FIVE STEPS TO HELP SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES SUCCEED THROUGH SEO

Imran Rashid Khan

For a small business to effectively position it in search engine results is very important for their success and survival. But is it possible to influence and control search engine results?

The answer to that million dollar question is yes. There are simple yet effective ways to not only boost but to improve the visibility of your small business. You can even improve the ratings and reviews of your business through the efforts of social media. 

Take a look at the five (5) steps and the actions to be taken for small businesses to extend their outreach and influence the search engine results with positive content and coverage.

BUILD YOUR BUSINESS WEBSITE 

• Your website is the first point of contact and the most valuable online asset, so it is essential to take steps to make it optimized and accurate so it appears high within the search results. Your business website is the home on the virtual world, from where the interaction with your business starts and ends. Your business website is the most important place for existing and potential customers to learn about your business before deciding on whether to move forward with a purchase your product or use your service.

• Select a domain name that reflects your business and if possible its location. For example, one of the beauty salons in New York uses the domain "simplybeautifulnyc.com", which includes its business name, type, and location.

• Your website should be built around giving its visitors a user-friendly experience, having a visually appealing colour scheme, attractive visual content and easy to use navigation.

• Add keywords on page titles that identify your business, its services, and its location. For example, “simplybeautiful – full service beauty salon – New York.” Incorporate your business's name, address, and phone number in not only your homepage or contact page, but also in each individual webpage of your website.

• In addition to highlighting your offerings, make sure to include as much possible information of your vicinity. For example, note what section of the town you are in, nearest important or famous landmark. This information will boost your search visibility as a local business.

• Ensure that your business website is Mobile-Friendly.

MAKE AVAILABLE AND UPDATE YOUR BUSINESS LISTINGS ON LOCAL WEBSITES

One of the most effective ways to boost your SEO is to ensure the availability of correct information of your business in your local business listings sites. The information should be accurate, consistent, and accessible.

• When your business is not listed or the information listed is incomplete, outdated or appears differently in different places, then there is a risk of negative impact of your business ratings in search engine results. Not only that it will make it difficult for potential customers to find your business.

• Ensure that your business is listed in your local business listings and the business information like name, phone, and address are consistent and correct.

• Ensure to include photos, videos, website URL, and other key information in your listing to make it more attractive and informative to your potential customers.

• While enlisting your business make sure it is in the appropriate category.

• If your business has multiple locations, mention each location on your website. Create separate listings of each location to boost visibility of your location and business.

ENSURE AN APPROPRIATE LINK STRATEGY

Links from your website to other related websites, and vice versa, play a vital role in optimising your business visibility in search engine results. This action helps in creating credibility of your business.

• Use social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and other media channels to share your website link. Encourage your friends and family to pass along the information as well.

• Add links to your website in your emails and other stationary items.

• Sponsor local events, or provide discounts on special /seasonal occasions. Ask your other local businesses to provide links to your business and return the favour. However make sure your linking strategy is authentic and relevant to your business. Do not spam your business URL, on websites, blog comments or forums.

ENCOURAGE AND RESPOND TO ONLINE REVIEWS.

Reviews not only help to build your business visibility in local search engine results but, also play a critical role in driving consumer’s purchasing decisions, so respond to them whether they are positive or negative.

• Encourage the customers to leave ratings and reviews. Provide them with variety of sites to post reviews so the spread is varied. Whether it is a simple email or a call out on your website. The more positive, authentic review the better your business will appear.

• Be proactive about responding to all types of customer reviews. If the post is positive, thank the customer for their feedback and encourage them to use your services/product again. If the post is negative, appreciate the feedback and ask the customer to get in contact with you about their concerns so you can attend to their problems.

ENGAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

Social media plays a noteworthy role in local business visibility in search results. The more proactive your social media strategy, the higher likelihood your pages will attract followers and optimise your ratings within a search.

• Engage your customers via Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pintrest, and other popular social networks on regular basis. Begin by selecting which social media platform will be more appropriate for your business. The more you engage the more followers you will have, which in turn will make your page appear higher in searches. Use posts and updates to link to your business website to drive traffic.

• Start a blog, which will provide a steady stream of new and relevant content for your existing and potential customers. This will not only raise your site’s SEO results but also drive traffic to your site.

• Engage your customers with updates on new products/services, promotions, and discounts. Respond promptly and directly to questions, concerns or feedback.

In the end, pay attention to your success and adjust your approach as necessary. Keep close track of your progress, and monitor what is working, and what is not. Follow these steps and take control of your marketing strategy.

What is in the name?

