Month: November 2018

You’ve read up all you can about search engine optimization and have been implementing what you think is a solid strategy. But it’s not getting you any results…

SEO is not an easy strategy nail, so don’t get too disheartened. This blog should give you some ideas of why your SEO strategy is failing and what you can do about it.

You’re not keeping up with the latest tricks

SEO is constantly evolving. As soon as you think you’ve got to grips with Google’s latest updates, they go and do it all over again. Your SEO may be failing simply because you’re still following outdated best practices. Read up on Google’s latest tips to stay afloat.

You need better keyword research

Optimizing for keywords won’t help you much if they’re the wrong keywords. Try not to target keywords that are too vague or too specific. The first will put you up against too much competition while the second won’t get any attention from search users. Perform keyword research regularly to keep targeting the best ones for your business.

You don’t have quality content

SEO isn’t about keyword stuffing anymore. It’s all about providing your users with quality content. Content that entertains them, educates them, and informs them. Interesting blog articles will draw attention to your site and Google will recognize them as worthwhile content, making their search spiders more likely to rank your page highly.

You’re ignoring social media

Backlinks are key for a good SEO strategy, and social shares make up a big part of these links. If you’re avoiding taking the plunge with social media or simply aren’t active on it, then this could be why your SEO strategy is failing. Building a social following and sharing your website content, like blogs, to social media makes a big difference.

You’re not monitoring it properly

Monitoring is an important part of any marketing strategy. By monitoring your SEO results, you can constantly be improving your strategy by acting based on what’s working well and what isn’t.

You just need to wait longer

You won’t see miraculous SEO results overnight. If you’re running a well-researched SEO strategy, then stick with it and the results should come. Follow the above tip and keep monitoring your results as you go to notice any improvements or weak points.

There are a lot of mistakes you can make with SEO, these are just a few of the basic problems that businesses face online. If you need help with your SEO or content creation strategy, Hallen Media can help you get the results you’re after. Get in touch to find out how we can help you.

The question that SEO clients ask me most often “How long before we are #1 on Google?” Unfortunately, the answer can be very convoluted.

To a certain extent, SEO can give immediate results in the form of fresh content, backend site cleanup, and listing repairs, but most businesses are in search of more long term and visible results, seeking a top spot on page one of a major search engine.

There are other variables that determine how quickly you see results after you start SEO. Your domain age and the competition in your industry also play a vital role in how you gain search engine traffic.

It is customary that SEO results grow over time. You typically begin to see quality results after 6 months.  Baseline packages tend to see a spike in the beginning when initial site repairs are made and then results level off.  With higher level packages results continue to grow commensurate with content engagement & blogging both on & off-site.

Often, however this question can better be answered on a per domain basis. A local business website with a 10 page site, running on WordPress, competing in a small geographic area is going to see different results than a national eCommerce site, with hundreds of pages, selling products on mail order against larger competitors.  The techniques (Local SEO vs. National eCommerce SEO) would be totally different.

Can we speed it up you ask? The tough answer here is no.  SEO is an investment in your online presence.  Think of it as an IRA rather than blackjack.  You are investing in your future, not gambling.  Your investment will compound and slowly deliver greater results.

Just keep in mind that wanting to be on page one organically for certain keywords may be unrealistic.  You and 300 other competitors want the same thing.  And they may be willing to outwork you, out-write you or out-spend you.

SEO is often misunderstood.  Most don’t believe that it is time consuming work, but it is. It takes time to implement SEO strategies regardless of the many variables. Sites that have been around for years may have developed technical problems and errors. Sites that are new need to build their authority online and create attractive content.
Search engines change their algorithms for ranking frequently. If a prospect isn’t committed for long-term, they are not an ideal prospect for SEO.

Choose a company like Hallen Media to manage this equation for you.  Choose a budget that’s affordable.  Consistency is key with any marketing plan. Have patience and stick by both your short & long-term goals.