5 Things The Chamber of Commerce Can Teach You About SEO

While many people think SEO is something of a dark art, the truth is that its principles are relatively simple. Implemented effectively it can take your business from the dingy depths of Google to the bright lights of the first page. In many ways, the process of doing this is similar to getting out there and attending a Chamber of Commerce event. Here’s why:

(1)    SEO is about the quality of your relationships

When you type in a search term like ‘health club in Brighton’, the search engine has less than half a second to give you the answer. So how does it calculate who comes up top? Principally by assessing the quality of the relationships that each website has. Are you mentioned in the right industry journals? Have you been favourably reviewed? How relevant to your business are those sites which link to you? All of these factors play into Google’s assessment.

(2)    The wider your net, the more chance you have of appearing

For those who’ve attended the Chamber events, you’ll know that the more business cards you hand out, the better your chance of landing some new business. To some extent, it works like that on the web. By updating your blog regularly with articles, you’re increasing the number of indexed pages on your site and giving yourself more chances to appear in natural search.

(3)    Presentation Matters

Just as no one is likely to turn up to a Chamber event in scruffy jeans and a t-shirt, the quality of your landing page will have a marked effect on conversions. More than this, the latest evidence suggests it may actually have an effect on rankings. Google are assessing things like click through rates, scroll rate (did users go below the fold?), time on page and bounce rate. So focussing on design has never been more important.

(4)    Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket

Sometimes at an event, one can strike up a brilliant conversation. But no matter how tempting it is to chat to this person all night, the best chance of getting your business known is to spend time with as many people as possible. So it is with Google. Even if PPC is working brilliantly, you’ll want to try some SEO. If that’s working well, you need to prioritise your social media acquisition. That way, no matter how the market swings you’ll have a reliable and diverse stream of new business. It’s the safest way to play it.

(5)    Hone Your Elevator Pitch
At certain Chamber events, we’ll move around the room offering one minute synopses of what we do and why we’re good at it. As anyone who’s done this will know, the first few are sometimes a bit awkward but, over time, the process becomes more eloquent. Websites are like this too. You need to ensure that your key landing pages outline your points of different as effectively as possible. With, on average, 55% of visitors spending fewer than 15 seconds on your website, you have a few critical moments to give them reason to stay. Don’t blow it.

If anyone would like an informal chat with Barefoot SEO about how your search presence could be improved, give me a call on 07900 217 720 or email at info@barefootseo.com.

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk