content marketing

February 3, 2022

How to Successfully Design Facebook and Instagram Ads

How to Design Facebook and Instagram Ads that Attracts your Target Audience and Improves CTR.

Welcome back to another Momentum Monday Marketing blog! In this blog, we are going to talk about how to Successfully Design Facebook and Instagram Ads.

My name is Mac Frederick and I used to work for Google. Over the past 6 years I have been running my own small business digital marketing agency helping other business owners with SEO, Paid Advertising, and more!

Momentum Digital is a marketing agency that supports small businesses!

  • Follow these steps to rank your products higher on Google with E-Commerce SEO.
  • OR CONTACT US by clicking the button below & we can answer them for you!

What you need to know to Design Facebook & Instagram ads.

Winter is coming. Well, besides the snowstorm hitting the Northeast this week (and a failed pun), Meta implemented its new Facebook ad guidelines and targeting exclusions for iOS14. 

And later this year, Meta is rolling out restrictions for Android too.

Social media ads on channels like Facebook and Instagram are going to be competitive for e-commerce businesses in 2022.

Yet, many already find platforms like Facebook Ads Manager and Facebook Business Manager complicated. But the updates keep rolling in, and change is the only constant. Ultimately, making it harder to navigate the professional platforms for businesses. (Let us know if you need help with this.)

But don’t worry, Team Momentum has got your back.

Here is The Easy Guide to Design Facebook & Instagram Ads that drive sales and increase traffic to your e-commerce store or business website.

facebook and instagram ads for 2022

KEY STAT: This year, US advertisers will spend $50.30 billion on Facebook ads, up 32.1% YoY. (source)

The Challenge in 2022 for Social Media Ads.

Since March 19th, advertising AID and other identifiers for data tracking will be limited for users on iOS 14. “Apple made the tracking of personal data ‘opt-in’ with its IOS 14 release. As of September 2021, only around 21% of consumers have opted in to allow app tracking. Google is limiting identifiers in Android in late 2021.” – The Fast Move

Read full Article on 2022 Facebook & Instagram Ads Guides and Exclusions on Meta’s Business Blog.

Users, consumers, visitors and PEOPLE want to be treated like humans, not data. This includes a desire for privacy about what they do with their devices, specially in offline events. It is likely that your targeted facebook user doesn’t want you and your pixel tracking their every move. In and out of a platform, like Social Media, without explicit consent. 

There is a need for users to feel like they can trust advertisers and brands with their data. That means they do not want to feel like your e-commerce company is a “Peeping Tom” for their consumer behavior.

As a result, we want to pay special attention to this 2022 trend when you Design Facebook and Instagram Ads.

Where there is a problem, there is always opportunity.

Solution

As marketers, we forget that EMPATHY is the force that drives the connection between the companies we advertise using Facebook Ads, and their clients.

It is a relationship that should be valued and respected.

facebook and instagram 2022

Now, social media users are very aware that platforms, like Facebook & Instagram Ads, have been monetizing their data and behavior. On and off platform. PPC social media ads have invaded their feeds using data they had no knowledge was being shared, and used to exploit their consumer behavior. Advertisers have been using the consumer’s device to spy on them and make money based on the information collected.

Wouldn’t you feel invaded, too?

As a consequence, this has proven to cause distrust among consumers. We believe it is the reason behind “Marketing Blindness”, or the habit of ignoring promotions like Facebook and Instagram ads. Target audiences are developing an “immunity” to modern marketing efforts.

Users don’t like being sold to, they like being acknowledged. Seen. Recognized.

So, let’s work on the message: Creating Facebook and Instagram Ads. Meaning, how we communicate what we sell. As an improvement to the user’s life.

Your goal is to communicate that efficiently, as quickly as possible. And we mean “in the blink of an eye” speed.

Market WITH people, not AT them. – Seth Godin

Therefore, we need to change the way we think about advertising and marketing. Including Facebook and Instagram Ads. We have to learn to CONNECT with our audiences through paid campaigns.

How? By offering solutions to user’s problems in a personalized manner. Using empathy and studying their personas. Good advertising requires understanding what the targeted user needs, and delivering that message in a way that connects with them. 

When users see your Facebook and Instagram ad, they should immediately think: “Wow, that’s super cool and useful”. Instead of: “how do ‘they’ know I was talking about vacuums yesterday with my mom.” I bet it has happened to you. Or seen it happen to a friend. We are the metaphorical ‘they’. We are the marketer and advertisers trusted with user data. 

If we want to keep the attention of our target audience, let’s act with respect and empathy. When marketing messages to users so they feel less invaded, and more appreciated. They crave improved UX, or User Experience. In order to do this, you need to SEE your e-commerce business product or service from their perspective.

In 2022, consumers want to go into a book store and have it arranged according to their preferences in subjects and authors. Personalized. Each user is special, and they should feel like the message, or in this case your Facebook & Instagram ads, were designed specifically for them. 

Ideally, this is how data and tracking should be used in Digital Marketing today. Humanity. For better UX.

In order to do this you need empathy. The ability to see things from someone else’s perspective and understand (without necessarily sharing) their want or need for something.

Intro: Three Ways to Promote in Facebook + Instagram ads

Our town, own rules.

The official Facebook Business blog lists as two main options to advertise on their Facebook platform (that mind you, is now called ‘Meta’, as in Metaverse).

