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Loebig Ink is a small business consulting firm
fueled by coffee, creativity and music to provide
SEO, web design and social media solutions.

Barnacle SEO

Grab Hold of Higher Search Engine Ranking

Barnacle SEO graphicYou have your website and a vision. You have been intentional in the creation of your site so that you know which keywords you want to rank for in search engines. Unfortunately, whenever you Google those keywords, directories are at the top of the heap. Don’t despair that these sites are blocking you from success. Instead, use Barnacle SEO to leverage Google’s high-ranking directories to your advantage.

Just as a barnacle benefits from adhering to a large object or sea creature, you can benefit from an analogous relationship to sites bigger and more influential than your own. Will Scott of Search Influence coined the phrase, and characterizes Barnacle SEO as “attaching oneself to a large fixed object and waiting for customers to float by in the current.” Here are some pointers for how you can develop your Barnacle SEO approach.

Which are the most important directories that come up for your chosen keywords? Take the time to notice the sites that rank the highest for each one. Often, you will find that niche directories will precede individual businesses in search results. As it is Google’s aim to give people the results most useful to them, directories with consolidated information are often the answer. Local directories and review sites are favored as well. Make a list of niche directories that matter most in your field, whether AutoServiceLink, askART, Tarot Directory, or FindLaw. Add in your local and regional directories, plus the major review sites such as Yelp and Angie’s List. Claim or create your profile for each of these sites.

Fill out your profiles accurately and completely. It may sound like overkill, but don’t skip out on this step. Provide your full address, hours of business, a description, and photos. Include links to your website and to your social media. Fill our whatever you are given the opportunity to fill out on each site. Google’s algorithms prefer businesses with consistent contact information, so decide how you will write your business name, address, and phone number down to the comma, and make sure you enter it the same way for each directory. Check it twice! Because Google leads the search industry, if you get those specs right, other search engines will tend to look upon you favorably as well.

Keep on linking. Your site will benefit from the appearance of your link among important directory listings. The connection is made stronger if their link appears on your site as well. Include the logo of your chamber of commerce on your Contact page and provide the link to their directory page where your business appears. Write a blog post and mention the good reviews you’ve received on glassdoor.com. Make comments on discussions and articles on relevant sites and include your link. Maintain a presence on the major social platforms where your customers are most likely to dwell. Wherever you have the opportunity to post your social media links, make sure you do. The more cross-referencing, the greater your association with these important sites that are more well known than your own.

As you work on your primary SEO efforts by creating great content and fine-tuning your metatags and on page optimization, don’t forget to take the opportunity to create positive associations with big sites from which you can only benefit. When your own site isn’t making it to the top five for a given search term, your Facebook page or your Foursquare listing may outrank it. A rising tide lifts all boats, so float along to the top with Barnacle SEO.

To learn more and to request an SEO assessment for your website, contact Loebig Ink, LLC.

Resources:

Holt, N. (April 26, 2017). “Barnacle SEO: Rank for Competitive & Local Keywords.” Overdrive Interactive. Retrieved from https://www.ovrdrv.com/barnacle-seo/

Mihm, D. (March 26, 2014). “Why ‘Barnacle SEO’ is Making a Big Comeback in Local.” Search Engine Land. Retrieved from (https://searchengineland.com/barnacle-seo-making-big-comeback-local-187253

Robbie, R. (July 30, 2018). “12 ‘No-BS’ Ways to Rapidly Increase Organic Traffic in 2018 (with Case Studies & Examples).” RobbieRichards.com. Retrieved from: https://www.robbierichards.com/seo/increase-organic-traffic/#barnacle

Scott, W. (January 30, 2011). “Barnacle SEO – Local Search Engine Optimization for The Sam’s Club Crowd.” Search Influence. Retrieved from: https://www.searchinfluence.com/2011/01/barnacle-seo-original/

 

Personal Branding SEO

How to Increase Your Visibility on the Internet

If you own a business or are an entrepreneur, you know how important it is to be visible online. But are you making the most of your efforts? It is easy to allow some simple actions to get past you that can really help your personal brand. Let’s take a look at some ways you can avoid leaving opportunity on the table.

Key Points to Maximizing Your Personal Branding Power

  • Create your own personal brand website.
  • Fill out your social media profiles completely and consistently.
  • Get listed in the niche directories that cover your field.
  • Boost your visibility with listings in local directories and review sites.
  • Join business networks like BNI and chambers of commerce.
  • Begin blogging on your own site or as a guest contributor.
  • Create fresh content with online engagement.

 

Mavericks on the Move Live Talk Show, Baltimore, MD – 2018

Waller Executive Institute for Personal Branding Workshop, Washington, DC – 2017

 Your Website

Creating your own website might seem like a no-brainer for someone who wants to get seen on the internet. However, it could be a daunting prospect for someone who is not tech savvy or is just getting started. Thankfully, there are ways to start out with an easy-to-manage, low cost website. Wix is a great example of a platform that makes your website easy to build. A basic Wix site is free. You will pay a small fee when you connect to your domain name. The option of choosing more bells and whistles is always there when you wish to expand the site.

