of every hour to remind yourself to get up and get moving. Don’t eat at your desk. Walk the dog. Do jumping jacks. Move! It will keep the blood flowing, help you stay healthier and keep your ideas moving.
Work in a space that inspires you. If you can get outdoors and sit and work and that is an inspiration, then do it. Your “desk” doesn’t have to be a desk. Find a place in your house that makes you happy and work from there. Your work space will help set the mood for your day.
Enjoy this time at home and embrace the changes in your workday and your routine. This is an unprecedented time and we hope you find a way to make the most of it.
Are you new to working from home? Has the coronavirus pandemic lead to this switch in your workday from the office or your comfortable cubicle to trying to find room at the dining room table to work and take calls? We have tips for how to be productive working from home, especially if this is a new way of life.
Not everyone is accustomed to working from home and not everyone enjoys the freedom that being in their home offers them. If you’ve been forced to change your workday and your work life you also need to change your mindset.
How To Be Productive Working From Home
Working from home brings challenges and benefits and we have put together a list to help you be more productive during this transitional time.
Get dressed as though you were going to the office. It is easy to go from your “bedtime pajamas” to your “daytime pajamas.” Don’t get into the habit of living in sweats. You don’t have to put on a tie or a skirt, but do get up, get dressed, comb your hair, put on socks and greet the day like the professional you are.
Find a place to call your office. If you don’t have a room you can dedicate to an office space, find a corner of the living room, the dining room or even your bedroom (although we don’t recommend working in the bedroom because you need a separation between home and work). Set up a card table or a small desk and use that for work only.
Have work hours. If you’re used to working from 9 am to 5 pm then keep up with that schedule. Your colleagues and your boss or clients have gotten accustomed to you being in the office and available at that time so stick with it. Don’t give into your night owl tendencies and begin work at 9 pm.
Have a ritual for “going to work” and “coming home from work.” Don’t shuffle from the bedroom to the office then from the office to the couch at the end of the day. Set up a ritual that gets you ready to jump into your work day. When the day is over, close the door on the office (even if it is a virtual door), turn off company and work emails and get into a homelife mindset.
Keep in touch with colleagues. It’s easy to hibernate and communicate only through email. Pick up the phone. Send a text. Invite colleagues or clients to a Zoom meeting. Face-to-face can still happen even if you can’t meet for coffee. Have a virtual coffee date or a virtual Friday Happy Hour. It may seem odd, but it is fun!
How are you coping with the new workstyle? Has your workday not been impacted by the switch to more people working from home? If you are looking for more ways to be productive, to stay in touch and even to put together a strategy for a new business way of life, give us a call!