We like to think of it as three. For instance, Facebook and Instagram are two different channels but owned by the same company, now Meta. There IS two ways to Advertise on Facebook AND there is a third way to advertise on Instagram only.

Why include Instagram then if it’s a different channel? Because visually, the ads mostly share the same attributes and aesthetics. Same rules. You can even advertise and schedule content on both Facebook and Instagram Ads inside Meta’s platform.

So, here are the THREE ways to promote your e-commerce business when you Design Facebook and Instagram Ads:

Intro

There are three Ways to Promote your E-commerce Business posts with Facebook & Instagram Ads.

  • Boost Post on Facebook (screen shots)
    • Just click the “Boost Post Button” under the post you’d like to promote. (screenshot)
    • Preview Your Ad
    • Check Your Insights to make sure it’s content worth spending bucks on.
    • Specify your goal. What do you hope to achieve by promoting this post?
      • Currently, these are the options available on Facebook Ads
        • Automatic (you let Facebook and Instagram Ads decide)
        • Lead Generation
        • Get More Messages
        • Increase Engagement
        • Get Web Traffic to a Page (website / e-commerce)
        • Promote Calls to a phone number
    • Customize the Call to Action Button (select one from list)
    • Choose or create your target audience
    • Set the Budget
    • Determine the time frame for the promotion
    • Decide if you want to include the Facebook Ad on Instagram as well
    • Add a Payment Method
    • Click on the blue “Boost Post Now” button at the bottom.

Above, an image carousel for screen shots showing the steps to promote on Instagram.

  • Boost Post on Instagram 
    • Click the blue “Boost Post” button under the post.
    • Select one: 
      • Boost Post with a Facebook Ads account from which you want to manage this post, including payment methods and more.
      • Boost Post without a Facebook Ads account. (we will select the second for this example).
    • Select a Goal
      • More Profile Visits
      • More Website Visits 
      • More Messages
    • Edit the URL and Call to Action Button.
    • Set your Audience
      • Automatic
      • Create Your Own
    • Set your budget for the promoted post
    • Review and click the blue “Boost Post” button at the end of the page.
  • Create and Manage Campaigns using Facebook Business’ Ads Manager.
    • This requires more studying and familiarization with Facebook Ads platform. The steps are basically the same, but the features, segmentations, and tracking options are much more useful if you plan to keep using Facebook and Instagram Ads as part of your PPC campaign strategy.

Additionally, your can read our article here about creating ads in Facebook Marketplace.

Here’s a complete guide from Buffer to create an ad for both Facebook and Instagram using Facebook’s Ads Manager. 

To create audiences and targeting on Facebook Ads Manager, follow this complete guide. 

Designing a successful Facebook & Instagram ad

Select a “Color Palette” and fonts for Designing your Social Media ads. This is sometimes called a branding kit. Browse online for help getting the attention of your audience. Color psychology is a really good tool to use when choosing a color schema. 

Keep this branding kit in hand when designing, and stick to the colors and fonts selected. This consistency is essential for successful brand awareness, customer retention and conversion campaigns. 

Below, some great examples of how to Design Facebook and Instagram Ads. Read the article here.

Free Tools for Facebook and Instagrams Ads: Templates and Graphic Design

As a small to medium sized business, you can’t always hire a professional graphic designer. Momentum Digital highly recommends using a professional service for graphic design. A lot depends on it, so look at it as an investment. Especially with good ROIs.

But, in case you are doing this social media ad design journey solo, here are some good free tools that offer free templates:

CANVA

This is our personal favorite. It simplifies graphic design and content creation. User friendly and very useful. In Canva, you can share designs with teams, specific people or create folders. You can choose to start a design from scratch, or browse hundreds of free templates. 

Use your branding kit to select colors and fonts, or even better, create the kit in Canva. 

CRELLO

We recommend this tool specially for social media ads with animations or videos. The online design software Crello is now Vista Create. It has great reviews and it is well known for variety, customization, and support. It offers steady graphics and animations that play stunningly. 

DESIGN WIZARD

For example, Design Wizard has over a thousand fully licensed templates to use for Facebook and Instagram ads in 2022. And it integrates automations with platforms like Buffer, HubSpot and Marketo. This is a great option for helping design a successful Facebook and Instagram ad.

You can also read this article about graphic design tools.

In conclusion…

To summarize, you don’t need to be an expert graphic artist to get professional results out of your ads on social media. Create a space in your schedule to produce these ads using online tools. Or, if you’re short on time and can’t have an in-house creative marketing department, we are ready to help at Momentum Digital, so get in touch!

Sign Up to our newsletter for more or contact us.

Fill out our form here or call us at (215) 876-2954

Email: hi@needmomentum.com

By Mac
January 27, 2022

10 Free Ways to Grow E-commerce Companies Using SEO in 2022

Learn 10 Free Ways to Grow Small Companies Using E-commerce SEO in 2022

Welcome back to another Momentum Monday Marketing blog! In this blog, we are going to talk about how to Implement E-Commerce SEO in 2022 with various tactics for your website.

My name is Mac Frederick and I used to work for Google. Over the past 6 years I have been running my own small business digital marketing agency helping other business owners with SEO, Paid Advertising, and more!

Momentum Digital is a marketing agency that supports small businesses!

  • Follow these steps to rank your products higher on Google with E-Commerce SEO.
  • OR CONTACT US by clicking the button below & we can answer them for you!

Here is how to level up your game for E-commerce Search Engine Optimization in 2022 and to increase sales.

The new year just rolled in. E-commerce SEO in 2022 is in every marketer’s list of resolutions. With endless opportunities to grow within Search Engine Marketing, or SEM for short, you don’t want to miss out.

Businesses are already ripping benefits from their Search Engine Optimization 2022 tactics.

If you want to capitalize on the growing online market this new year, you need to use vital SEO techniques. Your online business cannot achieve e-commerce success without these tactics for E-Commerce Search Engine Optimization in 2022.

So get cracking.

Revenue for E-commerce businesses has increased by more than $37.6 billion dollars in the past year according to forbes.com. 

Global e-commerce sales have grown exponentially in the last couple of years. And the online sales boom continues. Trends keep changing, and it is hard to keep up.

Therefore, in order to stand out from competitors and scale your business, you need to keep up with the latest market trends, including SEO. The best SEO tools available are expensive and technical. But, the team at Momentum Digital has compiled a list of free strategies for E-commerce SEO in 2022 to help your website rank higher on Google’s organic search results.

.

E-commerce Sales growth

See graphic source here.

Below, we’ve listed the top 10 FREE steps to help your brand grow using E-commerce SEO in 2022.

#1. Keyword Research

To do this right, it is essential that you understand what your target market is searching for on Google. By using these keywords, you will maximize the organic traffic potential for your pages as well.

Consequently, you should look at what other areas of your website, besides landing pages, that can be optimized for search engines. Surely, this will improve your ranking. Write additional content, like blogs, targeting the keywords users are already searching for.

For example, use Google Ads’ Keyword Search tools to help you identify top ranking relevant keywords for your business. Other paid tools like the SEO software SEMrush will offer plenty of other tools, data and automation. But, SEO software can be expensive. Especially for small businesses.

Additionally, don’t forget to stay focused on keywords that match the Intent of the user (Research, Commercial or Transactional) before investing time optimizing a page for a selected keyword.

#2. Do a Technical Site Audit

SEO is essential for your e-commerce business success, but there are technical aspects that may need to be optimized first in order to rank higher on Google. Improving user experience and reducing bounce rate depends highly on making these changes.

For instance, there are paid tools that not only scan sites, but also automatically correct the issues detected. As with other SEO paid software such as SEMRush or Ahrefs, the biggest downfall is cost. Most small e-commerce businesses cannot afford these pricey solutions. However, entrepreneurs can either hire an SEO agency or use free sites that identify some of the issues.

We highly recommend hiring a professional to scan your site and resolve issues. Digital Marketing agencies, like Momentum, offer variety of services to improve your ranking on Google and resolve technical issues using SEO software.

Get a FREE marketing audit here!

#3. Increase Site Speed

We cannot stress this enough. Google has focused on ranking sites higher based on the overall user experience (UX). Paramount to a good overall user experience, your site should load fast. If a page is slow, the user will most likely leave and go to your competitor’s site. The faster the page, the more time a user spends on it, and the more likely they are to convert.

Google’s PageSpeed Insights Tool is a great way to measure your site’s loading speed. Make sure to optimize this aspect by having a score of 90 or higher. This will greatly increase your chances of appearing on the top pages of Google’s search results.

Improve your page’s load speed in order to rank higher on Organic Search Results, and rip the benefits of E-commerce Search Engine Optimization in 2022.

#4. Producing Relevant and Engaging Content

As a rule of thumb, always take quality over quantity, especially when it comes to content. Plan carefully your blogs and landing pages. Additionally, make sure to create and post on a regular basis. This will help establish your online business as an industry expert. Also, optimize all content for SEO by including keywords on the headlines and text.

Consequently, building your e-commerce business as an authority in your field will greatly increase brand trust, discoverability and help your site rank higher. You can create your own content, if you have time and resources. E-commerce SEO in 2022 depends on these content efforts. If you need help with content, you can learn more here.

Content is KING.

#5. Local SEO

A strategy that will increase your e-commerce business visibility in Google local search results, is Local Search Engine Optimization. And the most important aspect of Local SEO, like in real estate, is Location, Location, Location.

Therefore, the goal is to target users looking for local businesses in your area. When searching for a local business, keywords relevant to the business and location are included in the search. The results come up as a list on the top. On the first page, only the top ranking sites will be shown in a box. This box is called a “Snack Pack”, and your goal is to be included here.

Marketing Agencies in Philly

Above, when searching for the keywords ‘Digital Marketing Agency in Philadelphia’, a list of businesses will pop up. This is clear evidence that efforts to rank locally do pay out. And not to brag, but we should know!

First, optimize the content on your pages with keywords and the name of your city or town. Make sure to create and update regularly your Google My Business account to reflect the correct NAP details (address, phone, hours and business name).

Your e-commerce business is sure to have less local competitors than on a national scale, which means better odds to be featured on Google’s top organic local search results. Therefore, Local SEO is an unavoidable part of E-commerce SEO in 2022, because it focuses on a smaller section on the market.

You can learn more about Local SEO in this video walkthrough posted on our  Momentum Digital Youtube Channel.

#6. Backlinks

These are links on other sites, like blogs and articles, that link back to a page in your e-commerce site. They build trust towards your business, and Google recognizes that your site is being mentioned on other quality, trustworthy sources.

