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SEO Case Study – Small Business Beats International Corporation

how small business and companies can beat large companies in SEO

If you’re a small business and you think you cannot compete with the big corporations in SEO, think again!

The case study below is a project I did for a friend’s company which is a small and local business in a very competitive niche with national and multi-national players. This company is not local to me and I won’t say which market or markets they are in.  This is at their request.

The traffic in the screen shot below might not be massive, but this company is up against a Google algorithm specific to high trust and authority (not E-A-T, E-A-T is a concept and not an algorithm with factors and signals).

Each conversion is worth $20,000 to $200,000 in revenue annually, and the users normally stay for multiple years. This makes it high value and really expensive to advertise for.

Needless to say all channels are saturated and there is big money involved making it really hard for small and local businesses to compete.

So how did we beat the big players?

  1. I scrapped the entire site
  2. We deleted more than 3,000 pages of copy
  3. The company used their resources like friends to build trust
  4. No backlinks were built, we did PR work
  5. Schema and site structure were added
  6. We kept each other accountable even when there was no time

So here’s the results YOY for 2019 and 2020.  Remember, they are a local company in one or a couple markets and they are competing with the big players.  There is also a limited amount of customers and users that exist in each market.

small business SEO case study

Please note that:

  • Only the old lead form path is listed here for conversions.
  • There are multiple new lead options based on the theme of the page the incoming traffic hits.
  • The bounce rate started lowering later in the year when we upgraded the PHP and speed up the site.
  • The pages per session lowering is a good thing. We added in lead forms and CTAs to the more important pages making it easier for leads to contact us. Less searching the site for contact information means easier conversions and more money, even if there are less pageviews.

Step 1 – Scrap the Entire Site

The very first thing I did was delete the entire site (after backing up all of the copy and pages of course).  The old site was built with outdated code, it lacked structure and had no solid calls to action. Only a button that leads the visitor to a form and a phone number to call.  It also featured giant rotating hero images.  This was the first thing to go!

Pro-tip: Giant hero images on the homepage kill conversions and can be incredibly bad for SEO.  If you have these on [Read more…] about SEO Case Study – Small Business Beats International Corporation

Filed Under: SEO

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Something to Remember When You’re a Consultant

This is a very personal post I am writing and may delete later on. Next week and the week after I’m publishing two SEO case studies, so if you don’t want to read this post then leave until next week when I go back to sharing stats and strategies.

This post is for consultants and people looking to become a consultant.  It is a warning about something that causes myself and many other contractors seasonal depression around the holidays, contract anniversaries and birthdays.

consultant holiday depression

For the last 8 or so years I’ve traveled overseas or somewhere for my birthday (New Years Day).  I unwind and unplug and most important I avoid my emails! This year I was not able to do this and it brought back something I had forgotten about. The consultants holiday depression.

I’m writing this post not to vent, but to help other contractors cope with an unexpected seasonal depression that hits many of us. I’m going to share it from my personal experience.  If you have anything to add or coping mechanisms, feel free to leave a comment below. I’m leaving them turned on for a while.

I am very fortunate that I have incredible companies and brands I get to work with. I love each of them for different reasons. But being at home for this holiday season was a big reminder that I am in fact a consultant and I am not and will never be treated as an equal by some of my clients. Not all, but some.

As a consultant you are not entitled to benefits, gatherings, happy hours or any perks employees get. That includes birthday wishes, holiday party invites and participating in gift exchanges. This is totally fair because we are not required to work outside of our agreements whereas an employee is. That is the tradeoff.  It is what we all agree to.  But that is where the fine line that creates holiday depression for consultants comes into play.

As a consultant you are not entitled to benefits, gatherings, happy hours or any perks employees get.

The reason I travel overseas is that many times clients forget about my birthday and don’t invite me to their holiday happy hours. But when they need something they let me know they think of me as “part of the team” and act real nice so they get free work. Especially when it is work outside of our contract and they don’t want to pay for the time, skills or knowledge.

The issue is that when you or I do this work outside [Read more…] about Something to Remember When You’re a Consultant

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How to Create a Gift Guide With SEO, Marketing & Monetization Tips.

gift guides

Ready to create a gift guide for your blog, YouTube channel or a newsletter?  Then I’m ready to help!

The post below is something I sent to the partners for some of the companies that hired me as their affiliate manager to help them grow their traffic and make money. Instead of keeping the strategies private for our partners, I wanted to share them with you because everyone can benefit.

