If you’re new to the SEO or the online marketing world you should bookmark this page and read it when you get a better understanding of what search engine marketing exactly is and how you’re going to start implementing it in your business.
Over the last 7 years of being in the business consulting game, I have learned a ton of great and incredible things when it comes to search engine optimization.
A lot of what I know I have to give credit to other SEO gurus, mentors, and courses that my team and I have been involved in over the years.
But I have to say, none of the knowledge is more valuable than what I absorbed by hours of hands-on experience and testing with my team.
Hours of reverse engineering other websites, hours of investing and learning endless tools, understanding link metrics and their power, the difference between quality topical content and complete junk, the importance of traffic, bounce rate, monitoring Google analytics, split testing for conversions, schema and this list is virtually endless.
You see when anyone hears the word SEO right away they think just build links and do the basic on-page optimization. And most of the courses out there will teach you exactly this.
These Two Steps
- On-Page: Keyword in title, meta, description or use SEO plugin
NEXT STEP…… - Blast PBN Links
Now do not get me wrong I have a handful of projects that my team and I test things out on and it’s true, good on-page and links alone can rank a website.
I use to do this same type of approach for years and my team and I still do this type of testing out on certain websites.
But is this technique honesty building a true organic brand?
Is this Long Term thinking? Completely building brand authority across the web in your niche?
The answer is simply NO
Again, yes you can rank with links alone and if your goal is just to rank and bank quickly whether it’s an affiliate website, local lead gen, E-com or any other money site that you’re looking to just get to page one for a specific term depending on the competition and time frame these types of links might get you there.
But with Google’s search algorithm always updating and constantly trying to remove anything they consider spam you have to always worry about the techniques and linking formulas you are using.
What if you could get the same power of a PBN from a real well aged and nourished niche relevant blog?
I clearly remember the Penguin update and Panda update which had the whole SEO community in shambles and afraid that their whole online businesses will be wiped out, in fact, a lot of online businesses and SEO marketers had completely lost a lot of their rankings and online revenue streams from some of these updates.
Imagine how devastating that must have been.
Have you ever thought why don’t these algorithm updates affect powerhouse well known websites like Forbes, Huffington Post, Target, Search Engine Land and all the other big authority websites?
This made me look at search engine optimization in a whole different way. Not Just link building.
From all of my research, and my teams testing and on hands experienced I put together a specific approach when I take on every project.
A 360 degree approach that includes the most important elements when it comes to building strong search engine presence while building absolute brand authority.
You do this by utilizing and leveraging the power of all the important content outlets and outreach opportunities with a much more complex and dynamic strategy.
A strategy that emulates some of the top brands and popular websites with a 360 degree foundation.
Link building is still a major key part of my strategy but in a completely different fashion especially with Google’s new algorithm Rank Brain.
Niche relevant and High Authority websites that have great metrics and real traffic and constant activity are the type of links that my team looks for.
Getting listed on relevant and popular directories and social platforms and making sure my brand name, images and business info are all optimized and looking good.
My ongoing linking strategy is more of an outreach approach that allows me to get power links similar to PBNs but on safe, real, niche relevant websites that have real traffic and a niche relevant following.
Now I use this type of approach on my client’s websites and my big websites that are very important to me.
Why?
Simply because this is by far the safest way to obtain powerful links that I know are not going to harm my client’s websites who spend thousands of dollars per month.
I also use this strategy on my own personal websites. This is just a small but powerful piece of the 360 digital branding strategy I use.
This type of backlinking outreach is not practiced or taught by many. Another SEO and digital marketer Ryan Stewart speaks more in depth on this topic in his videos and blog.
Another big piece is branded social properties with daily activity, educational and native content for each platform. Growing a true following and presence on these platforms are critical for branding.
Websites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Youtube, Instagram and other top social properties.
I know this sounds like a lot of work but yes my team and I update these platforms multiple times daily with specific types of native content.
We also target and interact with specific audiences on these platforms in a very specific way to grow a real following.
Another piece of our strategy is running paid Social Media ADs such as targeted Facebook advertisement that really are like modern day TV Commercials and Radio advertisement to reach the masses.
I will save this topic for another article when I talk about building a social media blueprint.
Content and Blogging
I believe what also helps keep a website healthy, powerful and driving constant natural traffic is quality unique topical articles.
I have a strange and very complex approach on this but to break it down in a simple way I basically start with my top broad niche term and build out a blueprint of highly searched and relevant terms that are around my niche.
For example, if my main business is selling Hair Products I would pull data to find more key terms that fall under this topic and then I would also pull topics that can be educational or interesting and blogged about.
Topical blog example: 10 different hairstyles Jennifer Aniston had since being on Friends
Some may argue about this topic but I know that this is interesting, engaging and my audience which would most likely be women love this type of gossip.
Now yes I would need a well written and researched article including images but again we are looking to build a brand and keep our audience engaged so we will put in the quality work and investment.
This is exactly why I do not consider my team doing the typical SEO work that these other agencies and marketers sell to their clients.
That’s also the same SEO service providers that have many potential client consultations that we have go a little something like this.
POTENTIAL CLIENT: Hi James, I have been using a few different SEO agencies for the last few years and just not getting any results, just an emailed report each month but no ranking increase, no phone calls or conversions that were promised.
What can you possibly do differently???
ME: Well, I can tell you right off the bat that I would be doing a completely different type of approach that is catered to your business.
First starting with proper research and developing a complete blueprint and strategy this way we have a plan, a goal and a system.
We also focus on building brand authority and fueling your whole online business as a whole.
The first thing I would need you to do is fill out our application form so we get a better understanding of your business.
We want to make sure we are a good fit for each other, we have helped many businesses double, triple and even have businesses that have 5x their bottom line by implementing our strategies but we do not just work with anyone.
Our services start off at X,XXX.XX per month
(POTENTIAL CLIENTS REACTIONS)
1.POTENTIAL CLIENT: That’s nearly triple, quadruple, five times more of what I am paying now. What exactly should I expect and how does your process work.
ME: Please fill out our application and then if we feel we are a good fit we can schedule a more in-depth demo so I can show you exactly our approach. What day during the week works best for you?
2.POTENTIAL CLIENT: Okay but how does this exactly work?
ME: Once you fill out the application we will schedule a more in-depth demo so I can show you exactly our approach. What day during the week works best for you?
3.POTENTIAL CLIENT: That is way out of my budget (This is the most common answer and this is because they were paying a low, cheap unrealistic monthly budget to a company that sold them garbage cookie cutter SEO packages that just do not work and have absolutely no true LONG TERM BRAND BUILDING)
ME: Not a problem. It was great speaking with you (This is not an ideal prospect for my business. It is better to let them go)
But for the businesses that do fill out the form if we feel we can help them we will then move to the next phase and help blow up their brand.
This is why I no longer consider just calling it SEO, I simply build powerful brands and businesses that educate, communicate and engage a targeted audience for the Long Term.
If you love what you do and your business you need to invest in a blueprint and strategy that helps you truly dominate your space.
Ranking on the first page for competitive terms that will generate you’re business is definitely still a top priority but it will do no good if your BRAND is weak and not set up for conversion and communicating with your target demographic to build absolute authority within your space for the long term.