Backlinks have been a tool for marketers working with Search Engine Optimization for a long time, because it increases the site’s visibility, brand awareness, but more importantly, the number of results in searches that include your site.

In order to crush E-commerce SEO in 2022, find high ranking sites that are relevant to your industry, location, brand, product or service. Contact them to check if they accept guest posts (content you supply), or if they are interested in featuring your site on theirs as a trusted source/business.

#7. Mobile User Experience

None of these E-commerce SEO in 2022 efforts matter if your site is not optimized for mobile.

According to Statista, mobile users make up for more than 50% of all web traffic worldwide. This data cannot be ignored. The sheer number of prospects using mobile devices to browse online represent a vital aspect of E-commerce SEO in 2022.

Make sure your site is mobile friendly, and if not, make any changes necessary. Even changing or updating templates. Your e-commerce business website should be adaptive, and users should not notice anomalies when visiting from a mobile device. Optimize images and videos so they load quickly and lower their size if needed.

There are plenty of free sites that will measure you site’s speed. We recommend GTmetrix. You can try their free site performance test here.

#8. Internal Links

Get the juice flowing.

Traffic on your site should be treated like ”juice” that flows seamlessly from one page to another, by adding links to other pages or content on your own website. Doing this will increase the time a user spends on your site and improve their overall experience. Also, this is an easy way to increase visits to other pages on your site.

So, you can use internal links that drive traffic towards your About Us page, a contact form, blog posts or landing pages.

Illustration of two web pages connected by a chain link, representing backlink building for SEO.
#9. Social Media

It might sound obvious, but it is imperative for every business to have social media presence. However, having only a Facebook Page or Instagram profile might not cut it today.

For instance, Omni-channel presence is necessary to effectively reach your target audience and enhance your business’ visibility, including on search engines like Google. Include in your social media strategy various channels, like emerging ones, where you can effectively connect with your market.

Furthermore, Google takes into account social media presence and authority when ranking sites on organic search results. The more you post, and the more channels you are in, the higher your reach and ranking.

#10. Social Proof

This is where you show off how your e-commerce business has helped customers. Collect client stories, reviews, and testimonials to increase trust and overall brand image. Prospects spend a lot of time researching before making the decision to buy. By showcasing these stories on your website, you save the user time and increase their confidence in buying, while highlighting the benefits of your product.

For instance, one of the best examples of social proof, and the most effective, is user-generated content or UGC. Offer incentives for customers to share their experience with your product or service on social media.

Then, share these stories on your website and social media profiles including your Google Business account. These are all trust signals that Google reads as prove that your site focuses on UX (user experience).

To Summarize

In conclusion, you may be left with the lingering question: “Does your e-commerce small business really need SEO?”, and the answer will always be: Yes.

Briefly, Search Engine Optimization increases organic traffic, brand trust, visibility and ultimately, sales. Thus, SEO is no longer a trend, or even an option. It is required for growing any online business or site. Thanks for following this guide to Small Business E-commerce SEO in 2022.

For more help, a free site audit here and find out how we can help you achieve goals!

Sign Up to our newsletter for more or contact us.

Fill out our form here or call us at (215) 876-2954

Email: hi@needmomentum.com

By Mac
January 16, 2022

How to Plan an E-Commerce SEO Strategy

Learn How to Plan an E-Commerce SEO Strategy for Your Business!

Welcome back to another Momentum Monday Marketing blog! In this blog, we are going to talk How to Plan an E-Commerce SEO Strategy for Your Business or for a Client with an Online Store.

My name is Mac Frederick and I used to work for Google. Over the past 6 years I have been running my own small business digital marketing agency helping other business owners with SEO, Paid Advertising, and more!

Momentum Digital is a marketing agency that supports small businesses!

  • Follow these steps to rank your products higher on Google with SEO.
  • OR CONTACT US by clicking the button below & we can answer them for you!

SEO is one of the most important aspects of any e-commerce business. No matter how great your products or services may be, if no one can find you online, you’re not going to make any sales. So if you’re running an e-commerce business, SEO is likely one of your top marketing priorities. 

After all, the more people find your website through organic search, the more sales you’re likely to make. But what should you do when planning your e-commerce SEO strategy? What should you do to ensure you’re doing everything possible to get traffic and conversions from Google and other search engines?

In this post, we’ll walk you through the steps to take when planning your e-commerce SEO campaign. So, keep reading for more tips on how to improve your website’s visibility and ranking.

Development of E-Commerce SEO Strategy

Creating an effective E-commerce SEO strategy can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Yes, you will need some time and effort put into this process (and maybe even more than one try). However, your website should see strong results much faster than expected with the proper planning. Here’s how you can start crafting your SEO Strategy: 

  • Prioritizing Web Pages: 

This is a question that many business owners ask themselves when they want their site traffic to be more focused. The answer: start with your most popular pages and work from there! Additionally, if you’re looking for ways to optimize specific products or flagship offerings, then do what works well in conversion rates first. You can track your website data through Google Analytics to understand the parameters deeply. 

  • Crafting a Workflow

Search Engine Optimization is not easy. First, you need to make sure you’re meeting all of the requirements for SEO, like choosing keywords and adding metadata correctly so your content can rank well on search engines. Then, as a result, when people search their area or around topics they are interested in hearing more information, your website will be suggested by Google Algorithm more frequently. Creating a workflow will help you tackle the SEO factors one by one instead of just doing things randomly.

