by Tina Walker | Feb 10, 2015 | Blog, The Team
1. What you wanted to do as a kid?
(A) I grew up in a really small town and I think with most kids from a really small town, you have big dreams to grow up and enter the “big city life”. I always thought I would grow up and be an attorney. I pictured myself living in a eclectic loft overlooking the Plaza. Funny thing is that I live
10 minutes from that small town, which I would never want to leave today. I live on 20 acres with my family and would never want to be an attorney today!
2. Siblings
(A) I have one younger brother, Rick. He lives in Minnesota now, but we go visit him each summer. He is a professional Walleye Angler and placed second in the U.S. a few years back. He was ranked as one of the worlds top Ironmen in his sport 3 years consecutively. I am so happy that he gets to live his dream and he is a great uncle to my boys.
3. Wisest thing anyone ever told me was?
(A) I was once told by a good friend that you have to look at life like you looked at college. You go through life to learn and when you make a mistake, that’s your tuition, pay it, and keep learning.
4. My role model is, because?
(A) My role model was my grandparents. Salt of the Earth people who instilled in me the importance of honesty, treatment of others, love of family, dedication, hard work and always doing what was right, even when it was hard.
5. Where you were born?
(A) I live on the Kansas/Missouri line, on the Kansas side. There is a sort of rivalry on both sides of the state line. Kansans always say that Kansas is the better place and Missourians say Missouri is. My mom had traveled over into Missouri for the day and went into labor with me, called my grandparents to say she had to go to the nearest hospital in which my grandparents thought was a joke as I was born on April Fool’s Day. So, I am officially known in this area as a “Missouri Puke” or a “Missouri Jack***” Yes, it’s true! Feel free to google and you will get a great lesson on Missouri history!
6. Your favorite food?
(A) My favorite food, well, It’s a toss up between Fettucinni Alfredo and Jose Pepper’s (local KC restaurant) Chips and Salsa.
7. Scariest thing to you is?
(A) Scariest thing to me is I am scared to death of any spider of any size. Second runner up is flying. However, I have flown a time or two.
8. Favorite movie or tv show?
(A) As of now I love to watch The Big Bang Theory
9. Favorite Music?
(A) I like a lot of different genres. Country, pop, rock, christian rock, some rap. It does bother me just a little that 80’s music these days is being called “classic”!
10. The best gift I ever got was?
(A) My children. I truly never understood the magnitude in which a child changes a persons life until I had my first child. I realized then if I never earned another thing in my life it was okay, because I truly had all that I needed. Beyond my children I recently received a gift in which a wonderfully sweet girl went and collected old barn wood in which she sanded down herself, glued together, took some small nails and made a heart shape with them, ran red string from nail to nail making a beautiful heart. I was awestruck at her thoughtfulness. The gift is beautiful and sits in the heart of our home.
by Amber Miller | Feb 4, 2015 | Blog, The Team
Each month we will share some fun facts about our Team Members!
This month, learn more about our Chief Diva, Amber Miller:
1) I burn everything I cook. My husband says I can burn water.
2) I have a mini horse and a mini donkey as family pets.
3) I hate to be cold and I really hate the snow.
4) My favorite dessert is warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream. I could eat that everyday!
5) I am an only child. Growing up I felt more at ease in a room full of adults than with the other kids.
6) I have permanent eyeliner. It was a pretty blue, now it has faded to turquoise. It hurt so bad I don’t want to go have it darkened.
7) I love to go to antique stores. I love finding unique things or old treasures.
8) My dream vacation would be on an Alaskan cruise. Not sure I could handle the cold weather though…
9) I’m addicted to coffee. Everyone around me knows if I haven’t had enough…
10) The craziest thing I have ever done was to go and get my belly buttoned pierced during my lunch break with my sister-in-law. I don’t think they thought we would do it. That lastest two years until I got pregnant with my 3rd child 🙂
by Amber Miller | Jan 1, 2015 | Blog, Blogging, Marketing, Social Media
In an effort to cater to Facebook users Facebook has a major change coming that will affect millions of businesses that use Facebook to drive traffic for sales and conversions.
