Are you considering whether to continue working with your Minneapolis SEO agency during the pandemic? Maybe you’re wondering if hiring an SEO agency could help bring in new leads for your business during these tough economic times. Given all of the uncertainty does it still make sense, or should you remove SEO services from your budget?
Consider this. One thing we know for sure is that business as usual is no longer an option, and when (or if) things return back to normal is unknown. This means that traditional face-to-face sales meetings, conference rooms filled with people, trade shows, door knocking and drop-in meetings just aren’t going to happen right now. What are the options then?
How can I get more leads for my business?
The internet. A telephone. These are really your two best options if you’re looking to drive new sales for your business. OK, so let’s talk about the phone. It’s been a staple for any sales strategy forever. Imagine, however, trying to generate business growth by cold-calling alone.
Talk about an uphill battle! Endlessly cold calling for new business is no fun, and a sure recipe to burn out your sales reps. I’m a firm believer in working smarter, not harder which is why I’m super excited about this topic. I know that this works, and is especially important today. If you employ the right tactics you’ll find a wealth of opportunity for growth in this challenging business climate.
Can digital marketing help my business grow?
If you’re looking for more leads for your business, this is going to require a shift in tactics. We need to transition from traditional sales efforts to a strategy that places more of a focus on digital marketing – SEO services.
Why SEO services? Is SEO going to work for my company?
As an SEO agency in Minneapolis I hear these questions all of the time. I will say this. There has never been a more important time in the history of the internet to embrace the internet and digital marketing. Your customers and prospects are mostly home right now. How do you reach them?
Digital marketing services
With digital marketing, you’ve got a lot of options. A few include SEO services (search engine optimization), Google AdWords (pay per click), Facebook advertising, LinkedIn advertising, email marketing campaigns, and retargeting (you know…those pesky ads that follow you around everywhere). There are other options when it comes to digital marketing services, but that includes key online marketing strategies. So where do you start? What’s the best way to go?
I’m not going to go into the pros and cons of each of these digital marketing strategies, and I’m definitely not going to attempt to tell you which digital marketing strategy is best for you. What I will do is discuss the most widely used, and most important digital marketing strategy of them all.
What is search engine optimization?
OK, so what exactly is search engine optimization? If you’ve heard the term search engine optimization or SEO services, this involves a series of activities and action items that are focused on getting your company to rank in the search engines.
For example, when someone types in “Minneapolis SEO agency”, Google will display what it deems the most relevant results on page 1 of the Google search results.
If your website isn’t showing up when someone is looking for your services, your competition is going to get the call. Why is SEO important?
The goal with any SEO services provider is to improve both the quality and quantity of your website traffic. A reputable SEO agency will be able to help you improve your brand recognition and connect with a new, wider audience.
Do SEO agencies only care about Google?
No. At least our Minneapolis SEO agency doesn’t, but Google is the reigning king when it comes to the internet! When someone is searching for an answer to a question, or searching for a product or service online, Google is by far the most used search engine.
Effective SEO strategies
When it comes to effective SEO strategies Google has over 300 ranking factors that it now considers when their algorithms. SEO isn’t rocket science. It just takes an understanding of action items that will help to move the needle. What are some SEO strategies that work?
Optimize your onsite SEO – This is so important! Optimizing your page title tags and tagging your images properly with your keywords (alt tags), using strong header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.).
Are your social media profiles up to date? Are you blogging? How’s your Google business profile? You do have one right?
Effective SEO involves consistent action and building your online presence. Don’t let your website just sit there! Next, you’ll want to make sure that your content is using your critical keywords. How are people searching for your services online?
Make sure that the content on your website includes those very search terms. These are what are called keywords. Keywords can be one single word (“marketing”, for example), or contain multiple words used in a query. These are called long tail keywords, and are super important.
Why are long tail keywords important?
Long tail keywords often separate tire kickers from buyers. Let’s take my industry for example, which is web design and digital marketing services. SEO services. If I were to target “marketing” as a keyword for my SEO campaign, that’s a pretty broad search and the audience is going to have a wide range of intentions.
On the other hand, if I were to target “best Minneapolis SEO company” or “top SEO company in Minneapolis”, that’s a much more targeted search. These queries have what’s called “buyer intent”, and we definitely want to speak to those individuals!
Finding the best local SEO agency – How?
Step one is to do some research. This likely means typing “digital marketing companies near me”, or “Minneapolis SEO agencies” for example. Do you have colleagues at other companies who you trust? Reach out to them! Ask them if they’re investing in local SEO services. If so, what SEO company are they using? or online marketing efforts? How have their results been?
In case you are interested in SEO Consultants in Surrey, you can check this website. Chris (Nutbeen) is a designer and creator based in Surrey, UK.
Call the SEO companies you’re considering. What is their experience? Can they show you successful campaigns that they are currently running? Do you get a good “feeling” in talking with them?
For many, SEO can be a bit of black hole. You write a check to your MN SEO agency each month and are unsure of what’s actually being done. My recommendation is to find an SEO professional who is also an expert in communication. This will help to ensure you have a good experience while you’re working with your new SEO services provider.
When should I start?
The internet and your website have never been more important than they are at this very moment. Companies across the world are shifting their efforts to maximize their online presence. Because SEO takes time to take effect, the best time to start SEO was yesterday. The second best time to hire a professional SEO services agency is today! Good luck!