B2B SEO

Keyword Research & Site Architecture

As an Internet Marketing Consultant when I work with B2B clients I often find that SEO is not given the priority in the site development process it deserves.

Proper keyword research is vital to maximizing online visibility. Getting keyword research correct from the beginning is crucial. It drives site architecture. One of the mistakes B2B marketers continue to make with organic search is inadequate site architecture - the fact is that many B2B sites don’t have sufficient content (pages) to respond to enough search terms. The solution, however, isn’t simply adding more content. Proper site architecture is also critical.

The typical scope or work for a Keyword Research and Site Architecture engagement includes:

• Developing understanding of B2B prospect profiles and the nature of the B2B buying cycle
• Reviewing client’s list of desired keywords
• Reviewing existing site and those of stated B2B competitors
• Using multiple sources to research popular keywords and keyword variants actually used by searchers
• Identifying lower volume, high-conversion keywords
• Identifying important words in the search tail of keywords
• Identifying with the client the keywords for which the site should be optimized
• Designing the appropriate site architecture to support the keyword strategy

The investment for the B2B Keyword Research and Site Architecture varies based on the goals and complexity of the Internet Marketing project. But the cost can return itself in new business many times over.

Information Architecture

Many website development projects seem to focus too much on the design aspects of their website before they put any thought into the site architecture and information flow. By inserting information architecture at the beginning of your process, you can dramatically change your website's performance. The benefits of developing a strategic site architecture will not only increase visitor engagement but it will help you attract more of the right visitors. This process will also lead to higher conversions.

The first step, of identifying high-performing keywords, is essential if you wish to drive the right traffic to your site. Keyword research is no small task if done correctly, as it includes an analysis of competitors and the keywords that a specific target audience uses in searches. It's a given that you will be using branded keywords on your site, but more importantly identify keywords that your target audience might use to find you. As in any marketing approach, we are researching customer needs, and engineering a problem/solution content strategy in order to promote your Brand.

This simple process will help you get into the minds of your audience and anticipate their needs. When they finally land on your site, they will feel right at home since you have taken the time to lay out the information just for them. They will reward you with higher conversions, lower bounce rates, and undoubtedly word-of-mouth praise through social media channels.

Your Internet Marketing Strategy is your Brand.

I often hear web designers selling design services as if it is the starting place for web projects, without a full understanding of Site Architecture. Very often Brand is represented as the creative that goes into imagery, or site structure is thought of in terms of semantics and hierarchy derived from someone in a company, who “knows their business”. Like any Marketing challenge, what these individuals are minimizing is that marketing is about customers; what customers think, what customers are looking for, and the language customers use to Search for solutions to their problems.

At Location Traffic my approach to SEO is first to understand what the customer is looking for by carefully researching competitors and Keyword data. Then using the Keyword data I build a strategically optimized site architecture, for those keywords, that is understandable to Search Engines and relevant to visitors. Relevancy breeds trust, and opens up the opportunity for a Brand to position itself in the mind of the target customer.

There are a lot of factors that go into a successful SEO Campaign. There is content, keywords, titles, descriptions, usability, architecture, and link building. While website architecture doesn't contribute directly to the keyword optimization, it does give the search engines the best "sense" of a site. Without good architecture, your site can be keyword optimized to the hilt, but it won't matter because the search engines are unable to read and decipher the content properly.

Understand your Market

That may sound pretty basic, but few people realize how important keyword research tools can be in understanding your market, and in formulating an Internet Marketing Strategy that does a good job of Branding and displaying your content on the first page of searches.

To summarize: understand what's going on in the head of your potential customers, consider the ways customers think about your services, determine what words they use to search for your services, and give consideration to specifically what words your target customer uses in searches. Insight into that mindset equals insight into how to start a persuasive dialogue. Build a site architecture that optimizes the effectiveness of these keywords.

Aside from the technical issues, SEO basically IS internet marketing.

In the News

Inventory and meeting customer needs have changed considerably since Morrow joined the Hart’s team. The store doesn’t sell its merchandise online, but it does advertise what it offers, and Shep has been able to track which items have been getting the most clicks. The data has translated into the shop’s operation, from where to display certain bikes to which products should be kept in greater supply, and it’s made a positive impact on sales.

“We’ve seen measurable results,” Hart says.

More...

Internet Marketing Process

As an Internet Marketing Consultant often I have heard a business owner say:


With Google’s dominance in search,
    their rules for how pages display,
        the increasing importance of directories and the growth of social media,
            the complexity of online marketing channels and
                building a web presence has increased.

A content strategy and site architecture that relies on competitor and keyword research will increase site rankings, on page SEO should always be part of the website design process… 

And this is just the beginning. Showing up when people search for you, or your products, is the “traffic” part of the SEO equation. There is more to using Internet Marketing to help improve a business:

Making the connection between an Owner Operator and their Business

Where we diverge from most Internet Marketing companies is our special understanding of businesses that are closely held companies, most often Owner Operator managed. We have found that these businesses gain thier very identity from the stregnth of the personna projected by the individual running the operation. It is his, or her, unique personnality that customers have related to over time, and it is critical in transitioning the business into the digital age to fully capture that personna, or embellish on it, as part of the communication of the Brand.

In fact, this process often leads to some very signifigant transitions for the owner. As they begin to externalize their concept of Brand/Business they find themselves freed to work on their business and not in their business. This can be a liberating transition, and often leads to clearer focus on revenue growth, profitability, and even exit strategy.

How does the process begin?

