Why should consulting firms invest in SEO
A consulting firm should invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for many reasons. For one, it’s an effective way to establish your authority as a consultant in your industry. Your target audience will be able to find you when they need help and that assures them that you are the person they want to hire. SEO also provides a means for you to earn more new business than any other online marketing strategy. Here are some of the best practices for implementing SEO strategies so that you can rank higher in SERPs:
The basics of on-page optimization and off-page link building, how to implement them into marketing efforts
A consulting firm’s SEO strategy should be the focal point for any digital marketing efforts. A good SEO strategy will help you rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), which can result to more new business opportunities.
On page SEO typically looks at implementing keywords to get a higher ranking in SERPS. Off page SEO is done by building links with other sites that already rank high. You can also utilize content marketing as a way to increase your website’s rankings. Learn more about these three different tactics so that you can choose what type of strategy suits your needs best:
On-page SEO is focused on the content of your site, and it looks at how well you have optimized this content to be able to rank higher in SERP. You should submit your site to directories, optimize for keywords on all pages (including subheads and image captions) and make sure that you use keywords that are long tail in nature. Also, include keywords that are variations of the main keyword for better results.
On-page optimization is only good when it is combined with off page links and content marketing. You can earn backlinks by building relationships with industry bloggers or other experts in your niche. Also, you should create quality content that offers value to your target audience. The content needs to be about your industry and it should include keywords that you want to rank higher for. Once you have produced enough quality content, you can now distribute them on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter or in other content sites online.
There are two basic types of link building strategies:
What is the secret to getting a good number of high quality links and also retain these links over time?
Off Page SEO looks at building backlinks, or links from another website. A consulting firm can earn this by creating an interesting piece of content that includes a relevant keyword and then distribute the content across a variety of sources. You can also contact other bloggers or website owners and ask for links.
Moz has determined that high quality backlinks are more effective than low quality ones, so you need to find sites with relevant incoming links from authoritative domains in order to help your site’s overall rankings. Before you start, it is best to know what sites are considered high quality.
Although PageRank isn’t the most important thing out there anymore, looking at the number of incoming links (and their values) from a page will give you a good idea on what type of site they are linking to. You should find sites that have relevant websites linking to them and then contact these sites for a backlink request.
You should also look at the sites that are linking to your competitors, even if they do not link to you yet. You can see where you need to create more relationships in order to get links from those sources. If possible, develop an online relationship with website owners who have websites related to yours. This will also help you gain more web traffic down the road.
Tips for success with SEO for consulting firms
Develop a good SEO strategy
Your website is not going to rank on its own. You need to have a plan that is updated and refreshed periodically. This includes new content, keywords, links, social media accounts, blog posts, and email marketing. In order to stay ahead of the competition you need to consistently update your SEO strategy.
Create quality content
Quality content helps people in two ways: it ranks better on the search engine sites because the site is providing something unique that people are searching for; and it holds their interest longer because they are getting more value from your blog post or article. Quality content usually means more visitors for longer periods of time than poorly written articles and spammy articles with little or no substance.
Limit media on your website
As a general rule, not more than 20 percent of any webpage should be devoted to media (images and videos). Too much content in the form of images that don’t relate to the overall topic of the page can distract visitors away from what you are trying to convey. Your main objective is to attract prospects in order to sell them on your product or service. You do that by providing good, valuable content on your site.
Realize that SEO is evolving
Look at the big picture and consider how search engines are changing their algorithms from time to time. Update your strategies accordingly in order to stay ahead of the changes that take place now and into the future. Change is a natural part of life. SEO for your website is no different.
Keep up with the latest developments in SEO
Don’t attempt to reinvent the wheel when it comes to SEO. Use proven best practices and develop strategies that will not only produce results but also be easy enough so you can continue tweaking them without getting overwhelmed. Also, don’t get caught up in the hype around new technologies and gimmicks.
Use strong keywords throughout your content
The old saying that “Content is king” still holds true today. Sites that have content with keywords and proper keyword density tend to rank better for these terms. Good SEO ensures your website ranks highly when potential clients search for a particular term or phrase, which is also the type of search you want because it’s related to your business. It is also a sign that your site can provide value for prospective clients, which then leads to more traffic and conversions.
Use keywords in the title tag and throughout your content
Make sure there are keywords used within the first 3 seconds of the page load time (you only have 3 seconds to attract a visitor’s attention) and the first 100 words. Use keywords relevant to your company and industry throughout your content in the form of headers, headings, paragraph text, lists (titles within lists), bold text or italicized text for emphasis.
Be consistent with your keyword usage consistently
Consistency is key. If you use a particular keyword phrase in one place on your website and then use a different keyword phrase two places later, it can frustrate both search engines and your visitors. Make sure whenever using a keyword or a phrase that it is the same throughout all of your site copy.
Analyze competitors’ rankings
Research your competitors and see how they are ranking for the keywords that matter to you and your company. Find out where they’re getting their links, identify what’s working well for them and why, and look at ways you can replicate their success.
A/B testing for consulting firms
Once you have a good strategy in place, it’s time to start testing and measuring your efforts. Try different variations of titles and descriptions, add more or less internal linking on each page, test the content of one page against another — these are things that can make a big difference when it comes to ranking well for search terms and attracting potential clients. Keep a spreadsheet or Google Docs document and record your data. This will allow you to make changes on-the-fly as you learn what works best for your SEO efforts.
Convert visitors into leads
If the goal of your website is to drive higher sales, then track where people are coming from, how people are getting there, and what they do once they get to your site. This way, you can tweak your site and increase the number of visitors converting into leads through the contact form or phone calls you receive as a result of seo for consulting firms seo efforts.
Pay attention to link building
Don’t just get a link here and there. Do what it takes to build quality links pointing back to your website, which will also help you gain SEO authority as more people read the content you have linked to. To make SEO stick for the long term, these links need to be relevant and from sites that are considered valuable by search engines.
If your business has an online presence, you should be making SEO a priority on your site. By following these 10 tips, you’ll not only get better rankings but also increase your visibility and organic traffic.
SEO is not a one-size-fits all solution. What works for one company may fail miserably with another, but following these 10 tips will help you get better rankings and increase your organic traffic over time. If you want to create the strongest SEO strategy possible or need assistance getting started, please reach out to our team of experts – we’re ready and waiting to partner with you!