  • Competitive Benchmarking

The goal of SEO is to rank your website higher on Google searches. To do this, you should analyze how the top 10 e-commerce sites in your niche compare with yours and try different strategies to fetch better rankings for people looking for what they offer online!

For example, when people type something into google like “electronics store” or even just an individual product name such as ‘flowers,’ they see a list of websites where some offer prices comparison-shopping services for those interested. Keep on iterating these searches to check out how your competitors are trying to grab the marketplace. This technique will help you set the benchmark, allowing you to understand how much work needs to be done on the website and content development.

ecommerce seo strategy

Best Practices for E-Commerce SEO

To make your site rank higher on search engines like Google and Bing, you need to optimize it for keywords. It is also essential that the content of each page supports these words, so they show up when someone searches them or visits our website with an SEO-friendly browser such as Chrome (for desktop) or Safari (for iPhone). Here are some best practices:

  • The Choice of Keywords

Your product titles and descriptions don’t need to be overloaded with keywords, but they should mention your primary keyword somewhere on it. You can put this in the headline as well as description, meta-data, or even alternate attributes if you’re feeling fearless. Try sprinkling some LSI keywords into these too – related words that help Google understand what kind of page this is without reading through every word.

Use the power of keywords to your advantage. Before using a keyword, research it and know how often people search for that term (keyword’s monthly google trend). Also, find out its competition in paid advertising space regarding cost-per-click or CPC values. You can see this any time through third-party tools like (Semrush, Ahrefs, etc.)

  • Competitor Research

With all of the information available to you about e-commerce site optimization, your competitors can be a great resource. Ideally, an SEO marketing firm will likely have already done most or part of on-site SEO for their websites, and smaller ones may not even know what they’re doing with it anyway.

Therefore, you should take advantage by analyzing how other sites are ranking. As a result, when faced with such a challenge again later down the road, there won’t be anything stopping us from winning hands down because we learned everything necessary right here the first time around.

  • Homepage SEO and Website Structure

Your homepage is one of the most important pages on your site to optimize. But don’t just stop there/ You should also put some time into optimizing other vital areas, like product listings or blog posts. 

The SEO title tag is the most crucial element of on-site search optimization. It should include your business name along with the primary keyword phrase you are targeting and write this in less than 70 characters, so it’s appealing for visitors who see these words when they’re looking through results online.

Your meta description is the 160-character equivalent of your website’s title tag. It should include all essential keywords and phrases that pertain to your business so people can find them when they search for something relevant online. 

Search engine bots will find your pages and products on the website based on a clear internal linking structure that is easy to follow – but not too deep. Therefore, your website’s internal linking structure should be simple and easy to follow for both search engine bots as well as visitors.

The rule of thumb when creating this type of content is to allow the user to navigate quickly from the homepage towards getting any product information or page link efficiently.

  • Image Optimization

When you view a product page, do your eyes automatically go to the images on that particular website? If not, then it’s time for some fresh new imagery! We all know how vital captivating visual content can be in drawing people into our sites and making them want what we have. 

To optimize your images for search, start with the filenames. Don’t use generic names like IMGXXXX.jpg; instead, select something more specific and relevant such as filterwaterbottle_sample.jpeg.

 You should also be including keywords when uploading other image types so that customers who look up products on Google can find exactly what they want – even if it’s an alternative view of yours.

  • Responsiveness of Website

The faster your pages load, the better Google will rank you. This is because page speed becomes one of their ranking signals for both desktop and mobile browsing experiences. When doing web design for your ecomm site you must make sure its fast, mobile-friendly and responsive for SEO.

They look at how quickly content can be loaded onto a user’s screen – which means avoiding anything that slows this process down! For example, remove any plugins or add-ons that don’t contribute towards the e-commerce business’s bottom line if they’re not needed to increase profits through increased sales conversion rates.

website e-commerce seo

Final SEO Takeaways

E-Commerce SEO is a complex beast that requires the right strategy to succeed. If you are looking for some advice on how best to go about it, check out this blog post. 

We covered everything from developing an e-commerce SEO strategy, crafting a workflow, prioritizing web pages to what keywords work well in your industry, competitive benchmarking, and more. 

To finish up our guide, we took a look at homepage optimization tactics like including high-quality images of products or lifestyle shots with compelling copy that will draw people into buying something they might not have thought about before. One final tip? Make sure your site is responsive so everyone can enjoy all the hard work you’ve put in.  

If all of the processes mentioned above seem like a hassle, you can consider availing the services of an SEO Services Agency to boost the rankings of your E-Commerce Website.

Hero banner for Ecommerce SEO Services with a shopping cart on a laptop keyboard background and a call to schedule a consultation.
By Mac
December 28, 2021

Small Business Website SEO Tips & Tricks

Learn the Best Marketing Hacks for Small Business Website SEO

Welcome back to another Momentum Monday Marketing blog! In this blog, we are going to talk Small Business Website SEO Tips & Tricks so Your Local or Small Biz Website can Rank Higher on Google.

My name is Mac Frederick and I used to work for Google. Over the past 6 years I have been running my own small business digital marketing agency helping other business owners with SEO, Paid Advertising, and more!

Momentum Digital is a marketing agency that supports small businesses!

