This is the #1 question from new clients at The HOTH. 

The only problem is it’s an impossible question, as there’s no one-size-fits-all answer for how many backlinks a website needs. 

In fact, asking this question is on par with other impossible questions like, “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?” and, “How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?”

When most SEOs get this question, they all say the same thing:

“It depends.”

We think that’s pretty lame, and we’re sick of hearing it. 

That’s why we’re going to do the impossible and attempt to answer this borderline rhetorical question. 

Along the way, you’ll learn more about the current state of backlinks as a ranking factor and some up-to-date techniques for generating high-quality links that point to your homepage and content.

Do Links Still Matter? Addressing Google’s Recent Comments

In September 2023, Google Analyst Gary Illyes downplayed the importance of backlinks, saying links were no longer a top 3 ranking factor. 

This led some digital marketers to believe backlinks no longer move the SEO needle, which isn’t true.

Illyes acknowledged the importance of backlinks but disagreed with their top-tier status. His words should be taken with caution, as Google is notoriously secretive about its ranking algorithms to prevent manipulation.

Google aims to deliver the best search results, meaning they only want to rank trustworthy and authoritative sites. For this reason, they have a bit of a love/hate relationship with SEO. 

They know that it’s necessary for businesses to improve their visibility on their engine, but their SEO advice seldom gets deeper than ‘make better content.’

Proof Backlinks Are Still The Real Deal 

Take it from us: backlinks still matter in a very big way, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. 

Perfect technical SEO (loading speed, mobile friendliness, URL structure, etc.) and flawless on-page factors (keyword usage, metadata optimization, high-quality content, etc.) will only get you so far.

Whenever we have a client that can’t outrank its competitors, links are almost always the reason why.

Since the websites occupying the top-ranking spots have more high-quality links than our clients’ sites, outranking them with basic SEO tactics is next to impossible. 

As a result, we spend the most time ‘closing the competitive gap’ by building enough relevant links for our clients to level the playing field with their top competitors. 

The fact remains that more backlinks equal better SERP rankings AND more organic traffic, which is why high-value links are so powerful (they’re literally working double duty for you).

To put our money where our mouth is, here’s hard evidence from one of our clients that backlinks and traffic go hand-in-hand:

As you can see by the line graphs, as the client’s backlinks started to increase, their organic traffic followed suit. 

How Many Backlinks Do I Need to Rank?

As you can see, backlinks are crucial to ranking your content in the SERPS. So, what’s the magic number of backlinks you should aim for?  

A well-established website typically has around 40-50 backlinks to its homepage, with individual pages varying from 0-100.  

Too few backlinks and Google might not consider your site as relevant. However, too many can raise red flags about potentially manipulative practices. 

The key is to focus on earning high-quality backlinks from reputable websites that have either topical or contextual relevance to your content.

In the section below, we’ll explore the factors affecting your ideal backlink count. 

What Factors Determine How Many Backlinks I Need to Rank?

While links are still extremely important for Google SEO, they’re not the only ranking factor. 

As we said before, building more links bridges the competitive gap for our clients. However, without strong technical and on-page factors, reaching the top of the SERPs is impossible.

Google’s algorithm looks at technical factors like loading speed and interactivity, URL structure, broken links, and indexing errors. 

On-page SEO factors, like keyword placement, content formatting, readability, and metadata optimization are also integral for high search rankings. 

Here’s a look at the top SERP ranking factors:

Content quality

Let’s be clear: the #1 most important ranking factor is the quality and relevance of your content. 

If you aren’t producing high-quality content that satisfies users’ search intent, your dreams of becoming the SEO GOAT will never come to fruition. 

Moreover, the quality and relevance of your content are also extremely important to your target audience, and you should always produce content for them first and search engines second. 

How does Google judge the quality of website content?

They use a team of human quality raters equipped with their Quality Rater Guidelines, which are represented by the acronym E-E-A-T – which stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. 

Therefore, if you want Google to view your content as high-quality, you need to share first-hand experiences that demonstrate your expertise on a topic. An example would be citing a real-life case where you helped a client with your vast knowledge of your business’s area of expertise. 

As far as content goes, you only have to worry about the first two E’s (experience and expertise). 

Authoritativeness isn’t something you can build through content directly, as it has to do with the quality and relevance of the backlinks that point to your web pages. 

Lastly, trustworthiness is accrued by consistently demonstrating experience, expertise, and authoritativeness in your content.  

