In today’s digital landscape, establishing authority through your website is crucial for businesses and individuals alike. Your website serves as a virtual storefront, showcasing your expertise, credibility, and value to potential customers or readers. By effectively establishing authority on your website, you can build trust with your audience and position yourself as a go-to resource in your industry.
High Quality Content
One of the key elements in establishing authority through your website is high-quality content. Content that is well-researched, informative, and engaging not only attracts visitors but also keeps them coming back for more. It showcases your knowledge and expertise in a particular subject matter, positioning you as an industry leader.
Social Proof
Another important aspect of building authority is providing social proof. This can be achieved through testimonials from satisfied clients or customers, case studies highlighting successful projects or results, or endorsements from industry influencers or experts. These forms of social proof validate your expertise and lend credibility to your claims.
SEO On-Page Strategies
Additionally, optimizing your website for search engines is essential for establishing authority online. By implementing effective SEO strategies such as keyword optimization, meta tags, and quality backlinks, you can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). This increases the likelihood of attracting organic traffic from users actively seeking information related to your industry.
Website Regular Maintenance
Lastly, regularly updating and maintaining your website demonstrates commitment to staying current within your field. Whether it’s publishing blog posts sharing insights and thought leadership or providing up-to-date information on products/services offered, consistently delivering valuable content shows that you are invested in providing relevant information to visitors.
In conclusion, by focusing on high-quality content creation, leveraging social proof elements like testimonials and endorsements from industry experts along with implementing effective SEO strategies while maintaining an updated website; you can establish authority through your website effectively. Doing so will not only attract more visitors but also solidify trust with potential customers or readers who view you as a credible source within their respective industries.
In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses of all sizes. With more and more people using the internet to search for products, services, and information, it is essential for websites to be easily accessible and user-friendly. One key element that plays a vital role in enhancing the user experience and optimizing online visibility is the city page.
City pages are a fundamental component of websites that cater to businesses operating in multiple locations. These pages serve as dedicated portals to provide information about a particular city or region, including local services, attractions, events, and more. While some may overlook the importance of city pages, they offer a plethora of benefits that can significantly impact a website’s success and overall online visibility.
Firstly, city pages help improve organic search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. When designed and optimized correctly, these pages can rank higher in search engine results for location-specific queries. For example, a bakery chain with city pages for each location can increase its visibility when potential customers search for “bakery in [city name].” By incorporating relevant keywords, local information, and user-friendly navigation on these pages, businesses can target their audience more effectively and attract highly qualified leads.
Aside from SEO, city pages also play a vital role in enhancing the overall user experience. When visitors land on a website, they expect to find information that is pertinent to their specific location. City pages serve as a centralized hub for localized content, enabling users to easily access relevant details about the services, products, or events available in their area. This personalized approach not only enhances user satisfaction but also increases the chances of conversion, ultimately leading to an increase in revenue for the business.
Furthermore, city pages allow businesses to establish a sense of trust and credibility among their target audience. When users see that a website has dedicated pages for their city or region, they perceive the business as being knowledgeable and invested in their local area. This can foster a stronger connection with potential customers and increase their likelihood of becoming loyal patrons.
In addition to their SEO and user experience benefits, city pages are an excellent resource for businesses to showcase their local expertise and knowledge. For example, a real estate agency with city pages for different neighborhoods can provide valuable information to potential buyers about the local housing market, schools, amenities, and more. By positioning themselves as authorities in their respective cities, businesses can establish themselves as trustworthy sources of information and gain a competitive edge.
City pages also play a crucial role in supporting local marketing efforts. By customizing the content on these pages to cater to specific cities or regions, businesses can effectively target their marketing campaigns to a more localized audience. This targeting ensures that marketing messages are relevant and resonate with potential customers, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Moreover, city pages can act as a bridge between the online and offline world. For businesses that operate physical locations, city pages can include essential information such as addresses, contact details, operating hours, and directions. This not only helps users find and locate the business easily but also encourages them to visit in person, thereby driving foot traffic and increasing local brand awareness.
In conclusion, city pages are a vital component of any business website that caters to multiple locations. These pages offer a wide range of benefits, including improved SEO, enhanced user experience, increased trust and credibility, the opportunity to showcase local expertise, support for local marketing efforts, and bridging the gap between the online and offline worlds. By integrating well-designed and optimized city pages into their websites, businesses can maximize their online visibility, attract highly qualified leads, and ultimately drive growth and success in their respective markets.
