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How to Hire the Right Personal Assistant for Your Startup

Posted: 10 May 2019 02:00 PM PDT

If you own a business and have created a website for it, you know there's a lot of work that goes into it. It's essential that you choose the right personal assistant because they can make or break whether or not your company runs smoothly.

You want someone that understands what you need and can help you get where you want to be, but this is impossible without first doing a little research and scoping out your options. You don't want to go with the first candidate that seems like a good fit; instead, take the time to hire someone who has both the soft and hard skills you'd want any employee of yours to embody. Hiring the right person could result in increased user engagement, improved lead generation and more.

Here are a few tips to help you hire a personal assistant that's right for you and your startup.

Determine your biggest time-wasters

Having a written list of all the tasks you spend too much time on and don't add to your income's ROI can help you determine if you even require a personal assistant in the first place. It's worth it to take time to document how you spend your time on an average workday so you're aware of what time is being wasted and could be used more productively.

Depending on your startup, there could be several areas of your business you could choose to outsource, including:

  • Social media: Creating social media content, planning upcoming social campaigns, scheduling posts, etc.

  • Scheduling: Making schedules, confirming appointments, making outgoing calls, etc.

  • Content planning: Brainstorming topics for your blog, website copy, email marketing, product descriptions, etc.

  • Management: Taking over bigger tasks that directly deal with business such as inventory and sales.

  • Customer service: Directly dealing with customers by answering emails, phone calls, and online inquiries; coming up with ways to appease customers, solve their problems and make them happy.

  • Research: Looking for new publications and blogs to pitch to, gathering data, analytic research, gathering statistics for blog content or new marketing strategies, etc.

  • Data entry: Organizing and keeping accurate data, bookkeeping, etc.

Write a detailed job posting

You want to leave out the guesswork when searching for your new assistant. This will eliminate a lot of confusion and make it clear to candidates what you expect from them, what the job entails, and other important information they need to know before they can decide to apply.

Write up a list of qualities and qualifications that are a must-have for your business. How much knowledge do you expect them to have prior to starting? What tasks do you expect them to complete? What behavior skills are you looking for? How often do you need these tasks finished and what deadlines do you want to be kept?

Once you have the answers to the important questions, it's time to draft a job posting that accurately represents what you're looking for. Don't beat around the bush when it comes to your expectations because you'll end up with the wrong candidate whose preconceived notion of the job is way different than what you need.

Conduct thorough interviews

Depending on the volume of applications you receive and how much time you have allotted to the hiring process, you might want to conduct more than one interview. Some companies believe just one is enough, and for some, this may work, but if you feel like you need more than one round of evaluations, then hold more than one.

Holding more than one interview per candidate has its benefits, the main of which is that you get to know the applicant better and have the opportunity to ask more detailed questions. You can find out more about their soft skills, for example, to gauge their behavior and their work ethic. It's also an opportunity to hear more about the positive things they've done for previous companies, such as boosting their ROI.

If you run a remote business and interviewing face-to-face isn't an option, it's wise to use video chat rather than phone calls. Doing so allows you to gauge more about the person such as their nonverbal cues, body language, and overall behavior. It can help you notice qualities about them you otherwise wouldn't have if it was conducted over the phone.

Wrapping up

Scouting for the right personal assistant is tough work. It's impossible to find someone who has 100 percent of the qualities you're looking for, but with a little extra time and research, you can hire someone who's pretty close. It's important to be prepared for what's ahead and always communicate what you need so that your startup runs smoothly and benefits monetarily thanks to your newfound time and energy. How will you hire the right personal assistant?

3 Tips for Creating a Guest Posting Strategy that Works

Posted: 10 May 2019 01:00 PM PDT

Guest blogging is great for so many reasons, one being it generates three times the amount of leads than paid advertising according to the Content Marketing Institute. It builds trust between you and readers which boosts credibility. This leads to longer, more frequent engagement with your content and users who like to interact with your blog post.

When your content is seen on websites that users trust and already love, some of that automatically gravitates to your content because you're affiliated. This is a foolproof technique to grow your audience and convert them into subscribers.

Let's look at three tips to get you started on creating a guest posting strategy that works for you.

