Instagram is the most popular social media platform right now, with over 800 million active monthly users. If you want to grow your brand and increase sales, Instagram is a great place to start. In this complete guide, we will go over everything from getting started on Instagram, tips for getting followers, and creating content that people love in 2021.

Use Instagram Reels

The new Instagram Reels could be the key to your marketing success in 2021. Your Instagram use could be missing out on massive growth if you don’t share to Reels. 

This new format will allow brands and businesses to showcase their content while also connecting with an audience grown weary from endless scrolling through their feeds for something worth watching. One benefit this offers companies is access to less saturated markets because not many accounts are posting reels. So if you’re looking to grow your Instagram fast, you better start making those reels!

Instagram Reels are a game-changer because your videos can go viral on the Explore page just as quickly. By sharing to both feeds and the explore tab, you have an opportunity for even more views from people outside of your followers and possibly even go viral.

 

Optimize Your Content For Search

Instagram’s recent change to its search function is majorly under-utilized and one you should try out in 2021.

The announcement from Instagram states that English-speaking users will use keywords when searching for posts on the app, a game changer! Previously, if someone searched “at-home workout,” they would only see hashtags or accounts with those words included somewhere within their username; but now even captions or bios mentioning this term should show up as well. This new feature could help increase your following by giving yourself more exposure!

This means that if you’re a brand that sells grooming products, including keywords such as shampoo, soap, or related products in your profile bio, captions, hashtags, and comments, it will increase your brand’s likeness to appear on Instagram search.

 

Work With Micro-Influencers

A recent study conducted by Makerly found that micro-influencers offer the best combo of engagement and reach. We asked Later’s PR and Influencer Manager Chrissy Abram about these benefits: “Partnering with a smaller influencer means tapping into an engaged audience without having to fight for their attention.” Micro-Influencers work on a much smaller scale, which means they have fewer sponsored posts or content centered around specific interests or niches.

Influencer marketing is one of the most critical skills for today’s marketers, and tapping into an influencer can be a powerful way to grow your business. Influencers have followers that trust them more than brands they don’t know – so by aligning with their branding; you’ll quickly become well-known in their circles!

 

Promote Instagram On Other Platforms

It’s no secret that getting a following on Instagram can be difficult. One way to increase your followers is by cross-promoting it with other platforms, like TikTok or Pinterest. TikTok and Pinterest are two of our top picks for outside apps outside of Instagram. They both have unique algorithms that will help spread the word about what you’re doing.

You can include your Instagram directly on Tik Tok and Pinterest, so if your content does better on any of these apps, the followers can be funneled back to Instagram. Also, you can repost TikToks on Instagram reels and reach a whole new audience by reusing your content.

Similar to TikTok, claiming your Instagram account on Pinterest means immediate benefits. By creating content on Pinterest, this traffic will be directly funneled back to your Instagram and allow you to reach more people.

 

Use Sponsored Posts

Promoted posts are a great way to grow your brand, and they’re becoming the norm on Instagram. Many businesses will avoid paying for social media attention because they may not seem to get immediate sales or results; however, sponsored posts increase awareness of an organization from its ideal audience. Often, people won’t visit links in ads as soon as it pops up on their feed but instead check if you are a legitimate business by visiting your profile first before checking out more of what you have going on there (they’re just being extra safe). This works because, over time, brands often see increased engagement when promoted content has been viewed initially, which may lead to sales in the future.

 

The Power Of DMs

Direct Messages on Instagram are the best-kept secret of this platform. People read their DMs, and even if they don’t respond, at least you know that your content has been seen! As a brand or business, direct messaging can help create an authentic connection with customers personally, leading to sales and increased trust from followers/customers through more meaningful interactions. 

 

Don’t Be Afraid To Go Live

With 2020 bringing in a shift to at-home work, more and more brands are using Instagram Live as an easy way for their followers to tune in to life’s happenings. This raw video stream allows your audience to interact with your followers in a very personalized, intimate format with no editing or filters.

You can host weekly shows, games, and tournaments, online webinars, tutorials — the list goes on. Now with Instagram Live Shopping, you can tag products from your brand or catalog during an Instagram live broadcast to let your audience shop right then and there.