Benefits of City Pages for Websites
City pages offer numerous benefits for websites, making them an important component of any online presence. Here are some of the key benefits:
- Local SEO Optimization: City pages play a crucial role in optimizing a website for local search engine optimization (SEO). By creating dedicated pages for each city or area that a business serves, websites can improve their visibility in local search results. This, in turn, helps attract more targeted traffic from potential customers in specific geographic locations.
- Targeted Local Marketing: City pages allow businesses to effectively target their marketing efforts to specific cities or regions. By customizing each city page with relevant information, such as local services, products, and offers, businesses can better align their marketing messages with the needs and preferences of local audiences. This personalized approach can greatly enhance the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and increase customer engagement.
- Improved User Experience: City pages provide users with a seamless and intuitive browsing experience. By navigating to a city-specific page, visitors can easily find information that is highly relevant to their location. This level of convenience and personalization can enhance user satisfaction, encourage longer website visits, and ultimately lead to higher conversion rates.
- Enhanced Local Authority: With dedicated city pages, websites can establish themselves as authoritative sources of information within specific localities. By providing comprehensive and valuable content about local services, attractions, events, and other relevant topics, websites can position themselves as trusted resources for both residents and visitors. This can help build credibility, strengthen brand reputation, and attract a loyal customer base.
- Increased Online Presence: By creating city pages, websites can expand their online presence across multiple cities or regions. This can widen the reach of the website and attract potential customers who may not have otherwise discovered the business. Additionally, having multiple city pages increases the chances of appearing in search results for various locations, further boosting organic visibility.
- Improved Conversion Rates: City pages allow businesses to tailor their content and promotions to specific cities or regions, increasing the relevance for local visitors. This targeted approach can significantly improve conversion rates as it presents visitors with offers and information that are more likely to resonate with their needs and preferences.
- Competitive Advantage: Implementing city pages can give websites a competitive edge over businesses that have not optimized for local search and targeted marketing. By leveraging the benefits of city pages, websites can position themselves as market leaders in specific locations, attracting more customers and establishing a stronger foothold in those areas.
In conclusion, city pages offer several advantages for websites, ranging from improved local SEO optimization and targeted marketing to enhanced user experience and higher conversion rates. By leveraging these benefits, businesses can strengthen their online presence, build authority, and gain a competitive advantage in their target cities or regions.
Key Elements to Include in City Pages
When creating city pages for your website, there are several key elements that you should include to maximize their effectiveness. These elements will not only enhance the overall user experience but also help improve your website’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization) performance. Here are some essential elements to consider including in your city pages:
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Start by providing relevant information about the city. This could include a brief overview of the city’s history, its geographical location, climate, population, major landmarks, and any unique features or attractions. This information helps visitors understand and connect with the city, making it more likely that they will engage with your site and stay longer.
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High-quality images and videos:
Including visually appealing images and videos of the city can greatly enhance the user experience. People are more likely to engage with content that is visually stimulating, and it helps them get a better sense of what the city has to offer. Make sure the images and videos are of high quality and showcase the city’s best features, such as its skyline, famous landmarks, natural beauty, or cultural events.
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Interactive maps and directions:
Adding interactive maps and directions to your city pages is crucial, especially for businesses or organizations targeting local audiences. Users should be able to easily find their way around the city and locate important places of interest. You can include an interactive map that shows the city’s layout and mark key locations, such as hotels, restaurants, parks, and tourist attractions. Additionally, provide detailed directions or even integrate with navigation apps for seamless user experience.
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Local events and activities:
Keep your city pages updated with information about local events, festivals, concerts, or any other activities happening in the city. This not only keeps your content fresh and engaging but also gives visitors a reason to return to your site regularly. Provide details about upcoming events, ticket information, and any special offers or discounts. Such information can drive tourism or encourage local engagement with your website.
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Real user reviews or testimonials:
Including real user reviews or testimonials can add credibility and trustworthiness to your city pages. People are often influenced by others’ experiences, so featuring positive reviews or testimonials from visitors or customers who have had a positive experience in the city builds confidence in potential visitors. You can also consider incorporating a rating system or user-generated content to encourage visitors to leave their own reviews and share their experiences.
