Using Local Industry Articles to Generate New Business

With most consumers doing a quick Google search for local products and services, a positive online presence is absolutely vital for the modern brick and mortar store. Here is a quick guide to help demystify the “science” behind creating meaningful industry articles to help get new customers into your store.

Let’s say you own a juice bar in Los Angeles, CA. You will want to create content that incorporates the keywords people are typing in when looking for juice bars in Los Angeles. For example, “cold-pressed juice in Los Angeles” or “LA juice bars” may be popular terms. Be sure to integrate them into your article in a natural way that will capture the attention of local prospects.

People today spend much of their lives online and, as a result, are becoming much savvier at picking out promotional content. Most readers are inclined to skip sponsored articles in favour of something that feels a bit more authentic. Before writing your article, try putting yourself in the reader’s shoes by asking yourself a few questions, such as:

* Is the content engaging? Does it read as conversational, or is it full of language that is difficult to grasp?
* Does the use of keywords seem forced or natural? Avoid “keyword stuffing” or forcing keywords awkwardly into a sentence.
* Is the information useful to the reader? Be it a post on how to save water in your household, or a salad recipe made with local produce, how can you leverage your industry expertise in a way that connects with your target consumer?

Getting More Views and Shares

The more platforms your industry articles link to, the greater chance a potential customer finds your website. Post articles on your company’s social media pages and, remember posts that include images get more likes and shares. Facebook friends can be a great resource for promoting blog posts, as they are likely to share an article they find interesting or useful.

Another option is becoming a guest blogger on a well-known website. Submitting articles through other platforms can increase your readership, and in turn, generate traffic to your own site.

Remember, Quality Counts

Flooding search engines with a deluge of industry articles might sound like a good way to get your business on the map, but it can actually have the opposite effect. Search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo! are becoming more aware that some businesses churn out low-quality articles en masse to generate more web traffic and, as a result, are flagging such articles as spam.

Regardless of the spam risk, writing thoughtful, well-researched content is invaluable, fostering a meaningful connection with the reader.

Don’t Overthink It!

Creating relevant content that promotes web traffic, and by extension, in-store customers, should not be daunting. Have fun, and create the kinds of articles you would want to read. Whether it is an article on how to save fuel money, make a healthier smoothie, or find your signature cologne, finding a way to connect with customers is key to online success.

Why Are Google Rankings So Important

Google rankings are more important than you might think about your business. The ongoing trend is that the Internet and social media are driving businesses. In order to reach out to any new customer base, you must understand that your local rankings do matter.

Your local rankings are what can make or break the growth of your business. It is not just about climbing Google rankings but using your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to maximize the reach of your business.

SEO is the way to be able to focus your business presence on the Internet in online searches. It speaks to specific results, not paid for, and all the big search engines, specifically Google. This has been growing in status for use by both small and large businesses.

Research is proving that more and more potential customers are going straight for the top search results on a search engine page. They do not even take the time to look through the results further down on the page. If your site is not in those top few, it can cost you a lot of prospective new business.

A large number of all searches have local intent. Getting your business onto that topmost search list is vital to accessing that customer base and boosting your sales. These potential customers are virtually right at your front door.

Why Are Google Rankings So Important

Use Online Research Tools to Boost Effectiveness

In order to catch these prospective customers, you need to be able to utilize critical online tools to achieve your best reach and keyword optimization. It is important to look up available local research tools that can help you to organize search results for your business around specific keywords and locations.

You can submit a detailed profile to your chosen tool and expand your results so a potential customer can find them no matter what device they are using. You will also want to use exact and accurate keywords to describe your business. It must be effective and descriptive. These words will act as direct lines from your business site to the search engine.

You want to think about how people will look for your business during an Internet search. For example, if you own a high-end women’s clothing store, you would want to think about using words such as boutique, speciality, and designer in your public profile. The only rule is to think up what your customer base will use to find you.

When customers provide online reviews on your business, the good reviews can increase the search for your services. If your business has registered with any local online directories or review sites, Google can track these trusted sites for your business’s name and connect the details to related searches.

Your ranking will depend on two things: how closely your description matches the business profile being searched for, and how easily the searcher can interact with your profile. The more people who click on your link in the search engine, the higher your link will be on the results page, resulting in more business traffic. It is vital to use your rankings to maximize your reach and positively expand your business reach.

Now that you know a bit about how Google rankings affect your business, it’s time to do something about it. Whether you choose to do it alone or you decide to hire a professional SEO expert like Topratedsearch, the benefits are something you can’t deny, so don’t put it off any longer.

Incorporation of Company Branding and SEO

SEO is not an exact science. This becomes apparent when trying to incorporate both SEO and branding into a strategy. This process is finicky to say the least. On the one side, SEO deals with the placement of keywords and phrases. On the other side, branding deals with company loyalty and culture. Incorporating both sides dilutes the prominence of both. But eliminating one or the other may not meet all strategic and marketing goals.

Once again, it should be emphasized that SEO is a series of guidelines rather than an exact science. Having said that, the following recommendation can be used to satisfy both sides of the equation. In general, keywords and phrases (i.e. SEO) should remain the focus of any early-stage company, while the incorporation of company branding should appear later in the evolution. This is simply a general statement and should not be taken word for word.

The reasoning is pretty straightforward. At first, no-one knows the name of your company, but perhaps they are searching for your products or services. In other words, you want to target keywords and phrases that focus on your offering rather than your company. As you build loyalty and credibility, branding becomes more important. It’s at this point that you may want to incorporate corporate messaging to strengthen the relationship with customers and instil trust in your brand.

Company Branding and SEO - Topratedsearch SEO Tips

One final thought about branding: if a searcher types in the name of your company, they are likely to find your website anyways. This is due mostly to anchor text and back-links. Therefore, optimising for the company name is rather insignificant in most cases.