Content length 

The length of your content is also a ranking factor, and there’s a sweet spot that you need to hit. 

First, Google views web pages that contain less than approximately 1,000 words as thin content, and it doesn’t like to rank thin content because it’s viewed as unhelpful. 

As a rule of thumb, try to include at least 700 – 1,000 words on each web page to ensure they aren’t flagged as thin content. However, you need to make sure that the words still provide valuable information, as just writing nonsense to inflate the word count won’t work.   

If there are web pages that you just can’t add any more words to, try to merge them with a related page. 

Since Google doesn’t like thin content, some SEOs have falsely assumed that more words are always better, which isn’t the case.

Google’s algorithms can identify when a page contains useless or irrelevant information. For example, a how-to guide on stringing guitars doesn’t need to include a 400-word section on the history of the guitar. 

Sticking to the 1,000 – 2,000 word range for blogs is a good range to stick with for most topics. That’s not to say that you can’t write longer guides, just that every piece of information must be relevant and valuable. 

SSL certificate 

Security is a priority for Google, as they don’t want to direct users to unsecure websites where they might have sensitive personal or financial information stolen. 

That’s why they only rank websites that contain SSL certificates, which provide a secure web browsing experience through HTTPS. All communications are encrypted using the SSL/TLS protocol, making things like e-commerce transactions safe. 

The good news is it’s extremely easy to get an SSL certificate for free. 

Passing the Core Web Vitals test

Internet users have no patience for websites that don’t load within a fraction of a second. Google is aware of this, which is why they developed the Core Web Vitals test. 

It examines a website’s speed for not only loading but also interactivity. 

To learn more, you can check out our guide on passing the Core Web Vitals test. 

Keyword usage 

At the most basic level, search engines match user queries (keywords) with websites that contain exact matches and related keywords. 

An example would be Google ranking a piece of content called ‘How to String Guitars’ in the #1 spot for the query ‘how to string guitars.’

Make sense?

Despite all the advancements in the SEO world, proper keyword placement still matters. Here’s where to place your target keywords:

• In your title tag and H1 header 
• In the first 100 words of the content 
• In image alt tags 
• Organically, throughout the piece 
• In the metadata 

You can use our free keyword planner tool to uncover popular keywords related to your business, which is the best way to find topic ideas. 

URL and page architecture 

If Google’s algorithm can make heads or tails out of your site structure, your content likely won’t rank very well. 

Google prefers sites that use logical, ‘flat’ designs for their site architecture, where every page is only one or two clicks away from the homepage. 

Deep site architecture uses long link chains that lead to inner pages (which are hard for both Google and users to find). 

Whenever you’re designing your site and URL structure, follow the K.I.S.S. method and keep it super simple. 

Internal and external links 

Whenever you make a claim in your content, you should always back it up with evidence via an external link. 

The websites you choose matter here, too, as you want to link out to reputable sources. 

TLDs (top-level domains) ending in .gov, .edu, and .org are always safe best, as are academic journals and studies. 

Also, don’t forget to include internal links in your content. This serves a dual purpose, as it makes your content easier for Google to index – and internal links provide resources for further reading that will keep users engaged in your content loop (and will boost your dwell times). 

Drop anchor! Achieving the proper anchor text ratio 

Besides the links themselves, the anchor text you choose for each link is also incredibly important.

Anchor text is the visible, clickable text within a hyperlink. It typically appears in a different color (often blue, but we prefer red) and is underlined, signaling to users that it’s a link.

Here are the most important things you need to know about anchor text: 

Relevance: The anchor text should accurately describe what the linked page is about. This aligns with user expectations and helps search engines understand the target page’s content.

Balanced anchor text ratio: Aim for 2-5 words in your anchor text. Briefer phrases are more readable and less likely to appear spammy.

Natural language: Avoid overly optimized, keyword-stuffed anchor text. Use conversational language that flows organically within the text.

Variety: Change up your anchor text types to create a more natural backlink profile (more on that below).

Anchor text types

There are a few different types of anchor text that you can use, and it’s imperative to use a mix of them all. 

Google doesn’t like to see lots of exact-match anchors, which contain the keyword you’re targeting and nothing else. To Google, this is an attempt on the site owner’s part to manipulate the search rankings, which is why the need for an anchor text ratio arose in the first place. 

Competition in your niche 

Remember, you won’t be the only one optimizing your site for better performance on Google’s SERPs. Your competitors will also engage in SEO, so you always need to keep an eye on your top competitors. 