About.me is a useful, free one-page website that you can make your own. It is an excellent way to get your name and information out to people who want to find you. About.me brings together the professional and the personal. Think of it as your postcard to the world on the web.

Social Media

One of the most, if not the most important thing to remember about social media for personal branding SEO is to fill out your profile completely and consistently. Decide on a primary location, phone number, and how you will present your address. On each social media site, link to as many other social media sites of yours that you are able. Here are a few that are particularly useful for personal branding:

LinkedIn has one of the highest visibilities for a personal name search. It not only gives you the chance to connect with others who are also on the business platform, but may be one of the first links to come up when someone Googles you.

Twitter is also very highly ranked in Google. When completing your profile, add hashtags that someone looking for you would be likely to use in their search. Make sure to include the specific location of your business, even though you may be, or aspire to be national or international. Make sure to provide the link to your website, and when you have a message you want to highlight, pin the tweet to the top of your page to give it more views.

Meetup.com is another very good, but often missed chance to get the word out about who you are and what you do. Post a nice photo of yourself. Meetup allows you to link to three other social media platforms, so make sure you do.

Have you explored NextDoor.com? This is a site with a very local focus. You will need to be invited onto the site, and then you will be able to join a group that includes your immediate neighborhood. NextDoor is good for helping neighbors find a lost dog, report on a crime concern, or get the word out on the weekend yard sales, but it can also do more. Simply knowing those who live nearby is good for word-of-mouth business. You can also have a business page on NextDoor, which makes it easy for others to refer you when asked for a recommendation.

Niche Directories

Find out which directories cover your field and get listed. Because they are well established, in some cases your profile in an industry-specific directory such as Wedding Wire, Avvo, or Houzz may come up in a search above your own website. One good way to discover niche directories is to think of the keywords you would most like to rank for. When you Google those terms, take note of which free directories come up first. You will want to sign up for those. There is something to be said for “Barnacle SEO,” i.e. attaching yourself to something bigger than you are. Take advantage of that ready-made internet trust!

Local Directories

It is also incredibly helpful to boost your visibility with review sites and other local directories. Get listed on sites like Yelp, Google My Business, Angie’s List, and Bing. If your business already appears in a directory, claim the listing and fill out the profile completely. Some shy away from review sites for fear of bad reviews. It is by far better to be a presence and to respond quickly and publicly to any negative feedback rather than to hide your head in the sand. Take the reins and create a positive image.

Bonus tip: In local directories, your business name should be just that – your business name only. Adding extra SEO keywords will earn you a demerit from Google. Save your search terms for the description.

Business Networks

Join one or more of your local or regional chambers of commerce. A single backlink to your website from a chamber of commerce is great for SEO. It may seem expensive, but chambers of commerce are high traffic, high trust websites and your own online trust score will benefit. Even if you have to pay a little extra to include your logo with your listing, go for it. The extra visibility is worth it.

Apply to join a BNI near you. When you fill out your Business Network International profile, include details such as your top product and your ideal referral. Be sure to take advantage of the many connections and benefits available to you as a member of a BNI chapter.

Remember that aside from its social aspect, MeetUp.com is also a great place for business networking. See which meetups relate to your specialty and get involved. If you don’t find any that quite work for you, start your own. If you build it, they will come.

Blogging

Google has over 200 ranking factors to determine what content and web pages rise to the top of user search results. These ranking signals fall into three main categories; website technical factors, fresh quality content and high authority backlinks. From a personal branding SEO perspective, blog writing addresses the quality content piece of that puzzle and can propel ones personal brand to new heights.

A personal blog is what we normally think of when creating content from an SEO perspective, but guest blogging is an even lower hanging piece of fruit. Search for blogs that mirror your personal passions and business interests and discover if the blog owner offers opportunities for guest blog writing. To maximize the impact of guest blogging from a personal branding SEO perspective focus on these elements when researching opportunities:

  1. Ensure the blog has an author attribution profile where users can find out more about the author through “active links” to your personal branding website and/or social media profiles.
  2. Evaluate the “authority score” of the blogs and choose the ones with the highest authority score. The higher the authority score of the website, the more visibility your post will have on the Internet.
  3. Choose a blog that is directly related to the topic you are writing about. It is better to write a blog about social media on SocialMediaExaminer.com than it is to write that same article on PsychCentral.com.

Online Engagement

Google loves fresh content. Repurpose your work: If you make a video, use some of that same material to write an article. If you have a speaking engagement, upload your PowerPoint presentation to SlideShare. Creating a good blog and posting consistently is an excellent way to show up in Google’s ranks. Guest blogging also boosts your profile and can help you reach new audiences. When you don’t have time to tackle original material, make time to follow and comment on others’ related work. Be sure you are logged in via your Gravatar, Twitter, Facebook, or provide your web link so the connection is made. Here are some great ways to increase your online engagement which will exponentially increase your visibility:

  1. Follow EVERYONE you know on Linkedin and take 5min each day to like, comment and/or share content from your connections.
  2. Change your Facebook personal profile header photo once a month. Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes profile photo and banner image changes so that more of your followers will see it! [Keep your profile pic consistent across your online profiles however so that people start noticing your smiling face everywhere] 🙂
  3. Comment on your favorite, most read blogs, podcasts and news stories. The author will appreciate it and your comments can actually drive viewers to your own online profiles.