 

Engage With Your Followers

Doing more to engage with your brand’s audience makes them feel like they are being heard, and it will lead to increased customer loyalty. Ask for feedback often; after receiving a request from followers, you should reply promptly. If you want to increase engagement with prospective customers, then the simplest way is by engaging! This might seem overly obvious, but many businesses complain about lack of engagement but don’t take the time to like, comment, and follow their target audience.

 

Use Hashtags Better

I’ll bet you’ve heard about how vital hashtags are, but chances are you don’t use them effectively. The algorithm for Instagram is data-driven and follows a pattern based on usage.

A hashtag on Instagram is an identifier for the algorithm. It gives context to your posts and helps the algorithm understand who to show your posts to (e.g., if someone tags #fashionistas, they are interested in fashion). While there isn’t a maximum number of hashtags that will guarantee engagement but 9-12 is the ideal number of hashtags to include in a post.

A little creativity and an hour of your time can help you find the perfect hashtag for your company. For example, if you are a brand specializing in cycling gear, #bikeshare might be considered. It’s important to link hashtags with interests, making it easier for users to find your content when searching Instagram.

 

Conclusion

You can’t build a strong Instagram following overnight, but you can start by using these tips. The most important thing is to be consistent and persistent in the way that you post on your account. Do not give up! Keep striving for success with this Instagram, and it will pay off eventually. Which one of these latest strategies are you using to grow your Instagram in 2021?

 

 

There are 4.03 billion email users globally, and it’s easier than ever to get a hold of anyone, even if they’re working from home or somewhere far away. As more people work remotely due to social distancing, their inboxes become an essential part of communication as well – making them prime candidates for cold emails with your offer! Learning how to write cold emails that convert is a vital skill for any marketer. In this blog post, we’ll go over what you need to do and not do when you’re writing your next email—from layout tips to crafting the perfect introduction! 

A cold email subject line could be seen as the first impression we make on our prospects. That’s why it needs to grab their attention, and a well-written one stands out among spam emails in your inbox. The subject line is not just the place for clever wordplay; it’s also where you should prove to your prospects that they were carefully selected. Make a connection by tailoring each message and make sure no one feels like spam! 

The right words can help get noticed in any email inbox, but crafting them correctly depends on understanding what motivates people to open an email. Consider their point of view—are there benefits promised? Do they want more information about something specific, or does curiosity play into this decision? If so, then incorporate those elements into your own marketing technique with personalized messages explicitly tailored for the individual who opened it up first. We recommend designing these emails as intrigue-building teasers instead of lengthy reports full of jargon for best results. 

Check out these for inspiration: 

• {{FIRST_NAME}}, there is a more efficient way to do X. 
• I have an idea on how to improve your X. 
• Have you thought about switching over from {{COMPANY}},
• Getting more out of your of {{USER_JOB_TITLE}} 

Write an Intriguing Introduction 

It’s hard to get someone’s attention from the first words of a cold email. It might be because we don’t know how, or it may just be that our desperation for sales is blinding us. Whatever the reason, an intriguing introduction can help make your message stand out. If your intro captures a customer’s attention, then they’ll be more likely to reply or take a call to action.

A cold email introduction should be kept short and sweet. As it doesn’t introduce our company or us to the prospect, we’ll instead focus on their achievements, work experience with other companies and expertise in a particular field – that way they will pay attention! 

The best way to start an email is with a simple introduction. Avoid the temptation of sending them every detail about yourself up-front, but don’t be afraid to put in some work upfront by offering your personal experience related to their problems (i.e., find out what they need or want and offer your services). 

Listing all of their recent activity is a step too far and will make you seem like an obsessive stalker! You want them to see that they received your message because you chose this opportunity specifically for them – not just anyone active on social media in the last hour or two. 

Avoid Sounding Like a Sales Person and Generic 

When you write a standard pitch, the only type of response your prospects will evoke in their minds is “Good for you.” In other words, it leaves them cold; just as we found them— why should they care about you and your business? 

What’s the secret to connecting with potential buyers? Put yourself into your pitching process by putting the prospect at its center! Provide as much value to them as you can, find out what problems they have, and help solve it using 

our products/services so that both sides are in a win-win situation where each party receives something from one another. 

