Search Engines are Answer Machines

"Just Google It"

 

We’ve all said it.

 

What we actually mean is “Just ask Google” and we’re all searching for answers to our every day questions:

 

Where are the best walks in Northern Ireland?

What are cheap healthy food recipes?

How can I invest my money?

 

Think of the questions your customers might ask and then consider how well your website answers them.

 

Search engines will direct the searcher to the best answer. Is that you?

 

In thinking this way you can start to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your website and begin the process of improving things until you provide Google, and other engines, with the best possible answers for your target customers.

 

Why Should You Care About SEO?

 

The number of people going online grows every day and they are constantly searching for the products, services, information and entertainment they want and need.

 

39 million people from the UK used Google alone in 2014 to search for what they wanted. In the same year 64% of all web traffic came from search engines.

 

6 out of every 10 visitors to your website is a big number. Are you providing them with the right answers to their search questions?

 

Search Search Search

 

What are people actually looking for online?

 

Well, as it turns out, we’re looking for absolutely everything. For example, over 40,000 people searched for “healthy recipes” in the UK in the last month alone.

 

No matter what your niche, there will be search traffic (although it could be tiny!)

 

Content-wise people are looking for answers and this could be great product pictures and descriptions, an in-depth explanation of your services or maybe just helpful tips within your niche.

 

Think about what your customer is asking on a search engine, then set about creating the best answers.

 

Digital Marketing for Northern Ireland Businesses

Don’t Be Scared of Online

 

I’ve spoken to a few businesses around the country that worry that by increasing their efforts online things might suffer offline – in the "real world".

 

This couldn’t be further from the truth and I’d love to see more local businesses out there truly grasp the power of their own website, social media channels and email marketing.

 

This can be done alongside your efforts in your store or business. It just takes a little time, organisation and effort.

 

A Year in Digital

 

Just before Christmas I spoke to one business in Ballymena who were starting to see the rewards of a little hard work online.

 

In January 2015 (exactly one year ago!) they decided to use their website as more than just a static shop window. They begin to add tens, if not hundreds of products, to their website and slowly built up a reliable online shop within their own niche.

 

As the months passed they started to see great online traffic slowly filter through to their website and even noticed funny trends.

 

These trends included a bad day in the shop, due to horrible weather, being replaced by a great day online with people buying from the comfort of their own (warm & dry!) home. Their shop and website were now complimenting each other.

 

They did all this without taking their eye off the ball offline in their store.

 

Start Today!

 

This doesn’t just apply to shops or businesses selling a product on a shelf.

 

Everyone including service-based businesses, restaurants, cafes, gyms and hairdressers should look to slowly build up a great online side to their business!

 

Get the ball rolling...

  • Take a look at your website and ask yourself “Does the content on here answer my average customer’s questions?”

 

  • Start asking your customers for their email address to send them exclusive offers and up-to-date information on your business