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Local businesses and services:
If you are creating city pages for a business website, it is essential to include information about local businesses and services. Highlighting local restaurants, hotels, attractions, and other service providers not only adds value to your audience but also boosts the local economy and encourages partnerships within the community. Provide contact information, opening hours, and links to the businesses’ websites, if available.
Remember that your city pages should be optimized for search engines as well. Make sure to include relevant keywords related to the city within your content, meta tags, headers, and image alt tags. This will help improve your website’s visibility in search engine results, driving more organic traffic to your site.
By incorporating these key elements into your city pages, you can create a compelling and informative destination for your visitors. Whether you are targeting tourists, locals, or both, a well-crafted city page can significantly enhance the user experience, increase engagement, and ultimately drive higher conversions for your website.
Tips for Optimizing City Pages for SEO
When it comes to optimizing city pages for SEO, there are several key strategies and best practices that can help improve the visibility and ranking of these important web pages. Here are some tips to consider:
- Keyword research: Begin by conducting thorough keyword research to identify relevant and high-volume keywords related to the city or location you are targeting. This research will guide you in optimizing the page’s content with the right keywords, ensuring better visibility in search engine results.
- Page title and meta tags: Pay attention to the page title and meta tags, including the meta description. These elements should accurately describe the city page’s content and incorporate targeted keywords to attract search engine attention. Remember to keep the title tag concise and engaging to encourage click-through rates.
- Optimized URL structure: Design an SEO-friendly URL structure that incorporates the city’s name and relevant keywords. This can help search engines understand the topic and location of the page, making it easier for them to rank it appropriately.
- Quality content: Create high-quality, unique, and informative content for your city pages. Include relevant information about the city, its attractions, events, and any other information that would be valuable to visitors. Use targeted keywords strategically within the content while maintaining a natural flow to enhance the page’s SEO performance.
- Local citations and directory listings: Listing your city pages in relevant local directories and citation websites can improve their visibility and promote their authority. Make sure the information provided, such as the address, phone number, and website, is accurate and consistent across all platforms.
- Mobile optimization: With the increasing use of mobile devices for internet browsing, it is crucial to optimize your city pages for mobile viewing. Ensure that the pages are responsive and user-friendly across various devices, offering a seamless experience regardless of screen size.
- Schema markup: Implementing schema markup on your city pages can provide search engines with more information about the content and context of the page. This structured data format can help improve search engine visibility, especially in local searches, by providing additional details such as opening hours, contact information, and reviews.
- Internal linking: Make use of internal linking to connect your city pages to other relevant pages on your website. This helps search engines understand the interlinking relationship between different pages, improving overall website authority and SEO value.
- User-generated content: Encourage user-generated content on your city pages, such as reviews, comments, and testimonials. This can not only improve engagement and credibility but also provide search engines with fresh and relevant content.
- Regular updates: Keep your city pages updated with the latest information, events, and attractions to demonstrate relevance and maintain search engine visibility. Regularly refreshing the content also encourages return visits and engagement from users.
By implementing these tips, you can optimize your city pages for SEO and improve their visibility in search engine results. Remember to monitor your page’s performance regularly and make adjustments as needed to stay competitive and high-ranking in search results.
How to Create Engaging City Pages
Creating engaging city pages is crucial for attracting visitors to your website and providing them with valuable information about the cities you are representing. Here are some key steps to follow when creating engaging city pages:
- Research and gather information: Start by conducting thorough research on the city you are creating a page for. Gather information about its history, geography, landmarks, tourist attractions, local culture, and any other relevant details. Ensure that your information is accurate and up to date.
- Define your target audience: Before diving into the content creation process, it’s important to define your target audience. Identify who you want to reach with your city pages, whether it’s tourists, locals, businesses, or a specific demographic. Understanding your audience will help you tailor your content to their needs and interests.
- Organize your content: Once you have your information, organize it in a logical and user-friendly manner. Consider using headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make it easy for readers to navigate the page and find the information they are looking for. Use a clear and concise writing style to keep readers engaged.
- Include engaging visuals: Enhance the visual appeal of your city pages by including high-quality images, videos, and interactive elements. Visuals can help bring the city to life and give visitors a glimpse of what they can expect. Ensure that the visuals you choose are relevant, captivating, and optimized for fast loading times.
