Arkansas Internet Marketing and Arkansas Inbound Marketing Blog

Boosting Your Business with Local SEO: A Step-by-Step Guide

Posted by Jon Dodson on Thu, May 25, 2023 @ 20:05 PM

Local SEO is a pivotal component of any small business marketing strategy. It allows businesses to increase their visibility in local search results, attract customers, and boost their revenue. 

This step-by-step guide will provide the essential tips and tricks to help you optimize your local SEO and grow your business. 

Step 1: Conduct a Local SEO Audit

The first step to enhancing your local SEO is to audit your online presence. This audit should include reviewing your website, social media profiles, and local business listings. 

You can leverage tools like Google My Business, Moz Local, or BrightLocal to check your business’s online presence and identify inconsistencies or inaccuracies. 

Step 2: Optimize Your Website for Local SEO

Your website is the cornerstone of your web presence, and optimizing it for local SEO is critical to improving your visibility in local search results. Here are some  areas to focus on when optimizing your website for local SEO: 

  • Include your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on every website page. 
  • Create localized content with relevant keywords and phrases related to your business and location. 
  • Ensure that your website is easy to use and loads promptly on all devices. 
  • Optimize your meta tags and descriptions to include your business name, location, and keywords. 
  • Add a Google Maps widget to your website to make it simpler for customers to find you. 

Step 3: Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business Listing

Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool that lets businesses control their online presence across Google, including search and maps. Claiming and optimizing your GMB listing is crucial in improving your local SEO. Here are some tips for optimizing your GMB listing: 

  • Claim and verify your GMB listing to ensure your business information is accurate and up-to-date. 
  • Add high-quality photos and videos of your storefront and products to your GMB listing. 
  • Encourage and incentivize customers to leave reviews on your GMB listing. 
  • Use relevant keywords and phrases in your business description and categories. 
  • Ensure that your business hours, phone number, and website URL are accurate. 

Step 4: Build Local Citations and Backlinks

Citations and backlinks are essential for improving your local SEO. Citations refer to mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on other websites, while backlinks are links from other sites back to your website. Here are some tips for building local citations and backlinks: 

  • Submit your business information to local directories and citation sites like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Angie’s List. 
  • Contact local bloggers and journalists to see if they would be interested in featuring your business in an article or blog post. 
  • Consider sponsoring local events or organizations to get a backlink from their website. 

Step 5: Monitor and Track Your Local SEO Progress

The final step in optimizing your local SEO is to monitor and track your progress. This will allow you to see what is working and what needs improvement. Here are some tools that allow you to monitor and track your local SEO progress: 

  • Google Analytics: This tool supplies valuable insights into your website’s performance, including traffic sources, bounce rates, and conversion rates. 
  • Google Search Console: This tool lets you to monitor your website’s search performance, including impressions, clicks, and click-through rates. 
  • Moz Local: This tool provides a comprehensive view of your local search performance, including your local search ranking and citation score. 

Conclusion

Local SEO is a crucial element of any small business marketing strategy. By following the steps discussed in this guide, you can optimize your local SEO, attract more customers, and ultimately grow your business. If you need help implementing these strategies, consider working with an SEO company to help you achieve your local SEO goals.

Looking to boost your local SEO in Arkansas? Look no further than Vertical Studio, your trusted Arkansas SEO company. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and start driving more local traffic to your business.

Topics: search engine marketing

Understanding Google Business Profiles: A Complete Guide

Posted by Jon Dodson on Fri, Apr 14, 2023 @ 07:04 AM

It never hurts to find ways to expand your reach and attract new customers. One way is by creating a Google Business Profile. It’s essentially s a free tool that manages how your business is shown on Google Search and Maps. This article will cover everything you must know about Google Business Profiles.

What Is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is a listing that appears when someone searches for your business on Google Search or Maps. It includes information such as your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and reviews. It is a way for potential customers to learn more about your business and to contact you.

Why Is It Important?

For one, a Google Business Profile helps your business appear in Google search results when someone searches for a specific keyword related to your business. For example, if someone searches for “pizza restaurant near me,” your business may appear in the results if you have a Google Business Profile with the keyword “pizza restaurant.”

Second, it provides potential customers with important information about your business, such as your location, phone number, and hours of operation. This makes it easier for them to contact you or visit your business.

Finally, a Google Business Profile allows customers to leave reviews of your business. Positive reviews can help attract new customers, while negative reviews can provide valuable feedback that you can use to improve your business.

How Do You Create One?