Stay Focused and to the Point 

Business owners don’t have a lot of time. So why waste their already limited time with fluff? Do that, and you’re off to an already bad start. Avoid the “how are you doing?” language because it doesn’t matter to either party involved in 

this transaction. Get right down to business to not be seen as wasting anyone’s precious resource -time! Knowing that, make sure your email is easily scannable for those on the go who would otherwise miss key points altogether if forced into reading every word.

I know it’s challenging to summarize a few paragraphs into one or two sentences, but you can do this with just 2-5. Data suggest that 50-125 words are the optimal number of words for an email pitch, and yet many people still send lengthy pitches describing their company and product or service in hopes that someone will read all 200+ word emails they wrote out. While everyone appreciates your dedication to writing these long messages, there are other ways we could get our point across much more efficiently – like by keeping it short! 

Address Problems and Offer Solutions 

The next time you send a cold email, do not be afraid of getting personal. If your prospect is a sales manager, acknowledge the high pressure they face by talking about their goals and how it impacts them if they don’t meet those goals. Mention that even as managers, there could still be consequences for failing to reach these targets! Introduce what you have to offer and show how you can help overcome problems that keep them up at night. 

Include a Call to action 

You’ve made it this far – you have one final step. You cannot leave your message with a vague ‘I hope we’ll connect soon.’ A call to action (CTA) is the last thing in your email, and it’s what will help motivate prospects who are on the fence about if they want to take any further steps or not. It may be scheduling a Skype conversation, scheduling a call, replying directly- anything that helps close business deals! Keep these CTAs short and concise, so people know exactly where you’re coming from without having too many details bogging them down. 

Conclusion 

I hope this blog post has shown you how to send cold emails that convert. If not, don’t worry! We are here to help guide you through the process and offer a few tips for writing great cold emails. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other information or questions about your email marketing strategy. 

Happy emailing!

 

Have you ever been frustrated with how long your website takes to load? Page speed is a significant factor when it comes to website optimization. If your website takes too long to load, visitors will get frustrated and leave. On the flip side, if your page loads quickly, visitors are more likely to stay on your site for more extended periods and convert into customers. Here are five ways you can increase the page speed of your website: 

Optimize Images 

The size of an image is a factor that can greatly impact the loading time for your site. Though there are many ways to optimize images, a straightforward way would be through lossy and/or lossless compression to reduce their file sizes while still maintaining quality. This will help speed up web page load times without sacrificing the look of the image. If your website is not loading fast enough, it’s likely because of the images. The HTTP Archive shows that, on average, 21% of a webpage’s weight comes from graphics and imagery alone! And ironically, this is one area where you can start to save some severe bytes and increase load time. 

Benefits of Optimized Images 

Speed can make all the difference. Your website visitors will feel more comfortable and stay longer, boosting your conversion rate for sales or leads. Plus, this helps increase SEO rankings! This means that you’ll see better ROI on any marketing campaigns in a shorter amount of time, not to mention less storage space needed (and cost). 

Here’s the best WordPress plugin to optimize images: 

• Optimole is the new plugin/tool by ThemeIsle. It’s a popular tool for making website design and development easier on WordPress sites. ● EWWW Image Optimizer does what its name suggests – compresses JPEG & PNG images that are uploaded in your WP Media library or database with just a few clicks of one button and without any fussing around with settings like quality level, etc., 
• Imagify (developed by the TinyPNG team) will optimize all GIFs / JPGS found inside posts.
• reSmush it from ShortPixel optimizes existing photos where image compression wasn’t optimal 
• WP Smush from ShortPixel is a plugin that will automatically optimize uploaded images on the fly and reduce their file size by up to 80% 

Use a CDN 

A content delivery network, also known as a CDN, is an innovative technological solution for delivering your website’s data and files to all of its customers across the globe. Multiple servers are located in different geographical locations that store cached versions of webpages like HTML pages, javascript files, or CSS (content style sheet) file formats. These can be accessed by any visitor through our nearest server, along with images and videos on YouTube-like streaming services. Without much lag time between loading screens, two other main benefits would be: increased speed translates into better user experience and reduced bandwidth costs due to less load on each host machine within this system. 