  • Follow these steps to rank your Small Business-Higher on Google!
  • OR CONTACT US by clicking the button below & we can answer them for you!

So you run a small business and would like it to reach every prospective client it possibly can because someday you intend to make it a big corporation. But here comes the already established corporations with their bottomless pockets and their advertising budgets and big banners; and you wonder, how are you ever going to compete with that? In this article, we walk you through simple Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics for small businesses that you can tap into. 

Allow us to introduce you to the internet; the great equalizer that enables your small business to have just as much a competitive advantage as the multibillion-dollar companies within your industry. However, when we talk about the internet in this context we are referring to SEO.

You must have come across the term SEO before as an avid internet user; nonetheless, it is a tool that enables your small business to reach as many prospects as possible when they search for your business or products online. When you search for a product on a search engine such as Google, Yahoo or Bing there is always a site that always appears on the top search of the first page. This is not chance, this is SEO in action.

Search engines have algorithms that detect ranking signals such as keyword use that helps them optimize products and content based on relevance, to make their search results more efficient. Your small business can take advantage of this form of efficiency to increase their search engine rankings, generate more traffic to your website, turn these visitors into leads and ultimately boost your sales exponentially. But to do this you need to understand what SEO is, how it works and what it can actually do for your small business.

What is Website SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization which is self-explanatory if you break down the term by each word’s meaning. Simply put, search engine optimization is the process of making your website a priority search within the search engines. As a priority, your website and consequently your product’s visibility online is increased when people use search engines to look for either your products, services, or content related to your business.

How Does it Do That? 

Brace yourself, because this is where it gets a bit technical. Search engines use bots that scan through website pages uploaded on the World Wide Web collecting every bit of data and organizing it in files. These files are then analyzed using algorithms within the search engines looking for ranking signals which fundamentally entail keywords, internal and external links, and their strategic use. These signals will help the algorithms determine which site is the best possible solution to a particular query; say for instance, “Where to find dogs for adoption in California.” Based on each sites’ performance on their ranking signals, a search engine ranking is developed and this is what will determine where your site appears when a random person searches for your services, products, or business online.

To bring it closer home; imagine the internet as one big library and the algorithms as the librarian. The bots are library employees that organize the content in files, and the algorithms are the effective librarian that reads all the books and makes sure the books are organized on shelves based on relevance. The most relevant book on a particular section gets the first spot on the shelf, making it the most likely book to be picked up by a curious reader.

Metaphors aside you must be wondering, “What does all of this have to do with my small business?”

website seo for small businesses

What Can SEO Do for My Small Business?

SEO is a highly underrated online marketing tool because most firms do not understand the potential it holds in terms of efficiency and Return on Interest. Most people would go for social media marketing, email advertising, or paid ads. However, all these online channels require a hands-on approach and significant capital regularly injected into the marketing projects before you can realize any return on interest.

SEO on the other hand requires dedication on the onset which may take a while; once the foundation has been laid you require very little intervention to get it going. The most beautiful part is that you only invest revenue on the project at the beginning and once that is done, you get to sit back and watch your return on interest grow exponentially. Think about it, this is ideal for a small business manager who does not have the resources to run multiple hands-on online marketing projects while trying to grow their business.

Save Your Money 

A lot of businesses opt for alternative online channels that seem more direct and require a shorter term to apply. A common alternative to SEO is Google Ads, which is paid per click. Other popular alternatives include social media and email marketing. These channels are effective at getting visitors that click on a website but play no part in making them stay. Ultimately, you end up paying for clicks that have not generated any leads.

SEO on the other hand gives you both quality and quantity because if your content ranks higher on Google, it means that it has been verified to have the content that will keep the visitors on your site. This translates to a steady stream of traffic to your website that transforms into leads and sales; and you did not have to break the bank to make it happen.

Watch Your Website Visits Grow 

Of course, not every visitor will buy your product; some are just curious, while others are researching before coming to a final conclusion. All in all, if they like your content they are bound to act accordingly. This means that they may come again and again, and even share your link to other interested users who may share to others and it becomes a chain reaction that drives traffic to your website.

Boost Your Leads 

Your small business website with SEO now has increased traffic. That is a myriad of internet users that either require your service or product or are interested in the same. With the right website SEO content for your small business, you are guaranteed to capture their attention and thus compel them to act accordingly. This means that they will either buy, your products, share your content, or save your page for when they are ready to engage your business. These are quality leads and website SEO strategies can help you boost them substantially.

Still, need a little more convincing? Check the numbers.  

Numbers Don’t Lie 

Research has shown that companies that use SEO bring in 68% more leads compared to companies that do not. Unfortunately, a significant number of small businesses have not taken advantage of this merit because they don’t have a website. 

A lot of small businesses rely on word of mouth and small-scale social media advertising as more affordable alternatives to their marketing strategies.

These small business managers, however, fail to grasp the concept of the value for money that SEO offers. But if you follow the numbers you will realize why SEO works for the businesses that apply it.

53% of online shoppers always conduct research on a product and vary their options before making a purchase. It just so happens that websites are 74% more popular for conducting such research; making them the most popular channels for online shopping research. With clear online visibility and a high SEO ranking, these shoppers will end up at your site, giving you the first opportunity at convincing them that your product is the best.

free seo audit 1
How To Get SEO Working For Your Small Business

SEO is constantly advancing because search engine algorithms are constantly evolving to give users more proficient results. Their aim is to get users to stay on the page they display first, rather than drift onto ten other pages due to dissatisfaction. SEO aims to make that page your small business’s website page. To achieve this you need to understand the workings of Small Business Website SEO.