In November Facebook made an announcement that stated that it is going to change how your news feed posts that are used for the purpose of:
1. Posts that solely push people to buy a product or install an app
2. Posts that push people to enter promotions and sweepstakes with no real context.
3. Posts that reuse the same content from ads
A couple examples of the type of ads they are describing:
Per Facebook’s changes the problem with this ad is the part directing people to purchase their Season 1 DVD set.
Per Facebook’s changes the problem with this ad is the part directing people to purchase and install the app.
These changes are going to force businesses to purchase more ads from Facebook if you want to promote any type of the above ads. This does two things 1) increases revenue for Facebook and their shareholders 2) allows Facebook to have control over what “advertisement” content users are seeing. Basically Facebook is forcing business to “pay to play”.
Per Facebook’s statement the reason behind this is:
“One of the main reasons people come to Facebook is to see what’s happening in their News Feeds. Our goal with News Feed has always been to show people the things they want to see. That’s why we often look to people on Facebook to tell us how we can improve. As part of an ongoing survey we asked hundreds of thousands of people how they feel about the content in their News Feeds. People told us they wanted to see more stories from friends and Pages they care about, and less promotional content.
We dug further into the data to better understand this feedback. What we discovered is that a lot of the content people see as too promotional is posts from Pages they like, rather than ads. This may seem counterintuitive but it actually makes sense: News Feed has controls for the number of ads a person sees and for the quality of those ads (based on engagement, hiding ads, etc.), but those same controls haven’t been as closely monitored for promotional Page posts. Now we’re bringing new volume and content controls for promotional posts, so people see more of what they want from Pages.”
Moving into 2015 Facebook is still the #1 place to go for businesses to advertise their products or services. Even with this major change Facebook still has the most highly targeted advertising capabilities and the largest diverse audience you will find anywhere. In the 3rd quarter of 2014 Facebook had reported that is has 1.35 Billion active users on Facebook and this number continues to climb.
Facebook continues to be a great avenue to market on with a little training or by hiring the right company to assist you; you will be able to use this powerful platform to reach millions of people when promoting your business.
Written by Skye Hawk, Smart To Finish Diva
by Amber Miller | Dec 12, 2014 | Blog, Customer Service, Featured, Marketing
We have all heard the cliché “Customers are always right.” While that is not always the case, they ARE always the customer – your most valuable business asset. Without customers, your business wouldn’t exist – it would just be a hobby. So obviously, how you meet, greet, and keep customers is a vital part of your business success. Customer service IS more than a department in your organization. It should be a part of everyone’s job – whether the owner, manager, or the janitor. (If it’s not, then you might want to research and find some customer service training programs available, for you AND your staff )
In today’s market, you need every competitive edge possible to succeed. How you provide customer service is just as important as the actual product or service you provide. You could have the “best” of whatever product or service you offer, but if you don’t have a system in place when issues arise, then you are like a sail boat without a sail, going nowhere fast. (Notice I said WHEN issues arise, not if issues arise.)
Let’s look at some key components (and thought provoking quotes) to providing great customer service.
Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement. – James Cash Penney
Customers appreciate being treated with courtesy and respect. It gives them a sense that they are important to you, not just for the money they spend, but for the connection they have with you. When you value your customers more than their money, you will cultivate a long-lasting, mutually satisfying relationship that goes far beyond the cash register. They will become the best word-of-mouth advertising for you and what you offer. Customers who are well taken care of and satisfied will be sure to tell everyone they know, and that is far more valuable than the dollars allocated to any advertising budget.
Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong. – Donald Porter, V.P British Airways
Yes, no one is perfect. We all make mistakes. But how we handle those mistakes can make the difference between a happy customer and a lost customer. When a customer is dissatisfied with the product or service they have received, the process to communicate with you should be an easy one, and the customer should feel that you are actually LISTENING to them. If your response to customer complaints is “Sorry, you’re wrong, that’s not our policy,” or “There’s nothing I can do for you,” then you can literally kiss those customers goodbye. A better response would be “I could be wrong, let’s take a look” or “I’m not able to do that, but I can do this….” The goal should always be to resolve the situation to your customer’s satisfaction.
Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. – Bill Gates
If you believe that fewer complaints mean more money, you are…..WRONG. The majority of customers who are dissatisfied will never complain because they perceive it as too much of a hassle; they will just never come back. For those who DO actually take the time to complain, it is your BEST opportunity to learn, make adjustments, and correct the things that need to be fixed. Remember the old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? Well, there’s a flip side to that old cliché: “If you don’t know it’s broken, how will you fix it?” If you don’t welcome feedback from your customers, regardless of whether it is positive or negative, you are operating in the dark. And once you DO fix the problem, imagine the benefits of having a customer who has experienced you “fixing” it. You have turned a negative situation into a positive one for them, and they will long remember it the next time they need the type of product or service you offer.
There are no traffic jams along the extra mile. – Roger Staubach
Going “the extra mile” is something that can pay huge dividends in the long run. Of course, it should always be your goal to meet your customers’ expectations. Exceeding those expectations, however, is what can set you apart from your competition and be the deciding factor when a customer chooses to do business with you. Not everyone takes the time to fully “serve” their customers. They offer their product or service, receive the money, thank the customer on their way out the door, and that is all there is to it. The most successful business owners or managers strive to be the best at what they do and offer the most value for what the customer receives. A huge part of that “value” is conveyed to the customer in how they are treated when they receive your product or service. If the standard operating procedure is to just “get the money and run” without any regard for the customer relationship down the road, you may get a lot of customers, but you won’t keep them. Sometimes the little things can mean the most. A simple follow up “thank you for your purchase, please provide feedback” card or email goes a long way to solidifying the connection with your customers. Customer loyalty programs or Bring-A-Friend offers are excellent ways to reward customers for their continued interactions with you and your business.
It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. – Warren Buffet
Reputation. It can be, and very often is, the very thing that makes or breaks a business. If you have a bad reputation, then customers will hesitate to do business with you. Customers are not willing to associate themselves with a business that has a bad reputation for fear that it will “rub off on them” or it will affect how they are perceived (You are doing business with THAT company??) If you have a good reputation, however, customers will flock to you, and they will bring their friends with them. Providing excellent customer service is one way to establish your reputation. When customers know you will “take care of them” no matter what, they will be some of your most loyal advocates. It has been proven time and time again that when customers identify and connect with a business based on more than economics, they are staunch supporters of that business.
Some of the “ingredients” for a successful customer service experience are summed up in this acronym:
Satisfaction
Enthusiasm
Respect
Value
Integrity
Courtesy
Excellence
The nutshell: In order to achieve customer satisfaction, you should greet customers with enthusiasm and respect, and convey their value to you, beyond the money they spend or any issue at hand. When they complain, you should welcome their feedback with integrity and courtesy, and the problem should be dealt with fairly and quickly. When these guidelines are followed, your customers will truly experience the excellence possible when customer service becomes more than a department in your organization – it is a part of everyone’s job description!
Written by – Janet Broer, Smart To Finish Diva
by Amber Miller | Nov 30, 2014 | Blog, Delegating, Entrepreneur, Marketing
written by our guest and client Elizabeth Marshall of www.elizabethmarshall.me
Not seeing enough progress with your message?
“It’s complicated!”
You may have used this phrase to describe family dynamics or intimate relationships, but the same can be said for the business of thought leadership. As a thought leader, the relationships you have with your audience, message and market are constantly changing. As a result, there are a lot of moving parts to manage and a seemingly endless number of decisions to make along the path to creating a lasting impact.
Some days, you can feel confident in handling what’s in front of you. On other days, you can feel overwhelmed, frustrated and, yes, even ready to pull your hair out.
