There are many different factors that influence your online placement. Working with an experienced SEO firm can help you to outrank your competitors and get seen by online users that have shown an organic interest in the products and services offered by your company. Call us today to schedule a free consultation and website audit, so we can tell you what it will take to improve your online rankings and get top placements on major search engines like Google.
1. Relevant, high-quality content
The single most important Google ranking factor is the quality of your content. This correlates to the consistent publication of high quality content, user engagement, and niche expertise in the chart above. So what makes relevant, quality content?
- It’s trustworthy. The information is in-depth, accurate, useful, and free of spammy links and/or comments.
- It’s readable. That means organized logically, written conversationally, and not stuffed with keywords (Google will actually penalize you for this). Incorporate it naturally into your page and use it interchangeably with related keywords.
- It’s fresh. Even the most evergreen content loses relevancy over time. So in addition to writing net new content, you should also be updating outdated pages with new information and new keywords that are relevant to today. This is the key to maintaining a good freshness score.
- It matches the intent of the keyword. In addition to using keyword research tools to find out what your ideal audience is searching online, make sure to search the keyword on Google itself to make sure you understand what users are seeking when they perform that search.
2. Keyword placement
Once you know which keywords you want to rank for, it’s important to insert them into specific places on your page. This includes:
- Title tag: aka meta title; the title that appears on the SERP
- H1 title: title that appears on the page
- H2 headings: aim for at least two
- URL: keep your URL short and clean as well.
- Naturally in the body: and also in the first 100 words
Meta description: the blurb that appears below the title tag/meta title. Make sure it accurately sums up your page and gives searchers a reason to click. Google doesn’t always use the meta description you provide, but it’s still important to include.
3. Image optimization
This is an important one—not only because of Google image search but also because regular search results are getting more and more visual—especially on mobile. Here’s how to optimize your images for SEO:
- Assign alt text: This is the text alternative of an image, and the only way that Google can “see” them. Be short but descriptive and include the keyword. This also makes your website accessible to visually-impaired readers who rely on screen readers to browse the internet, and will show if the image fails to load.
- Compress and resize: Use an image compressor (tinypng is my favorite) to keep your image file sizes to 70-100KB or less if you can. Often, saving as JPG instead of PNG helps. Also, images rarely need to be more than 1,000px wide. Though a responsive website will resize the images automatically, the less requests your site needs to make to the server, the better for page speed.
- Add value: If you can, avoid using empty stock images and graphics in your blog posts and instead use screenshots, examples, charts, and illustrations that depict concepts. This improves the quality of the content and keeps users engaged longer.
- Include the keyword: Not just in the alt text, but the file name. And replace spaces with dashes in the file name, otherwise your CMS will replace them with “%20” which creates an untrustworthy-looking image link.
4. Niche expertise
It’s not just the quality of your content that indicates expertise in your niche, but also the quantity of that quality content. For example, WordStream has been publishing high-quality content about PPC for a long time now, so Google has come to see us as a trusted source in this niche. But if we were to publish a super high-quality post about, say, robotic process automation, our chances of ranking for that keyword are slim.
To build out your niche expertise, you can use the hub and spoke method (also known as pillar page and cluster content). With this method, you create a hub/pillar page on a particular topic, usually a broad, high-volume keyword. This serves as the main resource for that topic, and your various H2s cover different child keywords within that topic.
Then you have your spokes, or cluster content, which are the additional pages that dive deeper into each of the aspects (child keywords) covered in the pillar page.
5. Page speed
Users expect a pain-free browsing experience, which is why page speed is an important ranking factor. If your pages take too long to load, your bounce rate will increase and your ranking will decrease.
When you are ready to take your business to the next level, the team at HOUSBM is here for you. We work on perfecting the factors that influence your online placement to ensure success for your company.
SEO Marketing For Businesses in Houston, TX
Your website is more than an extension of your business, it is often your first chance to make a lasting impression on potential customers. Our team helps you to optimize your website so that you do not fall behind your competitors. As the gap increases between the amount of effort your competition puts into their online marketing and how little work you put into your website, the more difficult it will become to engage with customers online.
The Houston Small Business Marketing team works hard to help your business stay relevant in this online-focused world by tracking the latest strategies in online marketing for businesses. If you are tired of giving away potential customers to your competition, we can help you.
We dedicate ourselves to working closely with business owners to come up with a marketing plan that helps them succeed. We provide each customer with a free consultation for your website and social media to let you know how you can improve your ranking and reach your goals.