Best CDN to Increase Page Speed 

• Max CDN/Stackpath 
• Sucuri 
• Cloudflare 
• KeyCDN 
• Rackspace 
• Google Cloud CDN 
• Cachefly 

After comparing all of the top CDN providers to speed up your website, it’s clear that MaxCDN has a robust set of features and reasonable pricing. They have a beginner-friendly setup with web filters for malware protection and analytics tools like Google Analytics integration so you can track how much traffic is coming from different countries or where viewers are clicking on links most often. StackPath and Sucuri are two of the most secure CDN providers today. With Cloudflare’s free option, you can get a taste of what it is like to use this service without having to spend any money upfront.

Minimize Excess Code 

When optimizing your code, you should remove any unnecessary characters. This includes spaces and commas that are unnecessary to break up the flow of sentences, formatting (e.g., <br> tags), or unused bits of code. Google recommends using CSSNano and UglifyJS for their optimization tools to improve page speed significantly! 

Reduce Redirects 

Have you ever noticed that a page loads faster the fewer redirects there are? HTTP request-response cycles take time. For example, if your mobile site looks like this: “example.com -> www.example.com -> m.example/m,” with two additional requests and three total responses in contrast to one or zero response, it is going to be slower for your visitor as they wait around on each cycle! 

Leverage Browser Cache 

Browsers cache a lot of information (stylesheets, images, JavaScript files) so that when visitors come back, they won’t have to wait long for the browser to reload. Use tools like YSlow to see if you already set your expiration date and then change it accordingly. In some cases, just one year is enough time since most sites don’t update their designs too often. 

Use Reliable and Fast Web Hosting 

Ensure that your hosting provider caters to the needs of your online customers by investing in a high-performance server. Free web hosting, inadequate hosting services with minimal or no support, and shared resources all contribute to slower servers which are detrimental to customer satisfaction and speed.

Keep WordPress Light 

WordPress has a variety of themes and plugins that allow you to create beautiful websites quickly. With so many options, it can be tempting to overload your site with too much customization or use heavy features like JavaScript animations. However, adding extra elements will slow down the time for loading pages on your website because they are forced to stream large amounts of data. To solve this problem, remove any unused plugins from WordPress by logging in at ‘Plugins,’ ‘Installed Plugins.’ Next, examine which plugin is slowing the webpage’s response rate by opening up page monitoring software such as Pingdom Tools (www.pingdomtools). From there, delete unnecessary scripts and deactivate ones that require higher levels of CPU power”. 

Conclusion 

Your customers are impatient. They want to find the information they need quickly and be on their way, so your website speed needs to reflect this. We hope you’ve found our tips helpful and that you use them to improve your website speed. Whatever the case is, if you can make sure that visitors stay on your site longer (rather than bounce) by enhancing their experience with increased load times, then you’re going to have better SEO rankings. Google takes note of how fast websites load and ranks them accordingly. Having a fast-loading site is not optional in 2021. It’s a necessity.

Website SEO VS Local SEO: Which should you focus on?

Search engine optimization (SEO) can be a powerful tool when it comes to increasing business revenue. The only problem is that there are many different types of SEO, and they all have their benefits and disadvantages. 

One such type of SEO is Local SEO. However, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Local SEO are two very different strategies. In this article, we will examine the difference between the two and help you decide which is best for your business.

First, let’s take a look at what SEO is all about. Search engine optimization refers to any actions taken to increase traffic from search engines to a website by improving its rankings in natural results listings on SERPs (search engine result pages). With more visitors coming through search engines than through social media or email marketing, your site must rank well in these listings so people can find you online. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO is the process of affecting visibility in natural search results through organic, or unpaid, means. SEO can be achieved by optimizing a target website to produce content that websites such as Google (and other popular search engines) rank close when conducting a search using specific keywords and key phrases relevant to the business.

How to Optimize for Website SEO?

Create a website optimized for search, focusing on creating content relevant to user queries and their intent in searching (the need or desire they have). This means optimizing your site for specific keywords/key phrases so it can be found when someone searches those terms. It also includes ensuring your site is stable so it can be crawled and indexed by search engines.

What is On-Page Website SEO?

One of the most important aspects of SEO is on-page optimization. On-page optimization refers to all of the work you do within your content (i.e., title, meta description, headlines) to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPS). With so much competition out there for top rankings these days, on-page optimization can make the difference between being at or near the top of search engine results pages (SERPS) and dropping off completely.

