“Last month, December 2018, my website crashed…. pages were lost and people were unable to make orders. I don’t know how long it had been down….my last online order had been in early November. I had spent a fortune building this new website and sales had been worse than my 9 year old website had ever had.
I liked the artistic elements and the updated feel, but it just wasn’t producing. I was told it was the WIX’s platform. Google didn’t respect the platform and it didn’t score well with their SEO.
The last years sales online had suffered greatly as a result, even though I had had record sales through my ever expanding commercial distributor network.
I guess now…. I consider it a blessing that the website crashed.
I met Sandy Rowley from Renowebdesigner.com at a business meeting at the “Innervation Center”.
Immediately I learned that she was an expert in SEO and website design. She gave me a quote to move my website and proceeded to reconstruct and transfer the sight to Shopify. Shopify had been recommended to me by others the last few months.
I agreed to her proposal and within a week she had it up and running. It was Christmas time and we all had other things in mind. My products are not Christmas time items but immediately after new years, I started getting website sales. I had sales 6 out of 7 days that first week.
I always believed that my website was key to my overall success and now I’m convinced that I will exceed my record year of 2018.
I commend Sandy for her efforts to reconstruct and transfer my website.
She did a fabulous job and was very fair about it.
She’s easy to work with and pays great attention to the little details.
She has earned my respect and loyalty.
I will recommend her to all my contacts in the future without hesitation.
Sandy is a true professional and her awards and credits are no joke.
I’m so glad she showed up when I needed help. I’m confident she will do fabulous work for anyone.”
Drop in and Wedge Anchor Setting Tools www.SetItFast.com
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is rapidly becoming the most essential digital marketing tool. An effective SEO campaign can help you achieve high Google rankings.
Higher Google rankings can lead to greater online visibility, which can drive traffic to your site and get more customers on the line.
It is possible to tackle SEO yourself. However, some companies outsource SEO services.
In fact, search engines offer all businesses a great opportunity to engage with a vast marketplace.
Think about the way a typical Google search works. Most people search for a word or a phrase that approximates what they’re seeking. For example, you may search for “Search Engine Optimization” or “digital marketing ideas.”
When Google populates results for any given search, it prioritizes the “best matches.” These generally occur on the first page of results, within the top ten listings.
This is where searchers are most likely to click. The likelihood of searchers clicking on content on pages two, three, or four of Google results goes down from there.
That first page of Google is competitive real estate. And the good news is that you can take steps to get your content there, earning you more clicks and (hopefully) more sales.
This is where SEO comes in. Marketers can optimize their online content for keyword searches their customers are likely to enter into Google.
For example, a pet grooming company may cater towards searchers for the following phrases: “dog wash services,” “pet grooming in Los Angeles,” or “cheap grooming.”
SEO involves more than keyword integration.
High ranking sites are also likely to have a high domain authority, meaning that a lot of outside sites link to their content. They also should have high-quality, valuable content.
It is possible to launch an optimization campaign yourself, provided you have the right tools. Yet it is also possible to hire SEO experts to tackle your optimization campaign.
Why Your Business Needs a Professional SEO Consultant
There are many reasons why you may need to outsource your SEO efforts. However, these are the most common motivators.
1. You’re Not Getting the Results You Need
You may have already launched a company-wide SEO effort. Perhaps you’ve performed some keyword research to identify what your ideal customer’s search habits.
At this point, you’ve also likely optimized your online content for select keywords. If so, you’re also inspecting Google Analytics to see what effect these efforts have.
If you’re like nearly every other DIY SEO marketer on the planet, you may not be getting the results you need. Those charts may not be budging. What’s more, your bounce rate may even be soaring!
If this sounds like you, it may be time to hire a professional SEO consultant. A consultant can help you analyze the results of your current efforts. They can explain why you’re not getting the results you need.
Most importantly, they can tell you what you need to do to get those results! In many cases, an SEO expert will take these steps herself to help you get the traffic, sales, or visibility you’re craving.
This is because SEO consultants are well-versed in all things SEO. SEO is a shifting, adaptive industry.
Google changes up its algorithms frequently, and more websites join the world of the internet every day. SEO consultants have their fingers on the pulse of this industry and also possess the expertise needed to drive results.
2. The World of SEO is Intimidating and Hazy
Did we mention that the world of SEO is vast and evolving?
While it is possible to handle SEO yourself, there are so many tricks and tips out there. It can be hard to find the ones that work for you.
Even if you’ve read through Google’s SEO Starter Guide, SEO may still feel intimidating. It may even feel quite simply confusing.
We all know that feeling of trying to become fluent in something that feels perpetually foreign!
This is where a professional can help. SEO experts know this industry incredibly well. Hiring one means you don’t have to know more than the essentials: what your marketing goals are and when you’d like to meet these.
SEO can be simple, especially if you let the experts take over!