Creating a Google Business Profile is easy and free. Here are the steps:

  1. Go to Google My Business website and click the “Manage Now” button.
  2. Sign in to your Google account. You may also create one if you don’t have one already.
  3. Enter your business name and address. If your business has several locations, you can add them all.
  4. Verify your business. Google will send a postcard containing a verification code to your provided address. Upon receiving the postcard, enter the code into your Google My Business account to verify your business.
  5. Complete your profile. Add your business hours, phone number, website, photos, and any other information you want potential customers to know.
  6. Publish your profile. Once you have completed your profile, click the “publish” button to make it live.

Tips for Optimizing Your Google Business Profile

  1. Choose the Right Categories: When you create your profile, Google will ask you to choose a category for your business. Be sure to select the most relevant category for your business.
  2. Use Keywords: Include relevant keywords in your business name and description to increase the chances of your profile appearing in search results.
  3. Add Photos: Photos can help attract potential customers and make your business stand out. Be sure to add high-quality photos of your business, products, and services.
  4. Encourage Reviews: Positive reviews can help attract new customers, so encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile.
  5. Respond to Reviews: Replying to positive and negative reviews shows how much you care about your customer’s feedback. This can help build trust with potential customers.

Key Takeaway

A Google Business Profile is a must for any business that wants to attract new customers and improve its online presence. By following the tips and steps mentioned above and optimizing your profile, you can increase your visibility in search results, provide important information to potential customers, and encourage positive reviews.

Vertical Studio is an SEO company in Arkansas that can help you optimize your Google Business Profile and improve your online presence. We specialize in local SEO and can help your business rank higher in search results, attract more customers, and increase revenue. Call us today at 877-778-6789, so we can discuss your online strategy!

Topics: search engine marketing

Mastering Google Maps SEO for Local Business: Tips and Strategies

Posted by Jon Dodson on Thu, Mar 30, 2023 @ 05:03 AM

Google Maps is a powerful tool for businesses to showcase their location and services to potential customers. However, with a large number of businesses on Google Maps, it can be challenging to rank high on local search results. 

Read on as we discuss Google Maps SEO and provide strategies to help businesses rank higher on local search engines.

Optimize Your Google My Business Listing

One of the most critical steps to ranking on Google Maps is to optimize your Google My Business (GMB) listing. GMB is a free tool that enables businesses to manage their online presence across Google, such as Google Maps and Google Search. 

To optimize your GMB listing, ensure that it is complete and accurate, including your business name, address, phone number, website, business hours, and business category. Additionally, you should add high-quality photos and videos of your business to your GMB listing to help potential customers understand your business better.

Do a Thorough Keyword Research

Keyword research is essential in any SEO strategy, including Google Maps SEO. You need to research and understand the keywords that potential customers are using when searching for businesses in your industry. 

Use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Moz Keyword Explorer, and SEMrush to conduct keyword research. Once you have identified the relevant keywords, integrate them into your GMB listing, website content, and business citations.

Accomplish Business Citations

Business citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites. Google uses business citations to determine the accuracy and legitimacy of your business. Therefore, it's essential to have consistent NAP information across all online platforms, including your website, social media profiles, and local directories. Today, some popular local directories to get citations include Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Angie's List.

Encourage and Collect Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are a crucial ranking factor for Google Maps SEO. Reviews signal to Google that your business is legitimate and trustworthy. Therefore, you should encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing, social media profiles, and other relevant platforms. Responding to reviews, especially negative ones, also helps build trust with potential customers.

Prioritize Local Link-Building

Link building is a crucial aspect of SEO, including Google Maps SEO. Local link building involves getting links from other local businesses and organizations in your community. These links signal to Google that your business is relevant to your community and can help improve your ranking on Google Maps. Some local link building strategies include sponsoring local events, collaborating with local bloggers, and joining local business organizations.

Produce Localized Website Content

Localized website content is an often overlooked but essential aspect of Google Maps SEO. You need to create website content that is relevant to your local audience. For example, if you're a restaurant in New York City, create content that highlights the best food spots in NYC or the best pizza places in NYC. Additionally, ensure that your website content is optimized for local keywords and includes your NAP information.

Conclusion

Indeed, Google Maps SEO is crucial for businesses that want to rank high on local search engines. Optimize your Google My Business listing, conduct keyword research, get business citations, encourage customer reviews, engage in local link building, and create localized website content to improve your ranking on Google Maps. 

Remember, Google Maps SEO is an ongoing process, and you need to continually monitor and update your strategies to maintain a high ranking on local search engines. To evolve and grow means adapting to the needs of your business and adhering to the ever-changing algorithm fostered by Google.

Are you looking for an SEO company in Arkansas? Vertical Studio is here to take your business to the next level. Contact us today to learn more about our services!

Topics: search engine marketing

How SEO Services Measure a Local SEO Campaign’s Success

Posted by Jon Dodson on Thu, Mar 2, 2023 @ 19:03 PM

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Search Engine Optimization, better known as SEO, is an essential marketing tool for small businesses in the digital age. It can help increase their visibility, create targeted content, and gain more customers. This digital marketing tool is also a cost-effective way to get more web traffic. 