What is Off-Page Website SEO

Off-page website SEO is the work you do outside your content to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPS). It includes technical SEO, link building, and social media marketing. For example, off-page website SEO would be the act of linking back to a blog post from another site or being referenced by other bloggers as an expert source for information related to your niche. Guest posting is a form of off-page website SEO. It involves writing for different blogs within your industry and submitting posts on the blog’s site. What are some benefits of guest posting? First, you can increase visibility: Being featured as an expert in someone else’s space increases your credibility, authority, and visibility with your audience. Second, you can increase traffic: Search engines like Google love fresh, new content. Publishing your guest post on another blog allows you to promote the article with a link back to your original piece of work. Finally, guest posts will enable you to reach an entirely different audience than what you’re able to attract through organic search.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of making sure that search engines like Google can find, crawl and rank local pages for different queries related to a business or service based on geographic location. Local SEO will help your customer base grow and give you an advantage over other businesses in your market that is not optimizing their listings. For example, local SEO is optimizing your Google My Business listing and all of your other listings to get them ranked higher on Google, leading to more customers finding you faster.

How to Optimize for Local SEO

To optimize your Google My Business listing, you must verify your business location, upload a professional photo of the storefront and create or update your Google+ page. To optimize for local SEO, you’ll want to add all relevant keywords on your GMB listing that pertain to what you do, including but not limited to:

• location + nearest intersection;
• business name + city/state;
• services
• products

Reviews

A huge ranking factor to improving Local SEO rankings is review count. To get more Google reviews, you can do some incentivized reviews where the customer has to write a review to receive something from your store. Offer things like discounts, free shipping, or another service that is of value that will entice customers to leave their honest feedback on Google, so your business is more likely to show up as an organically ranked listing.

Local Citations

A citation is a mention of your company’s name, address, and phone number online. Citations can be found in directories like YellowPages or niche-specific forums. They increase the places where customers could find you on the web – websites such as Yelp would also count! These mentions tell Google that you are a reputable business for higher search engine rankings. When you’re looking for a business to provide your services or products, the first place Google will note is where that company’s location is in relation to their customer. For example, if someone searches “tax preparation” and lives in San Francisco, it would be much easier for them to find information about local businesses than any others out of state. It might appear to be common sense, but people forget how vital these things are when conducting research; this includes listing all pertinent contact information on various general directories and niche-specific ones such as blogs from within the industry. Rather than just simply adding links back onto social media sites (although these can still help).

The Bottom Line: The difference between Local SEO and Website SEO is traditionally thought of as a way to rank higher on Google for the whole world, but what about if you want your business to be found only in one area? Local SEO ensures that people looking for products or services near where they live can easily find them. Using traditional SEO techniques like keyword research and title optimization, local businesses must use geographical keywords such as “near me” and optimize Google My Business listings.

Conclusion

SEO can be helpful for any business, but local SEO is essential to businesses in the same area. So if you’re looking to do well locally and expand your reach simultaneously, focus on local SEO optimization with Website Optimization.

 

 

Many businesses are looking for ways to rank their website on Google in 2021. The problem is, there are so many different strategies out there that it can be challenging to know which ones will work best for you. This blog post will discuss the benefits of website SEO and the simple steps that anyone can take to rank their website on Google in 2021.

What is SEO 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s ranking in search engine results pages. SEO helps people find your business when they are searching for products or services like yours! It can also help to increase traffic and conversions on your site. SEO is also helpful for making your website more visible to other online business owners, so they can find you when they’re looking for someone to work with.

Benefits of SEO 

The benefits of SEO are immense. The following below is how SEO can help your business grow. 

1. Help your website rank higher on search engine results pages (SERP). 2. Ranking high in search engines will increase traffic and conversions on your site. 3. It can improve visibility among other online businesses that might want to work with you, so it’s a great way to grow your business. 
2. It can help people find what they’re looking for, such as products or services like yours! 
3. SEO will increase customer loyalty and satisfaction because their needs are being met with the high-quality results they deserve. 
4. If you’re doing it right, there’s no downside to SEO. 

How to rank higher on Google using SEO in 2021

If you want to rank a business on Google in 2021, SEO is a great way to do so. It can help your website rank higher in search engine results pages (SRPs), increasing traffic and conversions on your site. 