In particular, regularly analyzing their content and backlink profiles can provide valuable insights to boost your own strategies. 

You can use our free SEO audit and backlink checker tools to analyze your competitors. Pay attention to the keywords they use, where they get their backlinks from, and how much traffic/engagement they’re getting. 

The Classic Debate: Quantity vs. Quality 

SEOs are always fiercely debating whether backlink quality or quantity matters most. 

Some swear that only the most reputable, highest-quality backlinks are worth pursuing, while others claim to find success by building as many links as possible. 

Which side of the issue is true?

We hate to be boring, but the truth is that both quantity and quality are equally important to your link profile. 

Let’s clarify that a bit further. 

When quantity matters 

In terms of quantity, it’s NEVER worth pursuing low-grade backlinks from garbage websites that provide no value to users. 

These links scream spam to Google, and they’ll only hurt your SERP rankings. 

However, when you’re trying to bridge a significant link gap between you and a competitor (where you have dozens of links and they have hundreds or thousands), sometimes links with average domain authority (scores 40 to 50) are exactly what you need. 

These average links are still from real websites that provide services to users, so there’s no worry about them getting flagged as spam. 

Moreover, they’ll provide you with the volume of links you need to catch up to the competition. 

In other words, beggars can’t be choosers when you’re far behind in the backlink race. 

When quality matters

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t shoot for the stars and target high-value backlinks (DA scores 60 and above) at the same time, as you definitely should. 

Conversely, if you’re practically on par with the number of links a competitor has, then going for high-quality links is the name of the game. 

Ultimately, it depends on what you’re trying to achieve. If you’re far behind, quantity can beat quality – but if you’re neck-and-neck, quality reigns supreme.

These factors are all imperative for SEO success, so you shouldn’t neglect any of them during your search campaign.

How Do You Get Backlinks?

By now, you should have a specific number of backlinks you need to build. To reiterate what we’ve covered so far:

Analyze your competitor’s backlinks to gauge the gap between your link profiles.  If the gap is significant, initially focus on building a larger number of links, even if some are of lower quality.

This helps establish a baseline. As you gain more links, shift your strategy to acquiring high-value links.

For brand-new websites, aim for 50 links to your homepage and around 100 for your most important pages.

Now that we’ve addressed the core question let’s explore another important aspect:

How do you build links that point back to your content?

Here’s a look at some of the most effective ways to acquire backlinks. 

Targeted link outreach 

Conducting outreach is necessary for just about any backlink technique, and it’s become more nuanced in recent years. 

In the past, SEOs found success using generic outreach templates that contained simple requests for guest articles, link insertions, and fixing broken links. 

The only problem is this technique worked a little too well. 

Once it caught on, it became the norm (and still is) for website owners to receive hundreds of generic outreach emails every day. 

Currently, the link outreach game is about standing out from the crowd while developing long-lasting relationships that lead to multiple links down the line. 

It’s crucial to shift your mindset from targeting one link at a time to forging long-term link partnerships with related websites in your field. 

Also, divorce the link outreach process from one particular tactic, such as guest posting. 

When done properly, your outreach can lead to a lot more than guest blogs (although those are pretty sweet, too). 

An outreach example

As an example scenario, let’s say that your website sells fitness products. 

In that case, you’d benefit from forming link partnerships with noncompetitors in your field – meaning you share a target audience but don’t compete for the same business. 

Examples include fitness news websites, fitness forums, and nutrition blogs – just to name a few. 

Instead of sending one-and-done outreach emails, you start interacting with these sites in a far more personal way. Your goal is to form a relationship instead of securing one measly link placement, so you should interact with their social media, ask interesting questions, and share their content. 

If you play your cards right, you’ll form a partnership that leads to guest posts, link insertions, and article syndications.

Article syndication 

Speaking of syndication, you can start publishing your articles on other websites to gain more exposure and accrue links. 

Relationship building is a key component here, too, as you’ll need an existing network of relevant websites to publish your articles. 

If you don’t have any connections yet, try searching on Google for things like:

• “Originally published on” (niche keyword)
• “Syndicated from” (niche keyword)
• “Originally appeared on” (niche keyword)

These search operators will help you find websites in your field that syndicate posts and it’s worth trying to build relationships with them. 

You can also use our free backlink checker tool to analyze your competitor’s links to see if they’re syndicated anywhere that you aren’t. 

Press releases 

Press releases (as long as they don’t mention time-sensitive events) are another great way to get the word out about your brand and obtain links. 