1. Work on your pitch

Your content won't have a chance at getting published if the pitch you send to editors is sloppy, badly written or unorganized. Your pitch is the first line of contact you have with the publication so it's essential if you want to make a dazzling first impression. Always be sure to read the website's submission guidelines before crafting your pitch so you don't waste each other's time.

Optimize all areas of your pitch:

  • Subject line

  • Addressee

  • Body copy

  • Signature

The more personalized you can make your pitch, the better. Editors can tell when a generic template has been sent to their inbox and it'll decrease the chances of them opening it. Locate the name of the editor and address them by it in your email. If you can't find a name, try to find another email the company uses to get in touch with visitors.

Prove your worth in your email and show them you'll bring value to their website if they publish your guest post by sharing other published pieces you've written. Be clear and concise about your topic, its angle and why you could write it best. Be friendly and conversational.

2. Create high-quality content

It's unlikely that an authoritative, well-respected website is going to feature your blog post if it isn't well produced and of high quality. It's insulting to pitch them something that's generic, overdone, or just plain badly written.

Use spellcheck and grammar tools like Grammarly or Hemingway to catch the mistakes you can't. Reading your content out loud to yourself usually helps pick out weird phrases or sentences that don't fit. These tools are built to catch sentences that need rewording or are too long so it's easier to keep your audience's attention.

Conduct keyword research to find topics high in relevance to your industry. Use Google Keyword Planner or Buzzsumo to search keywords you can center your content around that your audience wants to read. This will boost your rankings in search because it drives organic traffic to your content which Google favors.

Review your existing blog posts and see what can be improved before you pitch to anyone. Consider if the content you post is relevant to your target audience and helps them learn something new. Determine if it's written in a conversational, friendly tone and uses easy-to-consume language. If visitors or competitive sites view your blog and aren't impressed by what they see, guest posting for them will be near impossible.

3. Work on your author bio

If the site you're guest posting for allows you to include our own author bio, this is your golden opportunity to promote your content and social media and get your name out there even more. You're usually allowed one or two links back to your blog and a link or two to your social media so use them wisely and link to your best content.

You want your author bio to match the vibe of the publication where you are posting. If the website's blog posts don't use quirky, fun, trendy language, it's safe to assume you shouldn't either. Stick to the tone and attitude their blog has in their posts and match it to your bio. It's important to craft a separate bio for each site you guest post for because they'll each have different rules and guidelines for your bio.

Wrapping up

If your content marketing strategy doesn't include guest posting, you're missing out on a goldmine of new subscribers and impressive conversions. Guest posts prove your worth to a new audience who knows nothing about you. It's your chance to show your target market that you're the perfect addition to their list of favorite websites with valuable, relevant content. If you can create quality guest posts that speak to the reader, you're on the way to driving more traffic to your website.

 

The 5 Pitfalls of Mobile App Marketing

Posted: 10 May 2019 11:00 AM PDT

This is how we give priority to tried and tested strategies. But this approach of repeating a tested and tried strategy again and again to drive growth no longer seems to have all the answers. Modern businesses, especially the ones looking for digital exposure such as mobile presence need to incorporate out of the box approaches to stand out of the competition.

In the context of mobile apps, besides remaining open to innovation and out of the box approaches you only need to stay clear of the common marketing pitfalls that already had a negative impact on so many others. Just when leaders are trying to push for the transformation of mobile app marketing with strong fundamentals, besides taking note of the latest app development tips they also need to take care of the below-mentioned pitfalls or mistakes. 

Editor's note: Looking for a mobile app development solution? Fill out the questionnaire below and our vendor partners will contact you about your needs.

 

1. Non-alignment of the app with the shopping experience

Often while unrolling apps businesses forget to give attention to maintaining a consistent shopping or brand experience throughout the website, mobile app, the in-store experience and other channels. If your app looks like a completely new entity without any continuation of the shopping or brand experience the business is known for, there are serious problems.

A recent study by Apadmi shows that while 11% of consumers in the U.K. downloaded apps of their favorite retailer brand, 59% of these app users feel that the user experience of the app does not align with the online or in-store shopping experience of these retailer brands. This clearly shows that a brand-specific experience across channels is key to successful app marketing.

2. Dull onboarding experience

As most mobile users are increasingly becoming victims of certain user behavior patterns and mannerisms, ditching these common user behavior attributes and making your app discoverable remains a big challenge. According to Forrester Research, UK smartphone users spend 89% of their in-app time on five leading apps, including Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Stocks and Maps. That dominance is among the biggest challenge for most app marketers. It is especially challenging for apps with a small marketing budget. [Interested in mobile app development software? Check out our reviews and best picks.]