To rank higher on Google, you need to have a positive and robust Google search ranking. There are many ways to do so, but the most effective way is through on-site optimization, including page loading time management, meta tags optimization, and more. Quality content is vital for your site visitors. Content should be fresh, practical, and relevant to the conversation of the topic. Blogging can also help with rankings because it encourages regular blogging, improving search engine ranking due to improved search engine optimization (SEO). Guest posts are another way to improve your website’s SEO. By reaching a broader audience that otherwise wouldn’t come across it on their own accord, guest articles also help readers find new information they may not have been aware of before. 

Keyword research and analysis 

Keyword research is the process of finding out what words and phrases people are using to search for information on the internet. The goal is to find a keyword with good volume but not too much competition to be used in both organic (free) or paid marketing campaigns. Keyword research can be done with various tools such as Google keyword planner, Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, Moz, & other keyword tools. To do proper keyword research, you must keep in mind the following: 

Keyword difficulty

How much competition is there for a keyword? If it’s too high, you may want to switch to another one. The level of competitiveness can be determined by tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest. It’ll give you an idea about how hard it will be to rank for specific keywords. 

Keyword volume 

How many people are searching for this keyword? The higher the search volume, the more relevant and competitive it is. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest can help you with that. To find out how much competition there is, using a tool such as Ahrefs will help you see how difficult it may be to rank for that specific keyword. 

Keyword relevance 

Is the keyword relevant to your content idea? If it is, then you’re on the right track. Keywords should fit in naturally with what you are writing about. That’s what will make them stand out and give readers a reason to click through to your site from Google’s search results pages.

Keyword density 

The keyword should appear in your post at a natural rate to not seem too spammy or unnatural. When writing content, include the keyword several times throughout the article but not more than 20% of the time. Synonyms and close variations are also a great way to increase on-page SEO without resorting to keyword stuffing. 

On-page optimization

On-page optimization is the process of optimizing the content on your web page to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). To do on-page SEO, you need to do the following: 

• Ensure that your page title is relevant and includes keywords. 
• Make sure each page contains fresh content, unique text with plenty of links on every paragraph to provide search engines an idea about what your site is all about. ● Include a description meta tag for each page that includes information about the page. 
• Use H tags for headings, bold text, and italicized text to help search engines understand what is most important on a page. 
• Ensure that all pages have content with keywords to be found when someone searches Google for specific topics or phrases. 

Off-Page SEO 

Off-page SEO is a much broader topic than on-page SEO. Many things can be done to help your site rank higher in the SERPs, such as gaining backlinks, social signals, guest posting, and link building. 

Building Links 

One of the most critical aspects of creating a successful website is building links. Linking to your site from other sites increases its relevancy in search results and can help you rank higher on SERPs for specific keywords. It’s not illegal or unethical to build these links yourself – if someone finds your content valuable enough, they’ll want to share it with others.

Guest Blogging 

One strategy many people use to build links is guest blogging. This means you create a blog post on someone else’s site and then link back to your own. Make sure that when you’re writing this article, make it valuable for readers who will want to share with their audiences.

Social Media Link Building

This strategy is similar to the guest blogging technique, but it’s done by sharing content from your site on other people’s social media profiles. 

Video Marketing 

You might not think of video marketing as being a part of your online strategy. Still, it is essential to consider using videos on your site and sharing them on different video-sharing websites. 

Link Building 

When you are building links, it is crucial to create a diverse portfolio of different sites so that there are more opportunities for your site to rank higher on search engines. One strategy, in particular, is link reclamation which means going back and getting the old links from people 

or companies who have linked out of your blog post or website content.

Conclusion 

In the digital age, SEO is more important than ever. The internet has made information accessible to everyone. This means that you must compete for visibility if you want your company’s products or services to be seen by people online. In addition, if done right, a good SEO strategy can help generate an enormous amount of revenue with relatively little effort on your part—a win-win as far as we are concerned! With all of these benefits in mind, it’s no wonder why so many companies focus their efforts on optimizing thier websites for search engines. We’ve provided some great tips here about improving your website, but if any of them seem too daunting, let us know, and our team will consult with you to create your perfect SEO strategy. Stay well!

