Search engine optimization, or SEO, isn’t something that’s optional for businesses today. In fact, SEO can be one of the best ways to boost your business online and in revenue. There’s a lot to love about the potential that awaits your new startup if you can master the art of SEO. That said, it’s not something that just appears without a little homework.
Rather than studying countless resources and articles about search engine optimization for startups, we’re going to make it easy for you. If you’re a new business eager to make the most of the digital ecosystem, then start with these five SEO hacks that will lead you to a strong start as you continue to grow your business.
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Five SEO Hacks for Startups
Okay, so you’re a startup business and you have a million and one things to try and tackle as you grow your clients, customers, and audience. Where do you begin? Well, SEO isn’t something to put on the backburner. Here are five easy hacks to help you get started with search engine optimization.
Utilize Free SEO Tools
There’s nothing that says you can’t let technology help you with search engine optimization. While many SEO tools online require a subscription or one-time fee, startups that are limited in financial resources can make really vital use out of free tools that exist.
Start with an SEO tool that can help you determine where your current website is in terms of links, content production, and other key aspects of search engine domination. Beginning with a free SEO tool can really help you become comfortable with the terminology if you’re new to this world as well.
Encourage Comments (And Comment Back!)
When you start working on SEO must-haves like optimized web pages and blog posts, your website engine might allow an area for users to comment on your site’s content. Don’t be afraid of feedback; more often than not, these insights come directly from users who either love what you have to offer or wish you were doing something a bit different.
Using the comments for user feedback is one helpful way to get insight into what visitors like and dislike about your website. Responding to comments helps keep you engaged with your audience too. Plus, if you can answer their comments with a link to another page on your website, you can continue to drive traffic and show search engines that your website is valuable, informative, and helpful.
Design Some Branded Infographics
While written content is important to search engine optimization, you also can rely on the power of images to drive traffic and increase your site’s value. Infographics are one of the easiest ways to capture your audience’s attention.
A lot of SEO is trying to grab your audience’s eyes and give them information about your startup quickly. Infographics help in this task because experts say we decipher visuals 60,000 times faster than text. Designing even one to two infographics a week can help to get info about your business out to people faster, boost your SEO, and assist in link-building your website to popular social media platforms like Pinterst and Instagram.
Take Advantage of User Generated Content
If you’re trying to build an audience for your startup and drive search engine users to your site, try fostering a regular use of user generated content. UGC is an important way to connect with audiences through the content that regular users create.
When it comes to trying to encourage people to visit your website, it’s hard for startup-run social media accounts and blogs to not come off as too “sales-oriented.” Partnering with influencers and major figures in your market who are well-versed in social media can help increase your site’s traffic and assist in developing relationships with ambassadors for your business.
Keep an Eye on the Competition
Last but not least, some startups are too focused on doing something different. It’s important to find your niche and use it to build a brand and following, but don’t let your desire to be out of the box keep you from using one of the most important sources of inspiration for SEO: the competition!
If you have a competitor in your market or industry who kills it in the SEO game, see what they’re doing and mimic it in your content. It could be the use of specialized keywords, catchy headers, or more technical aspects like website loading speeds and internal linking. Taking these practices and using them yourself is a great way to catch up to others who are ruling the SEO market for your industry.
SEO work never ends, but these five hacks can help you get a great start to boosting your business online!