What is in the Name? - Freelance WorkTips

Planning to launch your own business? Choosing the right name for your startup business is a critical part of staring your business. It not only distinguishes your business from your competitors but, it also can make the difference between success and failure. The name you choose reflects on what your business is all about and what your potential customers will perceive of your business. Your business name will reflect your company’s values and its distinguishing characteristics.

Moreover, you need to ensure that the name you choose for your business can be registered and is also web savvy i.e. is the domain name available?

Remember there is no singly correct way to choose the right name for your startup business, but the only way your business will succeed if your products or services score well on quality. There are many examples where the business names are ordinary and simple and are doing well in the market. Similarly, there are companies with very unique and catchy names that are not doing very well. So it boils down to this that the business name does create an impression in the mind of the potential customer but , ultimately the quality of your products or services which you offer will decide the future of your startup business.

In general it is advised that the business name should be catchy, simple, and easy to spell and pronounce. Remember that in trying to be catchy and different the name shouldn't be too confusing or vague for the customers to understand or you might end up loosing the customers.

Think about what you want your company name to convey.

The business name you choose will appear on your business cards, letterheads, website, promotional materials, and everywhere else, so you should consider what you want your company name to convey. Service oriented businesses should consider a name that includes or describes what the business does so that it will be easy for their prospective customers to recognise what services the business provides.

It is very important that you think hard before selecting a name for your business because it is going to effect how your customers feel about your business. The more obscure, difficult to pronounce, or spell the harder it will be to remember.

Brainstorm to identify name possibilities.

Once you have decided on what you business name will convey, start your brainstorming sessions. In these sessions think about words that describe your products or services, the benefits of using your products/services. Think of words or phrases that will evoke the feelings you want your customers to feel when they see your business name. Use dictionary, thesauruses, and any other resource which will help you. Form a list, go through any web service and see how many have been taken already. Check www.uspto.gov if the potential business names are not already a trademark.

Once you have shortened the list check the rest of it to see how many have been registered as domain names. This step will likely cut down quite a few potential names away. Lastly, Google your potential online business name in quote to see that no competitor appears on the name you have chosen.

The moment you decide the name of your business, make sure to register it, claim your domain name, your social media identity and if required trademark your name.

While choosing the right name for your business few things to consider:

•While abstract words can be catching, like Yahoo, Google, and Amazon the more obscure a business name the harder it will be to remember and can lead to confusion and set your business back in terms of awareness. So choose a familiar name, which is easy to pronounce and remember.

•Misspelled words not only can make your business name stand out but it can also help you in domain name registration. Examples of misspelled names are flickr, and tumblr. While it may be creative to misspell words it does not always work to your advantage. On the other hand misspelled words will not be easy to lookup in the search engine.

•Two Syllable or Compound words can be used by combining 2 words together to name your business. Examples of this are Facebook, Skillshare. This will not only be useful in making your business name memorable but, it can also help you in registering your domain name easily. Choose words which will not only appeal to you but will also appeal to your potential customers.

•Initials like IBM and Acronyms like AT&T can be used if your business name is long and multiword phrase (an acronym is composed of the first letter of each word in a phrase), but a poorly chosen business name can result in unfavourable acronym.

•The name needs to sound good while saying aloud. Use a name that has meaning and conveys your business message/benefits.

•Avoid names that are too narrow or too literal. So don't use names which will restrict your growth in the future. For example when I started out my business in content writing many of my friends advised me to select a name which had writing or content in the business name, but I decided on "outsource2me", this way when I decide to expand & go into web designing and more I won’t need to change the name of my business.

•You can use Keywords to name you business by making use of words which directly give an idea about the business. No frills, just directly to the point.


In conclusion I would say that it is very important that you think hard before selecting a name for your business because it is going to effect how your customers feel about your business.

As always you are welcome to post your questions and comments below.

Have a great and prosperours life.

Branding Your Business

Branding Your Business - Freelance WorkTips

As more and more companies enter the marketplace, many of them small businesses, it’s more important than ever to rise above the competition and establish your reputation. To do this the businesses need to start establishing their brand. The value of your brand sets the benchmark for your marketing potential.
If there are 100 other web designers, or 20 other caterers working in your area, how will you make sure that clients choose you over your competitors? The only way is to create a brand which will allow your target audience to actually look your way and see what you have to offer.

First of all let’s get the definition of brand and branding down. A Brand is a collection of words, images, and ideas which represent and identify a business.

Branding is the process of integrating a company’s brand into everything they do.

Branding is a complete packaging of your business going in the website, emails, promotional videos, letterheads, business cards, etc., but keep in mind that branding is not just your logo, your website or, your business name it’s what your customers perceive about you. With the right branding you can invoke trust, build loyalty and connect with your customers emotionally.

