What is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, which in basic terms translates as visibility. Without traffic (people) visiting your website, you’ll struggle to sell your products or promote your services. People need a reason to buy from or work with you, and it’s your job to share content that makes it impossible for potential super customers to say no.

Having said that, if a website has visibility issues, it’s rarely SEO that’s the only problem. A thorough review of your website and social media content would help to lay the foundations and build a successful business strategy.

If you’re not investing in SEO, then the search engines aren’t going to find you, and those super customers will go elsewhere. Without a solid SEO strategy, we wouldn’t be able to find the articles, businesses, and information we seek. You can find out why now is the right time to invest in SEO in this article.

Think about the last question you typed into the Google search bar. How many responses popped up? Which one did you click on? What made you choose that article/web page?

All of us are looking for answers to a problem, and if your business can offer the solution, then you are creating valuable content that helps your visibility.

Let’s Get Visible (in 5 Easy Steps)

Pick a Topic!

Creating a clear strategy, or a content plan, that appeals to your target audience is key to staying focused, motivated, and able to engage with the right people. By offering consistent, good quality content in your chosen niche/industry helps you get discovered on Google.

A content plan is, in its simplest form, a list of topics that interest or relate to your audience. Think about the issues your customers struggle with – I like to call these their Pain Points. By talking about your clients’ pain points and providing them with solutions, you become an expert in your field, which in turn drives traffic to your page.

Here’s an example of how SEO in blogging helps with visibility – Your coaching business helps executive leaders in the engineering sector. Your ideal client struggles with business performance.

They’ve heard about coaching but are unsure if working with a coach is the right choice.

Before making a decision, they might Google ‘working with a business performance coach’. By understanding that your target audience hasn’t worked with a coach before and that they may be apprehensive, you write a post on this exact topic, offering guidance, top tips, step-by-step information, and include the benefits of coaching. Within your text you include SEO friendly keywords (words or phrases that people search for), such as Executive Leaders, Business Performance Coaching, or variations on the theme that you know your customer may use.

Your post is more likely to show up in the search as a perfect match for this ideal client. They read your post and find all the answers to their questions. The next step is to follow your carefully placed CTA (call to action) and book that call with you.

Write a Compelling Title!

Blog titles should always include your researched keywords and phrases and be relevant to your target audience and their pain points.

Numbers, how-to, and asking questions are a great way to gain better visibility, and it’s worth noting that numbers in headings significantly increase your click through rate.

Use titles such as:

• 10 tips to help you lose weight and keep it off.
• 7 business ideas you can run from home
• 5 easy steps to secure your dream job

A QuickSprout survey found that 8 out of 10 readers only read the headline which reinforces the need to write a compelling title that will hook them in.

Google agrees that a compelling blog title is essential.

“Titles are critical to giving users a quick insight into the content of a result and why it’s relevant to their query. It’s often the primary piece of information used to decide which result to click on, so it’s important to use high quality titles on your web pages.”

It’s believed that the perfect blog headline should be 11-14 words long (70 characters at most).

Structure Your Blog Post Correctly!

Your blogs have nothing to do with you and everything to do with your super customer. Anything you write needs to be written for your user (client/customer) and NOT for a search engine. It’s also worth following a tried and tested visibility format when structuring your post.

SEO friendly URLs – Keep to 50-60 characters with easy to understand descriptions about the content and include keywords that link to the body of the post.

Get that blog title right – Create a hook that stops the searcher in their tracks and encourages them to click and read your post.

Wow them with the intro – Make sure the first 4-7 lines pop! You want the reader to stay on your page and keep reading.

A better body – Ideally, your blog posts should be 2000+ words. The top ten results on a search engine results page, on average, have 2000 words per page. However, don’t pack the body of your blog post with words for the sake of word count. Make each word count.

The end – Include a transition from the body of your post to the conclusion. Asking a question is a great way to do this.

CTA – Always add a call to action at the end of your post. What do you want your ideal customer to do next? Is it to book a discovery call, sign up for your newsletter, join a Facebook group, etc.?

Links, links, links – Adding links to other posts and articles on your blog helps provide authenticity and boost your status as the expert in your field. By referring to a previous post and adding a hyperlink (backlink) to this is another SEO top tip.

Add Value

A good blog post is one that entices the reader and then guides them to stay until the very end. There are many ways you can add value to your blog posts. Here are some of my favourites:

• Using a list of bullet points is a widely used SEO tactic. Posts with lists rank higher than any other content form.

• Sub-headings are perfect for breaking up long paragraphs of copy. Nobody wants to feel like they’re wading through a school textbook when reading a post.

• Get to the point. The average person spends between 37 seconds and 7 minutes reading a blog post! If you’re not giving the reader what they want within 30 seconds, then you’ll lose them. It’s ALL about adding value.

• Be yourself. Write like you talk and try to keep your post conversational. You want your ideal client to connect with you.

• Offer beneficial hints and tips within the body of the post and start a discussion at the end. Asking questions is a great way to get engagement. Get your audience talking.

Blog Regularly.

“How often should I blog?”

It’s the one question I get asked all the time. My answer is always ‘something is better than nothing.’ Consistency is key. Sharing one blog post monthly is better than once every four months, or not at all.

Fortnightly or weekly is the best option. The more content you share, the more significant impact you’ll have on driving traffic to your site.

The best days of the week to publish your posts are Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9.30am and 11am (UK).

Blogging for business is the perfect way to boost SEO and position your website in front of your ideal client. By doing this, you can build your brand and business authority and become the go-to source of knowledge and expertise.

By following these five easy steps, you will be well on your way to boosting the visibility of your blog and ranking higher in Google searches. Write valuable, regular content with your customer in mind. Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about them.

Of course, once your posts are written and published, it doesn’t end there. Here are a few bonus top tips about maintaining visibility:

• Get to know your ideal client and write your post as if you’re speaking directly to them. This will ensure they come back for more and build a lasting relationship with you and your business.

• Make yourself a list of keywords and phrases that your super customer uses to find you (if in doubt, ask them!) and include them in your regular posts.

• Create a blog content plan for the next 3-6 months and sort through your FAQs for blog topic ideas. Your frequently asked questions are your clients’ pain points.

• Remember that killer header! Try using a formula like this one: Number or Trigger Word + Adjective + Keyword + Promise (outcome/the value) = Killer Title!