How Value-Driven Content Can Boost Your SEO and Brand Reputation

It's time you move away from a Search Engine Optimization focus to a value-driven focus. What does this mean? In the past, businesses and brands cared mainly about ranking high on Google, so they're content was primarily focused around keywords. What this inevitably lead to was poor quality content no one cared to read. Once you understand that content is the doorway to sales, you will find greater outcomes for your Internet marketing initiatives.

What is Value-Driven Content, Really?

In a nutshell, value-driven content is content that's designed with the reader in mind. It answers pressing questions and concerns they may have, entertains and/or educates. Visitors actually find value in the pieces of content your brand produces. This in turn increases engagement, which can give your SEO a boost.

The Tie Between Content and SEO

We know that keywords still remain a factor in how your content is ranked, but it's no longer front and center. What Google cares about today is how much people like your content. The way it verifies this is by identifying how users interact with your posts. Are they sharing it, commenting on it, clicking the “like” or “+1” button? All of these are signals that Google pays attention to. So in turn, the content with high user engagement will prevail.

Your Brand Reputation: Content is Key

In the real world, conversations and presentations tell people a lot about your character. People are able to hear what you say and see what you do and determine whether you're a good person that's trustworthy and vice versa. In the digital world, your content does this for you. Your brand can't speak for itself, so you need to do it in the form of videos and written content.

Obviously, if your content is low-quality, then the impression people will have of your brand is that it's mediocre. Who wants to do business with a mediocre company? Only cheap people. If you want to draw in higher-paying customers who are loyal to your brand, then you need to deliver high-quality content that addresses your audience.

Creating Value-Driven Content

Research plays a major role in finding out what type of content your prospects would value most. You have to determine what type of questions and problems they have and then address them. User intent should also be researched before selecting the keywords you implement. Knowing why people are searching for those terms will help you come up with ideas on how to use them in your content. Some are obvious, like “used cars for sale” and others not-so-much, like “back pain”. The latter users could be looking for beds to buy, chiropractors, medicinal healing and so on. Careful research will help you identify which keywords to use in your strategy and how to use them in your content so that it caters to your audience.

Hugh Benjamin is an Internet marketing expert at I Think an Idea, a Los Angeles SEO Company that helps small businesses across the globe with growth by implementing sound SEO, social media and online reputation management strategies.  Call 888.240.0606 for a Free Online SEO Evaluation.

Techies: Don’t Launch Your Business Before Reading This – Silicon Beach Start Ups!

The world runs on technology. We rely heavily on the innovations techies conjure up from their labs, warehouses and even basements. Some of the greatest ideas were made in the most unlikely places. Just look at Amazon – it began in a garage and now it has surpassed Walmart in popularity and sales. What this tells us is that all it takes is a great idea and strong will to make it happen. And with the right marketing, you can launch a successful business.

The issue with most Techies is that they spend more time on their product than their brand development. While having an excellent product is key, it won’t mean much if no one is hearing about it. Generating buzz for your new company is essential for having a successful launch.

If you’re in the tech industry and planning to launch a new startup, then follow these tips from the experts.

Market the Benefits of Your Products – Have an SEO Strategy

One mistake techies make is talking to consumers like they’re tech-minded. They talk about features and functionality rather than the benefits of using their product. So rather than talking about how light, fast, small and clever your device is, tell the market how it can be used to improve their lives or businesses. Plus, it’s likely that there are other similar products better than yours. So don’t try to compete with features – show customers how your product is useful and economical.

Double Check the Manufacturing Schedule – Be Proactive with Online Branding

In a great scenario, you launch your business and receive thousands of orders on the first day. In a not-so-great scenario, you run out of products, creating a long waiting list of unsatisfied customers. Then there’s the potential of you opening up shop and not having the product available right away. There’s nothing more disappointing than having to wait, so make sure you have everything ready to ship out on demand. Otherwise, you’ll be spending your first months as an entrepreneur doing damage control.

Hone in On a Particular Customer – Target Audience and Marketing Strategy for that Customer

You designed your product for a specific reason, which means there are particular groups of people you need to target. The more focused your marketing, the better the outcome will be. A lot of technology startups think too big, trying to reach on everyone. Even if your product can be used by majority of the population, you will have better results by pinpointing those who are most likely to purchase it.

