If someone from Google called you on the phone and asked you to sign over 100% control of your prospects and customers to them, you’d laugh in their face.
Yet, countless website owners do just that by only relying on Google to provide traffic to their sites. I can’t tell you how many cries for help I get every month from people who have lost all their traffic due to yet another Google update and don’t know what to do. They’ve willingly given the search giant 100% control of their destinies.
I beg you to stop!
Yes, search engine optimization should absolutely be a PART of your marketing plan, but it shouldn’t be your ENTIRE marketing plan. In this video, I’ll discuss the dangers of hanging all your hopes on search and what steps to take to start your own in-house, self-contained marketing plan that puts YOU in 100% control.
Diversify where your traffic comes from.
Build a list and focus on growing it every week. My favorite tool for list management is Aweber.
Use social media, email marketing, blogging, guest blogging and more in addition to SEO.
Create a marketing plan that you control 100%.
Develop a strategy for what and where you’ll promote your site. Some will be free, some will be paid. Marketing Words offers marketing consulting services where we can help you create and implement a plan like this.
Keep up with current SEO practices.
Read quality blogs such as SearchEngineLand.com to stay up to date. There’s also my video course that helps with keyword optimization.
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Good tips Karen…I lost all Google traffic to one of my websites after Google’s updates. Since then I’ve been using YouTube videos to get traffic and recently investing more into Google+ and Facebook Ads. Your video is a great example of how you can connect on a much more personal level than with text…because your sincerity shines through.
Yes, Herman, video can work very well. I like Facebook Ads also. They do a great job of building my following for very little money.
What method of facebook advertising do you use..get likes to your facebook page then redirect visitors to an opt-in page?
It depends on what I’m trying to accomplish. Sometimes I send peeps to a landing page off Facebook. Other times, it’s a call-to-action on FB. I gotten just about all my Facebook advertising training from Amy Porterfield, starting with her FB Influence course. Great stuff!
Thanks, Karon, and as always, your information was full of great information.
Two quick questions in regards to Facebook and Blogs please:
1. At times there is not much going on to post on FB, and then a day will pop up where 3 or 4 things are worthy of posting. Is it acceptable to post 3 or 4 FB posts in one day?
2. Any recommendation for number of blog posts per week?
Thanks again, Brenda
Hi Brenda! I’ve found it’s best to test how many social posts you make each day. Some companies do best with 1 per day. Others actually put up 5-6 posts a day. It will vary. Watch your likes/unlikes and you’ll get a feeling for what your followers prefer.
Blog posts are the same way. I typically do 1 per week. Others do 1 per day. Testing is always the best way to find out what your specific peeps want.
You know. relying solely on Google is comparable to starting a client-based business; finding one big client; and living off of the money that one client pays you. Then, when that client chooses a competitor over you, you’re in big trouble. Not a good strategy!
You are correct, ma’am! 😉
I cannot agree with you enough. I have spent years in SEO and found that Google has destroyed so many businesses in lieu of thier support for large businesses who pay for google ads. After all -Google makes 90% of thier money off of the top 5% of thier advertizers. They have a huge vested interest in keeping this income high. That means if you get organic rankings – they dont make any money. For years – Google said one thing and did another, so now your business could be being penalized for the exact thing that ranked you last year. SEO is a crap shoot for many business owners. No wonder its so frustrating. Here are my thoughts:
BUILD A LIST! < create your own traffic source. Once you get traffic to your page, GET thier info no matter what it takes!
PROVIDE VALUE < so ppl want to hear from you. On your web site and in your emails
Remember that people buy form people: use pictures of your staff , videos and personal touches. Even if you are a B2B business.
Great video Karen!
Yes, having a marketing plan/channel that you control is vital now more than ever, Jan.