Every business owner and marketer knows that a solid online presence is necessary to remain top-of-mind in today’s internet-dominated society. Having an up-to-date and user-friendly website is a must for all businesses regardless of size and, though it may be impossible to market on every social media platform available, most business owners should have a good Facebook page at minimum.
Knowing how to develop and manage a website that stays on Google’s good side and being aware of the latest algorithms and trends that give you a leg up on Facebook are keys to a successful online marketing campaign. Here are some tips and tricks to help you get ahead.
Aim for Shares and Comments Have a post that gets hundreds of likes? Though that’s a start, it won’t get you nearly as much attention from Facebook as it would if you’d gotten shares and comments. Engagement should be your goal with every post and engaging posts encourage people to talk about the content or share it with their network.
Only Share Quality Content Many businesses believe they need to post daily (or more) to their Facebook pages. Since it can be very difficult to develop or curate that much content, many businesses end up sharing articles from sketchy sites or sharing information that isn’t relevant to their business. Your network will notice if you’re sharing sub-par content — and so will Facebook.
Stay Positive Being controversial or risqué may be one way to spark engagement, but it’s certainly not the right way. If your network reacts negatively to your content by hiding it, unfollowing you, or even writing negative comments, your traffic will suffer. Try to always keep it positive and avoid posts that are likely to anger groups of people or prompt heated debates.
Avoid Duplicate Content Unique content is essential for your website’s SEO rankings, but it can be difficult for those who have e-commerce sites or other types of sites that need hundreds of pages of descriptions or other lengthy content. It can be tempting to copy and paste information from other sites, but Google will definitely ding you for it. Duplicate means low-quality in Google’s eyes, and it’s a reliable way to hurt your ranking.
Keep Your Site Up to Date If you’ve not updated your site to be mobile-friendly, functional, and accessible, Google will notice. Sites that load slowly or are difficult to navigate are less likely to be recommended to users (not to mention less appealing to visitors). Regularly updating your site for content and usability is a good way to get the thumbs up from Google.
Focus on Security With hacked websites up 32 percent in the past year, cybersecurity is a big deal — and Google knows it. The last thing Google wants is to recommend a site where user information will be stolen or compromised. That’s why implementing measures like SSL certificates and two-step authentication are not just for the big boys anymore. If you don’t have the proper security in place, your SEO will suffer.
A strong online presence is essential for businesses in today’s tech-savvy marketplace. To ensure you stay on both Facebook and Google’s good sides, use the above tips and take your online marketing to the next level.
