Are you wondering whether it would be worth your while to learn SEO?
And, if you think you are ready to start learning SEO, which type? As in any industry, there are a number of specialties within the SEO world. There’s on-page SEO, off-page SEO, technical SEO, local SEO, and more.
Here, when I ask if you feel ready to start learning SEO, I’m referring to on-page SEO because that type of SEO is within your skill set and reach, and “that “fits” with your current activities.
On-page SEO is the art and science of applying SEO tactics to your blog posts and web pages. Mostly to the content, then to the page URL and document title.
Typically, those who are ready to start learning SEO:
- Have been writing in their blog for a while
- Hunger for a bigger return for their writing efforts
- Want sales to come to them in a more fluid way
- Want to shorten the time it takes to close a sale
The most common reason for learning SEO is to widen audience reach in order to increase sales
When audience reach is widened, our message is seen by more people. Having a larger audience tends to bring in more sales. With more sales, we connect with more people. Connecting with more people gives us another opportunity to increase reach. We provide those new customers with stellar customer service, nurture the relationship (maybe via email marketing or inviting them to join our exclusive Facebook group), and convert them to advocates…And it all started with adding SEO to our websites so that we can get found by more people!
So, heck, yeah, you’re probably thinking that you are ready to learn SEO.
Properly Applied SEO Leads to a Shortened Sales Cycle
Another benefit of SEO is that, when it is properly applied, in addition to increasing sales, the sales cycle is shortened. It is shortened because you are being found and contacted by prospects who are ready to buy (not general traffic nor tire kickers). A shortened sales cycle allows us to sell to more people, and consequently, connect with more people and start building relationships with more people, to start creating more advocates.
I think you are seeing how everything is connected.
Increasing Audience Reach Online
Online, Google is the vehicle that provides opportunities for exposure to large audiences and the possibilities of more sales via its suggestions of websites to visit (listings on search engine results pages).
So, you need to communicate with Google
Your primary method of communicating with Google is via your website.
How does that happen? Every day, Google sends programs (called bots and crawlers) out all over the Internet to look for new websites and updates to existing websites.
The programs are “code” and the code makes decisions (at an elementary level), using ones and zeros to indicate Yes and No. The programs work in conjunction with the Google Knowledge Graph. Think of the Google Knowledge Graph as a huge dictionary/thesaurus/word-relationship resource.
The bot reads a couple of words on your website, and says, “I have those words in my resource.” It locates those words, then gathers all the possible “next” words/phrases in anticipation of how your content might continue. It starts reading the next words in your content, and checks back with the Google Knowledge Graph, and does the same anticipatory shifting that it did before, and so on and so on until it gets accurate hits and builds a profile of you.
Your job is to help the bots connect the dots so that an accurate profile of you is created. The clearer the perception Google has of you, the more likely it is that it will present you as an option (list your web pages) when your target audience searches for someone like you.
Help the GoogleBot Connect the Dots
Here’s where learning SEO comes in handy.
To help the bots connect the dots,
- You choose your words (keywords and keyword phrases) thoughtfully
- You place the words deliberately, in an order that helps the bot create a logical and true profile of you
- You structure your content using the heading tags (h2 – h6) in order to help the bots understand the most important information (which has the added benefit of helping the reader skim the content)
- The bot builds an accurate profile.
- Now…
- Google has a full understanding of who you are, what you sell, and whom you want to serve.
- Google lists your web page(s) in the search results when the right target audience searches for vendors and service providers like you.
- Prospects read the deliberately chosen words in the Google listing and feel enticed to click through to your website.
- Your cleverly crafted content with words that speak to your high-probability prospects compels them to connect with you.
- You close the deal, make the sale, gain a new client.
You want to make more sales. You want to shortening your sales cycle. You want to deal primarily with high-probability prospects. You are ready to learn SEO!
Contact me at 508-480-8833 to start learning SEO at your own pace! Don’t want to do it yourself? Contact me to learn about the new program for high achievers, SEO for High Performers.