SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential for brokerage businesses who want to attract more leads and clients via websites. However, since the rules of SEO are in constant change - due to Google updates – it is important to stay up-to-speed with the best SEO strategies. In this article you will read about the best methods to optimize your ranking in 2018.
Make the most out of local SEO
Local SEO is important for any business that depends on finding customers in its immediate area. This applies to companies that provide services to users who can directly contact them, or even walk through their door.
Say you are a brokerage firm in London, United Kingdom. You want people who type "Forex Trading in London" in their search engine to find your listing. However, that one keyword will not suffice; you will have to go beyond it and think of other terms people in different regions might use if they are looking for your service.
The most important factor for local SEO is “Google My Business.” For Google to list and rank your site, it is essential to fill out all the relevant information such as business name, address, and phone number and make sure it is accurate.
Think mobile first
The growth of mobile is not a new trend; it just surges every year. Google continues to favor sites that are mobile-friendly and is taking things one step further this year, as it is planning to introduce a mobile-search-index that prioritizes mobile over desktop. It is now mandatory for businesses to make sure that all pages and features on their websites are accessible to mobile users.
Solicit customer reviews
Customer reviews are now more important than ever. People are now likely to seek reviews, before trying a business. Reviews not only impress potential customers, but they also help improve your SEO.
It is debatable whether Google officially uses reviews as a ranking factor; however, it goes beyond questioning that visible reviews make a website stand out. If your business has reviews and your competitors do not, who do you think people will click on first?
Don't be shy about asking customers to write reviews for your business, if you have confidence in your products/services. Whether they do it on Google or industry review sites, it is a powerful way to build your online presence. When you do get positive reviews, feature them on your website, so visitors see that you have satisfied customers.
Continue to build your social presence
Social media is another ongoing SEO trend that will keep on growing stronger in 2018 and beyond. As more internet users spend their time on mediums such as Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms, content on these sites is often ranked by search engines.
A Facebook page or a Twitter account is beneficial for almost any business; however, they are not the only mediums out there. You can find your customers on other sites such as LinkedIn, WeChat, or Instagram.
On another note, social media marketing is useful for sharing links to your website, photos, videos, and other engaging content. However, keep in mind that people on social media sites respond to interesting, entertaining, or educational content, better than direct pitches. Building a ‘following’ on these sites, helps you attract leads and engage in a personal way with your existing/potential customers.
Optimize your images for visual search
The increasing popularity of visual content is another factor that's going to drive SEO in 2018. Google, Bing, and Pinterest already have visual search engines, which are going to get more sophisticated shortly. Google recently introduced Lens, a visual search function for its Pixel phones; a clear sign that this type of technology is about to become mainstream.
The rise of visual search is just one reason to use original and high-quality images on your website. A visually appealing site, of course, is a way to increase visitor-engagement as well as improve your SEO. You can also optimize your images for the conventional search engines by adding relevant tags.
Keep (or start) blogging
Blogging is an extremely powerful SEO strategy that many businesses overlook because they are not aware of all the benefits. In fact, blog posts help you establish expertise in your field. They also help with search engine optimization, if you choose topics that your audience is searching for.
Each new blog post provides more topics and keywords for the search engines to index. Blogging is a strategy that gets more powerful over time, as you create more helpful and keyword-rich posts. Blogging is an evergreen SEO strategy that never loses its power.
Prepare for voice search
This is a trend that overlaps with a couple of other points already covered: mobile and local SEO. For example, when people are driving around searching for a local business, it is convenient for them to speak queries into their mobile devices.
As both individuals and businesses use devices such as Amazon Echo and Google Home for more and more tasks, people are getting accustomed to searching and giving commands verbally.
One factor to keep in mind about voice search is that people speaking out loud tend to use complete sentences, rather than the kind of keywords traditionally used in SEO. If you want to optimize your site for voice search, long-tail keywords and natural sounding speech are your best options.
Stay informed about SEO
The above are some of the most important considerations for SEO in 2018. Make sure you stay current with the latest trends and news in SEO, so you are aware of any important developments. Investing in SEO makes good business sense SEO. Hire an in-house expert or find a trustworthy agency to handle these tasks for you. Optimizing your website for search engines is still one of the best ways to grow your business.