Branding preferably should be done in the early stages as it allows you to jump start on some marketing activities therefore, branding your business should not be taken lightly.

If you own a startupbusiness and planning to make it big in the industry, here are some tried-and-tested tips that will help you establish your brand.

Brand Strategy

Branding is one of the most important aspects of your business, large or small. An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets.

Your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from your competitors. Your brand strategy is how, what, where, when and to whom you plan on communicating and delivering on your brand messages. Where you advertise is part of your brand strategy. Your distribution channels are also part of your brand strategy. And what you communicate visually and verbally are part of your brand strategy, too.

Defining Your

Once you've created your brand strategy, the next step is how to define your brand. Here are a few simple tips:

Know your audience:

Your audience is one of the most important factors to consider when putting up a business simply because they are the ones who will buy your product.

Therefore, it is important that you familiarize yourself with your target market, so that you can tailor your products and services according to what they need and want.

Identify your competition:

As the saying goes, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. What it implies in your situation is that you have to identify who your competition are in the market, and then look at their strengths and weaknesses. Look out for areas where you can develop something better or eliminate or minimize your flaws.

Get a great logo: 

Your logo is the face of your brand, so get a logo which incorporates your brand message so that your target market will like and never forget it. Place it everywhere.

Create a website:

Whether you are an online business or a brick-and-mortar shop, create a website for your business. Your website will help not only to showcase your products but also help you to interact with your customers easily. In your website, you can have an about page, your product or services page, a testimonial page, a contact information page, and even an order form page for convenient transactions. Just make sure it resonates your brand message.

Blog regularly:

As an entrepreneur, part of your job is to keep your customers updated not just about your products/services but also of the industry you represent, you can accomplish these by regularly publishing blog posts on your website.

Write about your new products/services or communicate to your customers the latest industry-related event and happenings through a short feature article. If your products require assembly or specific instructions, you can also make tutorials in video format to assist your customers.  The idea here is to provide content that your customers will find highly useful and relatable.

Engage in social media:

To connect with your customers better and learn what they think, establish an active online presence by creating accounts on popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Build your online community, and engage them in virtual conversations.

Your customers are the best judge of your products so ask them for feedback, When they do, don’t forget to thank them for their time and if possible give them some incentives/freebies.

This way, you’ll get to know your customers more and improve your products/services based on their opinion.

Integrate your brand:

Branding extends to every aspect of your business – be it your website, emails, promotional videos, letterheads, business cards, Social Content,Blog,etc

Your brand should be applied in all written communication and incorporated in the visual imagery of all materials, online and offline. Use the same color scheme, logo placement, look and feel throughout. Be consistent and create brand standards for your marketing materials. 

Be consistent:

Customers won't return to you,or refer you to someone else if you don't deliver on your brand promise. So the most important tip above all is consistency. If you can't do this, your attempts at establishing a brand will fail.

Check out the interesting infographic by webs.com below to learn what elements you need to help your brand stand the test of time.

As always you are welcome to post your questions and comments below.

Have a great and prosperours life.

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Increase Traffic to your Website

Are you looking for ways to increase traffic to your website?

Read these easy and quick tips to help you boost traffic to your website and increase followers.

@ Add easily accessible social media links.

@ Start a newsletter.

@ Use Google Search Engine Optimization tool, Google Webmaster Guidelines to learn how to increase website daily traffic.

@ Regularly publish content.

@ Spend some money on advertisement.

@ Go through the strategies laid out in the Infographic.

Increase Traffic to your Website

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5 Esstential Tips for Freelancers

1. Market Yourself – Network, Network.

You need to tell people who you are, what you bring, and how you could be service to them. You have to constantly market yourself for success and build a referral network.

Internet is a valuable tool for freelancers, especially if you have website. It serves as a point of contact between you and your potential clients.

You have to present yourself as to who you are and what you do and the skills and values you bring. Market your business as it is the key to a steady flow of new and repeat clients. Market on how your freelance business is better then similar business.

It’s not enough to what you know but, who you know. Use social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedln and other online communities like freelancer.com to meet, greet, and expand your network, and get your business in front of prospective clients.

Through these networks get feedbacks to fine tune your product or service. Not only that, you can get your first break through these networks and referrals. These sites can also be used to develop and maintain relationships with clients. 

2. Get to know your competitors.

Study and research your competitors in trade journals, social sites, freelance forums, and visit their website.  Pay attention to what your competitors do. Learn from them, they may be doing something right which you can be implemented in your business. Understand that you don’t know everything and be open to new ideas and new approaches for your business success.