In these circumstances, out of the box approaches play a crucial role in driving traction and engagement. For any average app, the vast majority of users (around 60% of them) become inactive within the first 30 days, as per a report of Localytics. On the other hand, a study by Quettra shows that for the first three days users generally remain active and the activity rate drops by 77% after this initial period. So, the most important consideration for app marketers should be great onboarding experience coupled up with exceptional ease of use and instant gratification for users to do things they intend to do.

3. Not aligning everyone in the company with the goal

If a company tries to push for digital transformation in-app marketing, the first objective should be selling the product convincingly to your own company people starting from the top brass down to the field executives. Whether you can bring all your manpower behind the app marketing goal matters a lot for your committed effort.

The digital transformation just doesn't happen when you look at your own app as a saleable product while continuing with your own choice of apps from other competitors. You first need to use the app as an irreplaceable tool for your needs and find where the app can further be developed better. When you can align the whole company as an integrated team behind the app, developing it over time and marketing it as a useful tool will be easier.

4. Lack of personalization

If one particular aspect took over the app development and app marketing with a transformative potential it is nothing but the personalization of the apps. Because smartphones are tremendously personal devices, most users love to be catered with personalized elements. From personalized contents to custom design elements to allowing users a lot of freedom with in-app ads and notifications, personalization of user experience will continue to dominate the app marketing.

So, if your app is still providing "one-size-fits-all" type of user experience to the users, you are risking yourself to be ignored. As the users' interests are more varied and as so-called "common interests" no longer stands true to user preferences, you need to focus on utilizing all possible ways to personalize the user experience. For instance, you can allow your users to choose the preferred type of notification messages and their timing and you can personalize a product page or allow them to opt for contents that they want to see first.

5. Not counting on the existing customer base

If you are a business with an established customer base, an app representing your brand should give priority to your existing customers first. Having a loyal customer base for your business brand gives you great mileage ahead of others. As an app marketer, you should capitalize on this first.

In the beginning, try to market your app to your customer base and allow them to keep in touch with your business throughout the day. Do the necessary to provide great customer service and to listen to your customer queries. A new app can bring a lot more delights to your existing customers in terms of user experience and give your business a boost.

 

11 Methods for Keeping Remote Teams Organized and Communicating

Posted: 10 May 2019 07:00 AM PDT

There are often also a few downsides to remote work. There is a great chance for miscommunication, and community culture may not develop as easily or as strongly.

So how can entrepreneurs keep their remote team well organized and communicating openly and efficiently? Below, members of YEC share their best methods of keeping a remote team streamlined and focused, despite time zones.

1. Keep in sync

Regardless of whether we're talking about remote employees or in-house staff, I believe it's important to have everyone participate in frequent meetings regarding productivity and goals. These days it's super easy to do with online meeting software and technologies. A frequent online meeting between remote and in-house staff helps to keep everyone communicating with free-flowing ideas and solutions. – Jared Weitz, United Capital Source

2. Use project management software

A project management software like Asana is a great tool to keep remote teams organized and communicating. With Asana, you can create tasks, assign them to team members with due dates and organize projects by the team. You'll get a notification each time a task is completed for tasks that you're following and you can also easily keep an eye on the progress of other teams and projects as well. – Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms

3. Remove yourself as a bottleneck

I have run remote teams for more than15 years now. This is how I staff my company. The secret to getting your team to work together is to allow your team to make decisions on their own. When you begin, your team relies upon you as the owner or manager to provide direction on everything. When this happens, you find yourself in a constant state of management. Encourage your team to work on their own. – Brian Greenberg, True Blue Life Insurance

4. Focus on the company culture

The biggest challenges that a remote workforce brings is team integration. Use of communication tools can help the team stay on the same page, but unlocking the true potential of the team and working collaboratively requires a remote work policy that focuses on mixing the remote employees into the company culture. Schedule team meetings over video at least once a week to promote team integration. – Rahul Varshneya, Benchpoint

5. Share information and insights

Meetings keep remote teams synchronized and allow remote employees to take part in a dialogue with their colleagues. Collaboration and sharing are vital to a business's success. Without formal meetings, you can end up with a situation in which everyone works in their bubble and doesn't share information and insights with other team members. – Corey Northcutt, Northcutt Enterprise SEO