It’s All About the Approach
While frustrations and setbacks are part of the journey, you can often make matters worse by how you approach these situations. When you’re facing uncomfortable challenges, it can be tempting to react in one of these two ways:
#1: Deciding To Do It All Yourself
With this approach, it’s easy to get stuck. In some situations, you just need an outside perspective to “see” the solution. In other situations, you may lack the skills and experiences you need to solve the problem.
#2: Hoping Others Will Do It All For You
With this approach, the end product is never what you want. Why? There is a big difference between delegating intentionally and abdicating ownership of a situation or project. To succeed in the thought leadership world, your work has to come from you. No one can just “give” you a ready-made platform, book concept, or network of relationships.
In either case, you lose sight of this important truth: you are the CEO of your book and business.
It’s All About the People
As with successful CEOs, experienced thought leaders know the importance of building a great team around them. They use their network to find experts to augment their skills and experiences. More importantly, they know the value of finding people who will tell them the truth – instead of what they want to hear.
Pick one of the current challenges that’s standing in your way. Ask yourself:
- Do I need a fresh perspective to solve this problem?
- Do I have the expertise and skills to create the caliber of results I want?
- Who do I know that can recommend the expert help I need?
Whether it’s joining a mastermind group, finding an intern or hiring the right expert, the sooner you surround yourself with the right people, the faster you’ll move forward.
by Amber Miller | Nov 16, 2014 | 1Shopping Cart, Blog, Ezines, Infusionsoft, Marketing, Social Media, Training
Is your email marketing a well-oiled machine? The simple 5 step email marketing plan.
Now, if you are like any other business online you more than likely incorporate email marketing into your marketing arsenal. You need to ask yourself, are your emails creating the sales you need them to create to sustain your business? Most online business owners would answer no that that question. I am going to share with you a proven system to get your email marketing working for you like the power house that it should be.
First, let me be clear you don’t need the biggest most expensive piece of software and you are not going to need a mega list to see results from this simple 5 step plan.
Each and every email that you send out needs to have one of five clear and understandable purposes.
Indoctrinate– This email is to teach them who you are.
Engage– This email it to engage with your leads and get them to purchase your products/services.
Ascend– This email is to get them to purchase additional products/services from you.
Segment– This email will tell you what they want to purchase next.
Re-engage/Win Back– This type of email is to bring them back into your sales funnel.
Each one of these emails is dependent on the previous email which creates 5 different stages of email marketing.
The process looks something like this:
Not utilizing this simple 5 step email system can be a very costly mistake. Once you understand this email system and how each email works you will be able to create dynamic auto responders that work.
Each step must be done in a specific order because you can’t have one without the other. For example you can’t have engagement from your list until you have introduced yourself. And you can’t segment your lists until you have engagement. Make sense?
Let’s take a closer look at each step in chronological order.
Step 1- Indoctrination (Introduction)
Once you have a lead that has opted in what do you do?
The first step in the 5 step process is going to be to introduce yourself and your organization. In this first email you are going to indoctrinate them into your system/processes.
This first email is going to:
- Tell them who you are
- Tell them what you and your organization stand for.
- You are going to tell them why you are different.
- You want to let them know what they should expect from you.
- Let them know how often they will hear from you.
- And let them know what they should do next or what the next step is.
- This type of email they will only receive one time
Step 2- Engage with your lists
The purpose of engagement emails is to convert your leads into customers. These emails should be making offers to your lists. Your engagement emails should be a series of emails spread out over a designated period of time.
Step 3- Ascension
Every customer you obtain through your engagement series should also receive an ascension series. This is a great way to cross promote other products/services you have or offer higher ticket products/services once you have built trust with lower level products/services.
One great example of this is to offer free content then quickly move to offer additional higher level content by offering a pro level or upgrade.
Step 4- Segmentation Emails
Now the goal of segmenting your lists is to get your potential customers to raise their hand (so to speak) and show a level of interest into something you are offering them.