However, you must remember that a local SEO campaign continues even after making your website user-friendly. You must also work with professional SEO services to measure the success rate of your local marketing campaign. They will help you determine your strong points and where to improve to get even more customers. 

If you want to enjoy better results, this article will enumerate seven metrics professional SEO services look for to measure how well your SEO campaign has performed.

1. Keyword Ranking

SEO services analyze the business’s keyword rankings in search engine results to determine the local SEO campaign’s success. You must ensure you rank near the top because most people only look at the companies on the first page. 

A successful SEO strategy means the business will land on the first page, increasing brand recognition and traffic to its website and physical store and boosting sales. On the other hand, lower rankings mean the SEO campaign is ineffective, and you may need to adjust your strategy. 

2. Backlinks 

You must include backlinks in your local SEO strategy because they help determine the business website’s strengths. They can also be referrals from complementary business sites or customer reviews. 

Professional SEO services analyze backlinks from credible domains to determine their quality and how many sites link to the business’s Google My Business (GMB) page. 

3. Engagement Rates

Your SEO campaign’s engagement rates measure your audience's interest in what you offer, how often they interact with your content, and how strongly they connect to your brand. This essential data can help you understand how well your brand performs and how to better engage with your potential customers. 

You can also analyze your local engagement rates to help you better understand how well your business is doing in the local market and how to improve your local SEO efforts. 

4. Domain Authority 

Experts developed the domain authority to measure a website’s potential success in the search engine result pages (SERPs). It’s an essential metric that SEO services use to evaluate a website’s backlinks. 

You can increase your website’s domain authority by reaching out for quality links from credible sources. Improving traffic from legitimate websites will also raise your score. 

5. Organic Traffic 

Besides keyword rankings and engagement rates, SEO services use organic traffic to measure your local SEO campaigns’ success. It’s the website visits that search engine results generate instead of the paid ads. Higher-ranked sites receive more visitors, and this data can help experts create better content and strategies to attract more customers. 

You can improve your site’s rankings by monitoring how many people visit different web pages, comparing your rankings against competitors based on keyword terms, and adjusting your local SEO strategies accordingly. 

6. Conversion Rates

SEO services use conversion rates to measure the SEO campaign’s success by tracking organic traffic and determining if visits result in leads and sales. These metrics indicate how many people followed the call to action (CTA) button. Moreover, the expert will adjust the campaign if your business has low conversion rates. 

7. Traffic Quality and Bounce Rates

Professionals will determine your local SEO campaign’s success by evaluating web traffic quality, like page views, popular pages, and bounce rates. The results will then help them know if your content and keywords are relevant to your visitors. 

Conclusion

Running a successful SEO campaign goes beyond implementing it; it also means measuring its performance and adjusting it accordingly. You can get the best results by enlisting the help of professional SEO services. 

If your small business needs professional SEO services in Arkansas, work with Vertical Studio! We’re committed to helping companies to get maximum impact from their websites with our high-quality services. Contact us now to discuss your online strategy!

Topics: search engine marketing

SEO and Content Marketing: Powering Your Digital Presence

Posted by Jon Dodson on Fri, Feb 10, 2023 @ 08:02 AM

 

Digital marketing has been profoundly impacted by the implementation of SEO and content marketing strategies. These have enabled businesses to connect with their target audience in new and innovative ways, allowing them to drive more traffic and convert more leads than ever before.

To simplify, SEO is optimizing your website to make it appear higher in search engine results, while content marketing uses content to drive profitable customer or client action. The relationship between these two aspects is quite strong. SEO helps your content rank higher in search engine results, while content marketing attracts customers to your website. Together, they form a powerful combination to help you reach your goals.

Without content marketing, SEO would be less effective. It's like a body without a soul–the body is there, but it doesn't have the life force to make it move. SEO is the backbone of a website's success, but content marketing is the spark that brings it to life. The two need to be integrated to make a website truly successful.

Keyword Strategizing 

SEO is a process of optimizing web content to make it more visible and attractive to search engines. It involves researching relevant keywords and strategically placing them in the content to improve its ranking in SERPs. It's important to ensure the keywords are used naturally and not overused, as this can damage the content's ranking. SEO and content must be balanced for the best results.

To achieve successful search engine marketing, we use keyword strategies to find the most relevant and popular keywords associated with our business or industry. We recommend using Google's Keyword Planner, a keyword analysis tool, to analyze the keyword volume and competition for our identified keywords. With this data, we can create an effective keyword strategy tailored to our business and industry.

