You’ve probably been told that you really need to get your SEO in order. It's also likely that when you heard this, you weren't quite sure what "Search Engine Optimization" even meant.
Perhaps you did some research and figured out that, at its core, SEO has to do with how you’re indexed and ranked in places like Google and Bing. Great, you're on your way!
To most people, what translates as “successful SEO" is ranking first in Google for the specific terms that you choose. Well...that’s only partially correct—here’s why: Ranking first in Google for key terms that you’ve selected is a great sign, but this is a narrow view of the power of organic search and how it can help your business. And it would be a mistake to think of this as your singular goal.
The purpose of SEO is essentially the same as any other marketing initiatives you take: To get qualified eyeballs and potential customers to your website.
The answer is…maybe.
Here’s the thing: Most small businesses have a good sense of how they like to talk about their product. For example, perhaps you call a class that you teach the Underwater Picnic Container Construction Seminar. And you’ve hired an SEO firm to ensure that you rank first for that term in your area.
But what if nobody is searching for that specific term? What if your potential customers are typing “Underwater Basket Weaving” into Google and you're nowhere to be found in the results? If that’s the case, then you’re essentially paying for a vanity project.
Don't get us wrong: This doesn’t mean you should necessarily change your branding or how you like to talk about your product. After all, it's your product and you almost certainly have good reasons you talk about it the way you do. What it does mean is that you should be supplementing the way you talk about your product with keywords that reflect how people tend to search for your product.
The real goal of good SEO is to raise organic search traffic to your site that converts into sales. That means that when you reach out to an SEO firm, you should be asking for reporting that shows upticks not just in position across keywords but in organic search traffic.
When we start working with a client, one of the first things we do (this is the case for paid search as well) is build out a "keyword universe." There are a number of helpful tools to use for this, but one of our favorites is SpyFu.
A great starting point in this exercise is to figure out what keywords your competitors are concentrating on, and a tool like SpyFu will allow you to plug their sites in and spit back their keyword universe as well as estimates of how popular those terms are in common search engines.
Another good approach is to use Google Trends, type in the keywords you’d like to rank for and see how many people are searching for those terms over time on Google. You can even filter down by locality. If you’re trying to brainstorm keywords to plug into tools like Google Trends, keyword.io is a great resource as well.
Once you’ve got a robust keyword universe assembled, it’s time to work on building out strong content and meta data strategies founded in SEO best practices, both of which will boost your efforts significantly.
Beyond average rankings, you should measure SEO success the way you would any other marketing channel:
Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) aren't just dates on the calendar; they're the ultimate shopping extravaganzas. It's that magical time when businesses pull out all the stops to offer jaw-dropping deals, and shoppers eagerly wait to snag bargains. But here's the secret sauce behind a truly successful BFCM: a well-crafted Black Friday Cyber Monday SEO strategy. It's like the hidden key that unlocks the treasure chest of online sales. In this guide, we'll reveal how you can work SEO magic, and pair it with Paid Media and Email Marketing strategies to maximize your BFCM online sales.
Why Plan Ahead?
BFCM isn't just another shopping event; it's the Super Bowl of e-commerce. Here's why savvy businesses gear up for this mega-event.
Now, let's dive into the steps to craft a robust Black Friday/Cyber Monday SEO strategy that will help your e-commerce business shine during this epic sales event.
Keyword Research and Optimization
SEO keywords are fundamental to search engine optimization (SEO) and play a pivotal role in helping websites rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Content is the Queen of Everything
Leverage your blog section to its full potential by creating posts (or other website content) that highlight your BFCM offers, share bundle deals, and offer shopping tips. Inject as many keywords as possible to increase your ranking and presence in SERPs. Promote your content on social media to increase visibility and drive traffic from other channels to your website.
There are also ways beyond website copy to cater your content for BFCM.
Behind The Curtain: Technical SEO
Technical SEO is not as intimidating as you might think— you just need to hone in on a few essential directions. Here are the most important parts of technical SEO to pay attention to:
Increase Foot Traffic With Local SEO
Local SEO is a digital marketing strategy focused on enhancing the online visibility of businesses within a specific geographic area. It's all about helping local customers easily find nearby businesses when they search for products or services online. By implementing effective local SEO techniques around Black Friday/Cyber Monday, businesses can attract more proximal customers and ultimately drive more foot traffic and sales to their physical locations.
Monitor Your Analytics
You don’t want to discover that your tracking is not working properly right in the middle of the year’s most important sales event! Having correct tracking in place allows you to evaluate the results of your BFCM SEO strategy post-event, learn what went well, and discover what you can improve for your next big promotional event. Use the insights from past years to refine this year’s SEO strategy and adjust your efforts and tactics.
If you need a last-minute audit of your GA4 property to confirm that it’s tracking and reporting properly, reach out today! Our GA4 Tracking and Reporting team is ready to help make sure you have everything in place to report and review the results of your marketing efforts.
Multi-Channel BFCM Marketing
Pair your BFCM SEO strategy and campaigns with a robust Paid Social Advertising or Email Marketing strategy. Our comprehensive guide to BFCM and Paid Media is right here; give it a read, and reach out if you need help setting up a well-crafted paid media strategy for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Depending on your email service provider (ESP), you can also leverage robust segmentation to engage your audience and capture even more BFCM sales. Read more about cross-channel marketing strategy here!
