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6 No Fail, DIY Traffic Boosters for Small Business Owners

marciacatlin · October 15, 2018 ·

traffic boosters for small business
Website traffic is the lifeblood of every online business. More visitors to your website mean more potential customers seeing your products. The more people you get in front of, the more sales you can generate. So driving more traffic to a site is really a no-brainer for all businesses.
Here are the best ways you can easily do that in 2018 and beyond.

1) On-Page SEO

Start with on-page search engine optimization (SEO), considered a fundamental building block of successful websites. It’s important to ensure that your site and content are as relevant as possible to those seeking your products or services. This means going the extra mile to research appropriate keywords, create valuable content and craft captivating meta descriptions. In 2018 it’s no longer enough to post consistently and tick the boxes. You need to really nail your SEO to get (and stay) ahead of the competition.
No need to hire an SEO expert. Just install the free Yoast SEO plugin.

“On-page SEO consists of all the elements of SEO you can control best. If you own a website, you can control the technical issues and the quality of your content. We believe on-page issues should all be tackled as they’re in your own hands. If you create an awesome website, it will definitely start ranking.” — Yoast SEO

  • SEMrush On Page SEO Checker
    Get the list of improvements for your website for free in 5 minutes!
  • The Beginners Guide to Search Engine Optimization


2) Social Media Posts With Hashtags

What may surprise you is the importance of hashtags with your social media.  People have become increasingly picky about the content that they consume, which means they’re turning to hashtags as a way to streamline the influx. Smart use of hashtags enables you to precisely target your ideal customer and expand your reach beyond your existing audience.

  • Hashtag Generator
  • Top 100 Hashtags on Instagram
  • The Do’s and Don’ts of How to Use Hashtags
  • The 2018 Instagram Hashtag Guide—How to Use Them and Get Results


3) Email Marketing

Still the most targeted online marketing there is … email builds loyalty and trust in your brand. Email marketing is important for building relationships with prospects, leads, current customers, and even past customers because you can speak directly to them, in their inbox, at their convenience.
Creating an autoresponder sequence that nurtures new sign-ups and develops a relationship is now an essential part of email marketing. According to a recent study, 320% more revenue is attributed to welcome emails, so it definitely pays to have some kind of autoresponder series in place.

  • 10 Best Email Marketing Software Options for Small Business
  • MailChimp Review – Mail For the Masses?


4) Video Marketing 

In a recent survey from HubSpot, 51.9% of marketing professionals confirm that video content has the highest ROI.
While large businesses have dedicated video teams for content generation, small businesses lack the money and bandwidth to build awesome videos. Creating videos are expensive and time-consuming until now!
Meet Lumen5.
Lumen5 is a free video creation platform generated from blogs and press releases. It can take me less than an hour to create a video. This includes searching for content, getting good photos, getting the right music and polishing the overall look and feel.
I have created 10 Lumen5 videos myself and here are some of them on my YouTube account. I love this free AI platform. The videos are beautiful and professional.

  • Caperra Review
  • How Dianz Leverages The Powerful Lumen5 For Video Marketing



5) Google My Business

If you’re a local business and just getting started with your SEO, you want to always begin with the unique tool that is Google My Business (GMB.
The interface gives you the opportunity to appear in Google search and map results to increase local SEO rankings. Business owners can take charge of how their business is displayed throughout all of Google’s products and platforms, including its search engine results pages (SERPs), reviews, and instant content.

  • How To Rank in Google Maps
  • Is Google My Business Worth the Effort For Local SEO?


6) Put a Blog on Your Site & Post Consistently

“I have a business website, and new leads can find me through my Facebook ad campaigns. Why do I even need a blog?”
There are many reasons.
You might write articles related to your small business, which can help establish your authority in your industry. And if customers have questions, they can refer to your blog posts for answers. Further, a blog can spark a conversation between you and customers or potential customers.
One of the most common reasons that a business might create a blog is to drive traffic to their website, and for good reason—businesses with blogs receive 55% more traffic than businesses without blogs. This gives you the opportunity to advertise your company’s products or services, attract new customers, and boost your company’s bottom line.
Business blogs also help improve your website’s ranking in search results. You want your business to rank toward the top of the search results on page one, not on pages two or three. Appearing higher in searches can translate to more clicks. If you were searching something, would you want to comb through pages of search engine results?

  • 5 Steps to Take to Start Your Small Business Blog Today
  • How To Build A Successful Business Blog (a Getting Started Guide)

How To Rank in Google Maps

marciacatlin · July 10, 2018 ·

rank in google maps

Mobile phones have changed everything. Searching Google, how people get things done and now local SEO.
And local businesses have a big advantage, too! Nearly 60% of all Google searches have local business focus.
It’s now a lot easier for you to simply pull out your smartphone, open the Google app, and speak your search query. And for searches with a local “intent”, Google will include the local search results even if you don’t specifically mention a local city.
For your local business, mobile is critically important for generating local business traffic. But only the top 3 local search results in Google will be given on both mobile phones and desktop searches. So what can you do to give your business a better chance at this coveted placement in Google?
Getting a better Google Maps ranking is becoming the #1 objective for local and small businesses.

How To Get Better Rankings in Google Maps

1)  Build your local business citations (NAP) in specific business directories. A business directory is an online list of businesses within a particular niche, location, or category. One way local businesses can get found by online searchers is through inclusion in business directories. See the list here: The Ultimate List: 57 Online Local Business Directories.

A citation is a record of your NAP – your business name, address, phone number, and website URL. Google uses citations as a way to validate your business location. Use your targeted keyword phrase in the description of your Google Maps business listing. Make sure your primary category is the most relevant category for your business. Include your business category in your title.
For example, if you are a landscape lighting company, then include the phrase “landscape lighting” in the title of your Google business page. Google refers to these elements as modifiers in the title. You must be careful not to overuse/abuse the use of modifiers, which means do not stuff your title with keyword phrases.

rank in google maps
3 pack “landscape lighting west palm beach”
Custom Lighting of America, Inc. is my client!

 
2) Verify Your Google Business Page. Visit this link to get started with adding your business to Google Maps.

3) Here are some quick video tutorials on adding or claiming your business in Google Maps.

How to Add or Claim Your Business on Google
How To Verify Your Business on Google
4)  When optimizing the titles of your Google business pages always include the business name, business category, and the name of the targeted metro area. For example, if you are a landscape lighting company, then include the phrase “landscape lighting” in the title of your Google business page. Google refers to these elements as modifiers in the title.
5)  Use your targeted keyword phrase in the description of your Google Maps business listing.
6)  Make sure your primary category is the most relevant category for your business. Another way to know the best category to select is to look at the current top-ranked businesses in Google Maps. For example, search your targeted keyword phrase in Google (i.e. ‘landscape lighting west palm beach’ as an example), look at the landscape lighting companies that are ranked letters A, B, and C, and then identify the category they are using.
7)  Use schema language and your business NAP on your website. Your business NAP is basically an acronym for your business name, address, and phone number.
8)  The NAP of your business also references citations. Citations are references to your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) that are published on external websites and directories. Google uses citations to determine the accuracy and relevance of your business information.
See the list of top local business directories =>The Ultimate List: 57 Online Local Business Directories
9)  What is Schema language? It’s a structural protocol adopted by Google, Yahoo, & Bing to make it easier to determine certain datasets within web pages. Direct data such as your NAP is particularly relevant when it comes to local SEO. 
There are many other Schema or direct data sets that can also be leveraged in your web pages depending on your type of business. Schema language or direct datasets dramatically enhance the authority of your web pages within your local market – a key strategy to understand.

  • Here is a schema plugin that will get the job done for you: Markup (JSON-LD) structured in schema.org
  • Keywords in your Google Business Page Title

Google Maps 3-Pack Service

Getting your business to rank in the top three local search results requires a concerted local SEO effort on your part.
It is also important to remember that no one can guarantee a top ranking on Google or Google Maps. It depends on various factors, including your website, keywords, and your biggest friend, persistence.
If you don’t have the time or expertise, you can take advantage of my Google Maps 3-Pack service:
INCLUDES Google My Business setup & verification, optimizing Google My Business pages per above, listings/citations in all of the relevant business directories, Schema plugin setup; one post and CPA on GMB (posts expire every 7 days). Reports and updates.
Google Maps Package*
Based on a 4-month commitment

$300 Setup Fee
$250/mo. – mos. 2-4
Have any questions or ready to get started? Contact Marcia HERE.

Why Mobile Page Speed Matters

marciacatlin · June 9, 2018 ·

Google has officially announced that starting in July 2018, page speed will be a ranking factor for mobile searches.
Did you know that the speed of a mobile site can win—or lose—a shopper?
People want to be able to find answers to their questions as fast as possible. Studies show that people really care about
the speed of a page. Although speed has been used in ranking for some time, that signal was focused on desktop searches.
The Speed Update will only affect pages that deliver the slowest experience to users and will only affect a small percentage of queries. It applies the same standard to all pages, regardless of the technology used to build the page. The intent of the search query is still a very strong signal, so a slow page may still rank highly if it has great, relevant content.

Site Speed Critical for eCommerce Sites

People use their mobile devices to shop more than ever before. But the average mobile retail site performance doesn’t live
up to expectations—leading brands to lose customers and sales.
Mobile sites lag behind desktop sites in key engagement metrics such as average time on site, pages per visit, and bounce rate. For retailers, this can be especially costly. Thirty percent of all online shopping purchases now happen on mobile phones!
For those of you who aren’t DIY types or comfortable making all the technical changes and analyses outlined in A Beginner’s Guide to Website Speed Optimization, consider our custom Site Speed Package below. Call Marcia at 561-906-3436 or email her for more information and prices.

