Getting more sales from search engines boils down to three methods – and, it’s actually pretty easy to get started. But before we dig into how this all works, you’ve probably heard of “SEO” or search engine optimization. SEO is basically a set of methodologies and techniques that help your website or any of your other web properties (ex. Facebook page) become more visible in search engines, like Google.

When your business is more visible in search engines, you get more clicks to your site by the people looking for the specific services or products you provide. A percentage of those clicks turn into calls or inquiries that you can then turn into sales.

There are three primary methods for increasing local visibility and reputation with search engines: local directory optimization; online reputation management; and on-page optimization.

Local Directory Optimization:

• What this is: Search engines look at your footprint across the internet primarily to see if your website includes the business’s name, address and phone number (or NAP). Local website directories are prime candidates to have your NAP – think Yellow Pages, Merchant Circle, Google My Business, Facebook and LinkedIn.
• Why you should care: The more top-rated directories that have your NAP, the more likely search engines will increase your visibility in the organic rankings for local searches relevant to your business (for example, “doctor in downtown memphis”).
• How to get started: Ensure your NAP is established in each of the top search engines first, then branch out to other directory listings, by creating a business profile within each directory listing.

• First targets include:

• Google My Business
• Bing Places
• Yahoo
• Second-tier targets include:
  • Yelp
  • Facebook
  • Better Business Bureau
  • Angie’s List
  • Merchant Circle
  • LinkedIn
  • YP.com
• Click here for a third-tier list of 50 more directories.

Online Reputation Management:

• What this is: This is the method of managing your business’s online reputation by monitoring mentions of your brand in online news, social media or websites, in addition to the reviews you get from different sites around the web.
• Why you should care: Paying attention to who’s talking about you online through mentions or reviews is vital to understanding how your brand is performing from an outsider’s perspective. Once you know what people are saying about or to you online, then you have an opportunity to create a deeper relationship and even address challenges that others have pointed out. (For example, a negative review that was submitted to Yelp or TripAdvisor.)
• How to get started:

• Set up Google alerts so you can monitor mentions of your brand online.
• Monitor reviews across your Google, Facebook and Yelp pages each week. If you generate new business daily, then monitor your reviews daily.

• Be sure to respond to reviews to let the reviewer (and others who may see that review) know you care.

• If it’s positive, say thank you for the review.
• If it’s negative, apologize, be polite and try to move the conversation offline. Do not respond with a negative reaction.

On-Page Optimization:

• What this is: On-page optimization is a tactic where you optimize the content on individual web pages so search engines can understand what your page is about and make sure you are showing properly in the search engine rankings. This is done by editing the meta tags within a web page.
• Why you should care: By doing this, you lay the foundation for being ‘found’ in relevant keyword searches. This is another foundational method to ensure organic search results.
• How to get started:
  • Start with changing your page title.
    • If you use WordPress, you can find helpful tutorials on how to do this online. Here’s a video to get you started.
  • Format the title as keyword + location | Your Brand
    • Ex. Downtown Memphis Family Doctor | John’s Clinic
  • When you do this, Google and other search engines will identify your page by this title and add your site among organic search results.

If you apply all three of these methodologies, you will have a GREAT head start in growing sales through SEO. Your business will start showing up higher in searches for the keywords relevant to your product or services and begin generating more inquiries for the services you sell over time.

Shane Perkins is owner of Takeover SEO, a Memphis-based search engine optimization company. For more information or to ask questions related to this guest post, visit www.takeoverseo.com. If you want to book a FREE consultation on how to grow your business through online marketing, go to takeoverseo.com/discovery-form/.