Do you do the same SEO fundamentals nearly every other business does?
That’s a recipe for achieving the same results.
Those results may not be bad.
But how will you ever get ahead of your competition?
You’ll always be neck-and-neck.
So let’s say you’re an SMB. You have little time or money. What SEO tactics can you use to get ahead, without sinking a lot of time or money into them?
Check out these ideas:
Curate Top Content from Around the Web on Your Blog
As long as you provide the original source, it’s fine to use other people’s content on your blog.
You’ve probably experienced information overwhelm, right?
Your customers do too. So, make their lives easier and include links, excerpts, videos, podcasts, and images of the most useful content in your niche.
This makes you a valuable resource for your visitors. And it doesn’t take nearly as much time as creating your own content.
Use Infographics
Some think infographics are past their prime. True…they’re not the new shiny thing they used to be.
But they still work quite well. And you can create one, regardless of your niche.
See this gigantic one from Hubspot:
That one probably costed them several thousand dollars.
You’ll have to outsource them. But they don’t have to cost a lot – especially when you factor in the SEO power you get in return.
Infographics work best for service-based businesses. And they’re effective for companies that sell products too.
Help a Reporter Out (HARO)
What could a website like this possibly have to do with helping you get serious SEO juice?
Quite a bit.
Let me explain how HARO works.
First, you sign up for free at their website. Then you choose categories where you have interest.
HARO works two ways:
- You can solicit pitches to get quotes from other blogs and website owners (a more time-consuming way to build connections and SEO juice)
- You can answer questions blog-based reporters asked, get a quote as an expert, and also get a link (the less time-consuming method)
For certain niches, HARO makes total sense.
You’ll build connections with small, medium, and even household-name brands. And just a few links from big names can be total game-changers.
Include User-Generated Content (UGC) Wherever Possible
People trust content generated by users much more than that created by businesses.
Why?
Your business could have an agenda and a completely biased position. Whether you actually do or not doesn’t matter.
People naturally assume you do.
But when other users create content, those assumptions go out the window. They assume the user has a more objective, and possibly completely unbiased, view.
Examples of user-generated content include:
- Blog comments
- Facebook comments
- User photos or images of using your products or service
- Testimonials (written or video)
- Social media posts
- Reader questions you answer on your blog
User-generated content is unique, which attracts more user attention, and rewards from search engines.
It absolutely works.
Which Makes Most Sense for You?
I’ll be honest…not every SEO technique above works for every business. For example, if you’re not a persuasive writer, you won’t get as much from HARO (although sometimes they ask for phone interviews).
So you have to consider what strengths you and your business have, and then use the right techniques that make the most sense for you.
Once you hit on the right ones, you get an incredible return on your SEO for the time you invest.