When they do show interest via an open, click or opt-in they will be placed within the appropriate Engagement Series. This does mean you may have several Engagement Series created for different purposes. For example let’s say you sent an email to Linda and Jim about your free report. Linda opened the email and downloaded the free report. Once she did that it triggered an action in your auto responder to say Linda is interested in this subject/product. Once that has been triggered she is automatically going to receive an upsell offer to a related product/service that you offer.
Now Jim was not interested in this free report which let you know 1 of 2 things 1) he was not interested in this product/service 2) he didn’t have time to open it. The next email could be one of 2 things 1) a new offer 2) the same offer presented in a different way.
Segmenting your lists and moving them through the sales funnels for the different products and services you have can set off a chain reaction of sales.
Stage 5- Reengagement/ Win Back Emails
Okay, now what do you do when your lists lose interest and stop opening or clicking on the emails that you are sending to them?
If you said leave them alone you are making a HUGE mistake. Doing this can and will leave sales just lying on the floor and can results in huge income just lost.
If you want to capitalize on your low hanging fruit it would be in your best interest to set up an auto responder that is designed to re-energize your tired lists. This process brings them right back into your funnel and throws them back up into steps 3 and 4.
One way of doing this is to threaten to take something away if they do not take action now. Another way would be to tell them you miss them and offer them something of value for free if they take action now. Another way to do this is if you offer a free trial moved to a paid service. You could re-introduce the free trial by “extending their free trial”. There are several creative ways of doing this.
If you are looking to have a professional team to create, implement and manage your email auto responders series for you contact the Smart To Finish Virtual Assistant Team. We offer professional email marketing support including Infusionsoft virtual assistant support and can assist you in tailoring this 5 step sales process to your specific needs.
written by – Skye Hawk, Smart To Finish Diva
by Amber Miller | Nov 3, 2014 | Blog, Delegating, Entrepreneur, Featured, Infusionsoft, Marketing
Are you overwhelmed by your To Do List? Is there so much to do that you don’t know where to start? If you are doing tasks that someone else can do, then who is doing the tasks that ONLY YOU CAN DO? The answer: ???? Effective time management = The ability to delegate.
For most everyone, regardless of position, the cliché is true: Time IS money. If we don’t manage our time correctly, the business won’t run smoothly and there will be things, important things, that don’t get done or aren’t done correctly. If you are like most people, there is always the temptation to do it all yourself, because it is easier than delegating it to someone else and trusting that they are going to get the job done right. However, if you are stuck in that mind set, you are also stuck in the rut of “too much to do and not enough time to do it”. There are steps you can take to bring focus to your life, both professionally and personally, and organize your day so it doesn’t disorganize you.
The first step is to realize you need to delegate. Without the willingness to delegate, learning about time management is like cooking a delicious meal and then just sitting at the table and not eating it. Sound ridiculous? Yes, is does. But so is trying to do everything yourself. Delegate, delegate, delegate. You may ask, “How do I decide what to delegate and what to do myself?” Here are some tips:
Surround yourself with people you trust and who can do things you can’t do. Having a team you can rely on, a team with skill sets that you don’t necessarily have, is vital to any organization’s success. You personally don’t have to know or learn everything about everything. That takes a lot of time, energy AND money. You don’t know HTML? When you need your website updated, it is a wonderful thing to have an HTML diva on your team who can do it for you. You’re not a good copy writer? Delegate it to someone who has a way with words and knows the ins and outs of today’s market place. You can decide to delegate and then have the final approval and, yes, control the outcome.
Make a list of what needs to be done. This is a complete and comprehensive list of tasks – from answering the phone to making bank deposits and everything in between. Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly things. Things like checking emails, calling clients, picking up and dropping off the mail, doing annual inventory, sweeping the floor, setting up a webinar, arranging travel to a quarterly conference, etc. The list goes on. The important thing here is to make sure the list is complete. Write down the things you do as you do them and how often you do them and how much time it takes to do them. This is an excellent way to get an overall time snapshot of your world.