6. Use Slack and Standuply

We use Slack at our company to keep our remote team organized and communicating. We also recently implemented a standup bot for Slack called Standuply. Standup messages each team member daily to get an update on what they're working on. The answers are all posted in a specific Slack channel and team members can keep up-to-date with what's going on across the board. – John Turner, SeedProd LLC

7. Leverage connectivity tools

Making sure everyone is using the same connectivity tools and staying in touch with each other is ideal. We like using tools like Trello, Gmail and Skype to continually make sure we are all on the same page and that work is progressing nicely. It's great to use a platform like Trello, where everyone can comment and keep each other updated on where everyone is on a given task. – Zac Johnson, Blogger

8. Use Google Drive

The most effective method that I've found for keeping remote team members organized is to have them update a shared document or spreadsheet on Google Drive. Comment chains, revision history and cloud storage are all features that come in handy when keeping all team members on the same page, regardless of their time zone or general hours of availability. – Bryce Welker, Crush The CPA Exam

9. Organize team retreats

One way an employer can keep teams organized and communicating is to organize a team retreat. A team retreat can bring together remote employees, freelancers and in-house employees in a fun, relaxed environment. It's a great opportunity to brainstorm common goals together, connect and touch base. – Shu Saito, Godai Soaps

10. Keep leaders in the loop

I always like to keep the leaders of each department aware of changes before they occur. Each person can then go to their smaller team and make changes or relay information as necessary. I also use weekly meetings with my team and sometimes multiple meetings every week with the leaders of each department so we can cover changes in real time. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner

11. Ask for responses

Asking multiple outsourced teams to work together is already challenging; it is especially difficult if English is not their primary language. Asking all the team members to always respond that they have received an email as well as what they need to do (making sure that they understood the message) has helped me in the past. This prevented double work or redoing the work that has been done wrong. – Eugene Gold, WOW Payments LLC

Seek Out These Opportunities at Your Next Trade Show

Posted: 10 May 2019 05:00 AM PDT

There are many opportunities at trade shows that businesses should take advantage of if they want to get more exposure and open up new avenues of business. Consider the following opportunities to increase your ROI at your next trade show.

Set meetings with industry press

If your business is offering a new product or service, a trade show is an excellent place to unveil it. There will be a lot of industry press at the trade show and if you've proactively set meetings with them, your business can capitalize on some much-needed publicity and brand awareness.

It's important to start reaching out three to six months in advance in order to get on industry journalists' schedules. Give them a reason why you want to meet; let them know that you'll be releasing a game-changing software or that you've got some exciting new products to unveil.

Meet with potential partners

Most exhibitors like to have a semi-private meeting room or set up tables and chairs at their trade show booth. Often, this is because they take meetings during the show with other businesses to find out if there are synergistic opportunities for a partnership. For instance, this could include licensing deals or exclusive arrangements between complementary products. If you've been eyeing a few businesses that it might make sense to meet with, reach out a month or two in advance to set up meetings with key people while you're at the show. 

Editor's note: Need a trade show display for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you with free information.

 

Sponsor an event or station

A great way to publicize your business' presence at the trade show is to sponsor something. Sponsorship can bring a lot more attention and drive traffic to both your trade show booth and your website. If your trade show budget won't allow you to sponsor a large gala or breakfast, try sponsoring a charging station or a coffee break between speakers' workshops.

The benefit of sponsorship is that your brand is mentioned on the show's official website and in its literature, emails and social media marketing posts. It's an excellent opportunity to get your business's name out to a wide variety of exhibitors and show attendees, as well as people who just browse the show site.

Deliver a breakout session or panel discussion

A year in advance of each trade shows and conferences, organizers put out a call for speakers and often outline the topics that attendees might be most interested in. If you find a topic that you can deliver expertly, possibly in conjunction with a large industry client, your business will be in front of dozens or even hundreds of people. Depending upon the show and the nature of your participation, speaking at events could be a good way to generate buzz for your business and increase your brand recognition. 

Success at a trade show can be defined by more than the number of leads you acquire by standing in the trade show booth. It can also include the relationships you form and the visibility you gain. Before exhibiting at your next trade show, consider how incorporating one or more of these ideas could help your business make a big impact in your industry. 

