It’s no secret that SEO is important for any website looking to draw in organic traffic. You may have the most aesthetically pleasing site with great copy, but if you’re not appearing in search results, you’re missing out on valuable leads. However, simply casting a wider net in terms of the keywords you’re targeting could be the answer. You might be surprised at the number of potential customers you could reach by considering a wider range of keywords!
Very Few People Search For Your Business Name
Top National brands are the only ones that people search for by name on Google. For everyone else, unless your business is well known, it’s unlikely that people will find you just by searching for your business name.
Most people aren’t even aware of your business until they see your advertisement or locate you in the search results. They’re trying to find a suitable business for themselves, not necessarily your business specifically.
If you want people to find your business, you need to be where they’re looking – which is usually not just typing in your business name into Google but rather looking for businesses that solve their problem.
People Don’t Just Type In Your Product Name.
When it comes to finding what they need, gone are the days when people would simply type in the name of the product they want. Nowadays, folks take a much more comprehensive approach to their searches, utilizing various terms and keyword phrases that better reflect where they are on the buyer’s journey. For instance, someone who is just starting to look into a product or service might use more general, all-encompassing keywords like “real estate website development.” A buyer who is ready to purchase, however, will use more specific terms like “homes for sale in Detroit, Michigan,” “Real estate website design firm Austin TX,” and so on.
This demonstrates that they are narrowing down their options to businesses.
What Does This Mean for Your SEO Strategy?
Your customers are always changing and evolving, so your SEO strategy needs to as well. It is important to fine-tune your keywords to match what your customers are actually searching for. Understanding customer intent can help you focus on keywords that will result in conversions.
It can be difficult to keep up with the ever-changing trends and patterns of customer behavior, but there are a few SEO tips that can help.
SEO Tip #1: Use Location-Specific Keywords
As a small business or startup, targeting location-specific keywords can be of great benefit to you. By including these area based keywords on your website, you can attract customers from a specific geographic location who are looking for businesses like yours.
For example, let’s say you have a home remodeling company in Los Angeles. Some location-specific keywords you might want to use are “home remodeling company Pasadena”, “Long Beach home remodeling company”, or “Culver City home remodeling company”.
By targeting these areas within Los Angeles, you can rank higher in search results and get in front of your ideal customer. Not to mention, you’ll be less likely to face competition from other businesses since you’re targeting a specific niche.
So there you have it! Use location-specific keywords to attract customers from a specific geographic area and get ahead of your competition.
SEO Tip #2: SEO Tip: Use Deeper, More Relevant Keywords
Your Competitors are using long-tail keywords in a descriptive or question format to get more relevant results. You should too!
What are long-tail keywords?
Long-tail keywords are two or more words strung together that create a very specific and targeted search.
What people are really looking for when they use long-tail keywords is either:
A product or service that solves a problem they are facing
For example, if you sell gourmet food, a long-tail keyword could be “gourmet food delivery for busy moms.”
This is much more specific than just “gourmet food” or even “best gourmet food.”
OR
The action they want to take
Some examples here are “how to rank on the first page of Google,” “SEO for small businesses,” “the best way to increase website traffic,” and so on.
Still not sure how this can help your business?
Here are some more examples of long-tail keywords in action:
A specific type of product or service to suit their personal needs:
Some examples here are “top-rated laptops for college students,” “best standing desks for small offices,” and “car wash services near me.”
A location-specific business or service:
Some examples of this are “wedding caterers in New York City,” “pet sitting services in Atlanta, GA,” and “plumbers in Detroit, MI.”
As you can see, long-tail keywords are much more targeted and specific than your average keyword. And because of that, they can be a great asset to your business. So don’t miss out on this powerful tip – start using long-tail keywords today!.”
SEO Tip #3: Don’t Forget About Mobile Users!
There’s no doubt that mobile users are becoming increasingly important, so it’s important to make sure your website is optimized for them! According to Google statistics, 63 percent of searches come from mobile search browsers, and 27 percent come from voice searches. These numbers are only going to soar as we become more and more reliant on our mobile devices.
Just think about it – voice searches are most likely to be long-tail keywords that are in a question format like, “Where is the best place to buy a wedding dress in Los Angeles?” or “What is the best type of wood for a cutting board?”. Another thing to keep in mind is that mobile users are usually looking for nearby quick results. So, if you’re a business that serves customers in a specific location, be sure to include location keywords on your website.
Bonus SEO Tips
Have Responses For User Queries That Trigger Emotion
People are often searching for solutions to their problems on Google, whether they are looking for a new recipe because they are bored of their go-to meal or they need to fix their car. In both of these examples, the searcher is likely to be experiencing some form of emotion.
As a business, you can use this to your advantage by having responses for user queries that target these emotions. For example, if someone searches for a new recipe, you could include a blog post on your site with creative and exciting recipes. If someone is searching for a way to fix their car, you could provide a helpful video tutorial on your website.
By having content that addresses the needs of people who are experiencing various emotions, you can attract more traffic to your site and improve your chances of ranking higher in search results.
Dispelling The Myth: National SEO Is The Way To Go
You may have heard that in order to be successful with SEO, you need to rank for national keywords. In contrast, this is simply not true!
Ranking for national keywords can be significantly harder(and expensive) than ranking for local keywords.
Even if you are able to rank for national keywords, you will probably still draw visitors from areas other than your target market or those who are only browsing for information.
That’s why it’s important to focus on ranking for local keywords instead. When you do this, you will increase your chances of getting clicks from potential customers who are actually in your target market and who are ready to buy.
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