3. You Don’t Have the Time
Managing an optimization campaign in-house takes valuable time and effort.
An SEO campaign is not something that can be launched and forgotten about. It requires constant monitoring. The best campaigns are also highly adaptive.
This is because keyword popularity changes with the whims of consumers. Marketing efforts always take dips and rises depending on consumer needs.
If you simply don’t have the time or the resources to tackle SEO on your own, consider hiring an SEO consultant. A consultant can address all of your optimization needs while you spend your hours managing your company.
4. You Need More Sales–Now
Effective SEO can elevate your brand image. It can also make you more digitally visible.
Both of these effects can directly impact the number of sales you receive each month and year.
If your business needs more sales–and needs them now–it’s time to outsource SEO. Optimization experts can quickly derive campaigns that boost your profit margins, all through keyword and digital marketing savvy.
5. You’re Local
Local businesses can struggle to maintain a dependable customer base. This is particularly true for local companies that are new on the scene.
If you manage a local business or if you are launching a startup, SEO is going to be all the more essential to your marketing efforts. In fact, local SEO is all about optimizing your content for location-based keywords.
It can be difficult establishing a local reputation and effectively building a local SEO campaign. We recommend turning to SEO professionals in order to accomplish this and outpace your local competitors.
6. You Run an E-Commerce Company
If you run an e-commerce company, you depend entirely on online visitors. Yes, you also depend on online reviews and testimonials, but your marketplace is purely digital.
Search Engine Optimization is thus vital to your existence. Yet because of this urgency, it can be difficult to meet your industry’s marketing demands.
Think about it this way. The e-commerce industry is booming, and shoppers are indicating a growing preference to conduct the majority of their shopping online.
What’s more, it’s possible to launch an e-commerce business from the comfort of your home, making it more accessible to more entrepreneurs.
In e-commerce, it’s essential to act quickly. Outsourcing part of your digital marketing efforts, especially SEO, can help you establish a powerful online footing right away.
It can also free up your time as you focus on other particulars of running your online company, such as inventory management and packaging concerns.
7. You Don’t Know What Keywords to Use
Keywords form the heart of every SEO campaign. If you manage your SEO in-house, you likely understand the value of thorough keyword research.
Figuring out what keywords your ideal customers are likely to type into Google is paramount to optimizing your content appropriately.
Failing to knit in the right terms can reduce your visibility and make all of your SEO efforts moot.
If you’ve done the research but aren’t seeing results, it’s time to outsource. If you don’t even know where to start when it comes to keyword research, let professional consultants like us help!
Professional SEO consultants are expert at building a keyword database designed to reach your ideal customers. They are also adept at modifying these keywords according to strength and performance.
8. You Have the Marketing Budget
Most marketers strive to launch SEO campaigns themselves in order to save money. This is because outsourcing any digital marketing effort constitutes a financial investment.
And for good reason! Outsourcing in this capacity can have a high return on investment, especially when it comes to time. It can be beyond worth it to invest in services that drive your sales.
If you have the digital marketing budget, SEO outsourcing is for you. If budget is an issue, don’t be deterred. It’s still possible to get a free SEO audit, for example, and input for how to drive your campaign accordingly.
9. Avoid Penalties
Yes, you can contract a Google penalty for sidestepping one of its SEO guidelines. This is more common than most business owners realize.
For example, “overstuffing keywords,” the process of cramming too many search terms into one page, can earn a penalty. This is easy to do if you’re new to SEO!
Google penalties can tank your rankings. They can also make it difficult to build an online presence quickly.
Avoid penalties by hiring an SEO consultant, who will follow best practices at all times.
10. Develop a Relationship
Most professional SEO consultants build longterm relationships with their clients. This is because, once again, SEO is not a “quick fix” in marketing.
It requires an understanding of company vision and goals. It also depends on frequent communication between clients and professionals.
In short, working with a consultant can develop a valuable relationship, one you can take with you through your company’s leaps and bounds. This can be rare in the corporate world.
Final Thoughts
Outsourcing your SEO campaign can give you longterm, palpable results. It can also save you valuable time, enable you to develop a long-lasting relationship, and drive sales.
If you’re on the fence about hiring a professional SEO consultant, think more closely about your marketing goals and budget. What can you afford to outsource? What results do you need?
We are always here to have a conversation and give you a free quote on professional SEO services. Learn more here!
Building a website is just the first step to starting an online business.
You have to have really detailed metrics and analysis points to precisely target your audience.
Google Analytics is one of the best ways to find this information and make it work for you.
Use the tips in our easy to follow guide to learn how Google Analytics works and the best ways to use it for your site.
How Google Analytics Works
Google Analytics is a tool provided by Google that helps you process your websites information. It goes beyond the basic visitor information and allows you to get really in depth and useful data.
In order to use Google Analytics, you have to sign up for the service and register your website. You can have multiple websites under a single account so there’s no need to create more than one.