- Highlight key attractions and features: Showcase the city’s unique attractions, landmarks, and features that make it special. Include detailed descriptions, interesting facts, and insider tips to engage readers and make them excited about visiting or exploring further. Consider incorporating user-generated content, such as reviews or testimonials, to provide a more authentic perspective.
- Include practical information: Alongside the exciting attractions, make sure to include practical information that visitors may need, such as transportation options, accommodation recommendations, dining options, and local amenities. This will help visitors plan their trip and feel confident in navigating the city.
- Optimize for search engines: To increase the visibility of your city pages in search engine results, optimize them for relevant keywords and phrases. Conduct keyword research to identify popular search terms related to the city, and incorporate them naturally throughout your content. Pay attention to title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and image alt texts.
- Regularly update and maintain: Keep your city pages fresh and up to date by regularly updating the content. This includes ensuring that all information, images, and links are current and accurate. Additionally, you can consider adding new attractions or events to keep visitors coming back for more.
Creating engaging city pages requires a combination of thorough research, captivating content, and visually appealing elements. By following these steps, you can create city pages that attract visitors, provide valuable information, and enhance the overall user experience on your website.
Examples of Successful City Pages
Creating effective city pages requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. To help you understand how successful city pages can look, we will examine a few examples of well-executed city pages from different websites:
- Visit Seattle: The official travel and tourism website for the city of Seattle has an exceptional city page that delivers a wealth of information to visitors. It features stunning imagery that captures the essence of the city, along with clear navigation to different sections such as “Explore,” “Plan Your Trip,” and “Events.” The page presents an overview of the city’s top attractions, popular neighborhoods, and upcoming events. The Visit Seattle city page also incorporates engaging content, including articles about local culture, outdoor activities, and dining options. This combination of practical information and engaging content makes it a standout example of a successful city page.
- New York City Official Guide: The city page for New York City on its official guide website is highly comprehensive and user-friendly. It offers a user-friendly search bar at the top to help visitors find specific information quickly. The page provides easy access to essential information such as transportation, accommodation options, and top attractions. The New York City Official Guide city page also incorporates a dynamic events calendar, allowing users to see what’s happening in the city during their visit. The page is visually appealing, with enticing images that showcase the diversity and energy of New York City.
- Visit London: The Visit London website’s city page is another excellent example of an effective city page. With a vibrant and modern design, it captures the essence of London. The page highlights top attractions with stunning visuals and provides practical information on transportation, accommodation, and planning tips. It also offers unique sections dedicated to London’s shopping, dining, and entertainment scenes, catering to different interests. Visit London’s city page is packed with engaging content, including blog posts, itineraries, and guides, providing visitors with a comprehensive resource to plan their trip.
These examples demonstrate the significance of a well-crafted city page. They showcase visually appealing designs, easy navigation, comprehensive information, and engaging content, all of which contribute to a positive user experience. By studying and drawing inspiration from these successful city pages, you can effectively create or improve your own city page to better serve your website’s audience.
There are many reasons why a business should have a blog. Firstly, it plays a huge part in building a sense of identity for your brand and a unique voice that will distance you from your competitors. It can provide a platform for thought leadership; an opportunity for you to share your ideas, experiences, knowledge and insights with your customers and other key players in your chosen industry. It helps to establish value in your brand and builds upon your legitimacy as its figurehead. It plays to your uniqueness as a business and as an entrepreneur and that’s something that none of your competitors can ever replicate! It’s an opportunity to give fickle customers that all-important something for nothing and a reason to keep coming back to your website and your brand…
But posting regular content in your blog can also give your website and your brand an organic SEO boost.
Think you can afford to overlook SEO? Think again!
Veteran entrepreneurs may be tempted to believe that SEO (or Search Engine Optimization to the uninitiated) is merely a fad that will die down. However, the evidence shows that this is far from the case. SEO is not dying down, it’s constantly evolving. Blogging is integral to helping your online presence to evolve with it. Here’s how…
Blogging brings fresh content to your site
Google (the gold standard from which all other search engines take their cues) doesn’t like old, out of date content. It likes fresh and up-to-date content[1] which reduces its chances of misleading and misinforming its users. Ever notice that whenever you do a Google search most of the top entries on the SERP are from the past year or so? That’s no coincidence!
Bringing fresh regular content is a great way to get your website noticed by Google.