The Security of Connected Medical Devices

Posted: 10 May 2019 05:00 AM PDT

  • The healthcare industry is very vulnerable to cyberattack.
  • The most common types of threats are ransomware, malware, data breaches, DDoS and cryptojacking.
  • Patient care and safety, data loss and damage to a healthcare provider's reputation are among the consequences of networks being attacked.
  • To stop cyberattacks on medical devices you need to monitor and segment devices, keep software updated and implement a response plan to an attack.

The internet of things – the ever-growing network of connected devices used throughout the world today – is especially prominent in modern businesses. From manufacturers to retailers, companies everywhere are implementing connected devices to capture more data across more business processes.

In few industries is the growth of connected devices so rapid and widespread as it is in the healthcare industry. Today, the average hospital room contains 15 to 20 connected medical devices. In some hospitals, connected medical devices outnumber mobile devices, such as laptops and smartphones, 4 to 1. A large hospital could be home to as many as 85,000 connected devices. While each of these devices has a significant role in the delivery of care and operational efficiency, each connected device also opens the door to a malicious cyberattack.

"Lots of IoT devices, coupled with the free flow of patient data in the network, create massive internal blind spots about what's happening," said Chris Morales, head of security analytics at Vectra. "The biggest threat is in the network, where perimeter security is blind."

So, how can healthcare providers possibly leverage the benefits of connected devices while also protecting their networks – and the sensitive patient data stored on them – from would-be attackers?

Editor's note: Looking for an electronic medical records (EMR) system for your practice's data? Fill out the questionnaire below and our vendor partners will contact you about your needs.

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Cybersecurity threats facing healthcare organizations

The healthcare industry is particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks. Hackers are well aware of the value of protected health information and are willing to deploy a variety of methods to compromise healthcare organizations' networks.

"From a threat perspective, healthcare is often seen as a large, soft target," said William Peteroy, security CTO at Gigamon. "There are increasing interdependencies between technology and providing quality care, which means that we're seeing more technology in healthcare than ever before, but we don't see a strong and consistent focus on information security to go along with that."

These are some of the most common attacks and threats facing healthcare organizations:

  • Ransomware attacks: One of the most common threats ids ransomware. These threats compromise data and lock users out of their own system, demanding a ransom in return for restored access. If that ransom isn't paid in time, the data is typically deleted automatically. Ransomware represents a massive threat to healthcare organizations, which maintain a wide range of sensitive patient records and are subject to HIPAA compliance standards.

  • Malware: Malware is software designed to disrupt or damage a computer or device, as well as provide unauthorized access to the hackers who deployed it. Malware is another prevalent threat in the healthcare industry; in fact, 78% of healthcare providers reported being targeted by malware, ransomware or both in the past 12 months.

  • Data breaches: Data breaches occur anytime sensitive information is released to an unauthorized individual. In the case of healthcare organizations, data breaches often capture patient records that are subject to HIPAA regulations for protected health information.

  • DDoS attacks: A distributed denial-of-service attack occurs when a hacker leverages a large network of bots to flood an organization's servers with traffic, ultimately bringing down its system. In a hospital environment, a significant interruption of service from a DDoS attack could result in harm to patients or even loss of life.

  • Cryptojacking: Cryptojacking is a new type of cybersecurity threat that leverages the processing power of a compromised device to mine cryptocurrency on behalf of the hacker. Cryptojacking can negatively impact the functionality of a compromised device and reduce its overall lifetime. In a healthcare environment, where many medical devices are used for patient care, cryptojacking could put patient safety at risk.

Defending against these threats and others requires a constantly evolving cybersecurity plan that includes visibility into all connected medical devices, proper network segmentation, and regular patches and updates to prevent vulnerabilities from being easily exploited. Otherwise, the consequences could be quite steep.   

Consequences of cyberattacks

On average, cyberattacks against healthcare organizations cost $1.4 million in recovery alone, according to a report from Radware. Moreover, patient safety relies on the security of a hospital's network, making cybersecurity a larger consideration than just lost revenue and new expenses. Therefore, healthcare cybersecurity is especially critical.