It allows you to quickly discover specific data on important metrics. A few of the most useful are bounce rate, conversion rates, and landing page information.
Getting Started
So you’re probably wondering how to access Google Analytics. You’ve completed the first step in creating an account, now you need to add a tracking code to your website.
This allows Google to actually track user data and directly monitor how your website is functioning. Once this data starts to roll in you’ll have to figure out what you want to do with it.
You can start by looking at the default metrics and analytics. These provide you with the most commonly needed data points such as acquisition, search information, lifetime value, and active user data.
Once you’ve gotten the hand of these metrics you can try your hand at creating custom reports. These allow you to really laser focus your data. You can include parameters such as SKU’s, product sizing, and even integrate external data sources such as your CRM software.
Benefits of Google Analytics
Google Analytics allows you to turn the raw visitor data for your website into actionable information. You can see information such as:
Number of Visitors
Time on Site
Visitor Activity
Social Media Information
This type of information is highly valuable from a digital marketing standpoint. It allows you to see what works and what doesn’t. You can also find out how visitors use your site and the kind of content they find most appealing.
Some of the most important information involves how visitors arrive at your site. This shows you what your most valuable search terms are and can suggest terms you should create content for. This data will also help you discover what other interests visitors have based on their previous search history.
If you know what they’re interested in you can more effectively target your content to match their needs. Consumers love sites that provide them with value. They’re much more likely to purchase your services or use your affiliate link if you’ve brought them real value.
Refine, Refine, Refine
Creating awesome content isn’t enough to succeed anymore. You have to know exactly where your visitors are coming from and what turns them into customers. By learning how Google Analytics works you make it much easier to target your content.
Click here to get a free SEO audit and to learn more about the benefits of top to bottom SEO design.
Google Analytics Workshop coming up in January 2019. RSVP for this Lunch & Learn event with StartupNV & 1Million Cups here:
Join Truckee Meadows Networking Group and Leading Digital Marketing Expert, Sandy Rowley for an online marketing workshop.
We have a special guest coming this night! Meet the awesome Sara Coolidge, master networking expert.
Sandy and Sara are collaborating on a fun and engaging networking event for the first month of the year. Marry the best of in person and online social networking for the best results in 2019.
❤️Lets get together at The Innovation Center in Reno and learn some the best of in person and online social networking strategies that get BIG RESULTS!❤️
As someone who has run a Networking Meetup for over four years, I understand a lot about the value of networking. Most of the people I talk with understand that they can benefit from networking, but a lot of them don’t really want to do it, or don’t enjoy it when they do. They often complain that networking feels fake, contrived and shameless, and they don’t like feeling that way.
If this is you, read on! Networking does not have to be uncomfortable or unproductive, even for someone who would rather stay home than socialize. A good first step into being willing and able to get out there and network is to remember the value in it.
So, why should you network? In my nutshell, networking effectively will grow the number of people you are connected to that understand something about who you are and what you are up to, and have given you permission to contact them in the future. This can be the beginning of any number of different kinds of relationships:
Mentors: finding someone who has been where you want to go and can explain the journey to you.
Friends/social support: meeting others with similar interests who you can socialize with.
Customers: finding another person who will become a customer of yours or someone who has a product that you want to own.
Peer support and education: learn from others in your field or another area of interest.
Collaboration/partnerships: connecting with someone who could become a partner in a project or event with you.
Referrals: meeting people who will refer you to their network for business or social purposes or who will scout for connections for you.
The fact is, whenever you meet someone, there is the potential for you to develop any or all of these kinds of relationships. You won’t know what it will be when you start out, but if you stay confident in the value of networking, and give it some time, the answer will become clear.
Here are some of my other tips on getting the most out of your next networking adventure:
Understand what kind of networking event you are attending. If this is a speed-networking evening, you will need to be ready to talk quickly and to the point with people and move on. If it is a more relaxed gathering, you will want to be able to spend more time chatting with the people you meet. Find out which one and plan your message accordingly.
Speaking of messages, what’s yours? Every networking adventure should begin with some self-inquiry. What exactly would be the best connection for you to make today? Take a moment to think about what you would like have show up next in your business or project and structure your message accordingly. This means you might have a unique message for each event you attend.
Begin from your heart and be willing to share. There is a reason that all of the people who are in this room with you showed up at the same time: You are in this together! Make it your goal to create connections and value for all the attendees. When you see it from this perspective, your nervousness and discomfort fades away. In fact, lots of studies show that when people work together on a task (like making sure that everyone in the room gets a chance to talk) those people will all form longer-lasting, more collaborative relationships. Sounds like a great network to me!
Be confident that you have something to offer. A lot of people are uncomfortable networking because they believe that they don’t have enough connections or influence to be of much usefulness to others. This is simply not true. When you listen with curiosity to others’ needs you will be able to bring your own unique experiences, vantage point and insight to bear in a way that will give great value. Trust that and networking will become more about supporting others and less about self-promotion for you.