It bulks up your website
Think of every blog post as a workout for your website. These 500 word packages of wisdom and insight not only bring value to readers, they also help to bulk up your website. Google prefers bulkier websites with a lot of content and will always prioritize them over more meagre websites which haven’t updated since 2012. Every blog provides you with a new URL, and more URLs means more attention from Google[2].
It keeps users on-page
High bounce rates are not a good look on a website. Thus, when users don’t spend a lot of time on a website or don’t scroll too deeply they may not be taken quite so seriously by search engine crawlers as websites that can keep users on-page for longer[3]. Time on page and scroll depths are important metrics worth keeping an eye on.
It’s great for topic matching
When users are searching for the kinds of products and services you offer, search engines will head straight for web pages that can provide as much valuable information as possible. As such, it’s no longer enough to add a few judiciously chosen keywords here and there. Blog posts not only give you an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge to readers, they also help to establish you as a worthy source in the eyes of search engines.
If you don’t start blogging, your competitors will!
As you can see, there are a variety of reasons why blogging will earn you the favor of search engines. But perhaps a more urgent reason to blog for SEO is that if you don’t take advantage of the SEO benefits, your competitors will!
[1] Source https://seositecheckup.com/articles/5-reasons-why-fresh-content-is-critical-for-your-website-and-seo
[2] Source https://ewebscapes.com/blogging-for-seo/
[3] Source https://moz.com/blog/the-2-user-metrics-that-matter-for-seo
You have a great business with a great product that you’re enormously proud of. You have a diligent and hard working team. You have a great track record of customer service and a loyal core clientele. Yet, as important as it is to retain and care for the repeat customers that are the lifeblood of your business, your growth (and even your survival) depend on your ability to attract more customers. For many brands, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) holds the keys to growing your target market. As you steadily climb through search engine rankings, you become better placed to service the needs of people in your area and gain an all-important advantage over your competitors.
We live in an era where no business can afford to take its customers for granted. Competition is both rife and fierce and in an era where they have more choice than ever before, consumers know that they can afford to be fickle. SEO can give you a leg up when you need one. However, what many small businesses do not realize is that…
SEO is a battle on many fronts
There are a number of different kinds of SEO. Local SEO isn’t the same as national SEO which at the same time is a different beast to international SEO. If you have your sights squarely set on the local market, it behoves you to tailor your strategy accordingly.
Here we’ll look at ways in which you can conquer the local market by using data aggregators and citations to improve local search rankings.
Data aggregators rule
Data aggregators are both kings and traffickers in the world of internet searches. If you seek to conquer this kingdom it’s in your best interests to get to know them a little better so that you can leverage them.
Data aggregators supply information to all of the major search engines. While Google is not the only search engine to which they send data, let’s not kid ourselves, Google is the most popular and widely used search engine making it the most important nut to crack. The good news is that leveraging data aggregators can give your local SEO a boost on Google and beyond.
A huge component of local SEO is having a good NAP. This doesn’t mean settling into your office for some shuteye, it means having good business listing info in terms of your business Name Address and Phone number up to date. Having good business listing info on data aggregators can help to ensure that it is accurate on Google.
These aggregators have built enormous business databases from a host of trustworthy listing sources and directories. These include the usual suspects like phone directories, utility records, yellow page listings and various other purveyors of digital business information.
Between these sources these aggregators have, well, aggregated a colossal amount of business data that search engines refer to when finding local listing information from businesses.
So… Hopefully it’s pretty obvious how important it is to leverage data aggregators.
There are four key players to tackle. These are Localeze, Factual, Infogroup and Acxiom. Their databases contain key information on local businesses indexed by location and search engines seek this out to display for users. The same users your business is trying to attract.
This information is the backbone of providing your enterprise with online citations. You may wonder what exactly we mean when we talk about citations. In their simplest terms, citations are instances in which a business is mentioned somewhere (anywhere) online. Broadly speaking, the more citations a business has, the more likely that business is to appear higher up in local search engine rankings. Now, that’s not a hard and fast rule. Some citations are more trustworthy (and therefore of higher value to search engines) than others.
Data aggregators provide information that not only helps businesses pop up in search queries but also helps them to be found correctly on online tools like:
- Google Maps
- Bing Local
- Facebook
- Yahoo Local
- Apple and Android devices
- Voice searches (e.g. Siri, Cortada, Alexa)
- Yellow Pages
As you can see, when businesses fail to get their NAP information right with data aggregators it can have a huge knock-on effect on their local listings.
