It’s easy to forget that behind your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy there are not only backlinks, blogs, images, metrics and conversion rates – but people. The process would be pointless without the people, so it’s worth taking a little time to consider how customers are affected by – and affect – your SEO.
Experts say that building customer loyalty and rewarding your long-term customers can actually benefit your SEO strategy. One thing we do know is that companies will have to work harder for the loyalty of younger customers, given how many choices they have (and how easy it is to find those options).
Here’s how to better incorporate customer focus in your SEO.
Focus on Your Existing Customers
While of course you’re still looking to attract new readers, new web site visitors and new customers, make sure you’re not doing so at the expense of existing customers. These customers already know your business. They can talk to others about it and without knowing it, promote your business especially if the experiences they have with your company continue to be positive ones.
Engage Them on a Regular Basis
Even if you have the best content in the world this week, that doesn’t mean it’s going to keep driving traffic next week. If you’re constantly at the top of the customer’s mind, there’s a greater chance he or she will buy from you again. Consider not only blogs and news, but contests and giveaways, shareable social media posts (funny pictures, maybe) or bonus points for checking in on your app or web site.
Build Customer Loyalty into Your Local SEO Strategy
Having a good local SEO strategy is an excellent way to be successful among the variety of choices that consumers have at hand, resulting in brand loyalty. Customers today, often overwhelmed with the amount of information at their disposal, will continue to use search even with companies they’re familiar with and loyal to. Google Local Listings should be part of the foundation of your online reputation, as it’s responsible for over 50 percent of how Google ranks your business online with local search.
Manage Your Reviews
Getting regular customers to provide you with good reviews should be part of your strategy, as it will strongly boost your SEO. Research has shown that about 85 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. For this reason, you need to create and maintain a process that encourages your customers to write reviews, monitors those reviews, and attempts to improve any negative reviews. Not only will creating a formalized review process help you more good reviews, it will also put rockets onto your SEO efforts.
Call the Pros
Keyword Performance can help you develop a customer loyalty strategy that will help you drive local SEO. Visit our web site or call (203) 284-1929 for a consultation.