Develop a great mindset about networking. Instead of dreading it because you think you might be bored, uncomfortable or awkward, change the way you think about it. You can just as easily think of more pleasant possibilities: You might just have some fun, meet some interesting people and get some new ideas. It is all up to you and how you approach it.
Remember the nutshell: networking is about meeting new people and getting permission to follow-up with them. That’s it. Do not see it as a time to do a sales presentation or pitch someone to hire you for a new job. Those conversations, if they are to happen at all, will go better later, after you have begun your relationship in a respectful, productive way. Your first step is to ensure that they enjoyed meeting you.
Once you apply these tips and take charge of your next networking adventure with a clear message and a great mindset, you are likely to come home with some great new connections with people who really understand you and want to support you.
Now, the next step is to follow-up!
In person networking is a fantastic way to grow meaningful connections with potential clients. How can you integrate real world networking with online social networking?
Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and others has opened the doors for opportunities to massively grow your connections.
If done correctly and working with in the guidelines and rules these social media giants require, you can achieve a fare amount of connections for the time and money.
Learn in a fun and engaging way how your business can leverage smart social networking strategies to increase sales in your organization.
Sandy Rowley is a leading social networking marketing expert located in Reno Nv. She is the creator of the popular Reno Networking Group on Meetup.com and an Award Winning Web Designer.
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Are you in need of SEO help? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is rapidly becoming the most essential digital marketing tool. An effective SEO campaign can help you achieve high Google rankings. Higher Google rankings can lead to greater online visibility, which can...
Google Analytics is the premiere tool for understanding how people get to your site and what pages they visit. It tracks traffic, page popularity, and so much more. The question you might be asking yourself is, “How does Google Analytics Work?”
You’ll hear experts talk about Google bots and crawling spiders, but there’s nothing arachnid or science fiction-esque about this valuable program. It may be overwhelming at first glance, but once you’ve learned to navigate the Google Analytics basics, you’ll never live without it.
There’s no other free tool available that gives you this level of information about your site.
How Does Google Analytics Work?
First, you set up a Google Analytics account. It starts by creating a tracking code in the program that you place on every page of your site. Google uses the code to track information.
Without it, the program won’t gather the information. If you only put it on some pages, then it won’t gather information correctly. That’s why it must be programmed into every page on your site.
These following are just some of the data points Google Analytics and track for you. When you first create your account, there won’t be any data. Let it process and work on your site for a few weeks to soak up a good amount of information.
Traffic
GA tracks how many people visit your site and what source they came from, which is invaluable for SEO data and information. This includes Google Organic, Google CPC, Yahoo Organic, Bing Organic and CPC, Social Media such as Facebook, and referral traffic from other websites.
Standard Metrics
GA traffic info includes many different stats including bounce rate. The “bounce rate” indicates how many people visited one page on your site and left i.e. they bounced. It also shows how long users were on your site. If you have advanced e-commerce features, it can show how many transactions were made and how much revenue you earned.
Page Information
This info helps you find out the most visited pages on your site. There’s a way to find what pages people went to first and the pages they exited off of. There’s no better way to determine the customer journey than through GA tracking.
Application Integration
Using Google Analytics is a must for anyone interested in their website information, but it also integrates with other applications. Google Ads is a popular Pay Per Click advertising platform. You can connect it to GA and combine the data power.
The same goes for Google Search Console and many other apps not owned by Google. This allows you to increase the coverage of Google Analytics and learn more information.
Be Wary of Referral Traffic
You’ll be tempted to look at the overall statistics on Google Analytics, but it might not 100 percent correct. There are spam referrals and ghost traffic that has nothing to do with customers. The spam inflates your overall traffic but isn’t real.
It’s best to examine the traffic sources individually such as Google Organic, etc. That way you know the information is pure. Not all referral traffic is spam, but spam can inflate your overall numbers by thousands.
If there is a specific site that keeps coming up as spam, you can go into your settings and exclude that site from GA. Google will no longer count traffic from it.
A Valuable Tool When Used Correctly
How does Google Analytics work? You install it, read up on guides like this, and learn through trial by fire. Once you’ve mastered it, you’ll have more knowledge than you’ll ever need.
If you’re interested in learning more about Google Analytics or web design, then explore our site.
Join Sandy Rowley, leading digital marketing expert located in Reno Nv, for a workshop on How to use Google Analytics to grow your business. Hosted at The Innovation Center on 450 Sinclair Street. Sponsored by StartupNv.org
If you’ve just gotten a handle on the concept of search engine optimization (SEO) then local SEO might be throwing you for a loop. And that’s a problem because local SEO is more important for your business than you realize.
It gives you local scale exposure, capitalizes on the growth of mobile search, and, of course, can be a major profit-maker (if you play your cards right).