Now is the time to ignite your SEO strategy and propel your sales during this year's Black Friday/Cyber Monday season. Conduct thorough keyword research, optimize your site, and keep an eye on technical SEO. Ramp up your content marketing, encourage user-generated content, and embrace video. Localize your strategy for physical brick-and-mortar stores, ensure impeccable analytics, and pair SEO with your other marketing channels for a killer multi-channel BFCM marketing strategy. Make it count: elevate your brand awareness and customer base this BCFM!
Need some help creating a customized strategy catered to your brand and business needs? Let’s talk!
Are you delving into the world of website migrations? Maybe you’re specifically focusing on how to preserve your SEO during a Shopify website migration? Whether you're a business owner exploring the perks of an ecommerce venture or a brand looking to revamp your digital presence, this guide will unravel the essentials for a smooth transition that keeps your SEO intact.
So, what exactly is a website migration? Imagine it as a digital makeover; a process of moving your website from one location to another, often involving changes in design, structure, and even content. As ecommerce experts, we recommend Shopify, an ecommerce platform that offers unparalleled perks for your online store. But why do clients opt for a website migration?
Brands evolve, trends shift, and businesses grow. A website migration can be triggered by a spectrum of reasons, including:
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A successful website migration involves an orchestra of skilled players, each with their unique specialty:
Here's a quick checklist to ensure your website makeover doesn't leave your SEO efforts in the dust:
A website migration might sound daunting, but with the right team and approach, it's a stride towards an improved digital presence. Shopify's allure combined with a strategic migration plan will not only transform your website but also preserve and enhance your SEO efforts.
A smooth migration doesn't just ensure your website's success— it paves the way for your business to thrive in the dynamic digital landscape. So, whether you're diving into Shopify for the first time or giving your brand a facelift, consider a website migration. It’s a step towards a digital journey that's as exciting as it is rewarding.
Copywriting with SEO in mind can feel like speaking two languages at once. You’re trying to successfully communicate with readers, which often requires being friendly, helpful, and entirely approachable. At the same time, you’re aiming to satisfy ever-changing search algorithms, which can be overwhelmingly technical and—in this marketer’s opinion—a little stiff. So, how do you write great copy that follows SEO best practices and appeals to readers?
Search engines are designed to show people the most helpful, relevant information available. With the very same goal in mind, strong website copy is clear, concise, and easy to read. It delivers valuable information with a hint of your brand’s personality. Write with the reader in mind and your keywords will fall into place naturally. Resist the temptation to stuff each sentence with search terms.
Create a list of keywords and phrases people might search to find your website or content. Not sure where to start? Answer the Public and Google Trends can help guide you in the right direction. The trick is to think like a customer; what would you search if you were looking for your own product or service?
Your list should include keywords and phrases with a mix of search intent, meaning the purpose of someone’s search. Are they looking for information? Are they ready to make a transaction? Are they looking for a specific type of page, such as a blog or a clearance section?
Complete your list by looking for possible combinations and alternatives. This will help ensure that you have plenty of options to choose from while writing, so you can find what flows best without wondering whether you’re on the right track.
In both short-form and long-form copy, place your main topic or keyword toward the beginning of the sentence, paragraph, or title. This helps search engines easily recognize what your web page is about. It also ensures that any snippets shown in search results will include your primary subject, sending a clear message to users and helping them spot your helpful content.
Stories keep people engaged. As Yoast explains, “Storytelling is good for SEO because it will make your post nice to read. And, creating content that people like is exactly what Google wants.” Plus, the benefits go beyond pleasing readers. “If people like your content, you’ll also have a higher chance that people will remain on your website. Your time on page increases and your bounce rate will decrease. These factors will help tremendously with the ranking of your post.”
This may feel silly at first, but it works! Reading your copy out loud is easily the best way to identify phrases and sentences that feel forced, jargony, dry, or inhuman. It’s also a great way to understand whether you’ve stuffed too many keywords in one place: if it sounds like overkill to you, a customer will probably feel the same way. On the other hand, if you find yourself reading aloud and wondering “Wait, what am I talking about?” then it’s time to use more keywords from your list.
Google’s algorithms change all the time, but the basics remain the same. A strong structural foundation, a sense of trustworthiness of a site, and solid, compelling content are always core elements of an SEO strategy. Some websites need help with the fundamentals ,while others have been in spaces for years where winning can and will happen at the edges of advanced SEO tactics. We aim to always be flexible, but also disciplined enough, to serve those purposes and any in between.
At the top of our mind whenever we take on a new SEO project technical soundness. To that end, we always begin with an audit to identify and fix anything that may be suppressing search results, including:
We’re also continuing to monitor for these sorts of technical issues on a regular basis.
We’ve dedicated ourselves to taking a fully customized, strategic approach to search engine optimization. A client selling coffee nationally online is likely to have different needs than a winemaker with a strong local presence. Our approach to SEO strategy development reflects that and aims to:
Ultimately, it’s the same as everything we do: drive traffic and revenue to your website. But in many ways, organic traffic is your most valuable traffic—the users who are most urgently seeking your brand and products are generally arriving through organic search. Furthermore, SEO provides and gains uplift for and from all of your other marketing efforts. For instance, customers who learn about your brand on social media often come back through organic search to purchase, while customers who find you via organic search can be added to retargeting lists for your other advertising efforts. At the end of the day, SEO sits at the very center of all your marketing efforts, and we want to make sure its working for your business.