But before we jump in I’d like to note that gift guides are not just for the holidays. People search year round for gift ideas and this type of content is the perfect way to get that traffic.

Below you will learn how to create high quality gift guides, discover themes you can use (with their current estimated monthly search volumes), and talking points for how to pick the right modifiers for SEO.

I’ve also included some bonus tips like in the “Christmas Gifts for Wife” where I share good examples of how modifiers can make a difference in both traffic and conversions and “Yoga Gifts” where I share a big hint as to how to find better themes for your gift guides.

The post has three sections:

  1. Marketing Tips and Strategies
  2. SEO Tips
  3. Gift Guide Examples & How to Build Them

Gift Guide Marketing Tips and Strategies

There’s a ton of competition out there so you need to stand out.  Here are some marketing tips to keep in mind while creating your gift guide.

Please remember I share some of the best gift guide marketing tips in the theme sections below, so make sure you reach through each.

  • Use an odd number in your title tag. Odd numbers normally stand out better than even numbers.
    • If everyone showing up in Google already uses a 7, 11 or 15, try 33 or something larger. The goal is to look unique and attract attention.
  • Change the wording for your H1 tag so that it is for a blog reader and not a search engine searcher.  Title tags and H1 tags serve different purposes.
    • Title tags show up in search engines and are designed to get someone to click to your website.
    • H1 tags are visible on the page itself and should be written to get the user to engage with the content below it.
  • Set the list to be reverse order (ascending). This entices your reader to scroll to find the number 1 gift because it may be assumed that number 1 will be the best.
  • Look at the top ten results in Google for the gift guide theme you are writing about. Next write down the adjectives and numbers being used in title tags and meta descriptions. Now come up with a better adjective and wording mix that is not being used and incorporate these words into your title tag, open graph, rich pins and meta descriptions.
  • Open your guide with unique copy about the benefits to the end user (not just about why you like the gifts). This lets the visitor know they have found a place that lists the gift ideas they are looking for.
    • Bonus tip – Remember, the gift guide is to help them find a gift for someone else, not about you and why you want or like something. The opening is about their needs, the product descriptions are for the person they are buying a gift for!
  • Define why you are the authority on this subject matter in the opening of your guide. This helps build trust with your visitor. Talk about your experience in a situation, any degrees or certifications you have, and other accolades.
  • The Big One!!!  In your copy, talk about how the recipient will enjoy the gift that your reader will purchase. Don’t focus why you personally like the gift. The goal is to get the person to shop for someone else. By helping your reader picture the moment the person receiving the gift opens it, you have pre-sold why the gifts you recommend are the right choice.

Gift Guide SEO Tips

But marketing alone isn’t enough. You need to get people to your gift guide.  SEO and social media optimizations are perfect for this.  Here are some ways to optimize your gift guides to get more traffic!

  • Use proper header tags (H1, H2, H3) for sections and subsections. Header tags tell search engines and users what each section is specifically about.
  • Use UL and OL tags to define that this is a list for the search engines.
  • Make sure all the items on the guide are set in LI tags.
  • Use proper schema on the page when necessary.
  • Add a “best of section” to the top of larger lists that has two links. This helps users quickly locate your top gift recommendations.
    • Make one link your affiliate link so the person can shop and the other an anchor link to read more about the gift idea.
  • Find topics with at least 1,000 estimated monthly searches for the topic. This helps make sure there are people searching for gift ideas in your niche. If there aren’t people searching then you have to build the audience for it which is much harder to do.
  • Use a proper advertising disclosure at the top of your guide and also use proper attributes like “sponsored” and “nofollow” on your links when needed.
  • Write a unique description for every product included in your gift guide. Do not copy and paste from the store’s website or from another website.
  • Create a featured image that is properly named for SEO and has a clear message about the gifts “The 25 best motorcycle gifts for Grandmas in 2020”.
  • Make sure to use proper meta data for the social networks and intent.
    • Facebook has people being entertained and blocks clickbait so creating something engaging that is worth interrupting their fun.
      • Facebook images are also landscape rectangles or squares so make sure to consider this and upload something unique.
    • Pinterest images are vertical and people are specifically looking for ideas and lists.  You’ll want to choose titles and wording that is relevant to these queries vs. being interruptive like on Facebook and use Pinterests ad platform to find high search volumes.
  • Big Bonus Tip – SEO modifiers for gift guides are not just prices, people and occasions.  Think about international delivery and shipping speeds. This is a perfect opportunity for you to stand out and get a conversion.
    • i.e. 25 Birthday Gifts for 5 Year Olds that Ship Free & Overnight.

