SEO is more than just jargon – It’s important for firm growth!

PUBLISHED May 1, 2013 IN Growth, Online Marketing

WRITTEN BY Myah Shein

SEO is more than just jargon – It’s important for firm growth! image

Even marketers are guilty of using jargon.   Have you heard of SEO?  Do you know what it is and how it can help your firm?

Even marketers are guilty of using jargon.   Have you heard of SEO?  Do you know what it is and how it can help your firm?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.  If you take this term at face value, it sounds like you’re optimizing the search engine – but that’s just weird.  Nope.  SEO really means how to improve your company’s website so you get found by Google and other search engines.

There are people for whom SEO is a full time job.  Literally.  Why?  Because it really is that important.  Professional services buyers are doing their own research online and are getting educated long before they reach out to you for a proposal.  I’ll be presenting on this idea at an MSCPA seminar in June.  Join me!

Here are six simple ideas to get you primed for understanding the topic.

1)  Determine what you want to be known for.  Are you an expert in an specific industry or service?  Create a list of important terms and buzz words.  Try to avoid jargon!

2)  Use the terms from #1.  Include the words from #1 in your website text, name your images with those words, create videos and include those words in your description.

3)  Create content – early and often.  “Content” may also be marketing jargon.  Content includes:  the words on your website’s pages, your blog, articles, newsletters, videos, firm news, webinars, podcasts, social media links, infographics, etc.  (Are infographics also jargon?  You may have seen one as a visual description of statistics or an industry topic.)

4)  Links to and from social media sites.   Share your “content” from #3 on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter as appropriate.  This will create a link from LinkedIn (for example) to your website and that’s useful for SEO.  So too, you should link to your social media pages from your website.

4b)  Get everyone involved.  Everyone’s LinkedIn profile should include the same words as in #1 and should link to your website.  Link to the inside pages like your services page or an industry page instead of the home page.

5)  Be mobile friendly.   A staggering amount of Internet searches are now being conducted via smart phones and tablets.  Your site should be easily viewed on these devices as well as from regular computer screens.  This is called “Responsive” web design.  You may be able to convert your current site, or, if you are launching a new site, be sure it’s Responsive (not just mobile friendly – which is different).

6)  Measure, improve, and repeat.  Install Google Analytics.  It’s free!  This will give you data about who is visiting your site, for how long, on what search engine and from what device (computer, table, phone).  It’s useful and can be encouraging to see your progress!

I hope this makes sense and that you see the value.  If you need help implementing or if you just have a question.  Let’s talk!