In an online world, digital marketing is essential for success. With the increasing time people spend online; businesses have to stay on top of their game and make their digital landscape stand out among thousands of competitors. Your weapons in this digital world to outrank your competition and drive traffic to your business are your knowledge and tools for success. To build your revenue and grow your company, marketing your brand correctly is vital. With advances in marketing technology, we have the guidance needed to get you inside your customer’s minds. G+ is here to give you some of our best tips to ensure your success in 2021.

1. SEO

For the best long-term traffic growth for your business, there isn’t anything more important than SEO. In an online world, reach is crucial, and the more visitors that visit your site, the higher the potential of your business. To have an effective SEO strategy for better search engine visibility, it’s always better to have our SEO specialists analyze how your users interact with your websites and social media platforms and shoot you to the top of a Google search result. Don’t rely only on paid digital advertising, but combine both SEO with PPC, and focus on the long term, because although you won’t have immediate traffic from SEO, the long-term growth is limitless.

2. The Power of Social Media

It is no secret that the pandemic has increased the time we spend online. This is the perfect opportunity to find your place in social media and develop an effective strategy to improve your online presence, engage with more clients and lead to more revenue. Focus on social media platforms you are comfortable with and those that give you the most interactions, and post on those platforms consistently to maintain that presence and build your loyalty with your fans. Post your content when you know your audience is online and reading, and hire influencers if this pushes your brand needs.

3. Know Your Audience 

The success of any business revolves around its customers. So make it your 2021 goal to get to know your target audience and best market your business to them to give a lasting impression and more effortless engagement. Your customers are the source of your best content ideas, so get to know your audience to create inspiring and informing content based on their preferences to capture their attention. Make your customers feel like they are a part of your brand’s community, and remember that the world of digital marketing is constantly changing, so pay attention to when those preferences shift.

4. Become a Blogger

In today’s world of online marketing, keeping your users engaged in your company’s messages is critical. Having blogs on your website is a great way to increase traffic and add some fun elements to your brand, and not to mention it’s a cost-effective and straightforward setup. When adding blogs, it’s essential to give your brand a personal touch and connect with your users on a deeper level. Don’t focus on making your blogs very sales-y, but get to know what your audience is interested in and personalize your content to provide helpful information.

5. Email Marketing 

When it comes to marketing your brand, an email list is one of the most valuable techniques your business can have to retain all your existing customers and gain new ones. Gather emails from your customers and audience, and build your brand awareness by sending them updates and the progress of your business. Your users may not need your services when they receive your email, but email marketing yourself will keep your company top of their minds when it comes time to make a purchase. Send your customers helpful information, encouraging repeat purchases and deals, but avoid spamming because nobody likes that.

The digital landscape is a competitive one. If you want to stay on top of your game, then marketing your brand correctly and using the latest tools for success is vital. We can help by guiding in this arena not to fall behind and have a chance to grow revenue with our expertise in SEO/SEM management or PPC advertising campaigns. Contact us today if we can be of assistance!

What is Local SEO

Local SEO stands for Local Search Engine Optimization, and it’s a highly effective method of creating an online presence for your business. It’s essential to help local consumers find your business easier when they are searching for your keywords. Having solid Local SEO is paramount to standing out from the rest of the competition in your local area. For example, when searching on Google, most people don’t even bother with the second page of the results; 92% of customers only pick businesses from the first page of Google Maps. 

Why Does Local SEO Matter

Regular SEO can help the overall exposure of your website on a global scale. However, local SEO is arguably more important as many consumers are only willing to travel 20 minutes or less to purchase daily essentials. In addition, local SEO dictates where you rank on Google maps. In other words, it affects your visibility, increasing your client traffic and sales. 

A local search is a powerful tool for small businesses; nearly half of all Google searches are for local information. Over the last few years, the “near me” and “close by” keyword searches have increased roughly 800%, which means if your business isn’t optimized for local search, a considerable amount of potential local customers don’t even get a chance to see your business. Therefore, local SEO is critical for your business to be seen and is an ongoing process that needs to be maintained to stay relevant. 

7 Simple Ways To Optimize Local SEO today

NAP is Accurate

The first and easiest step to optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) is making sure the basics are correct. For GMB, the most basic information would be your business Name, Address, and Phone number, which is referenced so often that the people in the SEO industry have given it a shorthand, the NAP. Making sure they are correct and up-to-date is crucial as people are generally lazy and won’t make an effort to research harder to find the valid number or address. 