Houston Small Business Marketing
713-492-0025
1415 North Loop West #950
Houston, TX 77008
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When small and medium-sized businesses embark on their journey to establish an online presence, they often place a high priority on finding cost-effective ways to attract customers through internet marketing. This involves a mix of various online strategies, such as local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Maps marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) management, reputation management, content marketing, social media marketing, and web design. However, the implementation of these strategies can be both expensive and time-consuming. Small and medium-sized businesses frequently grapple with common challenges, including cash flow problems, the need for significant capital expenditures, and a lack of in-depth knowledge in the field of internet marketing. These challenges are part of their daily operations. For these businesses, finding a viable and affordable alternative for internet marketing in the specific locale of Houston can be quite challenging. This is where Houston Small Business Marketing steps in. As a company specializing in internet marketing services tailored for small and medium-sized businesses in the Houston area, we offer solutions to help mitigate the costs associated with online marketing. Our primary focus is on assisting smaller businesses in Houston, and we excel at collaborating closely with them to develop customized internet marketing strategies. By partnering with us, you can benefit from reduced costs for your Houston-based internet marketing efforts. If you are seeking personalized strategies to enhance your online presence and attract more customers in the Houston area, do not hesitate to get in touch with our office. We are here to help you achieve your internet marketing goals affordably and effectively.
Houston Small Business Marketing is a comprehensive digital marketing company located in Houston, Texas. Our team specializes in collaborating with business owners who aspire to grow their enterprises and expand their online presence through tailored marketing strategies tailored to their specific industry. With a proven track record of success, we have partnered with clients from a wide range of professions, aiding them in reaching their goals and expanding their businesses. Whether you are a new startup or an established business seeking to boost your online visibility, we have the expertise to assist you. Our marketing agency in Houston provides a wide range of services, including reputation management, social media marketing, web design and development, Google Maps listing optimization, and content marketing. These components are seamlessly integrated to create a winning marketing strategy for your company, enabling you to stand out among your competitors. The services we offer can be quite time-consuming for business owners to tackle on their own. By working with our team, you can build your online presence, expand your reach, and grow organically, allowing you to concentrate on what matters most – running your business. For small and medium-sized businesses, competing online against corporations and industry giants presents unique challenges. Our team specializes in assisting smaller businesses in such scenarios because we recognize the significance of independent company success in our society. We are a results-oriented full-service digital marketing agency that adopts an inbound lead approach to internet marketing in Houston. Our customized approach delivers qualified leads to business owners, leading to trusted conversion rate optimization. This can manifest in various ways depending on your company goals.
Whether you aim to increase website traffic, enable clients to book appointments through an online portal, improve local search result rankings, or enhance your social media presence, we have the solutions you need. At Houston Small Business Marketing, we understand that a robust marketing plan begins with a well-designed and mobile-responsive website that attracts customers. The design of your website also significantly influences SEO and overall online ranking. We can assess your website to identify factors that may hinder higher online rankings. A poorly designed website can discourage potential customers and hinder your online visibility. When you collaborate with our meticulous web developers, you can be sure your website makes a strong first impression online. For businesses in competitive industries, focusing on online visibility can provide solutions for success. Developing a successful and enduring brand requires various elements, but without visibility, building a customer base becomes a challenge. Online marketing enhances your businesses visibility, connecting you with real-world customers who genuinely need the services your brand offers. Online marketing allows you to target a specific audience with the intent of engaging with a business in your industry. At Houston Small Business Marketing, we work with your brand to showcase your services and highlight what makes your company unique compared to competitors. A broad spectrum of businesses can benefit from our services, whether you are a service-based company, a top attorney at a legal firm, or a medical group looking to attract more patients. Our online marketing services are designed to help your business achieve its goals. If you are eager to expand your business, our team can create a customized digital strategy that aligns with your specific requirements. Whether you want to dominate local areas on Google Maps, generate more appointments through your website, or gain an edge over your online competitors, we have the expertise to assist you. Houston Small Business Marketing employs digital marketing specialists with hands-on experience in online marketing, including those who have launched their own businesses. This means we can develop a Houston internet marketing plan tailored to your specific industry and needs.
In the realm of local SEO, businesses can pursue a variety of objectives that significantly shape their strategic approach. Among the primary aims for many businesses is the quest to enhance their visibility, a feat often achieved by optimizing their Google Map Listing. The importance of achieving high visibility on Google Map Listings in local search and business directories cannot be overstated, as it translates to more direct customer contact and increased foot traffic, complementing the benefits of website visits. Our dedicated team collaborates closely with your company to facilitate your inclusion in the coveted Google local pack or 3-pack. This refers to the first three business listings that prominently feature within the Google Map section when users search for businesses in their vicinity. Local businesses, upon securing a spot in this select group, experience a surge in website traffic, heightened phone inquiries, and a substantial increase in the conversion rate, effectively turning online users into real-world customers. To paint a comprehensive picture, it is crucial to acknowledge that individuals employ various search engines when scouting for local businesses. Platforms like Google, Bing, Yelp, and Apple Maps come into play. To assemble the data required for local search results, search engines rely on a diverse range of signals. These include local blog content, social profile pages, internal links, and accurate and up-to-date citations. By incorporating these elements, search engines can provide users with the most pertinent and relevant local search results. If you are eager to delve deeper into the intricacies of Houston Local SEO, we invite you to reach out to our team today. We are here to demystify the world of local search optimization and help your business thrive in the digital landscape.