Hugh Benjamin is an internet marketing expert at I Think an Idea in Los Angeles that has worked with small business owners across various industries, including the technology. I Think an Idea is one the Top Los Angeles SEO Companies that provides services which include online reputation management, content marketing, SEO, social media marketing and management, business development consulting and web design.   Call I Think an Idea @ 888.240.0606 for a Free Online Evaluation!

Professional Athletes and Actors Starting Businesses with Their Brand and Influence in Los Angeles

Wouldn’t it be nice if you were able to start a new business and it instantly takes off? Well, that’s how it goes for celebrities. They work hard to grow their celebrity status in movies, sports, and music. Then once they get bit by the entrepreneurial bug, they open up their own business.

Depending on the ideas they have and the market demand (or created demand), the business may soar or flop. You may have even purchased a product or two from the business of a celebrity you admire.

However, if you also have an entrepreneurial spirit, then you’ll need to work 100x harder to build your brand. You can do this with Local SEO Services in Los Angeles.

Let’s take a look at some of the celebs that have opened successful businesses.

Goop By Gwyneth Paltrow

We’ve seen her in Iron Man as Tony Starks’ beau and as the voice over in the hilarious children’s flick, Despicable Me 2 and 3. But Gwyneth Paltrow is much more than just an actress on the screen – off the screen, she’s also the owner of a lifestyle brand called Goop.

It’s a site that curates content revolving around health and well-being. It also promotes beauty products created by the Goop brand, along with fashion products the company collaborates with.

i.am+ By Will.i.am

Will.i.am, the popular artist of Black Eyed Peas has definitely caught the entrepreneurial spirit. He’s come up with several products that he’s introduced to the market. Today, he’s the owner of I Am Plus, which sells “buttons” – another word for wireless Bluetooth earphones.

And it makes perfect sense for him to go this route, given that he’s a musician who appreciates good sounds coming from quality headphones.

He also took it a step further by creating buttons that have 6 hours of battery life and 120 hours of standby time.

Magic Johnson – Master Franchise Owner

Magic Johnson, the former basketball player of the Los Angeles Lakers, delved into entrepreneurship by buying not one, but several franchises. This includes a Burger King, T.G.I. Fridays, Starbucks, and 24 Hour Fitness.

He’s also part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Altogether, he owns roughly $700 million worth of franchises. He also helps other entrepreneur’s jumpstart their businesses through the Detroit Venture Partners network.

Kobe Bryant’s Sneaker Lines

Just about every popular basketball star gets an opportunity to start their own line of sneakers. Kobe Bryant’s just so happens to be the most long-lasting and successful (besides Michael Jordan’s). The former LA Lakers basketball player is still in the sneaker game nearly 20 years later, even after retirement.

When a dominant basketball player becomes a household name, it’s no surprise for his shoes to sell like hotcakes.

Serena Williams the Fashionista

Serena Williams is a favorite among both the young and old and so it’s no surprise that her line of products sells well. She designed her own line of fashion products with HSN. This includes a variety of tunics, fringe jackets, jumpsuits, gowns, and even slimming shorts.

She already dominates on the tennis court, so why not try her hand and do the same in the fashion world as well?

What it takes to build a Notable Brand

If you’re looking to gain the status of an influence in your industry, then you’re going to have to work on your digital brand. This is one of the quickest and most successful ways to grow a business.

The good news is that you can use an Affordable SEO Agency in Los Angeles to help you along. You’re going to need a strategy that encompasses all aspects of the web. For example, building an SEO strategy, Social Media Marketing plan, and influencer outreach strategy.

With the right content, optimization, and outreach, you can quickly grow the visibility of your brand. SEO is about more than just ranking for keywords. It’s about networking. Getting valuable content written by your brand published on high-authority sites can help grow your traffic significantly.

And the best part is that your SEO will continue working for your brand for many years. The key is creating highly-targeted content that’ll attract the right audience. This way, they’re more likely to convert.