Claim Your Business Listings

Business directory submissions are a crucial step because they are the foundation of your SEO. Business directories will give you a link from their database to Google, and in turn, when someone searches for your business name on google maps or performs an address search, one of these links is likely to show up first. By claiming and managing all the listings that pertain to you – your business will be more visible and rank higher on google, also known as citation building. Citation building is when your business name, address, or phone number are mentioned online. Citations help consumers find your business. It feeds Google the information it needs to rank your business. If any of your NAP is incorrect, it will derail the entire network of connections making it more difficult to find your business. To claim your business listings, you need first to check if your business is listed on places such as Yelp, Yellow-pages, BBB, 411, and other local business directories. If they are listed, you’ll need to claim the listing and ensure all the information is up to date and accurate. If your business isn’t showing up, you would have manually claimed the listings by adding your business information precisely as it’s listed on Google. Once you have added your business to as many listings as possible, Google will see your business as an authority in your local area and increases your chances of ranking higher on google.

Google My Business Short Name

After filling out the basic NAP information, the next step is claiming a short name for your business URL, designed to make it easier for your business to be found. Google requires that your short name is something that refers to your business name. It is also highly recommended to include your location, usually a city or region, to help people identify your business. For multiple locations, a different short URL is a must. There is a general format for these short names, which usually looks like the company name and branch location, for example, Starbucks Newmarket.

Categories and service areas is another way to improve your local SEO rankings today is by ensuring your business categories and service areas are up to date. To do this, simply sign in to your google my business, and under info, you’ll be able to see your category and service areas. You want to be as specific and accurate as possible and add as many relevant categories to you. Also, don’t be afraid to add secondary categories as this will allow your business to show up for more services and thus increase the likeliness of showing up on google. Local SEO is location-based, so you want to make sure your service areas are updated. Add as many cities that you service on your google my business, as this again gives your business a better chance of showing up in search.

Business Description and Photos

The business description is another fantastic opportunity to include keywords. It should tell search users about your company’s brand story, mission, and even a little history. However, Google guidelines prohibit any promotional content and links like sales. Adding photos will also help significantly with local visibility; Google reports that “businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for driving directions to their location, and 35% more clicks through to their website compared to businesses that don’t have photos.”

Google Posts

Google posts are essential for local SEO because they allow you to promote your business on the Google search engine. You can share videos, photos, and posts that are relevant to a topic or location. Also, if you needed to update customers, if you have a new offer, you can use google posts to reach your customers. Google is more likely to rank businesses that are active on Google, so by creating and promoting google posts monthly; you increase the likeliness of your business ranking on google maps.

Reviews

Reviews are essential for local SEO because they are a way of gauging customer satisfaction. Like in the offline world, google likes to promote a business spoken highly by customers and consistently receives 5-star reviews, increasing your online reputation, which is vital for SEO and branding purposes. When people search on Google for the services you offer or products you sell, reviews help them decide whether to work with your company or not. The more positive reviews you have, the better chance of ranking higher on google maps. A simple way to increase your thoughts on Google is by collecting your google review link and sending it to regular customers, staff, family, and friends. People are usually open to leaving feedback on a business if it’s quick and easy. By sending out a direct link to your immediate family and circle, you can expect 20-30 new high-quality reviews. Then you can create a campaign in which you email your existing customers asking for a review. When done correctly, this can widen the gap between you and your competitors in terms of review count and star rating, making google show your business higher.

Summary of Steps to Increase your Google Map Ranking:

Create a professional profile on Google My Business and fill in as much information about yourself, the business, location hours of operation, service areas, etc. This will make you more searchable for customers looking for what you have to offer near them.

• Upload as many pictures and google posts monthly
• Add your business to significant directories like Bing Places and Yellow Pages, so you are indexed. It would be best if you were listed in as many relevant directories for this strategy to work well.
• Send a direct review link asking for feedback to your existing customers and encourage customers to leave a review or ratings for you online after they have made their purchase

Conclusion

Local SEO optimizing is essential for businesses, and luckily, many things can be done to make sure your business ranks. Ranking on Google is more competitive than ever, and if you don’t optimize your business, you’ll miss on the highest converting stream of inbound traffic – Google.