If you hope to stay competitive in a fast-changing world then there are at least 5 things you should be doing or looking into in the near future. Let’s take them one at a time.
1. Blogging
The latest news in the SEO world is that blog sites (particularly company owned sites or niche blog sites) are growing in popularity, whereas article directories are steadily decreasing in relevance. This has led many marketers to refocus their mission on guest blogging and company blogging.
2. Researching Keywords
Now is definitely not the time to be guessing at keywords or simply hoping for the best with your tags. It’s very easy to do keyword research using an online tool, such as the Google Ad Words tool. Ideally, you want to find keywords that are niche popular meaning they are not too broad or mainstream (since the competition is too intense) but with enough monthly searches to make it worth your time investment.
3. Local Linking
Linkbuilding is going local, thanks to such sites as Google Places, Yelp and FourSquare. More and more users within your own city are relying on localized sites to direct them to businesses in their own neighborhood. If you are not jumping into local Internet marketing, you are missing out on the Google Venice incentive—an update that works to the small business person’s advantage!
4. Mobile Marketing
It is a big mistake not to invest in mobile marketing, considering that’s where many people peruse the Internet, at the expense of their old desktop computers. Mobile marketing is similar to SEO marketing but with a local slant and with content customized for small screen technology. Text ads, apps and local listings—all great opportunities to catch your favorite mobile customers.
5. Social Media
Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest are so insanely popular now, they are almost outperforming the rest of the Internet! Between social media’s popularity and the new mobile phone market, we wonder what’s left of the old desktop Internet we remember. Regardless, it’s relatively easy to keep a social media page updated, so as long as you have a plan and make it fun for everyone, there’s no reason to avoid this “playground.” Ideally, you want to go where the largest base congregates, and since everyone is on Facebook and Twitter (and six degrees of separation later, you can find even more leads) not stepping into the pool is a mistake. Just remember to keep things light, fun and not blatantly promotional.
If you have any questions, why not talk to an SEO firm consultant about your options in today’s Web 2.0 Internet?
