Search
When clients type your name or firm into Google, (or any search engine) what do they find? Every website on the internet has a goal of reaching number one on the long list of results. Very few websites actually reach that goal because there is only one top spot per keyword phrase.
So what does it take to be number one? A number of factors play a role (check out these five must-haves).
SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the process of improving the visibility of a website/web page in a search engine’s results. The earlier and more frequently a site appears in the search result list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine’s users. Properly optimizing your search engine ranking takes time and consistency. Here are two ways you can begin building great SEO immediately.
Establish Benchmarks
It’s hard to know where you’re going if you don’t know where you are. Just like you would for any long-term goals, setting objectives along the way will help you stay on track.
Start by noting your current standings. Set benchmarks and determine SMART goals (specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and timely).
Keep an eye on your metrics and check them regularly. Even if you don’t rank on the first page of results (yet), monitor your position. Check out the websites that are currently ranked ahead of you. See what they’re doing differently and how you can compete.
What can you measure with SMART goals?
- Total monthly visits
- Newsletter sign-ups
- Requests for consultations
Embrance long-tail keywords
Unique search terms that drive traffic to your website are important because they are special only to your firm. These search terms can include long tail keywords and other search terms unique to your organization. What are long-tail keywords and why do they matter? Well, I wrote this thorough explanation last month. For starters they are longer and more specific terms that users search for. These keywords are usually less common but they add up to account for the majority of search-driven traffic.
Generate new long-tail variations of your highest-performing keyword phrases. Measure these new keywords or keyword phrases to get the best results. Once you begin targeting for the new keywords, you can create new content based on these keywords and focus on building links around them.
The easiest way to create content based on your new keywords is through regular blog articles and even using social media.
Image sources: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1287370/?forcedownload=1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/followtheseinstructions/5484080530/
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Post written by Maggie Crowley of AdvisorWebsites AdvisorWebsites award-winning web-based platform is used by thousands of financial professionals to create and manage compliant and user-friendly websites. For more than ten years, our straight forward financial website development options and easy-to-use content management system (CMS) allow advisors to pick the design elements and information you want without worrying about technical details. |
Topics: Marketing & Communication