"The healthcare industry houses some of the most personal and sensitive data one can imagine," said Stephen Cox, chief security architect at SecureAuth. "Having this data be stolen by attackers and leaked to the dark web can be an absolute catastrophe for phishing campaigns. Having a device taken offline due to an incident could delay a patient from receiving a vital treatment."

Without a sufficient cybersecurity plan and the software to back it up, healthcare organizations risk potentially irreparable consequences, including the following:

  • Loss of patient data: In the healthcare industry, patient records are highly sensitive. When a hacker gains access to a healthcare provider's network, patient data is at risk. Loss of that data could have legal consequences, like penalties and lawsuits, and can result in the violation of patient privacy.
  • Damage to organizational reputation: Cyberattacks, especially those against large companies, tend to be high-profile affairs. When a healthcare organization suffers a cyberattack, the brand reputation is at risk. Patients everywhere will doubt whether their data is secure or their care is in good hands if the healthcare organization can't even protect its own network. Damage to brand reputation could have untold indirect costs for a long time.
  • Impact to patient care and safety: Many connected medical devices play an instrumental role in care. For example, modern infusion pumps are often connected to a network. Certain cyberattacks could alter the way those pumps function, jeopardizing a patient's life. Cyberattacks could actually prove fatal, making healthcare cybersecurity more than just a business consideration.

Healthcare cybersecurity best practices for connected medical devices

Despite the cybersecurity threats associated with connected medical devices, medical IoT is an essential part of modern healthcare. Deploying, monitoring and updating connected medical devices in accordance with a wider cybersecurity plan is key to ensuring you can reap the benefits of connected medical devices without opening yourself up to unnecessary risks.

1. Identify and monitor all connected medical devices.

Every single connected medical device should be monitored in real time, allowing security teams to constantly probe for vulnerabilities or anomalous behavior that could signal the device has been compromised. In an environment with hundreds or thousands of connected devices, employing some type of intelligent cybersecurity solution is the only way to effectively manage the network.

"Tracking devices for visibility manually is indeed difficult, especially with a small security team," Morales said. "When you factor in the time it takes a lean security team to discover a data breach that comprises unknown connected devices, it is apparent the security team needs some level of augmentation of capabilities through intelligent technology."

2. Segment connected medical devices.

Properly segmenting connected medical devices based on vulnerability and risk profile can reduce hackers' penetration into your network in the event a cyberattack does occur.

"Hospitals can mitigate risks by creating an isolated network for connected devices, which is simple and can be done with VLANs and firewall technology that's been around for decades," Peteroy said.

3. Ensure software is regularly updated.

Regular software updates are critical to warding off what would otherwise be easily thwarted cyberattacks. The high-profile WannaCry ransomware attack, which affected large companies all over the world, exploited a vulnerability that was patched in a Windows update released months prior. As a result, the only organizations that were affected by WannaCry were those that had failed to update their software. Every connected medical device should be subject to regular software patching and firmware updates, prioritized by individual risk profile. This makes the device less ripe for exploitation.

4. Establish a cybersecurity framework and incident response plan.

Finally, while software solutions and regular updates are a great way to reduce the chances of a cyberattack, a smart security team knows it is a matter of time before their defenses are probed by a malicious actor. It's crucial for a comprehensive cybersecurity plan to include an incident response procedure that can be deployed at a moment's notice and includes all the major stakeholders across all departments within the organization.

Hospitals are vulnerable targets because of the value of their information and the sheer scale of their networks. However, leveraging connected medical devices and the many benefits they offer doesn't mean hospitals must fall victim to hackers and their cyberattacks. By implementing an intelligent cybersecurity solution that can identify and monitor all connected devices in real time, properly segmenting those devices, running regular software updates, and preparing a comprehensive incident response plan, security teams can be as prepared as possible to face ever-evolving cybersecurity threats.

Build Your Online Authority With 5 Simple SEO Tips

Posted: 10 May 2019 05:00 AM PDT

Gone are the days of customers wandering the streets looking for new businesses. When someone needs something, whether it's a product or service, they Google it. If you're a local provider of that good or service, you want to be on the first page of those Google results, which is something the business.com community constantly asks about.

An entire industry has emerged to do just that – provide businesses with a high ranking on Google. There are a lot of "experts" out there who charge a significant amount of money for (what turns out to be) baseless theory.

