This Is How You Optimize Your Site...5 SEO Tips For Beginners!

“How on earth do you SEO your website?” 

We get this question a lot! And there are many different answers we could give you, because SEO isn’t just a click of a button. And it’s definitely not a one-time fix. 

SEO is constantly evolving with technology advancements, software application updates, privacy policies etc.

Why is it such a dynamic practice? Because we don’t live in a static world. We live in a world that is constantly looking for: 

• Speed 
• Convenience 
• Experience 
• Solutions 
• Personalization 
• Expertise and more!

This means that we, as business owners, need to dive in and start showing up in these key areas. 

But how do we do that? 

By optimizing our online presence and, essentially, making ourselves easy (and quick) to find! 

What Does SEO Mean?

What even is SEO?

Well for starters, the term “SEO” is actually an acronym, meaning: 

S - Search 

E - Engine 

O - Optimization 

Essentially, it is the process of optimizing your business in order to reach the right target, in the right place and at the right time. 

The practice of SEO has two main goals:

1. Quality Traffic 
2. Quantity of Traffic 

And both of these goals are to be met using organic methods!

How Does SEO Work?

In a nutshell, SEO is composed of two main parts: 

1. The basic Search Engine side.
2. The more advanced Optimization side.

Today, we’re just focusing on the optimization side of things! 

Here’s How It Works:

Step 1. A search is made (ie. Best Pizza Near Me),.

Step 2. Google takes your request and begins crawling sites for information that match your search (paying close attention to quality, accuracy and relevance).

Step 3. The crawlers bring all of the information back and organize it from most recommended to least recommended. Essentially, Google prioritizes the “answers” to the request by what it deems to be the most reliable, trustworthy and authoritative source of information. 

When you optimize a site, you’re improving the quality of content that Google finds when it crawls your pages, increasing your chances of being prioritized on their results page! 

Why Is SEO Important?

SEO can be very time consuming and confusing, however it is SO IMPORTANT. Why? Because this is one of the only platforms where your ideal client is looking for you, rather than you having to look for your ideal client. 

Your job is simply to make yourself seen! 

5 Reasons Why SEO Is So Important:

1. Improves Customer Experience
2. Increases Your Authority 
3. Increases Traffic 
4. Increases Awareness
5. Keeps Your Business Relevant and Competitive In The Market 

How Do You SEO?

Now to the good stuff! 

PRO TIP: In order to reach your ideal audience, you must first know who they are and understand what they are looking for.

5 SEO Steps For Beginners:

1. Establish a Keyword List

A Keywords List is essentially a specific list of words and phrases that are commonly searched by your ideal customer and that relate to your specific business. This is where truly knowing your customer comes in handy! 

THE KEY is to find specific terms with search traffic that isn’t too competitive, allowing you to be ranked higher in a reasonable time.

2. Create Good URLs.

A good URL is relevant, structured, short, simple and keyword rich! 

BE CAREFUL to not fall into the trap of keyword stuffing! Keep your URLs practical and straightforward, easy to read and even easier for Google to crawl. 

3. Add Page Titles

Page titles are the hook for your readers AND for Google crawlers. We recommend keeping your titles up to, but no longer than, 60 characters!

DON’T FORGET to use descriptive terms from your keyword list within your titles. 

4. Add Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions are elements that describe and summarize the content of your page. This important tag is often what search engines use in their SERP (Search Engine Results Page) snippet. As searchers read through the list of ranked pages on their results page, the meta descriptions help direct their choice. 

HERE’S A TIP...anything beyond 160 characters usually gets cut off, so try summarizing your page in a readable sentence package full of your keywords and limiting it to 160 characters.

5. Add Headings

Headings are a great way to structure your page, organize your points of interest and improve the readability of your content! Try to structure your content so that H1, H2 and even H3 tags contain your focused keywords.

DID YOU KNOW that headings also make the page look pleasant and improve its readability for the visitor?

SEO Your Site With The Search Engine Specialists At OSM

It’s time to start showing up where your ideal client needs you. Are you ready to try it for yourself? 

Don’t forget step #1 - KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE! 

At OSM in Belleville, Ontario, our marketing team LOVES getting to know your ideal client. And we can help you identify, locate and target these individuals as well! 

Not ready to do it yourself? Contact our search engine specialists at OSM and ask about our SEO packages - including a researched and ranked keyword list, designed specifically for your business!