Now that you have some gift guide marketing tips, lets jump into some example themes with their estimated keyword search volumes. [Read more…] about How to Create a Gift Guide With SEO, Marketing & Monetization Tips.

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Which Influencers Are More Valuable For Long Term Growth – Infographic

which influencers are most valuable

A client asked why I recommended paying more money for an influencer on YouTube with 1,000 subscribers than someone with a massive and more engaged following on Instagram. Both influencers had similar audience demographics, but I insisted we pay more for the YouTuber who is smaller.

The answer is simple, potential profitability and sustainable company growth.

If a client’s goal is a short burst of sales and to get branding then the Instagram influencer would be more valuable. This client’s goal is profitability, scalability and company growth. That is why the YouTube influencer won.

Below you’ll learn how our agency looks at the platforms and the factors used to determine where money and product goes when the goal is revenue growth and financial stability. I also include some tips at the end on how to evaluate the influencer as well as some tips mixed into the section by channel.

Note – If the goal is branding, to create buzz, or to build awareness (think of needing an online reputation fix or getting 1,000 new customers in a couple days to make investors happy) then the chart below is NOT the correct one to use. This post and chart is for companies looking to grow and build sustainable revenue with influencers.

Which Influencer Platforms Are Worth Spending Money On?

Here’s a pretty chart I spent a bunch of money on.  If you like the infographic then please share it or use the embed code to place it on your own website or blog.

It is the foundation for the checklist our agency uses when working with influencer campaigns and the client’s goal is long term company growth, profitability, and a positive ROAS.

Which Influencers Are More Valuable infographic

EMBED ME:

The value scale uses 1 as the lowest value and uses 10 as the highest value.  To get the number we use multiple touch points including if the platform:

  • Has a clickable link
  • Has a content shelf life over 1 week
  • Has an infinite shelf life
  • Can have content go viral 1 year later with ease
  • Offers a search engine that is used (algorithmic results)
    • If that search engine requires freshness or not
    • If that search engine has an ad platform that shows volumes and engagement
  • Has an ad platform to boost content or advertise against content
  • Keeps content in existence for more than 2 months or deletes it
  • Provides analytics
    • Bonus if there is historic data

Here’s our thought process behind why each platform got ranked the way it did.

But first, here is a call out from the YouTube section:

The key is to build a relationship and not treat your influencers like they work for you. Once you both respect and appreciate each other, that is when the real value comes in and your company can scale with their help.

Instagram

Instagram is a 4. The content has a very short life, there are no easy to click links (unless the influencer is doing stories which disappear pretty quickly) and you likely need to provide a coupon which lowers your margins. If the code gets submitted to coupon websites then it is likely going to fire sales back to the influencer breaking your tracking, data and reporting.

Engagement and post relevance is also important with Instagram influencers.

If the person gets a lot of real engagement (not pods) on product pitches (not lifestyle shots) then there is more value for your company growth wise. Their audience isn’t just there to emulate and be inspired by them, they want the products the influencer is promoting too. That is value adding revenue wise for a brand.

Overall Instagram is not a go-to for revenue campaigns with a goal of company growth.  Instagram is amazing for branding and you can get some sales in the first few days so don’t count Instagram out.

YouTube

YouTube gets an 8 on the Value Scale. There are massive amounts of generic and branded searches that can influence your customers (brand + review), most of the content has a short shelf life up to 1 or 2 weeks but if optimized properly can last for years.

If the YouTube videos produced by the influencer are not review videos (your brand + review in the title, description and as the theme) and the YouTube videos are properly optimized for solutions that have search volumes, the shelf life has roughly infinite potential making it incredibly high value.

YouTube can have a video go viral across other social platforms which drives backlinks to your channel and your website and can be a valuable PR tool. This boosts SEO and media traffic and company visibility.  YouTube videos appear in many Google searches driving tons of new exposure especially when you cannot optimize in SEO for these phrases with your website. [Read more…] about Which Influencers Are More Valuable For Long Term Growth – Infographic

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How to Create Content That Makes Money for Fall 2020

make money fall 2020

To say 2020 has been a unique year is an understatement. That isn’t a political statement either. This is a marketing blog and I keep things on a marketing level.