So… Let’s talk about citations!
As we have established a citation is any time a business is mentioned somewhere on the internet. You could be forgiven for assuming that a citation had to mean (or at least include) a link to the business’, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Although a citation can be linked a link does not need to be included to be a citation.
As mentioned above, a citation is simply anytime a business is mentioned somewhere online. Many people believe that citations are links to websites, but this isn’t necessarily true. Although a citation can be linked, they don’t have to contain a link to be considered a citation.
Let’s take a look at how citations can appear online:
- Business name
- Business phone number
- Business name and phone number
- Business name, phone number and address
- Business name, phone number, address and link
Now, technically, any of these combinations is considered a citation. If a blogger makes a passing reference to dining at your restaurant this is considered a citation. However, not all citations are created equal.
A citation is not considered complete unless it contains all of the business’ NAP data. When businesses ensure that their NAP data is correct with data aggregators, they stand a better chance of seeing their correct information displayed all over the internet.
There are, broadly speaking, two kinds of citations; structured and unstructured.
A structured citation is the most common and most detailed kind. These are the kinds of citations that occur on business listing sites like the Yelp or TripAdvisor. Structured citations usually contain full NAP data for a business; the information that users are looking for in local searches.
An unstructured citation can be virtually anything. It can be a user review, a mention on social media, a posting on a job site or any other occasion when your business is mentioned. These citations tend not to contain full NAP data.
Both kinds of citations hold sway over local search rankings and data aggregators play an important role in ensuring that businesses are accurately listed and easy to find online.
Building citations is extremely important
As we can see, the more times a business is mentioned online, the more favorable their search engine rankings. However, Google’s ranking algorithms are complex and ever evolving. Some less reputable businesses have attempted to game these algorithms by spamming the web with irrelevant or low quality citations and the search engine has learned to discriminate.
This is why some citations have more value than others. Citations from reliable, high authority domains like listings sites are of high value to search engines while mentions on less than reputable websites or pages that have already been red-flagged can cause rankings to plummet.
You should also consider the role that online reviews, responsiveness (mobile compatibility), domain authority and keyword density play in influencing local searches local search.
Where do data aggregators fit in?
Data aggregators own and operate a space known as the “local search ecosystem”, from which local searches get their data.
Inconsistencies in NAP data across different aggregators can lead to further inconsistencies all over the web. This can not only damage search engine rankings, they can damage consumer trust. According to Search Engine Watch[1], a staggering 73% of consumers will lose trust in brands if local business listings prove inaccurate.
It’s so important to get it right
As you can see, businesses of all shapes and sizes rely on data aggregators to provide reliable citations which in turn boost their local SEO. The key, then, lies in ensuring that your data is accurate and up to date with the major data aggregators.
As local searches are the most important component in driving local traffic towards your business, you simply can’t afford not to leverage the power of data aggregators and citations. Google states that “four in five consumers use search engines to find products, services or experiences nearby.”[2] Whether they’re looking for a new bar to try after a hard day’s work, a great pizzeria when they’re too tired to cook or a nail salon to fix their hair for a big interview, these searches are the micro-moments in which your business has the opportunity to position itself in front of consumers at the expense of their competitors.
Make sure that your business gets it right, or risk being absent from all-important local search results.
How we can help
As you can see, data aggregators hold the keys to accurate citations which in turn are instrumental in reaching your local target audience. We can help by taking the legwork out of keeping your all-important NAP data up-to-date with key data aggregators at all times. With a range of affordable and flexible pricing solutions we can provide you with the keys that unlock ability to conquer local SEO with data aggregators and citations.
Click here to find out more.
[1] Source https://searchenginewatch.com/sew/study/2338839/73-lose-trust-in-brands-due-to-inaccurate-local-business-listings-survey
[2] Source https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/how-advertisers-can-extend-their-relevance-with-search.html
Design is Critical for Organic SEO
Search Engine Optimization – The Holy Grail of having a great ranking on Google – like on page 1 – is expensive, right? As the old song goes “It ain’t necessarily so!” You don’t necessarily have to spend a ton of money on SEO to “build your website’s domain authority” or have “long-tail key words” and all the other things that SEO experts talk about.