We’re here to help you cultivate your organic community, grow as a business and truly thrive in your market - let’s get started together! 

How To Start Your Own

Podcast - 5 Easy Steps!

MYTH: You need to be an established content creator in order to start your own podcast.

TRUTH: As long as you have a voice and something to say, you have the power to launch an incredibly successful podcast! 

Did you know that more than 8 million Canadian adults listen to podcasts at least once a month? It’s incredible how quickly podcasts have grown and become such a prominent piece of our daily education, advertising and entertainment. In fact, “what podcast are you listening to lately?” is almost as common a question as “what Netflix show are you watching lately?”.

So, why are podcasts so popular? 

1. Podcasting is the multitasker’s best friend 

2. Podcasting is an easy and convenient way to absorb information 

3. Podcasting is a great way to engage with, communicate and amplify your message 

4. Podcasting = Brand Personality 101 

5. Podcasting is FREE for listeners - meaning ANYONE can access ANY podcast!

Why Should You Start A Podcast For Your Small Business?

Podcasts are an incredible tool for small businesses and here’s just a few reasons why!

Brand Identification 

During the pandemic especially, people are looking for connection and relationship - someone they relate to, trust and can have a good old fashioned conversation with! This is where your podcast comes in! What better way to share your brand personality and voice with the world than to TALK ABOUT IT. Your podcast is your opportunity to share your life, your passion and your authenticity with someone who honestly wants to hear it!

Community Building 

Podcasting is such a great way to build a natural connection with your audience. You can read every single one of our blogs and social media posts, but do you know what we sound like when we laugh? Probably not (unless you’re watching us on TikTok or our recent Instagram Live!). 

Podcasting is your key to building that personal connection! It gives you the opportunity to build on running jokes or themes, to engage with what’s happening in your life in the moment, to connect with other people in your area of focus and to really SHOW UP for your audience. 

Content Marketing 

Remember when you thought you could only start a podcast if you were an established content creator? NEWSFLASH! If you run a business and are, in fact, the voice and passion behind that business. You are a content creator! All you have to do now is get that content out to the right people. 

Authority Building 

Do you ever find yourself saying, “Oh I could talk about that for hours! Just hand me a mic!”? 

DING DING DING - this is your chance!

Podcasting is a great strategy to use when identifying yourself as an expert in a given topic or industry by providing real, authentic content on that given topic. 

Networking

Did you hear our recent podcast episode with @fourcornerscollective where we talked about Being A Mom & An Entrepreneur at the same time? It’s GOLD! And the best part? We got to network with an AWESOME brand doing AWESOME work in a similar industry as us! This, my friends, is called networking - and we love it! 

Podcasting presents an opportunity for you to connect with other people in your genius zone and start to have those impactful conversations that leave you, and your audience, feeling inspired!

Here Are 5 Steps To Starting Your Podcast Today!

1. Create a vision for your podcast and understand the audience you want to reach/impact.

2. Create 5-8 themed questions to ask each guest.

3. Choose the platform(s) you want your podcast episodes to be accessible on (Youtube, Spotify, etc.)

4. Utilize tools like Zoom for recording your episodes.

5. Have fun with your podcast and use it to have the conversations that are really meaningful to you!

So what are you waiting for? If you’re looking for a social media platform that gives you the freedom to show up authentically, to increase brand awareness and connect with your audience all at once - this is the answer! 

Here’s How We Use Zoom For Our Podcast!

Click Here To Install The Zoom App

Step 1 

Record your episode on Zoom. 

Step 2

Download the recording to your computer and move it to your phone using a USB cable.

Step 3

Download the video editing app Powerdirector.

Step 4

Edit your video and export as MP4.

Step 5

Upload MP4 to YouTube (or other streaming platform) and add a thumbnail cover! 
 

Stay In Touch With Our Team At OSM!

“Marketing is really just about sharing your passion.” - Michael Hyatt 

It doesn’t have to be elaborate with perfect video or sound quality. It doesn’t have to be planned down to the second. And it doesn’t have to be the best thing you’ve ever created. 

In fact, it can be awkward, a little choppy and a lot uncomfortable when you first start - ours was! 

But that’s the beauty of it. Because people aren’t looking for perfection, they’re looking for connection. 

So start sharing your authentic, passionate, REAL life...

And then tell us how it goes!