This is where it pays off to have relationships with news outlets in your niche, as you’ll be able to circulate your press releases to them for some easy links. 

Why can’t you mention time-sensitive events?

You shouldn’t because this type of press release exists to provide backlinks to your site. If you mention a time-sensitive event (like an upcoming conference), you’ll have to remove the press release as soon as it happens. 

That’s why you should stick to things like launching new products, hiring new executives, and interesting developments in your business (like adding a new department). 

Here’s an example of a press release we created and distributed through Cision for backlinks and better online visibility:

To further your education, here are some more reliable ways to build backlinks from relevant websites.

Broken backlinks 

Link rot is a real struggle that every website faces. 

It’s the tendency for hyperlinks to no longer point to their original web page or server after long periods of time. There are numerous causes for this, the most common of which is when a site migrates to a new CMS or changes its link structure. 

As a result, virtually every website will have broken links, and they present a unique link-building opportunity. 

Say that you come across a broken link on a website that covers a topic you already have a blog post about. 

In that case, you could reach out to the site owner, notify them of the broken link, and offer your content as a quick replacement. 

Since broken links hurt a website’s user experience, site owners have a very real incentive to fix them by adding your link. 

How do you find broken backlinks to target?

One of the easiest and most reliable ways is to use Ahrefs, but you can also use web crawlers like Screaming Frog. 

If you have an Ahrefs account, navigate to the Site Explorer tool. From there, enter the URL of the website that you want to check for broken links.

Under Backlink profile, select the Broken Backlinks report.

Voila, you now have a complete list of the website’s broken links that you can analyze for backlink opportunities. Try to find broken links that relate to your business’s content. If you don’t already have a viable replacement piece, you can always create one.

Start Building the Right Number of Links Today 

Well, wasn’t that a much better answer than simply saying, “It depends?”

Now, you have an accurate approximation of how many links you need to build to achieve your ranking goals, and you know the best ways to build them. 

This is only the first step in your journey to becoming the SERP master, so stay tuned to our blog for more practical advice. 

If you need help building the right number of links for your website, don’t wait to check out our Link Outreach and Link Insertion services.     

The post How Many Backlinks Does it Take to Rule Your Niche’s SERPs? appeared first on The HOTH.

The good news is that in the SEO world, it’s perfectly acceptable to cheat off a classmate’s test. 

What we mean by that is you can analyze your competitors’ websites to find new SEO opportunities and improve the performance of your own site. 

One of the best ways to pull this off is to learn how to do a competitor analysis in Semrush, which offers a suite of SEO tools perfect for peeking under the hood of competing websites. 

With their tools, you’ll be able to:

• Discover your competitor’s top traffic sources
• Analyze a competitor’s backlink profile to find new opportunities 
• Find any user experience enhancements that your site lacks (i.e., faster loading speed, responsive design, easy to navigate, etc.)
• Determine the effectiveness of their landing pages 

As you can see, analyzing your SEO competitors will yield many valuable insights for your own strategy, which is why learning how to do a competitor analysis in Semrush is worth your time – so stick around to learn more. 

What’s a Competitor Analysis in SEO?

SEO is a fiercely competitive space, as websites are constantly outranking and outperforming one another on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). 

In particular, websites fight for the coveted #1 organically ranked result, as well as landing SERP features like knowledge bars and the ‘local pack’ (a grouping of three local businesses complete with their address and location on Google Maps). 

Even when a website achieves stellar rankings for their most important keywords, they have to fight to maintain their positions – as there are always competitors out there eager to dethrone you at a moment’s notice. 

That means continuing to put out excellent content that’s optimized for search engines, which can be difficult to maintain after a while. 

That’s why so many SEOs look to their competitors for inspiration, especially for new content ideas and fresh link opportunities. 

Platforms like Semrush provide detailed data about virtually any website’s SEO and marketing activities, and taking a peek can provide invaluable insights. 

Therefore, you shouldn’t hesitate to analyze your competitor’s SEO profiles, as they’re likely doing the same to you. 

During a competitor analysis, you should pay attention to things like:

• Their total organic traffic
• Whether their audience is growing or declining
• The channels that drive the most traffic 
• Their backlink profiles (especially where they’re getting their links from) 

Analyzing your competitors isn’t something you can only do just once, either. You can and should make a regular habit of auditing your top competitor’s websites. 

How Do You Identify Your SEO Competitors?

Before you can analyze your competitors, you need to know who they are – which isn’t always straightforward. 

