Ever noticed the term ‘SEO’ appearing as of lately? Well, this isn’t a new term, but it should be one of the main things you need to know when it comes to operating the digital side of your business – and fear not, you can outsource if this is not your forte, but it may save you in the long run to learn the basics.

We caught up with Danielle Bult, owner & founder of Studio Èle, to discuss all things SEO, alongside what her 5 non-negotiables are for 2023.

What is SEO? Why do businesses need to consider this as a part of their marketing? 

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation and it is essentially in relation to where your business will rank in Google and other search engines. How many times have you typed into the search bar gyms local to you or spas within a destination you’re travelling to? You want your business to be on top of those search results when you type in your niche. If you do not have your website optimised, you run the risk of finishing last and having little to no traffic on your site.

Having your website optimised is an integral part of your businesses organic growth online and can be the easiest and cheapest way to market your business. I was reading an article recently by James Norquay and he explained that “93% of online experiences begin with a search engine”.

Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are trendy now… but what we’ve learnt from Facebook is that popularity can decline pretty fast. Your website is here to stay, which is why investing in quality website content is so important. 

Why should businesses consider these tips if they have a marketing company that they outsource to? 

Taking your SEO into your own hands is something a lot of business owners typically do and honestly I don’t blame them! When you’re just starting out in your business journey you often become, what I like to call ‘The Business Gemini’… a Jack of All Trades – if you will.

When it comes to SEO there is a lot that gets taken into consideration. Keywords, keyword density, the amount of content that is within your website, metadata descriptions, image ALT text just to make a few. SEO is something that you can 100% learn yourself, however, if you simply don’t have time to learn all of that… outsourcing will be greatly beneficial.

When it comes to SEO, you want to put forward INFORMATIVE, QUALITY CONTENT. The main reason for this is because SEO is determined by little bots, scouring the internet, looking for this quality content so they can decide on where your website should rank. It could be the difference between you, and the salon down the road. You want to put forward as much information about your business, knowledge and services as possible. This also helps build trust!

If you are working with a marketing company, a lot of the time they may need particular types of content from you. Not only does this content increase your SEO, but it is also a form of marketing strategy. You don’t just want your audience to view your website… you want them to experience your website.
This is why working with a professional to boost experience and SEO can go a long way! 

What are your SEO non-negotiables? 

1. Make sure your blogs are SEO optimised

This includes keyword research and keyword density. Around a 1-2% keyword density is preferred. All you need to do is divide the amount of words your blog has by 1-2%. This will give you the number for the amount of times you need to use that keyword within your blog.

2. Add lots and lots of quality content onto your website

Remember you want your audience to experience your website, not just view it! Add in before and after photos, treatment mechanism of action, testimonials about certain treatments from your customers, treatment intervals etc. This will all add to the customer experience and ultimately, convert to client traffic and sales.

3. Set up a Google My Business profile

This is so quick and easy and is another way Google can rank your business! Within your My Google Business, make sure you encourage your clients to write reviews as this will add to your Google ranking and give potential clients a good impression about your business.

4. Constantly improve your website content

Constantly evolving your website content will show the SEO bots that you are an active website! The bots are not going to rank websites that are not active, so keep this in mind!

5. Don’t forget your metadata description and image ALT text

This sounds so high tech and hard to do, but this is actually really easy! The back end of your website is where you can do this. Your metadata description is the little piece of writing underneath your business name in search. You want this description to be punchy so your audience understands exactly what you do in a few words.

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