Not sure about what local SEO is, or not sure how to use local SEO for small businesses? No worries. We’re introducing you to the concept, why it’s so important, and what you can do to make your way to the top of your local SERPs.
“Happy to share helpful tips to keep your web projects running smoothly. Also here to answer SEO questions.” Sandy Rowley, Digital Marketing Expert 775-870-0488
“Impressive knowledge of SEO and other digital marketing strategies. We contracted Sandy for 6 months to recover lost SEO and position our software development company as a leading offshore service provider.” Client Name Kept Anonymous View reviews within the Chief Outsiders Platform.
Basically, it’s all the tools of search engine optimization, utilized to make sure that people within a certain geographical area can find your brick-and-mortar shop.
Think of it this way: while anyone from Oslo to Taipei can rank for “how to fix a clogged drain,” only a certain group can rank for, “best plumber in Reno.”
Why You Need It
That’s all fine and good, but why do you need local SEO anyway? After all, if you’ve already got an SEO strategy in place, shouldn’t that be enough?
Not quite.
Let’s start with this simple fact: smartphone users will hit 3 billion in 2018 and are predicted to hit 3.8 billion in 2021.
Of those people, 45% of users aged 18 to 29 use mobile search daily. Of the estimated 30 billion annual mobile searches, 12 billion are local.
But the real kicker?
Local searches lead 50% of mobile searchers to visit a store the same day, and annually, about 78% of local mobile searches result in offline purchases (for those who struggle with math, that’s roughly 9.36 billion purchases, give or take a few).
The point is simple: a lot of people search locally, and when they do, they’re looking to spend money. Usually on the same day, if you give them the service they’re looking for.
And you’d be a fool not to capitalize on a golden opportunity.
Tips to Conquer Local SEO in 2019
Sandy Rowley SEO Specialist 775-870-0488.
With that in mind, let’s talk about how you can conquer local SEO in 2019.
Now, a lot of larger SEO tricks apply to local SEO, like getting an SEO audit. And yes, there are plenty of fancy technical SEO tricks you could use to bolster your local SEO game if you really wanted to.
Here’s the thing: if you’re still struggling with the whole concept of SEO (or you just don’t have time to spend hours slaving over SEO when you’ve got a business to run) it doesn’t need to be that hard.
Here are 14 tips that you could probably conquer in a few hours if you set your mind to it.
“Since working with Sandy my web sales increased 500%.” Larry Green View reviews on the Google platform.
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1. Optimize for Google My Business
The first is surprisingly basic: optimize for Google My Business.
For those who are late to the game (or, you know, living in packing peanuts) Google My Business is a free tool provided by Google that’s basically a giant digital address book.
Chances are, you’ve encountered it before. You just didn’t realize it. Every time you Google a business and see a little box on the right-hand side with the business’s name, address, phone number, website, location, and even a few photos, that’s the handiwork of Google My Business.
You also didn’t know that you probably already have a Google My Business listing, you just didn’t know to claim it.
That’s a problem because if you don’t claim it, your competitor might (yes, that’s a competitive strategy).
Luckily, the process of claiming your listing is simple. Just log onto Google My Business and go through the verification process, at which point Google will mail a PIN to your business address. From there, enter the PIN, and you’re ready to optimize.
How do you optimize? Include all kinds of handy information, like writing a great business description, providing hours and contact information, detailing your payment options, etc.
Basically, if there’s information that Google My Business gives you the option to fill out, populate the text box. Your potential customers will thank you.
2. Ensure NAP is Consistent Across Directories
However, your work isn’t done once you claim your Google My Business listing.
Once you do that, you need to ensure your NAP is consistent across directories (Google, Bing, or anywhere else your business might be listed).
Don’t get worried. NAP stands for three essential details about your business:
Name
Address
Phone number with area code
Some people will also include your website on this list.
Basically, these directory listings won’t do you much good if your information is inconsistent. Your customers will get frustrated and confused, and it makes your business look sloppy.
3. Title and Meta Description Tags
Itching for something slightly more technical?
Turn to your title and meta description tags.
Title and meta description tags are HTML elements that you can customize to reflect your webpage. You don’t need to do any coding to figure it out–like Google My Business, it’s something you’ve encountered before.
Whenever you type a search into Google, the blue title and the small description below it are the title and meta description tags.
It seems like a small detail, but it should be functionally treated as a mini-ad. This is your chance to get customers to click on your link instead of someone else’s (and to get the search engine to put you in page one).
So not only are you writing killer descriptions, you’re writing optimized descriptions.
4. Keyword Research for Local SEO
With that in mind, let’s talk about keyword research for local SEO.
You can argue until you’re blue in the face about the value of keywords or how to use them, but the fact is, keywords are still important. Especially for local SEO.
What’s the difference between a regular keyword and a local SEO keyword, you ask?
It’s simple: geography.
Remember earlier when we said that anyone in the world can rank for, “how to unclog a sink,” but only certain people can rank for, “best plumber in Reno,”?