Mark the things on that list that ONLY YOU CAN DO. Not the things that you WANT to do, mark the things that only you can do. These are things that are unique to your position, whatever that is – functions that only you can perform. This can be the hard part, though, because there are probably things that you have been doing that you like doing and want to do, but someone else can do them. You need to let go of those things. You need to focus your time and effort on areas where you are most effective. That is usually doing the things only you can do.
Provide the details when you delegate to other people. How you delegate tasks to other people is as important as the actual delegating. If you don’t provide enough information when you delegate (details AND a deadline), then don’t expect the results to necessarily be what you want. Yes, occasionally there will be someone who “knows what you are thinking”, but most people don’t know unless you tell them. The degree of detail you provide is directly related to the level of success you can expect when you delegate a task to someone. Of course, delegating the task of sweeping the floor doesn’t sound like it needs much detail, right? But if you don’t specify that you want all of the furniture moved and swept under, then those lint balls will probably stay under the desk. If you delegate the task of organizing your filing system and don’t give any detailed instructions, then you probably won’t be able to find that file you are looking for when you need it. Always be sure to delegate with details and a deadline.
Trust them to get the job done. Micromanaging is NEVER a good thing. It will suck the time out of your schedule, and it can be worse than not delegating at all. If you have ever had to work with someone “looking over your shoulder”, you know that is uncomfortable and counter productive, so don’t do it when you delegate. If you have surrounded yourself with knowledgeable, trustworthy people, you can delegate and let it go. People tend to live up to expectations, so if you maintain a high standard of expectation, your delegation process should be a success.
Be willing to adjust your delegating plan. We always have the best of intentions when we start anything new, and this is no different. Once you have your list made, your tasks assigned (to yourself or to others), and your people and your plan place, be flexible and willing to adjust along the way. If you have a team with diverse skills, then you should have no problem in delegating to the right person to get the job done, on time, and the way you want it done.
Regardless of your situation, whether a solo business entrepreneur or a high level manager, your ability to delegate is a key to smooth work flow and overall business success. When you figure out what only you can do and delegate the rest, you are well on the way to the next level. Have a “Delegation Revelation” and take the first step: Let the Smart to Finish Office Solutions virtual assistant team come alongside you to implement your day to day operations and Infusionsoft support, so you can focus on your mission and your passion – DOING ONLY WHAT YOU CAN DO! Happy Delegating!
written by – Janet Broer, Smart To Finish Diva
by Amber Miller | Oct 24, 2014 | Blog, Social Media
What can the power of social media do for you and your organization?
With social media still being in its infancy it is still hard for the world to image a life before social media sites like Facebook & Twitter. If you take a look back over the last few years you can easily see how these sites are changing the way we in society do everything. Professionals and businesses alike use these sites to interact with current customers, bring in new business, network and grow their organizations.
While social media has the power to grow an organization and take it to the next level, it also has the ability to create a divide within an industry causing those outdated companies to fall at the feet of their competitors. Social media is an amazing tool that has a way to open up opportunities that never existed before. It has become clearer to organizations that social media is a vital tool in their marketing toolbox and is an intrical part of doing business in today’s day and age.
So, what can the power of social media do for you and your organization? If you leverage social media to its full capacity you will allow your business to:
- Create a stronger more unified brand
- Increase your sales volume
- Easily share your expertise and establish yourself as an expert in your niche
- Build a following or community around your organization or within your industry
- Give your customers a voice
- Have the ability to go viral and be found
- Interact with your customers on a whole new level
It’s obvious that social media will continue to shape and mold our society as a whole, but marketers must be careful when utilizing social media as it is not an end unto itself. It MUST be integrated into a carefully crafted marketing plan and work hand-in-hand with other marketing initiatives. This will allow an organization to craft a powerful voice across the marketing landscape.