Finding a Quality LA SEO Service

If you’re ready to start marketing your business startup, then it’s essential to find an agency that’s experienced. Look for an SEO firm that has a great reputation and that’s been around for years.

It’s also key for them to have experience in your industry. If you can find one that can handle all your digital marketing needs, then even better.

At I Think an Idea, we offer web design, content writing, and SEO services. We can also assist with your social media and influencer outreach.

If you’d like to learn more, then contact ITAI today!

Top SEO Firm - Why SEO Can Make Or Break The Future Of Your Company

When you first open a business, you feel confident in your ability to turn it into a profitable organization. You have your business plan in order and even secured a sizable loan for capital to get things started.

You have plenty of money to buy advertisements in popular magazines and maybe even get a quick ad on the radio. But what many are missing in their business strategy is online marketing – SEO in particular.

Search Engine Optimization is the key to building your presence online. After all, this is where the majority of today’s generation spend a lot of their time. However, there’s a lot to learn about SEO, which is why it’s a good idea to use an affordable SEO agency in Los Angeles.

If you continue to ignore SEO, then it can potentially break the future of your business. Let’s take a closer look at this concept.

How SEO Can “Make” Your Business

The internet is where consumers go to find products and services. In most cases, they’re using Google and other search engines to find a business. With SEO, you can ensure your business website is found at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs).

When you research online user behavior, you’ll find that 33% of traffic goes to the first link on Google. Roughly 71% of traffic clicks on links on the first page. Rarely do people go beyond the second page of Google, which gets 15% of traffic.

This makes it very important to find ways to rank high in the SERPs. The higher your position, the more likely it’ll be clicked. But you only want to your site to show up in the SERPs for keywords that are highly relevant to your business.

With the help of an SEO agency in LA, you can ensure that the keywords you’re targeting will attract high-converting traffic.

By making it to the first page of Google and getting more traffic from high-quality traffic, your sales and revenue will increase. Then to top it off, SEO is a more affordable option compared to paid advertising (both online and offline).

Building Your Brand’s Trust

Keyword research and optimization is only one part of SEO, though. Creating high-quality traffic is also key. The content you’re optimizing should be relevant to your target audience. If they don’t find it valuable, then you’re making a bad first impression.

The chances of them returning to your site is minimal at this point. Consistently publishing valuable content on your blog and even as guest posts on third party sites can help build that trust and authority. Once you have this, it’ll be easier to convert prospects into customers.

Next, let’s review how SEO can break your business.

How Not Using SEO Can “Break” Your Business

Yes, deciding whether or not to use SEO for your brand could turn into a life or death situation for your company. Without SEO, you’re going to find it very hard to compete on a local or even global scale.

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in – if you’re ignoring SEO, then you’re allowing your competition to rake in the dollars. Without SEO, no one will learn about your brand, nor will they search for it on the web.

SEO is about more than just popping up in the SERPs. It’s also about engaging with your audience on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This is where a Social Media Marketing Company In Los Angeles can be helpful.

If you’re using social media wrong, you’ll either get no attention or, worse, negative attention. For example, not dealing with negative reviews can be devastating for your brand. It’s essential to respond to comments and reviews that have legitimate reasons for their frustrations to try to rectify the issue.

Keep in mind that others will find reviews on your brand when searching your company name on Google. They’ll see both the good and bad reviews, as well as your responses or lack thereof.

Being Defeated By Your Competition

There’s an ongoing race to become one of the top results on the first page of Google. If you’re not actively competing for your own position in the SERPs, then you’re giving away business to your competition.

They’re ranking for similar keywords as you and your customers are searching for and finding your competition instead of you.

By not implementing SEO into your marketing strategy, you’re giving up the possibility of gaining a competitive edge.

Finding an Affordable SEO Agency in Los Angeles

Every business owner wants to excel in their market. But today, this requires you to have a solid and consistent SEO strategy. As the world pushes forward towards everything being digital, it makes sense for you to adopt SEO into your marketing plans.

If you’d like to learn more about how SEO can improve your business development and growth, then begin searching around for an Affordable SEO Agency In Los Angeles.

You can also reach out to ITAI for a free consultation!