That’s the same basic principle behind keywords for local SEO.
Basically, you’re targeting industry-specific terms that are also geo-specific, like “Las Vegas florist” or “car rental in Albuquerque”. A good place to start is to do a bit of digging on the Google AdWords Keyword Planner tool to find geographically-specific terms that perform well.
5. Write for a Local Audience
Of course, you can optimize all day long and it won’t help you much if you aren’t, you know, writing content for a local audience.
This is true of both your human readers and search engine web crawlers–you need to build a solid online reputation.
Luckily, you can do this with a practice you (should) already do for your regular SEO: blogging.
Blogging is vital to a good SEO score because it shows search engines that you’re consistently providing helpful information to searchers. And the more you write, the more authority you gain on the topic.
Take this a step further by appealing to the local market. Find out what customers in your area are interested in and start writing blogs for them (with the appropriate optimization, of course).
6. Improve Internal Linking Structure
And while you’re blogging, you should take a closer look at your internal linking structure.
External links are SEO gold, but internal links are also important, since it aids in navigating your website, assists with information architecture, and distributes page authority among multiple pages.
So, if you’re writing about bathroom design and have previously written a blog post about quartz vs. marble countertops in the bathroom, find a way to naturally link to that blog post.
7. Use a Structured Data Markup Tool
A structured data markup tool is perhaps the most technical item on our list, but it’s not as complicated as the name makes it out to be.
Structured data markup, sometimes called schema markup, is added to the code of your website to directly provide search engines with information about what you sell, services you offer, and other important information about your business.
In fact, Google wants you to use structured data markup because it makes it easier for their spiders to index your website. They even provide a Structured Data Testing Tool.
So…what are you waiting for?
8. Online Reviews Still Matter
For all the work you’re doing behind the scenes, there’s one tried-and-true part of local SEO that you cannot ignore: online reviews.
Don’t believe it? Try this on for size: 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family.
Many people will leave reviews on Facebook unprompted, so make sure this feature is turned on. You can also cut to the chase by asking customers who love you to leave a review of your store when they get the chance.
If customers are diehard fans of your store, they’ll usually be happy to do it.
9. Be Socially Active
This brings us to our next point: you should be socially active wherever possible.
And no, we don’t mean going out for a beer with friends. We mean the big bads of social media: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Snapchat.
Nearly a third of the world’s population is active on at least one of the major platforms, which is why your business needs to remain active. Go where the customers are.
The key is to avoid the used car salesman effect–don’t sell so hard that you annoy people or convince them they’re about to be scammed. Instead, think of using social media as it was originally intended: a vehicle to connect people.
10. Make a Mobile-Friendly Website
Oh come on, you knew this was coming.
Mobile usage has surpassed desktop, and Google rolled out their Mobile-First index. There’s no two ways about it: you need to be optimized for mobile.
If you have no idea whether your site is optimized for mobile or not, there’s an easy way to check: open your website on your phone. If you have to constantly zoom, or your graphics aren’t loading, or the pages take forever to load, guess what?
You’re not optimized for mobile.
11. Add Location Pages to Your Website
In case you haven’t caught on yet, local SEO is all about one thing: location.
That’s why one of the easiest things you can do to boost your business (besides claim your Google My Business listing) is include a location page on your website.
If you have multiple locations but only one website, no worries. Just create a page for each location. That way, users will know where to find you in their local area (and search engines will know how to index you properly, which is always a plus).
12. Maps, Maps, and More Maps
There’s no way around location without talking about maps.
There are a couple different things you can do with maps. For one, you should embed a map on your webpage. The good news is that this is pretty easy: just open Google Maps, enter your address, and click the link icon.
This will provide you with an HTML embed code to add the map to your website, making it super easy for any potential customers to figure out exactly where you are whenever they need you.
Plus, you can click on the customize link to choose from various options like sizing before embedding the map on your page.
Building Local SEO for Small Businesses
Local SEO might seem like a lot of work. And yes, we’ll admit–it can be time-consuming if you let it.
And while we all know that the payoff is worth it, that doesn’t change the fact that you’ve got a business to run and you don’t have time to learn how to manage SEO in your nonexistent free time.
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How to Get a Nevada Business License and Start Your Biz in Reno
You might know it by its common moniker, “The Biggest Little City in the World.” Yet, Reno, Nevada is quickly earning a new nickname: “The Biggest Little Startup Community.”
Though in years past, the town was associated primarily with gaming and the Burning Man Festival, today it’s a bustling town full of opportunity for myriad industry types. From technology to retail, if you want to make a name for yourself and grow a new business from the ground up, this is the spot to do it in.
Home to more than a dozen geothermal companies, top-tier manufacturers and the University of Nevada, there’s no shortage of learning, growth, and expansion going on in Reno. (More and more California entrepreneurs are making the move to Reno.)