Our Custom Site Speed Package includes:

  1. Extensive Speed Testing / Analysis: ( Using https://tools.pingdom.com/ or https://gtmetrix.com/ ).
  2. Optimizing Images (Using tinypng.com and additional plugins).
  3. Combining HTML / CSS / JS files.
  4. Reducing HTTP requests.
  5. Recommendations on hosting. If your hosting is your biggest factor for having a slow website, this will be discovered in Speed Testing / Analysis).
  6. Setting up a caching plugin (Possible on server level as well if hosting allows.).
  7. Redirections are setup properly.
  8. Analyzing Plugins to find the issue, if website continues to be slow.
  9. Best Practices Guideline on how to keep your website running fast.

Why Website Speed Matters

Overall the main goal for our Optimization Service is to use data, plugins, and knowledge to make your website as fast as possible.
site speed
Resources
A Beginner’s Guide to Website Speed Optimization
Increasing Your Website’s Speed Could Save Your Business — So, Here’s How to Do It
Why marketers should care about mobile page speed

How To Write for Mobile and The 50 Percent

marciacatlin · June 8, 2018 ·

how to write for mobile
How to write for mobile has everything to do with this discovery.
We no longer read content online. We scan it.
With over 50% of American adults now using smartphones, it’s likely you will have just as many mobile visitors to your site as desktop ones. Write all your content as you would for your mobile site. If it looks great on your mobile, then it will look great on all other devices.
The F-shaped reading pattern we knew about on desktops is a thing of the past. On the small screen, there is no single area that needs to be optimized. The viewer may start on the left, but really is looking everywhere on the screen.

“We don’t read online, we scan. We don’t read online like we read books. Our attention span is very short when browsing websites online. We have a tendency to scan the text and jump from one section to another and read-only headings or just first sentences of a paragraph,” explains Rafal Tomal.

Understanding how people read on a mobile device – Write less for more impact. Provide a clear, concise message by shortening phrases.

  • Make enough room between the sections so you clearly see when to stop.
  • Start every section with a short heading.
  • Follow the heading with a short intro paragraph or subheading that summarizing what the section is about.
  • Use a clear typographic hierarchy.
  • Make your fonts large enough,
  • Break up large amounts of content into small chunks (use space between paragraphs, bullet/number lists, quotes, icons, illustrations, photos).
  • Write short sentences
  • Put your key messages before your marketing hype.
  • Think Hemingway. Use simple words and phrases.

Habits Differ Based on The Device
Mobile users typically use their devices to solve problems or gain information throughout their day, whereas desktop users are typically in their offices or homes. Remember. Nothing is more daunting to your visitor than a massive block of unformatted text.
Check your content on a smartphone to see how it looks and find ways to improve it.
Resources: How To Create Mobile-Friendly Content

BigCommerce vs Shopify

marciacatlin · May 6, 2018 ·

BigCommerce vs. Shopify

 

Are you thinking about using BigCommerce for your new site? Or Shopify?

There are real differences.

For example, BigCommerce offers more native eCommerce tools than Shopify without costly add-ons or transaction fees that can cost up to 2% of each sale.

In fact, BigCommerce includes the functionality of 60% of Shopify’s top 30 apps at no extra cost.

And here’s why BigCommerce merchants outsell Shopify users by 34% on average:

1) Built-in features to drive sales::

  • Best-in-class SEO for more free traffic
  • Selling on Facebook and Pinterest
  • Selling on eBay and Amazon
  • Streamlined single-page checkout
  • Customer groups & pricing segmentation
  • Advanced coupons and discounting tools

2) Tools to optimize your business::

  • Flexible shipping & real-time quotes
  • Robust product catalog support
  • Powerful built-in analytics
  • Seamless apps & integrations
  • Advanced fraud monitoring
  • Leading payment & POS options

3) Industry-leading service:: 

  • Unmatched uptime and security
  • 24/7 support via phone, email or chat
  • 90% of issues resolved on the first call
  • Valuable articles and videos
  • A community forum for expert advice
  • Fair, predictable pricing plans

Check out our StartUp Special Offer.

Build your online store now with BigCommerce!  Start a free 14-day trial. No credit card required.

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Learn More

BigCommerce vs Shopify vs 3dCart

How to Choose the Best Online Store Software

Family owned and operated Dazadi is today a $22M success story
“We were trying to find a platform that we want to grow to $100 million, $200 million, $500 million in revenue, and Shopify Plus just didn’t get it.” – Jason Boyce, co-founder, and CEO of Dazadi.

Shopify Vs BigCommerce: The Ultimate Knockout eCommerce Deathmatch

Shopify vs. BigCommerce
“When deciding which eCommerce platform to use for your online store, don’t forget your personal preference. Perhaps you just like one interface better than the other. Make sure to do your research and take advantage of the free trials offered by both platforms.”

The Shopify Ceiling
Shopify and BigCommerce features and ease-of-use make both platforms attractive to small merchants who are just starting to venture into eCommerce. But, who wants to make the wrong choice at the start, especially if you don’t have to?

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CONTACT · Marcia Coffey · Palm Beach Gardens, Fl 33410 · Tel. 561-906-3436

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