Yes, those things may be valuable , but there are some simple (if time-consuming) things that you and/or your website designer can do that get you ranked higher faster – and cheaper – than all the “back links,” etcetera, etcetera, etcetera that you hear about. Most people start with an idea for their website, get it built – perhaps with some key words and then – after the fact – start thinking about SEO.
Do some research (and hard work) BEFORE your site is launched (or RE-launched) you can save yourself a ton of money. There are some simple things. You and your website designer can take a look and see what sites are ranked organically high for your category. (Organic is just a fancy term for “they didn’t buy ads or pay Google to be ranked on page 1.)
The sites that have the top ranking probably have their position because of what they say about themselves.
Search Engine look for key things to “find” websites for searchers. Here are NINE Important things to research, execute and include in YOUR site:
- Meta tags – basically PAGE TITLES. The higher ranked sites probably have ones that will coincide with search terms that people looking for their (and YOUR) services use to look for them. You can use the same or similar ones to get YOUR site found!
- Meta descriptions – brief descriptions of what the page titles mention, and which include a CTA (Call to Action) like “call us for a quote.” The higher ranked sites may or may not use these, BUT you can and get ranked higher because of them.
- Proper sizing for various devices – Your site needs to be optimized for Smart phones and tablets, NOT just desktop or laptop computers. YOU can gain ranking position IF your site is easily visible to ALL devices.
- Keywords – Check the higher ranking sites for the keywords in THEIR copy and make sure yours is at least as good (BUT, don’t stuff!)
- Blogs – Most good designers will try to get clients to have at LEAST three blogs, with at least one added monthly. Blogs are the most important “social media” pieces you can execute to increase your ranking.
- Pictures – It’s important for UX – user experience – and UI – user interaction – to have great pictures that support your content.
- Videos – Google loves videos (that could be why they bought YouTube) so try to get one or more either ON your site, or a link to them FROM your site.
- Rich Content – Your site should have quality visuals of any and all types, to support well-written content, not just something you bought for $5 from Fiverr. The better the quality of your content, the higher you will get ranked.
- Links to other website – It’s great to get these, some of which can come from having YOUR blogs referred to by others OR having testimonials that refer to your clients’ websites
These things can get you closer to “Page 1 ranking” without spending hundreds – or even thousands – of dollars a month. The more of them you do, the more YOUR site will improve its location when people are looking for things you offer.
The creation of meaningful and engaging content online requires ample amounts of time, energy, and effort on behalf of the content creator. The conservative estimates indicate that articles ranging from 1000—1500 words can take upwards of 2 to 5 hours, oftentimes longer, to reach the quality worthy of holding readers’ attention. While investing your time into a project is a worthy endeavor, it means nothing if people never pass the title or click on the links you provide to guide them to your content.
Additionally, according to research conducted by the popular website Hubspot, over 60% of readers never read more than 40% of any individual blog post. This is both astounding and disheartening news for those individuals who have opted to require their organizations to develop content because it seems to indicate that increasing content consumption will be a more difficult task than originally believed. In reality, most website content can be easily connected with by readers if the content creator makes a few small tweaks to the way the content is displayed! Throughout the remainder of the article, you can expect to receive a series of tips that will increase the readership of your most recent posts with relatively few adjustments needing to be made! Enjoy!
Don’t Let Design Distract from your Content:
In order to entice readers into reading your content, you need to provide them with clean formatting that is as clutter free as possible. In order to manage this, your content designer should consider sidebar placement, minimizing the number of pages someone needs to scroll through to access all of your content, and adjusting fonts/spacing so that they allow for easy readability. Through your consideration of design and content, you will limit the seemingly endless amount of distractions present in the online environment.
Research and Create Content People Read:
Once you have limited the amount of distractions present on the portion of your website that displays your blog posts, it is time to ensure that your content itself is presented in a manner that promotes readability. Although different depending on the niche of your article, research indicates that Ultimate Guides, Expert Round-Ups, and list articles attract the greatest levels of interaction among site visitors. It is highly encouraged that business owners pay close attention to this data as doing so could advance your bottom line. It may also increase the possibility of your blog being shared with other individuals in that site visitor’s friend group.
