Date post: | 02-Jul-2015 |
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Can Small Business SEO Compete with Big Brands?
Christina Hecht and Brynna Baldauf
Vertical Measures
www.VerticalMeasures.com
As an SEO Specialist, Brynna works in developing the rank and reach
of client websites by optimizing the on and off page aspects. She
helps each client to balance the content and necessary snippets of
code to create a well ranking and converting site which ultimately
increases sales and traffic.
ABOUT US
As the SEO Strategist. Christina enjoys working on clients’ projects
long-term, helping them set and reach goals, and getting to
understand their business’s narrative as seen through an SEO
lens, and producing measurable results. Christina has spent her
career cross-training in several areas of digital marketing and is
passionate about educating clients on the technical workings and
gratifying results of organic SEO.
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
“There is a powerful lesson in that for battles with all kinds of giants. The powerful and strong are not always what they seem.”
-Malcolm Gladwell, David and Goliath
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
ABOUT VERTICAL MEASURES
• Why we do this
• Small Business and Vertical Measures
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
DO SEARCH ENGINES FAVOR BIG BRANDS?
Myth: Big Brands get a pass from Google, even when engaging in spammy
practices.
Reality: Big Brands get penalized, too, but overall strength allows for
recovery
(see JC Penney, Overstock, Expedia/Hotels.com)
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
DISPELLING THE MYTH
Brands have age, affinity, hit algorithmic points, money for other channels,
resources to create content
What you need to do:
• Get over it
• Figure out why brands are succeeding in your space
• Start Content Marketing!
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
BIG BRANDS
Money
Promotion, advertising
People
Content creators
Audience
Brand recognition and affinity, wide
reach
Algorithm
Professional SEO and platform, big data
reports, content, links, engagement,
age of their domain, etc.
Knowledge Graph potential
Ad
van
tag
es
Dis
adva
nta
ges
Money
– Budgets can stifle agility
People
– Inconsistent voice, buy-in from
disparate departments
Audience
– Set too wide, can’t get micro-
local
Algorithm
– Making mistakes, buying links,
cannibalizing content, losing
track of “inventory”
They’re not expecting you!
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
SMALL BUSINESSES
More wary of decisions=better
understanding of choices
Fewer people to coordinate
– Better chance at a single
voice
Better opportunity for genuine
audience interaction
Playing by the algo rules in the end
is a much better strategy
Ad
van
tag
es
Dis
adva
nta
ges
Not as much money to put
toward wide-scale promotions
and big data tools
Fewer people to do the work
Audience may be harder to
understand/develop
personas/reach
Slower to see improvements
when you have to play by the
rules
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
HOW TO COMPETE WITH BIG BRANDS
• Competitive Keyword Research
• Basic Onsite Optimization
• Ideation
– More tools
• Content Creation
– Make more content based on what you learned
• Be where they’re not expecting you
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
COMPETITIVE KEYWORD RESEARCH - HOW TO
Tools
• Google Adwords Keyword Planner
• KeywordTool.io
• Ubersuggest.org
• Many More!
Method
• Enter Competitor URL into Keyword Planner
• Look at Keywords they are Associated with
• Repeat with Your Site URL
• Compare Crossover and Opportunities
• Enter Keywords into KeywordTool.io or UberSuggest.org to find variations
@little_bry @christinahecht
BASIC ONSITE OPTIMIZATION
www.VerticalMeasures.com
CONTENT IDEATION - HOW TO
A. Take Keywords from competitive research
a. Enter into keywordtool.io and Ubersuggest.org
b. Look for long tail phrases
c. Relate them to the following:
B. Who is your audience; what do they do all day?
C. What are common questions to your service team?
D. What are popular questions in your industry?
E. Can you simplify or explain something?
F. Is there a learning/education curve to your product?
G. Have you done research on a related topic?
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
CONTENT CREATION - HOW TO
● What are you good at creating?
● Use different forms of Content
● Make a content calendar and stick to it! (Free Template Here)
● Publish to your networks
○ Social Media
○ Youtube
○ Email Blasts
○ Newsletter Updates
○ Medium.com
○ Press Releases
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
BE WHERE THEY’RE NOT EXPECTING YOU
● Mobile
● Rich Snippets in SERPs
● Local and micro-local
● Other channels and niche networks
● Fully engaged in an 8-step content marketing strategy
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
BE WHERE THEY’RE NOT EXPECTING YOU
Mobile
@little_bry @christinahecht
Rich Snippets - Schema.org
www.VerticalMeasures.com
BE WHERE THEY’RE NOT EXPECTING YOU
Local Search
● 32% click on the Map in Local
SERP results
● Check your location in other
maps and apps:
○ Apple Maps
○ Yelp
○ Foursquare
○ Citysearch
● Engage in social at the
micro-local level
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
BE WHERE THEY’RE NOT EXPECTING YOU
@little_bry @christinahecht
Channels Content Marketing
www.VerticalMeasures.com
RESOURCES
Basic Onpage SEO and Rich Snippets: http://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/basics-of-search-engine-
friendly-design-and-development
Meta Tags: http://www.verticalmeasures.com/resources/seo-tutorial-videos/meta-tags-video/
Keyword Research: http://www.verticalmeasures.com/resources/seo-tutorial-videos/choosing-the-best-
keywords/
Local SERPs Heat Map:http://localu.org/blog/a-heat-map-click-study-for-googles-local-carousel-results/
Rich Snippets: Schema.org
Google Structured Data Markup Helper - https://www.google.com/webmasters/markup-helper/
How to Convince Your Boss to go all in with Content Marketing-http://www.howtoconvinceyourboss.com/
@little_bry @christinahecht
www.VerticalMeasures.com
QUESTIONS?
www.VerticalMeasures.com
NEXT WEBINAR…
8 Steps to Win at Search Social
& Content Marketing
Learn about:
• What content marketing is / isn’t
• How search, social, and content can work
together
• The 8 steps to an effective internet marketing
program
18Dec
11am PST
2pm EST
Arnie Kuenn
CEO, Vertical Measures
Register: www.verticalmeasures.com/webinars