The following is a detailed compilation of the key factors used by Google’s algorithms to determine which site to rank highest based on online user behavior patterns. We chose Google it since is the most popular search engine, garnering over 90% of the world’s searches.

Keyword Use 

Consider the words a prospective client will most likely use when searching for your services. This is what will guide Google in setting you up in the right index. These keywords are fundamental to your website’s visibility as it places your business in the right industry context, in a platform where billions of business post their content. Your status is improved by the number of relevant keywords you have on your website content, regardless of whether they are actually English words or slang terms; as long as they are popularly used they are golden. With the right keyword count of between 20 to 50 unique keywords, the goal is to strategically fix them on the content within your website. Now the Small Business Website SEO foundation for your small business has been laid.

High-Quality Content

Filling your small business website SEO with a bunch of keywords will not determine the success of your SEO function. You need quality content, and the Google algorithms can tell. Remember that Google’s aim is to give their users the best quality results hence they will rank your website based on the quality it presents to their users. The trick here is to strategically use the keywords to fit within your content seamlessly; using queries that are common to your potential clients while giving them the most useful solutions.

Use Natural Links 

It is good news for your website rankings and indexing if another website links back to yours. Google uses this as a determinant of useful content. However, you cannot trick the Google algorithms by convincing a bunch of numerous random website owners to post your link on their page. These backlinks have to be natural otherwise you will be detected and diminish your rankings even further. You could, however, find a site of a company within your industry and make exchange backlinks. Do your research and make sure it is a worthwhile website and business otherwise you would be making a bad link trade.

Sell Your Brand  

On your website, you have descriptions sections and meta-title provisions that are meant to guide your visitors on what your brand is about and whether they are on the right page. Use these sections effectively when it comes to SEO strategies if you want to rank higher on Google. This is the part where you sell your business; describe what you do as candidly as possible and sell your brand’s unique features that make you the ideal business companion for your clientele.

Organize Your Site 

Organize your content to make it easier to visit, navigate through, and access modes. To do this start by putting your descriptions on the URL. Having a descriptive URL makes it easier to share your link which would translate to more referrals and visits. Yes, the Google algorithms monitor your visits and referrals because that is how you stay on top of the search engine rankings. Header tags for your content also help organize your website well. They improve your website’s navigation features and provide a strategic opportunity to use some of those keywords.  

Moz talks about updated SEO URL Structure in this article.

local seo cheat sheet

Now You Know more about Small Business Website SEO!

Once you are all set up, remember that being patient is part of the SEO process, it may take some time to see results, but when you see them you will be glad you chose SEO as a marketing tool for your small business website. 

If we have convinced you to leverage Small Business Website SEO for your company, know that this article is only a starting point; there is still much more to learn before you can effectively apply SEO for your business website. 

However, the beauty of it is that all you need to know can easily be found on the internet. And in case you find all this overwhelming, worry not; you can always seek out the professional assistance of an SEO agency like Momentum Digital.

You have the knowledge, now go forth and tap into website SEO to make your small business the best it can be.

By Mac
December 27, 2021

Hiring a Content Marketing Agency? Ask These 15 Questions First

Learn all about what to ask a content marketing agency when you are looking to hire!

Welcome back to another Momentum Monday Marketing blog! In this blog, we are going to talk about hiring a content marketing agency with 15 of the best questions to ask before making a decision.

Starting content marketing from scratch requires a sound strategy and the right team. Hiring just any content marketing agency is easy. If you need to start pumping out content quickly, there are plenty of options out there. However, finding the right agency – one who truly understands your business and can help hit your goals – is difficult. And if you want your content marketing strategy to be successful, hiring the right partner is absolutely essential.

The process of hiring a content marketing agency can be time-consuming; it involves asking questions such as: What will their deliverables look like? Will they cover every piece of content we produce? How will they measure success?

Momentum Digital is a marketing agency that supports small businesses.

We can show you how to set this up or you can hire us to do it for you!

  • Ask these 15 questions when hiring a content marketing agency.
  • OR CONTACT US by clicking the button below & we can answer them for you!

Before you sign on with an agency, make sure you know the answers to these 15 questions.

1. What content marketing strategies do you employ?

content marketing cycle

Your content marketing agency should be able to provide several case studies of content they’ve worked on; take time to closely examine these examples. If the samples all look alike, ask why and how they’ll help your company’s content stand out from everything else online. Content marketing agencies can use a variety of strategies – from blogging and podcasting to social media campaigns – but not every approach is right for your business or content goals. Don’t just pick an agency because their work looks good – make sure that it aligns with what you need as a company.

2. How will your team facilitate content creation?

Content marketing isn’t only about publishing blog posts or other content. It can include a variety of content types – including social media decks, infographics, and videos – as well as content ideas that never actually make it to the page. Ask your content marketing agency how they’ll work with you to ensure content creation is fast and efficient. Then ask for specific examples about how they’ve performed similar tasks in the past – not all agencies will be able to provide this kind of insight.