Create Tantalizing Titles:
While browsing your favorite news source you have likely noticed shortened article titles that seek to draw you in with catchy phrases or sudden cliff hangers. These titles alone often entice you to read the article further or pass over it completely, a decision made in a matter of only a few seconds. With the survival of your blog at risk, it is vital that you devote a countless amount of effort to developing a title worthy of catching a readers’ attention. Read and implement some of the following tips to ensure your titles are absolutely tantalizing:
- Create headlines that are around 65 characters (they draw in the most visitors)
- Limit titles to a maximum of 6 separate words
- Use colorful adjectives (Ex. beautiful, cold-blooded, well-behaved, etc.)
- Utilize percentages or numbers within your title to increase your article’s credibility.
- Engage your customer base by using language directed toward them such as I, You, We, etc.
Create a Mobile Platform for your Content:
With an increasingly mobile society, many customers who interact with your product will do so from a mobile device such as a cell phone or iPad. The number of searches currently generated from a mobile device on popular search websites such as Google are estimated to be around 60% of the overall traffic. With this number increasing steadily on a daily basis, creating a mobile platform for your content is very important. As we have mentioned in our other articles, making sure your article is optimized for mobile use will be worth your time as a company. This includes limiting the amount of ads you might have on your company’s blog because these ads may actually be hurting your customer’s ability to interact with your business. The last thing you need is a negative review on your company’s customer service due to an easily correctable concern.
Make Promises Upfront, Deliver throughout the Document:
If you are confident in your product as well as the message you are producing, make promises to your readers that you can deliver if they continue to read your document. With only a few seconds to grab the attention of most visitors to your website, you need to focus on providing them with an exciting introduction that will encourage them to read further into your document. We have outlined a few tips for encouraging this engagement below for your convenience:
- Give them a summary of your article upfront that expands on the problem or topic you will be addressing. Don’t go into too much detail though because you want your readers to read on!
- Limit the fluff! Nobody wants their time wasted by unnecessary language. Just inform them about what they need to know then move on!
- Clearly identify your post’s objective! By doing so, your readers will know why they are reading, isn’t that great!
- Incentivize reaching the end of your article by providing content that will benefit your readers.
Design Short Paragraphs:
If your readership is short of time like many modern day internet users are, limit your paragraph sizes to only a few sentences! If you must create larger paragraphs use them sparingly and interject them with smaller paragraphs to make them easier to digest. If you use this strategy, readers who like to skim through articles will LOVE your posts!
Speak to your Readers Directly:
It is difficult to create a personal connection with anyone online but you have the power to do so by writing as if you are speaking directly to your readers. We have been doing this throughout our article by using words such as you, I, and we. These words help create a relationship between the content creator and those reading the content. This relationship is obviously of great importance because it will make the foundation your company is built on.
Sub-headers are your Friend:
Several company leaders elect to have their blog posts focus on broad topics such as criminal justice reform. While these topics are worthy of discussion, it is important to break them into manageable sections using sub-headers. Through providing sub-headers in your document, you will improve your readers’ abilities to follow along with your topic. The use of sub-headers is especially important when your blog posts are lengthier because they will allow readers to start off from a section they may have stopped on at an earlier point in time.
Research and Provide Credible Quotes/Research:
Without data to validate one’s claims, words tend to hold little weight if any at all. Instead of stepping out to the end of the branch without a parachute, equip yourself appropriately with credible quotes and research that will help the branch hold your weight! If you can secure enough credible data in your posts, your readers will be sure to implement the changes you speak about because they are more likely to work! Remember, giving your readers actionable data will increase their trust in your company!
The Addition of Images will Reinforce your Point:
We have to admit that there are times when a blog post can use images to boost its readability. Who wants to read an article with only words anyway? If you find yourself wondering whether or not an image is necessary for your post, consider the fact that nearly 65% of individuals who read articles prefer to read those that contain infographics or other relevant images. Remember the old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words”….add a few images to your blog posts and you can exponentially increase the amount of information you share!
Summarize your Article:
In order to close your posts effectively, you should provide your readers with a strongly worded conclusion that pulls your overall ideas together. If your summary is filled with key takeaways, your readers will be left feeling as if you have gently yet metaphorically placed them into a comfortable bed for an amazing night’s sleep. Who doesn’t want to feel that way after a nice read?
Through applying your knowledge of each of these tips to your current webpage, you will most certainly grow your reader base as well as increase the amount of content they are able to access and understand. Once readers trust that they can go to you for straight to the point information on topics they find relevant, they will continue to seek you out. This will of course increase engagement with your company’s brand, which in turn will increase your company’s success.