This year we’re facing multiple groups of people that feel very strong about their opinions when it comes to fall holidays and shopping seasons. We have pro-mask and anti-mask mobs. This year is also an election cycle. The drama even extends into a child’s well-being with groups of people for opening in person classes and groups of people against it.

Nobody is going to be happy with everything you do, so for this year forget trying to make people happy. Instead try to provide them with sound advice and strategies to celebrate and just try to live their lives.

Nobody is going to be happy with everything you do, so for this year forget trying to make people happy. Instead try to provide them with sound advice and strategies to celebrate and just try to live their lives.

Below you’ll find three of the upcoming shopping seasons and holidays and how you can create value adding content that can be easily monetized, attract backlinks, and help grow your subscriber base.

  • Halloween (this is the longest section)
  • Back to School
  • PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte Season (it’s bigger than you think!))

Halloween 2020

I’m starting with Halloween content ideas because I love Halloween. It makes me happy just like PSL season so I’m ending with that.

Halloween is going to be unique this year. Americans are split on how to handle the covid-19 pandemic.

Some parents will not want their kids to go to indoor community centers for trick-or-treating where everyone is in the same room and the virus can spread. Other parents will insist on it because it is safer than being around strangers outside and it is what their children are used to doing.

I personally think that some communities are going to go back to traditional trick-or-treating with kids running outside from house-to-house.

Going back to outdoor trick-or-treating will allow for more social distancing. Not to mention that Halloween in general supports mask wearing which science has proven reduces the chances of covid-19 spreading. Outside trick-or-treating also provides families with some much needed outdoor exercise and family bonding time.

So how can you monetize this and grow your subscriber base? Simple, provide solutions and make sure they are accurate by sourcing them like I just did above with the CDC website.

Provide solutions for quarantining candy.

One of the first topics you can help people with is how to sanitize or quarantine candy.

People like me that are germ freaks are likely concerned about all of the hands touching the candy bars, especially if hands have been in mouths and everyone is breathing heavy from running door-to-door.

You can provide solutions to store the candy so that your kids cannot access it until the time frame for Covid-19 to die off has passed. Or you can look for an alternative options to sanitize the candy in a safe and non-toxic way.

For example:

  1. Decide how much candy your kids are allowed to have each day after trick or treating.
  2. Now label a few bins or plastic bags with each day of the week on the label.
  3. Next safely open the candy without touching it and drop it into the marked containers.
  4. Once the virus is supposed to be dead, you’ll be out of daily bins and can release the mother load back to them.

[Read more…] about How to Create Content That Makes Money for Fall 2020

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How to Turn Product Reviews Into a Full Business

how to create a product review business

Product reviews on their own are not a smart business strategy. The burst in revenue from the sponsorship is nice, free products are normally fun, and the easy commissions with affiliate links are very appealing. But you likely won’t survive in the long run if you always rely on doing reviews.

Once Google, YouTube, Pinterest, etc… wipe the review or reviews that drive your traffic, and they will, your business will sink because you only focused on these types of short term wins.

If you’re a current product reviewer or you are thinking about creating a review platform, here is how you can take a successful product review and turn it into a long term business strategy.

Here’s the process and then I go into more detail:

  1. Do keyword and topic research (this is the must read section)
  2. Create the review
  3. Make sure to optimize it and not just for the brand terms
  4. Create a follow up post that tries to display as recommended reading
  5. Bring the person to a place or platform you control
  6. Monetize!

Do Keyword And Topic Research

If the product or brand you are reviewing has a lot of search volume, this is good news for you! But only if you rank for Product + Reviews on YouTube or Google.  If the product or brand doesn’t have a ton of search volume, then you need to do keyword and topic research to help an audience find you.

Keyword and topic research are not the same thing!

  • Keyword research is looking for specific phrases with an estimated monthly search volume on a platform like Google, YouTube and Pinterest.
  • Topic research is finding the questions people are asking like if the product is compatible with another product, how much the product weighs, or if the product really works.

(Before we get into the meat of this post, some of the links below are affiliate links and I’ll earn a commission if you shop through them.)

Here’s a three step process to do keyword and topic research:

[Read more…] about How to Turn Product Reviews Into a Full Business