In increasing numbers, consumers are searching for and engaging with local businesses by using the internet. Both on a cell phone while already out shopping, or from a desktop while researching products and stores, consumers are using digital media in place of phone books to locate local businesses. Location Traffic can provide everything a business needs to optimize a Web Presence and get found online.

We consult with you to create and execute the perfect Web Presence strategy for you, and your business. Our general steps look something like below:

• Set up your social profiles, online directories, and a custom web site that serves as your content hub
  

• Develop a Content Strategy that drives the unique content we create about your business across the Web

• Listen for mentions, comments, and reviews of your business and engage with consumers.
  

• Utilize analytics data from consumer response to develop new content and engagement tactics

Integrating the Owner Operators professional network

Once the initial layers of the existing business information are in place, we are often asked how to integrate the owner’s professional network with the content hub that has been created. This is especially relevant for B to B type organizations, or companies that rely on professional credentialing for referrals. At this point Location Traffic reviews the individual’s web presence (online reputation), and creates a plan to update, and integrate relevant social platforms. Our process may involve developing a set of unique statements for the individual, creating or modifying a part of their business web site, to re-writing a resume. We then distribute this communication message, over time, to multiple platforms as a way of projecting the business’s persona and substantiating creditability.

The real estate industry is undergoing change. This dynamic change is facing many industries, not just real estate. However, industries with a service sector focus are most at risk. This change is being fuelled by greater reliance on the web as a direct channel between buyers and sellers; whether that is airline tickets, books, financial services or real estate. Buyers and sellers demand information to enable them to take a driving seat and have more control.

When it comes to real estate, the first wave of change happened in the early part of the decade as listings moved online and provided the perfect environment for searching and browsing to find the dream home. That early adoption has now accelerated exponentially to over 80% of all real estate searches occurring online, decimating the print media. The second wave of impact on this industry has now begun. This change concerns the critical issue of securing prospective future business for real estate agents, which involves the presentation and evaluation of personal reputation and respect — how to be found and how to build value online.

It is about content, participation and innovation. We believe that things are changing and that “agents will not be replaced by technology, they will be replaced by agents with technology”.

Put simply, if you want to be successful in real estate, regardless of sector, location or experience, and are passionate about how to harness the power of the web, we can talk. If you feel that leaflet drops and newspaper advertising is your future, then maybe we are not talking the same future.

Most service industries are in a constant state of evolution and changes every day with technology, regulation changes, and economic challenges, never experienced by most of us.  You can either bury your head in the sand or dig in and get in the flow of change. We believe that adapting and learning new ways to do business will help brokers, managers, and agents stay ahead of the knowledge curve and strengthen their ability to survive this paradigm shift.
 
Understanding these new trends, and adapting to a more complex industry are musts for brokers, sales managers, and real estate agents. This also includes ancillary businesses like appraisers, mortgage originators, and title companies that have experienced massive change. Adapting to new business strategies that give quality service, and meet the demands of the e-consumer are a must. Developing an edge in today’s market requires that real estate practitioners develop competency in Blogging, Social Media, search engine marketing (SEM), and how to work with the online consumer once they contact you.

It is imperative that those real estate professionals who have come through this challenging market be fully prepared to take advantage of new steady growth that will be forthcoming. Consumers drive the industry and have always driven it, however today they are looking online first. Are they finding you when they go to Google, Yahoo or Bing? If not, you owe it to your family, company, and yourself to get on board and learn this business all over again.

These are several opportunities for realtors to use technology:

• Enhanced listings for sellers that list with you
• “Hub” website to promote or "brand" yourself
• Use of social media to participate, and build reputation
• iPad and cell phone apps to access real time info
• Good Customer Relationship Management for repeat business

You have to have an online presence, or hub, that is reflective of whom you are and your business practice. If an agent isn’t representing themselves online, where their potential clients are, certainly those potential clients are finding agents that are online.

All this said there are no silver bullets, no canned solutions. Anyone who says there are is misinformed. Our solutions are based on analysis of industry trends in a specific industry sector, definition of goals for a business, and knowing how to apply technology creatively to accomplish those goals.

Call 609-737-8667 or Email Now to speak with a Marketing Consultant

As the Internet evolves users are turning more and more to the Internet to find local services and products. This is true for businesses that sell directly online, and for those that do traditional retail marketing for their brick-and-mortar store.

A location based business doing retail marketing online or a destination business often get buried deep in search engines, if they are even there at all. Larger company sites dominate the best broad search terms as they can afford to hire writers to create content, and spend heavily on bidding for keywords. Localized search marketing requires a different approach, and offers smaller businesses the tools to get in front of larger businesses using online advertising.

Targeting Local Internet Users - Your Customers

Types of Businesses that can benefit

• Retail businesses
• Local Service Businesses
• Day spas
• Bicycle shops
• Restaurants
• Tourism: destination sites
• Real Estate agents
• Dentists
• Chiropractors
• Woman's Wellness Centers
• Independent Radiology Offices

 

Local Search Maps Optimization is necessary for achieving prominent placement in online business listings.

Local Search Results

Getting Your Business in the Local Search 7-pack

• Analyze your specific market for the most relevant keywords and competition.
• Create your local map listings on the major search engines.
• Revise listing content to make it relevant for local searchers.
• Create Citations to your business information on other sites and directories.

Next Steps

Google Makes major changes to Maps and Organic search.

Local Business on the Map with Google 

• Place Search requires local business to build out Google Place Pages.
• Manage Directory presence, build links and focus on social medai tactics.
• Consistency of location information impacts rank.
• Consider geo-targeted paid search ads. These become more important.
• SEO becomes more important. One algorithm for Local and Organic Search results.