Are you looking to cash in on this chance to put down business roots in a community that’s as high-tech and innovative as it is artsy and cultural? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re discussing how to get a Nevada business license. This is Step 1 of the process and once you’ve signed this valuable piece of paperwork, you’re well on your way to adding “Business Owner” beside your name.
Before you get too deep into researching the licensing requirements, it’s important to have a solid business plan in place first. Many hopeful entrepreneurs have a great idea for a new company but aren’t sure how to execute it or what tools they’ll need to get started.
Then, once they go to begin the nitty-gritty process of getting off the ground, they find they’re already behind.
Thankfully, this doesn’t have to be you. Start by visiting the Nevada Business Resource Center online. Here, you’ll find free counseling and business planning resources to help turn your daydream into a reality.
From step-by-step guides to starting a business in the state to information on funding resources, interactive workshops and local networking events, this site is invaluable to both the up-and-coming and established business leader. If your business qualifies as a disadvantaged business, you’ll also be pointed toward resources that can help you find the business certifications and capital you need.
Use this information to craft a detailed business plan. At the very least, it should include a vision, mission, and timeline for your company as well as other details including the products and services you will provide, a market analysis, organizational details and more.
2. Visit Silver Flume
Once you have your business plan in place and you’re ready to get started, the next few steps can be completed much more easily. Most of them revolve around a resource known as Silver Flume.
Developed by the Nevada Secretary of State, Silver Flume is the go-to resource for any prospective or current business owner who wishes to conduct business in the state of Nevada. Launched in 2012, it has since processed more than 1.8 million virtual business filings.
On this site, you’ll find comprehensive information around both starting and renewing your business license. You can also file your tax return, manage your trust account and find resources to help your company grow.
With its user-friendly wizards, Silver Flume makes registering your legal entity and applying for a state business license as simple as possible. Simply find the menu on the left side of the homepage, then click on “Start a Business.”
Here, you’ll find a few guides that will walk you through getting your license, reserving your entity name, creating an operating agreement and more. For now, you just need the license, so click “Get a State Business License.”
3. Follow the Nevada Business License Wizard
This is the quickest and most straightforward way to get a state of Nevada business license.
The wizard will walk you through a series of questions and answers regarding the business you plan to start. You’ll begin by stating the type of business you intend to create. You can choose from:
Sole Proprietorship
General Partnership
Not-for-Profit Business
A Non-Nevada Entity Doing Business in the State
Non-Qualified Foreign Corporation
After you’ve made your selection, the Silver Flume wizard will reveal a checklist of steps to complete to obtain your NV business license. If you’re local to the area, you can also complete this process in person by visiting the Nevada Secretary of State in Carson City.
In addition to your state business license, Silver Flume will also walk you through the steps to obtain your proof of tax registration and proof of industrial insurance. The former is mandated by the Nevada Department of Taxation. The latter demonstrates to the state that you’ve purchased the required amount of worker’s compensation insurance required for your business type.
Both of these files can be completed and obtained via the Silver Flume portal.
4. Register Proof of Fictitious Name
Here is where the process for doing work in Reno becomes location-specific. Steps 1-4 above are required regardless of where in the state of Nevada you plan to do business. Once you have these items under your belt, you can proceed to the city requirements, starting with establishing and registering your fictitious name.
Do you plan on using your first and last name as your business name? If so, you can move on to the next step.
If not, you’ll need to visit the Washoe County Clerk website to obtain your Doing Business As (DBA) forms. Though most of the other steps required to get a Nevada state business license can be completed entirely online, this is not one of them.
Rather, you’ll have to make a visit to the Clerk of Court’s office in Reno to complete the paperwork in person. The good news? There are several forms you can pre-fill online to shorten your wait time once you get there. You can also print the files and have them notarized at home.
Once everything is ready, visit the office in person to officially sign and file the paperwork.
5. Get Zoning Approval
If you plan to construct a new building to house your Reno business, you’ll need to work directly with the City Planning Department to do so. These officials can direct you on how to make sure that all aspects of your new construction comply with local and state zoning regulations.
Visit the city of Reno’s Building, Planning, and Engineering Divisions website for more information on this step. From how to obtain licensing and permits to a GIS mapserver and links to the zoning code in its entirety, there are many resources here that can point you in the right direction. You can also work directly with the city’s planning department to coordinate these meetings.
You can also download the application forms you’ll be required to complete depending on your business type and intended use. Keep in mind that while you can submit some files at any time, others are only accepted on specific, pre-determined “intake dates.”
For instance, if you’re requesting a zone change or a special use permit, you’ll have until 3:00 p.m. on the second Monday of each month to do so. If you fail to meet this timeline, you’ll have to wait until the next intake cycle to continue.
6. Schedule a Fire Department Inspection
Next on your list should be to schedule an inspection of your new business by the local fire department. While anyone can and should complete this step as a safety and security measure, commercial locations are required to do so.
