12 DIY SEO HACKS
DIY SEO is all about getting small chunk tasks done that will lead to results. SEO is like a high-maintenance girlfriend, but at times it can be down to earth and enjoy a matinee movie and cheap popcorn. Today I want to share with you 12 SEO Hacks you can do today to help your small business get found online.
- Your website or blog footer. Yes, your welcome. You know that area that is supposed to be the copyright section of your blog or website? There may be the template name or designer name there, too, but did you know you can add a keyword in there? YES! So instead of copyright information, or in addition to copyright, add where and what you do. If you are a photographer, you can say NY Wedding Photographer. If you are a planner, you can say Dallas Wedding Planner. If you are a coach, you put Life Coach, etc. Just find the place where you can edit your footer. If you are using WordPress, many times this is under the Widgets section, so go to Appearance > Widgets and look for the Footer edit controls there. If you are using Prophoto, then go to Customize and find Footer. Loved NJ wedding photographer Mary & Roy’s footer example.
- Link to yourself. Did you know that when blogging you can take one of your keywords and link that word to yourself? Do you hear fireworks yet? So, for example, you can take the keyword “health tips” and link it to that blog subcategory or your main website if you do health lifestyle coaching. If you are a photographer, it can be the genre of photography that you do. For example: Senior Photo Session. You can link this keyword to your senior photo gallery page. Ps. I just linked the word photography back to my website, oh yes I did!
- Craigslist. Yikes, Feuza, no! You’re pushing it now! This was in one of my 40-Day DIY challenges because Craigslist has powerful SEO. Now, this does not mean to put up your work on Craigslist for free or give a huge discount, but place a normal ad with some photos of your work and describing what you offer with a link to your site or blog. I know this SEO hack may not be for everyone, but it’s one that’s not talked about much.
- Write a press release. Okay, this may not be a quick hack, but you can easily hire someone to write a press release for your business on sites like Elance or Upwork or by negotiating with an independent writer online. After it’s written, you need to distribute this press release electronically so you have better chances of it getting picked up and published online, which would link back to you from a powerful website. If you are totally new to getting press for your small business, check out this blog post here.
- Geotagging. When using social media, you should really add a location to your post. In Instagram, you can add the geotagging information and also add hashtags of the location names: think city, venue, and neighborhood. On Facebook, you should add the location information by using the pin icon when you post. You really should add names of any venues and places you offer services too, but you can also just simply add the town you were at. You never know who is watching or who is near you, so take advantage of this.
- Pinterest SEO. If you have been following my Pinterest video series, you know I am big on adding location keywords to board names and also to pins. So, instead of just using Feuza Reis Studios, I can also use the keywords Conway Studio Photography or Myrtle Beach Wedding Photos. Your keywords will depend what you offer as a service and where, but if your business is online, still describe the services you offer. I also play around with maps in Pinterest, but I honestly don’t like the look of them too much, so I will wait for better results to have a verdict on that.
- Add your location to your website and blog. If you follow my DIY SEO tips, this may sound like a broken record, but people… people… if you want to be found locally, don’t you think it’s important to write your location on your website? If you have a commercial space, you should be adding the address all over your website. Website pages where location keywords are best are: Home, About and Contact Pages.
- Gplus. No, Google Plus is not dead. Well, Gplus Photos is dying, according to Fortune Magazine, but twice a week I do add my blog post to my public profile as I see some Google Juice still there. I honestly don’t even post it to my business page, just my personal Gplus page.
- Review local businesses. This was a great tip I discovered when I relocated my home and business. I wanted Google to know that I should now be identified with this new location, so I started reviewing some local businesses. This tip is if you are looking to get found locally.
- Add location information to your Facebook Business Page. NO, DO NOT CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS NAME TO ADD LOCATION. A few weeks ago, the photography community went cray cray when they thought they had learned that you should change your business name on Facebook to list their location. HECK NO. You should, however, add your location information in your About description and wherever it’s requested while editing your profile. Also, as I have mentioned, use location hashtags.
- Add alternative text keywords on photos even after you blogged them. If you use WordPress, you can click on the photo, find the pencil, and add keywords related to the kind of business that you do — even after you have published a blog post. The key is to make them all different. If you are a portrait photographer having a hard time with keywords, check out my store, as I have some keyword kits on sale.
- Get Google Reviews. This is not so much a hack but a mandatory thing for any business. You have to list your business on Google,and no, you don’t need to show your full address — you can choose the option to say you provide services to folks at their homes. After you have listed your business on Google, you need to get at least 5 Google Reviews. Check out this blog post to help you contact your clients for reviews.
So there you have it, some quick and easy DIY SEO hacks for your small business. I would love it if you picked one today to get started, so which one can you do? Take 5 minutes only and do it! Stop goofing off on Pinterest or Facebook and get it done because getting your business and services found by new clients is what will help you keep the dream alive! Go Get Found.