Grow Your Online and In-person Business
Online visibility refers to how easily your business can be found on the internet. The internet has given business access to millions of people anywhere around the world, but it also means there is more competition. You want to appear first in relevant search results. Unlike the antiquated phone book, Google listings are not alphabetical and instead algorithmic. So, if you’re a pediatrician in Dalton, good visibility would mean your practice would show up on Google search results when users type in that phrase. Here’s how.
SEO
SEO is how Google ranks your company’s website on its results page. There are different stipulations such as website load speed, content word-counts, responsive website design, relevant keywords, links on your site’s pages, and much more that encompass optimizing your site for search engines. SEO strategies are more of an art than a science. It can take some experimenting to improve your online presence through these strategies, but it is worth it for that coveted limelight on page one of Google’s search results.
PPC Advertising
PPC refers to Pay-per Click. A useful aspect of PPC is sophisticated analytics that measure the results of your advertising rather than estimation of print ads. PPC also pays off fairly well. Ads can be targeted to your customers specific demographic. If you are a pediatrician in Joplin, you can target your ads to those specific geographic locations. It’s a way of reaching new people quicker than organic reach. You can use both text, such as banners, or visual formats for PPC ads.
Social Media
Social media is an extremely cheap and effective way to expand your businesses reach. Signing up on the major platforms—Facebook, Twitter, and Instagam—is free. It is also the best way to connect with people who are interested in what you are selling. It’s a way to build community. Some strategies include using hashtags or creating video content. You can also boost posts, like an ad, on social media if you want to reach more people outside of your group of followers. You can investigate when is the best time to post, what posts your followers respond to, and other measurables to improve the way you use social media. For instance, if you are a pediatrician in Cocoa Beach or a pediatrician in Columbus you may want to schedule your posts around lunch time or after work hours as most of your followers will be parents of a certain age. Find out when your followers are most active online, and schedule your posts then. As an added bonus, social media serves as a place for you to communicate with customers, too.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is creating media—a blog, a video, an infographic, etc.—that is useful to your customers. It goes beyond simple advertising. You instead want to provide a service though your content, whether informative of entertaining. Content marketing also encapsulates SEO. It’s a way for your site to incorporate tools keywords and new, relevant content as a way to improve your ranking. Another great way to boost your reach through content marketing is guest posting. This takes a whole other person or business’ built-in following and exposes them to your service.
Directories
You will also want to make sure your company is listed on all of the relevant online directories. Google My Business may be the most valuable listing. It is important that your website, phone number, address and other contact information details are up-to-date. That way if someone is searching, say, a pediatrician in Huntington, your practice will appear on the results. There are many different directories on the internet that serve specific purposes. Research what your customers might use and make sure you list your business on all the correct platforms.
PR Campaigns
Make sure your company provides a newsletter to connect to those who are interested in your business. Newsletters are a way to stay top-of-mind among others in your industry and buyers. And you should also consider building a rolodex of contacts in the media industry, those who might promote your product through publications. You can send press releases of company updates, new products, and other news to your contacts.
You can target what strategy might work best for expanding your reach and focus on those areas. But the best way to enhance your company’s visibility is to employ all of these tactics together.
Read more on Contentplanets