Get to Work!

Once you get through the task of choosing your focus and the image you want to show the world, many of the steps you need to take toward personal branding SEO begin to reveal themselves. It is almost impossible to overemphasize how important it is to find or create relevant profiles and fill them out consistently and completely. So many people neglect to do so, that simply by including all your information, a photo, and a logo wherever possible, you are already ahead of the pack. Get to work and make it easy for customers, collaborators, and fans to find you!

 

The SEO 80/20 Rule

Get the Most for Your SEO Efforts

The SEO 80/20 RuleIf you are an entrepreneur or business owner, you are undoubtedly a very busy person. You know that search engine optimization is essential to achieve visibility for your website, and a multitude of consultants and web service firms have advice on all of the things you need to do for great SEO. You likely have heard or read about how to improve your site from those with the most general of guidelines to those with the most niche-specific services such as PlumberSEO.net.

Avoid being overwhelmed by work and information by applying the SEO 80/20 rule. As it is with the balancing of priorities in many aspects of life and business, about 80% of results will come from 20% of your SEO efforts. Here is a list of common optimization tasks with the most critical 20% at the top of the list.

Make These Your SEO Priorities

  1. Develop regular, quality, well written content.
  • Make your website content original, well written, and useful to your target audience. Update on a regular interval to keep your site fresh and your audience engaged.
  1. Select the best keywords for your site.
  • Identify 5 to 10 keywords (usually phrases of 2-3 words) that you want your business to show up for in search engines.
  • Evaluate the popularity of your selected keywords using a tool such as SEMRush or Google Keyword Planner.
  • Use your selected keywords in your content. You can add keywords to older content by editing them in where they would most naturally appear. But don’t overdo it! Keyword stuffing can result in lower SEO results. Use of your target keyword 2-3 times per page is ideal.
  1. Create internal, contextual links to important pages of your website as often as possible.
  • Create links to important content by linking the words that best describe that content. Avoid linking a page to text that uses generic language such as “click here.”
  1. Optimize your website title and metatags.
  • Ensure that each page has its own unique title tag with keywords relevant to the content on the page.
  • Include H1 and H2 metatags on each page. Use only one H1 metatag per page. Include keyword, title, and description tags unique to each page.
  • Read SEO Definitions for more on metatags.
  1. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly.
  • If you have an older site that has not yet been updated for mobile, do that now. Google penalizes sites that don’t provide a good mobile user experience.
  • If you are building a new website, make sure the developer creates a mobile-friendly site from the start. Alternatively, use a platform like Wix that does so automatically.
  1. Claim or list your website in the top local directory and review sites in your industry.
  • Google My Business is a must! Get listed in other directories including Yahoo Local, Angie’s List, Yelp, and your local city/town/regional directory.
  • Choose the best local review site for your business. If people are already reviewing your site on a directory, claim that listing!
  • Determine the most important review sites in your specific industry and obtain listings. For example, if you own or manage a car dealership, Dealer Rater is where you want to be.
  1. Discover and use the social media channels that your customers use.
  • Understand your clients’ demographics and social media use. If they are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat, keep a presence there.
  • Choose the intervals on which you will post to those channels, and maintain the schedule.
  1. Keep it speedy!
  • Speed optimization is easy to forget, but doing so could greatly reduce the effect of all the other hard work you’ve done. Use tools like Test My Site and Pingdom to discover your website’s load time and what you can do to make it faster.

Additional Useful SEO Activities

The following optimization list doesn’t make our top 20% of the SEO 80/20 rule, but do what you can, when you can.

  1. Canonicalize your domain. (Read Matt Cutts’ discussion on canonicalization.)
  2. Add sharing tools to your website.
  3. Put deep level navigation links in the footer of all pages.
  4. Optimize website images with descriptive ‘alt’ text.
  5. Add 301 redirects for pages that have changed or no longer exist.
  6. Register your site with Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
  7. Replace dynamic URLs with URLs that contain relevant keywords.
  8. Install an xml sitemap for your website.
  9. Create an hcard on the contact page or footer of your web pages.
  10. Claim every relevant free local directory listing.
  11. Create multiple web pages that are optimized for local city search results.
  12. Block duplicate content with robots.txt.
  13. Create a blog or write articles and submit them regularly to an article directory.
  14. Conduct a ‘black list’ check of the server where your website is hosted.
  15. Find opportunities for .edu and .mil sites to link to your website. [Ask us how!]
  16. List your website in social bookmarking sites such as digg.com and stumbleupon.com.

Use the SEO 80/20 rule to get the most out of your time and your SEO efforts. Experiment to see which of these tasks brings you the best results. Which SEO activities are at the top of your list?

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