You need to know who all your competitors are, not just the obvious ones, but the ones who are meeting the needs of your customers with products/ services which you do not offer.

Resist the urge to compete on price. Trying to undercut every competitor is a losing race. Instead, focus on providing greater value.

3. Follow-up.

For a successful business it is very important to follow-up to maximise opportunities. Stay in touch with them long after the sale, puts you ahead of the competition. Customers will feel appreciated with a follow-up. People do business with people they KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST. A committed follow-up strategy will increase your referrals with your customers and clients. By doing a follow-up you can remind them about your product or services you are offering. Follow-up can also be an acknowledgement for using your product or services.

4. Get Organised.

To be successful in any business it is very essential to be organised especially for a freelancer as he/she is responsible for everything. You need to have a good plan and organisational skills. Take your time and plan out all necessary steps to achieve success.

Make sure your work environment is conducive to maximise productivity. Keep it neat and tidy and minimise distractions. Schedule your work hours and set a routine. Being organised will help you complete tasks within time. Have a check list or to-do-list as you complete a task heck it off your list. Schedule your time; keep a calendar of meetings and deadlines. Set up a system for your workday; effectively prioritise email correspondence by using an auto filter.

5. Stay Focused.

You are not going to start making money the moment you start your business, it takes time so stay focused in achieving your short term goals. Constantly keep doing the things necessary to be successful, because success will not come in one night. Set goals so as to measure how well is your business doing, devise a plan to reach and achieve these goals. Always be on the look out for ways in improving your business and make it stand out from the competition. Keep a positive attitude, as a good attitude is a great asset for a freelancer. Believe in yourself.

Conclusion:

Starting and running a successful business can be rewarding and challenging. There are few things more satisfying than launching and owning your own freelance business. Starting a business is not complicated, but running it successfully requires focus, discipline, perseverance, and motivation. However, success will not come over night - it requires a long-term focus and that you remain consistent in challenging environments. Be prepared to adapt, innovate, and invigorate, so that your freelance business will break-out to the next level of profitability. Remember in business the only constant is change, so adapt and prosper.

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Outsource the work

Nowadays competition has grown so much among businesses that it has become difficult to hire permanent experts staff for different jobs separately, especially if you are a small businesses or a start-up.

Getting a start-up on its feet can require a lot of hard work and patience, juggling many tasks at one time can be an enormous burden on the entrepreneur. To resolve this issue a start-up or a small business can always outsource the specialized tasks to outsiders called Freelancers.

Freelancers are people who are self-employed and work independently and sell their specialized services without any long term commitment. Freelancers are paid on project basis either per hour, per call, per word, or in lum sum basis. A freelancer takes direction from its clients on what the end product should be or how the task should be performed.

Freelancing is not an option, but has become a necessity for start-ups and small businesses to stay competitive. There is cost saving and enormous benefits for tapping into the talent pool of freelancers. By outsourcing your tasks to a freelancer, a business saves time and money. For example, to launch a start-up specialized skills are required which may be beyond the capabilities of either the staff or the entrepreneur him/her self like launching a website, writing a business plan, setting up the social network on internet like facebook, linkedin, etc,. Hiring a freelancer with specialized skills for specific tasks will save a lot of time and money. “Outsourcing is going to be the distinction for small business to stay competitive.” according to Lorri Rowlandson, president of Rowlandson Inc., an outsourcing advisory firm.

An entrepreneur may be jack-of-all-trades who can take any role, but if the task is very specialized, it may get done faster if outsourced to a freelancer who knows the job, and this will give a chance for the entrepreneur to better spend time on day-to-day tasks. There is a lot of stress on entrepreneurs to get so many things done and time is wasted if you are teaching yourself how to do things, where as time is critical for small businesses.

Expert freelancers can be hired from online marketplaces setup to bring freelancers and the clients at one place. Employers can hire freelancers to do work in areas such as software development, content writing, data entry, designing logo and stationary, sales and marketing, and accounting & legal services. Projects can be successfully outsourced through freelancer.com, Elance.com, oDesk.com and vWorker.com, to name a few.  When using these marketplaces an employer can limit the risk of security when confidential company information is being exchanged. Freelancers can be hired by going through their portfolios and user reviews.

While outsourcing lines of communication should be open, the entrepreneur should be straightforward and be specific when assigning tasks, avoiding using phrases which are informal or acronyms. Make sure to leverage all kinds of communication tools like email or Skype. Payments can be made through PayPal or Western Union.

All in all outsourcing can be an effective way to do business and succeed, where the only limit to what can be outsourced is your own imagination.