3. What's your content strategy?

43% of all B2B content marketers have a content strategy. Content marketing isn’t just about producing content; it should serve a larger purpose to help define and strengthen your company’s brand identity and customer relationships online. Make sure your content marketing agency knows: What makes you unique as a company, why people buy from you, & how those customers can benefit from the content. Everything your content agency does should align with this content marketing strategy.

4. What's your content promotion plan?

What is content promotion? It’s the process of distributing content and other resources via paid and organic channels. This can include; pay-per-click advertising, influencer outreach, PR, social media, email marketing, and syndication. 

You might be surprised to find out content promotion is more than just sharing via social media. Content marketing agencies can help you develop a content promotion plan that includes activities like sponsoring content on third-party sites, guest posting, and influencer outreach. Make sure you know where the content marketing agency will promote your content – and how they’ll track the results – before moving forward with a partnership.

5. Can we have access to all of our content created by you?

Marketing agencies should provide full transparency about what content they create for their clients – including whether it’s custom or exists elsewhere online under the company name. Let your content marketing agency know you want full content ownership and access – including rights to repurpose content for other marketing channels. You also need to know that content is search engine optimized, properly tagged, and easily shareable on social media.

6. Do you perform SEO?

If so, what best practices do you use?

There are a lot of SEO firms out there that claim to be experts. While some genuinely have excellent SEO abilities, the fact is that many of those claiming to execute SEO effectively is actually employing outdated best practices, if any at all. It’s important to get an understanding of the SEO elements that a content marketing agency considers as well as what best practices they apply.

When it comes to documenting best practices, asking them to share their top-rated procedures is a good first step. It will allow you to get a deeper sense of their expertise and whether they’re current on the most effective methods.

7. What's your process for assigning topics?

When pitching content ideas to the client, how do content agencies usually handle it? Here are a few tips: Make sure they’re well versed in your upcoming product/event rollouts and learn from the sales team about what’s selling well. If you can’t partner with an agency that has valuable insight into your business, move along to another candidate. 

8. How do you prioritize content production?

There’s no shortage of content available on the web, and content marketing agencies can’t publish content 24/7. So ask your agency about their content creation process: Do they batch content by topic or publish something daily? What are their submission deadlines like? Decide how much content your company needs to post per week, month, quarter to meet your goals – then make sure that’s reflected in what the content marketing agency is providing. Ask for a calendar outlining monthly posts as well as bigger projects to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

9. How will you measure content performance?

Your content marketing agency should be able to define key performance indicators for your content before it even goes live. Your agency should also have a process in place for analyzing this data and reporting progress – not only on the content being produced but its impact on your business as a whole. The right content marketing agency will always be asking: How does our content compare with the rest of the industry? What’s its unique value? Who is engaging with content, and how can we reach a broader audience? Are those people coming back for more? Are they purchasing products or converting into leads as a result of our efforts online?

10. Have you worked on projects like ours before?

Asking an agency whether it has content marketing experience is important, but also make sure to ask them for specific examples. The best content marketing agencies can demonstrate past success stories in your industry or with similar business models so you have a better idea of how their strategy might work for you.

11. How will you distribute content?

In addition to being able to explain how content will be created and why, the right content marketing agency should be able to explain how content will be distributed as well. In short: does this agency have a solid understanding of which channels are right for your company’s message and customer base? For example, if your company offers luxury goods, then distributing content through platforms such as LinkedIn Pulse or Instagram may not be the best choice.

12. How will content marketing contribute to overall business goals?

content marketing goals

Your content marketing agency should be able to explain exactly how content will be used to help drive conversions and increase revenue. For example, content may only be successful if it’s part of a larger inbound strategy that ultimately leads to sales or customer retention. A content marketing agency should understand the relationship between content and overall business goals so it can ensure all initiatives are running smoothly together.

13. What type of content do you produce on your blog?

Blogs are often considered the heart of content marketing because they can serve as valuable resources for customers who want more information about products or services, driving awareness and engagement over time – but not every company is equipped to produce valuable content for its blog. For example, content marketing agencies that specialize in content for B2C businesses may not be able to adapt their content strategy for B2B companies. Before hiring a content marketing agency, make sure it’s capable of creating content aimed at your ideal customer persona.

14. What makes you unique as an agency?

It doesn’t matter how great content is if it isn’t getting in front of the right audience. Make sure your content marketing agency has a process in place to analyze competitors’ content and uses proprietary insights to develop targeted distribution strategies, including identifying influencers who can help amplify your message.

Ask your marketing agency to provide you with a competitor analysis. This will give you an understanding of your competitors’ content marketing strategy. This can help you by knowing how ofter your competitors are posting content, the quality of the content, what keywords they are ranking for, what backlinks they are getting, and more.

15. Have you worked with any other local firms? How will you work together?

Content marketing requires more than just content creation; it also requires content distribution, content promotion, and content analysis. Because content marketing is a collaborative effort, a content marketing agency should be able to demonstrate how other local agencies could work together on content initiatives – whether that’s through content partnerships or providing complementary services to support content efforts.

The point of this exercise isn’t just to ask the right questions for your own business but also to keep all lines of communication open between you and your agency as you begin working together. In order for content marketing to be successful, both parties need to have a shared understanding of goals and roles from the very beginning. If you’ve outlined what success looks like from day one, chances are those goals will only become more attainable over time.

By Mac
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“My name is Mac and I used to work for Google. Now I help small businesses grow online and rank higher on Google”