The Reno business license staff can also coordinate and schedule this inspection for you.
Before your business license can be issued to you, inspection fees should be paid in full. While this is one step you can take to ensure your location is sound and your team is safeguarded, the Silver Flume registration process can also walk you through OSHA-SCATS Safety Consultation and Training to make sure you’re up to speed on all industry regulations and compliance measures.
7. Complete a Signage Permit
Depending on the type of signage you plan to use to advertise and mark your business, as well as where you intend to place it, you may need approval from the Reno Department of Building and Safety.
Because they’re fun to think about, your logo, digital marketing collateral and other promotional pieces, including your signs, might be some of the first elements you complete. Yet, keep in mind that you cannot get approval for signage until all of your building permits have been completed.
So, reserve this step until toward the end, once you’re certain that your new or existing building is in line with local code, passes inspection and is permitted for use.
8. Talk to the Washoe County Health Department
If you only plan to serve retail goods or deliver services through your new business, you can usually skip this step.
On the other hand, if you intend to serve any kind of food or beverage at all inside your establishment, you need to contact the Washoe County Health Department.
Local officials will inspect your location and give you feedback. Upon completion, your location will be given a Pass, Conditional Pass or Closed status. If you pass, that means they found no more than one critical violation during the inspection.
If they find two or more, you’re approved on a conditional basis and required to correct the issue during the inspection. A follow-up inspection will happen no more than 72 hours after the initial one to ensure everything remains up to par.
A Closed status means that the inspectors found an immediate and substantial health hazard and your establishment must immediately stop any food service activities.
9. Check on Specialty Certifications
No two Reno businesses are created equal. What yours offers, the one down the street might not. To that end, there may be certifications, approvals, and sets of paperwork that are specific to your type of entity.
For instance, if you intend to start up an employment agency or a lending company? In these cases, you’ll need to obtain State certification, which can be achieved by contacting the State Labor Commissioner’s office.
The best rule of thumb? Reach out to the Reno Department of Business and Industry with any questions and to make sure that you have all of your paperwork in place for each step before moving forward with the next.
10. Obtain Your City of Reno Business License
Once you have completed all of the required steps and submitted all necessary paperwork, the Reno business license staff will review it and issue your local, citywide business license.
Expect the overall process to take around four weeks if you’re applying for a general, non-regulatory business license. Conversely, if you’re applying for a regulatory or privilege license that requires approval by both the police and City Council, the review timeline could take up to 60 days or more.
Conquer the World with Your Reno Business
With your Nevada business license in hand, there’s no limit to what you can do! You’ll be located in the diverse, bustling heartbeat of the state, where you can appeal to a range of audience types, including both full-time residents and seasonal visitors.
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I’ll be the last one standing
Two hands in the air, I’m a champion
You’ll be looking up at me when it’s over
I live for the battle, I’m a soldier, yeah
I’m a fighter like Rocky
Put you flat on your back like Ali
Yeah, I’m the greatest, I’m stronger
Paid my dues, can’t lose, Imma own ya, ay
I’ve been working my whole life
And now it’s do or die
I am invincible, unbreakable
Unstoppable, unshakeable
They knock me down, I get up again
I am the champion
You’re gonna know my name
You can’t hurt me now
I can’t feel the pain
I was made for this, yeah, I was born to win
I am the champion
When they write my story
They’re gonna say that I did it for the glory
But don’t think that I did it for the fame, yeah I did it for the love of the game, yeah
And this is my chance I’m taking
All them old records I’m breaking
All you people watching on the TV
You go ahead and put your bets on me, ay
I’ve been waiting my whole life
To see my name in lights
I am invincible, unbreakable
Unstoppable, unshakeable
They knock me down, I get up again
I am the champion
You’re gonna know my name
You can’t hurt me now
I can’t feel the pain
I was made for this, yeah, I was born to win
I am the champion, oh
Born champion, Luda
The C is for the courage I possess through the drama
H is for the hurt but it’s all for the honor
A is for my attitude working through the patience
Money comes and goes so the M is for motivation
Gotta stay consistent, the P is to persevere
The I is for integrity, innovative career
The O is optimistic, open and never shut
And the N is necessary ’cause I’m never giving up
See they ask me how I did it, I just did it from the heart
Crushing the competition, been doing it from the start
They say that every champion is all about his principles
Carrie
I am invincible, unbreakable
Unstoppable, unshakeable
They knock me down, I get up again
I am the champion
You’re gonna know my name
You can’t hurt me now
I can’t feel the pain
I was made for this, yeah, I was born to win
I am the champion
I’m the champion, yeah
Surpassed all rivals
It’s all about who wants it the most (I am the champion)
Fight for what we believe in
That’s what champions are made of
I am the champion
Songwriters: Brett James / Chris De Stefano / Christopher Brian Bridges / Carrie Underwood
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