It is essential to include the target keywords in your content to achieve higher rankings and increase website traffic. However, you must use these words in moderation and not overdo it. Too much repetition of the same word will have a negative effect on your SEO. The best approach is to use the main keywords in the title and body of the content and do so sparingly to achieve the best results.

Outstanding Content

Search engine optimization and content marketing require regular, consistent effort. Content that is new, original, and creative will be quickly picked up and ranked higher than content that is of low quality and repetitive.

Content must be compelling enough to attract your readers and provide a solution to a problem. By strategically incorporating relevant keywords, one can craft effective content that will be recognized by search engines. To create great content, brainstorming innovative ideas and including important keywords is essential.

Organic Website Traffic

Linkback, link-building or inbound linking is a technique used in SEO, which involves connecting your website with the websites of other high-authority domains such as .edu and .org. Doing this increases the likelihood of more people finding and visiting your website. 

The most effective way to develop links is by creating content that is considered to be of expert-level quality. Doing this will not only get you a link back from these high-authority websites, but it will also increase the amount of traffic to your own website.

Takeaway 

Content marketing can be incredibly successful when combined with SEO. The two should not be viewed as separate entities but rather as partners in achieving success. When done together, they can be incredibly powerful, creating greater visibility and more results.

If you are looking for a digital marketing company in Arkansas, turn to Vertical Studio. Our primary services include internet marketing and inbound marketing. Contact us!

Topics: search engine marketing

Arkansas Search Engine Optimization - Tips to Overcome Competition

Posted by Jon Dodson on Wed, May 8, 2013 @ 10:05 AM

Arkansas Search Engine Optimization, Arkansas SEOIf you are running an Arkansas based business web site, then neglecting Arkansas Search Engine Optimization is not an option. Arkansas search engine optimization is a way to let Google know that your site is about a certain niche. When people search for keywords related to that niche, your site will appear closer to the top of the search listings if you use Arkansas SEO. If this sounds good to you, read on.

A properly coded site is an important part of a successful SEO strategy. Poorly coded java can make it difficult for spiders to index your pages. Flash content cannot be indexed by spiders at all, unless there is a textual description included in it.

Proper keyword density is essential to search engine optimization. If you want search engines to consider your content high-quality, make sure that no more than 20 percent of a page's content is taken up by keywords.

For a good affiliate marketing strategy set up pay-per-click advertising. The pay is not very high, but over time, the profits will start to add up.

Research their previous experience, and how long they have been working in this field. Be sure you are aware of any risks, so that you are in a position to make a knowledgeable determination based on the facts.

Purchase a simple domain name that is pertinent to your niche and easy to remember. These are especially helpful for people that find your content on YouTube because they are easy to say and to remember.

Make the most of your meta description tags. They are useful to reach your search engine ranking goals. These description tags are important, as they show up below the title of your page in search engine results. Make your meta tag information concise and meaningful. If they are powerful enough, these tags can bring visitors to your site whether you have the top rank or not.

One way to increase your page's search rank and attract more visitors is to include a site map. A site map will link your pages to each other. This will increase your visibility through SEO and increase traffic directed to your site.

Make a site map to help the search engines index your site's pages. Also known as a navigation bar, a site map allows search engines to find pages from any other page of your site. Regardless of how large or small your website is, a site map will increase your ranking in search engines.

Keep the content of your website user-friendly. To gain higher search result rankings, create a website that is clear and easy to read. Your site should not only be easy for readers to use, but for search engines as well.

Many site owners forget to check their sites for grammar issues, even though that is one of the most important things about owning a website. Your website should be easy to read and free of errors to engage both clients and the search engines. If your keywords are spelled incorrectly or your site is full of glaring grammar errors, search engines will be less likely to include you.

There's a lot to search engine optimization, but as was stated earlier in the article, it's absolutely essential to make sure your website gets the business it deserves. Make sure to apply these Arkansas search engine optimization techniques to your website, as soon as possible, so that you can start getting more customers and more profits.

Topics: inbound marketing, search engine marketing, Arkansas SEO, arkansas Search Engine Optimization

Using Google Search to Monitor the Heisman Candidates

Posted by Wilson Kanaday on Fri, Sep 10, 2010 @ 14:09 PM

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This is a little experiment we are going to run this year to see how well search behavior can predict actual outcomes.  We are using Google's Insights for Search tool to watch how people search for the Heisman candidates.  

At this point you can see that Mark Ingram would be the front-runner, but Terrelle Pryor has quite a bit of momentum.

If we wanted to take it a bit deeper we could see which major media markets were searching, since that is where voters are more likely located.  We will dive into that later in the season as the race for the Heisman tightens up.  

Be sure to subscribe to our blog to get weekly updates on monitoring the Heisman race through Google.  

Topics: search engine marketing