If you are looking for a professional team to help you build your social media game plan or need a team to execute one you have already created, contact the Smart To Finish Virtual Assistant Team. We have the expertise and knowledge to transform your social media and marketing initiatives that will take you and your organization to the next level.
written by – Skye Hawk, Smart To Finish Diva
by Tina Walker | Oct 19, 2014 | Blog
Facebook introduced a new app this week from some wonderful lessons learned a few years back when the Tsunami struck Sri Lanka and other coastal countries along the Indian Ocean. Families, friends and loved ones we’re desperately seeking any form of communication that they could get from those lost within the devastation of the Tsunami. Phone lines we’re down, internet services we’re down, and cell phone signals became hit and miss due to overload.
It was a relief for some to get a short message on Facebook that they we’re okay and would contact again when they could. This gave Facebook the idea to create an app that could notify loved ones quickly.
The new app, called Safety Check, takes note of the user’s home city and in the event of an emergency, Facebook will send out a text message to those people that simply asks’ “Are you Okay?” at that point when the person responds a “yes” will be instantly communicated out to loved ones via the Facebook news feed.
Facebook has shown itself this week to be a powerful force in helping man-kind with the use of social media.
by Amber Miller | Oct 2, 2014 | Blog, Blogging, Marketing, SEO
We have been asked by several of our clients what the SEO best practices are that we use here at SmartToFinish as well as when we support them with their WordPress page setup. You asked and we have answered!
Here are on page SEO best practices for you to follow if you want your website to get better rankings in the search engines.
1. Keyword in post title
The title is perhaps the most important SEO element on a page. It has to be unique, and it should contain your main keyword for that particular page or post.
2. Subheadings for easy reading, with keywords in subheadings
Viewers will be scanning an article for words and phrases that jump out at them. The easy way to Get important point across to readers is to use subheadings, bullet points and lists. Subheadings are “mini titles” that are used in the body of the content to introduce a new concept or idea. Use keywords in subheadings. The best subheading to use are “<h2>” and “<h3>”. For some reason Google and the other search engines think that any text inside a code tag, like “<h2>” is more important than the rest of the words on the page. The same holds true for bolds, italics and links.
3. Use images and insert a keyword in the alt text area of the image.
Images are very good for SEO, but few people know how to insert them correctly. In order to comply with the on page SEO best practices, you need to always add an “alt” tag to your images. Write a description that makes sense and use the keyword in it. Make sure the image is also related to what you put in the alt tag because there are chances to rank in Google Images for that particular keyword.
4. Use an SEO plugin like WPSEO by Yoast.
These plugins allow you to optimize the Google search entry, which makes it more enticing for people to visit your website. Use a single keyword / keyword phrase for each post. That keyword needs to be in:
- the title
- keyword area
- meta description
of the SEO plugin editor. The plugin will indicate the level of on page optimization of your post, so you will know if you need to further tweak those elements in order to be in line with the most important on page SEO best practices.
5. Keywords used in the content on the page
You would think this is a given …. but it’s not. Putting a keyword in the post title and the description of the page is not enough to make that page relevant. You also need to use it in the page content. Try to include semantically related words in the context, as that increases the relevancy of the page for your particular keyword. As a general rule, it’s good to include your main keyword once in the first sentence of the content and in the last sentence. If you have a lot of content, you may consider adding it once or twice more. If you have too many instances of the keyword, you risk an over-optimization penalty from Google.
6. Link to different pages or posts on the same website and link to outside websites with a higher page rank.
Internal linking is very important if you want to improve your rankings. It’s good to make references to older posts and link to them naturally.
In order to improve the internal architecture of your website, you may consider adding a related posts plugin. There are a few good ones out there. Choose one and have three to five related posts displayed under each article. It improves the navigation for both people and search engines spiders.
Linking out should also be part of your on page SEO strategy. Unlike inbound links, outbound ones can be controlled by you. Take advantage of this and always try to link to websites with good authority and with higher page rank. Be careful, it’s best that all resources you link to are related to your niche and to the topic of your post. The best thing about such links is that some websites have the trackback function enabled, so it’s possible you get a good link back from them automatically.
When you are consistent and persistent with these SEO best practices, you will see a rise in your website traffic and your page rank.
If you would like us to support you with your SEO best practices, please schedule a call with us to find out more!
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