"SEO is the snake oil of the 21st century, with hucksters shilling keywords and contextual phrases, as if these tiny agencies that charge their clients thousands each month are somehow smarter than the hundreds of MIT grads programming Google's algorithms," said Tony Panaccio, a media veteran of 35 years and senior counselor at Wilson Advertising and Media. "They're not, and they never will be."

What's a business owner to do when they need to rank well on Google but have no experience in the area? Panaccio suggests following Google's own instructions for how to rank well organically. It can be as simple as that.

"You should build a website to benefit your users, and any optimization should be geared toward making the user experience better," reads Google's own guide to its algorithm and SEO. "Search engine optimization is about helping search engines understand and present content."

If you're considering hiring an SEO expert, Google suggests doing a fair amount of research both into potential candidates and the nature of SEO. Irresponsible SEO can kill your small business's website.

If you're looking to learn more about some basic SEO steps to help your site, we've listed five below. Otherwise, it's important to use Google's resources, and, if you want to go this route, work with an experienced professional that you've vetted through your own basic understanding of SEO.

1. List your business on Google My Business.

The best first step toward healthy SEO habits is listing your business on Google My Business. By doing this, you'll appear on Google Maps and on Google's search results page if your business is searched for.

Google creates a profile of your small business where customers can easily find your contact information and can leave reviews about your business. Beyond having a profile on Google, registering with Google My Business can help your rank.

"Having a Google My Business account also allows small businesses the opportunity to show up in the local three pack, the first three search results on the results page that will always go to local businesses when relevant," said Morgan Hennessey, search analyst with Electric Enjin.

The basic logic is that if Google doesn't know your business (and that its website exists), how could it list it? Google My Business is a great way to get active online and start building your business's presence.

2. Focus on local SEO.

One advantage small businesses have over enterprise companies is their presence in the community. This advantage extends to the online realm as well. Google prioritizes local businesses where applicable. If you can rank for certain search terms in your area, that could mean more customers walking in the door.

"Many small businesses have fewer marketing dollars to spend, which is why I tend to recommend reviews and local SEO in the beginning in order to make the biggest impact and get clients the biggest bang for their buck," said Christina Brodzky, founder of MediaSesh.

By focusing on local SEO, you can build a customer base and community both online and through your storefront or location. Google My Business and other local website providers, like Yellow Pages, are great places to start.

Editor's note: Looking for an online marketing service for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

 

3. Set up a blog.

This may not work for all businesses, but if you run a small business where how-tos and other lifestyle-based articles can depict your products and day-to-day processes, a blog may be a good way to drive SEO. By garnering more views on your pages, and building backlinks, you can signal to Google that your website is trustworthy and provides users with valuable information.

That's the key here – your posts should provide valuable information to readers. Avoid starting a blog as a gimmick, and don't force it if your industry doesn't translate well via a written article. Once you set up a blog, update it regularly so potential customers know you're an active and engaged business owner.

"Publish original content on a regular basis," said Bryan Pattman, SEO analyst at 9sail. "[Business owners] should write in-depth articles on topics in their niche and share them through social media once published." 

4. Establish backlinks.

While setting up a blog is a good way to establish backlinks, it's also possible to garner backlinks without a blog.

Backlinks show that other sources on the internet are citing your website, which communicates trust to Google. Backlinking to your site can often be treated as a hunt, where business owners or SEO specialists request media outlets or other businesses to link to a certain page.

To stay consistent with Google's original how-to guide, establishing good backlinks should be an organic process. Trying to track down websites and conduct shady deals for backlinks isn't a good idea. Instead, just have great content that people naturally want to feature.

"The biggest SEO gains I have seen are often as a result of gained backlinks to a website," said Alex Ratynski, founder of Make Bank Blogging. "When looking to get more backlinks, focus first on improving your content, truly have the best, most comprehensive content, and it will be link-worthy."

5. Be wary of the SEO "expert."

It may be in your best interests to work with an SEO expert. If you decide to do this, make sure you research typical SEO practices and properly vet candidates. Some people, like Panaccio, advise avoiding SEO experts entirely. You might be better off handling SEO on your own, but it's important to know that if you want to work with an expert, you should find one that has the right mentality toward building organic SEO value.

"Stop selling, start telling," Panaccio said. "No one likes to be sold, but most B2B and B2C audiences love learning something they didn't know. Establish thought leadership in your industry by writing and recording videos about the intelligence that drives your business."
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