Sure, you can search on Google for the keywords you’re targeting and see who shows up, but that won’t give you a comprehensive overview of your top competitors. 

That’s where Semrush comes in handy. 

Its Organic Research tool will take all the mystery out of identifying your competitors. Simply enter your URL in the search bar, and then navigate to the Competitors tab. 

Voila, you now have a complete list of the websites competing for the same traffic, keywords, and target audience. 

You’ll also get to view key metrics like how many keywords they rank for, their total organic traffic, any keywords that you share (common keywords), and more. 

Semrush’s Traffic Analytics Tool 

Once you know who your top competitors are, you can do head-to-head comparisons between their site and yours using Semrush’s Traffic Analytics tool. 

First, enter a competitor’s URL into the tool to see a breakdown of their traffic, bounce rate, dwell time, market share, and other important metrics. 

This will give you a detailed overview of the competitor’s current SEO performance. If you scroll further down the page, you’ll find a graph displaying the same metrics as above but over a period of time. 

The graph is useful for spotting competitor trends, such as certain times of the year when they experience dips in traffic (like during the holidays). 

Besides analyzing a competitor’s metrics by themselves, you can also plug in your URL to do a direct comparison between SEO metrics and user experience. 

Under Root Domain, you’ll see four blank competitor slots. Add your URL into one of them, and hit the Compare button. 

This is extremely effective for visualizing the gap (if there is one) between you and a competitor. In the example provided, you can see that Vrbo trails behind AirBnB in nearly every category except for Pages per visit and bounce rate. 

That could mean that while AirBnB is generating more traffic, users are interacting more with Vrbo’s site. Since the bounce rate is lower and the pages per visit metric is higher, it’s a sign that users are continuing on to other pages on Vrbo’s website instead of ending their session after visiting one page. 

If you were AirBnB, it would be worth looking into Vrbo’s content and internal linking structure to see what’s engaging users so much. 

Analyzing a Competitor’s Backlink Profile 

Once you’ve done an in-depth analysis of a competitor’s content and traffic sources, it’s time to look at their backlink profile. 

You should never complete a competitor analysis without looking at their backlinks, as they often provide the most valuable insights and opportunities. 

Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool is perfect for checking out a competing site’s top backlink sources. 

Enter a competitor’s URL into the tool, and you’ll be able to see an overview of their backlink profile, including their total number of referring domains and backlinks. 

Under the Backlinks tab, you can view a competitor’s complete backlink profile, which will help you uncover new link opportunities to pursue. In particular, pay attention to their source pages. 

Are they getting links from directories you don’t know about? Or are they using websites in your niche that accept guest posts? Either way, you could be a few outreach emails away from lots of new backlinks. 

Claim an Exclusive 14-Day Trial of Semrush Pro Today 

Analyzing competitors is one of the best ways to mix up your SEO strategy – especially if you’ve been a bit stagnant lately. 

If you’re fresh out of engaging content ideas and can’t seem to move the SEO needle anymore, your competitor’s websites should be your first stop. 

Are you ready to enjoy all the powerful SEO tools that Semrush offers?

Then, don’t wait to take advantage of our exclusive extended 14-day trial of Semrush Pro. The standard trial only lasts 7 days, so don’t forget to use our special link to snag an extra week for free!    

The post How to Do a Competitor Analysis in Semrush to Find SEO Ideas appeared first on The HOTH.

Digital marketing side hustles provide some of the best ways to supplement your income, and there are more than a few reasons why. 

For one, you can tackle most digital marketing tasks on a laptop with an internet connection, so you’ll be able to do the work remotely. For two, the digital marketing landscape is vast, as virtually every business needs an online presence in the current era. 

The global digital marketing industry was valued at an impressive 780 billion in 2023, and it’s estimated to have a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 11.1% from 2024 – 2030. 

From affiliate marketing to graphic design, digital marketing offers a wide variety of side hustles that cater to different talents (writing, designing, influencing, etc.). 

That means you should be able to find a digital marketing side hustle that meshes perfectly with your existing skills. 

Yet, it can be difficult to know which marketing tasks are worthy of a side hustle and which are more of a full-time gig. 

For example, there are plenty of articles out there claiming that SEO consulting is a ‘side hustle.’ Well, without a massive existing knowledge base (and plenty of real-world experience), you won’t have any valuable insights to provide to your clients. 

In other words, it’s definitely not something beginners can do ‘on the side.’ 

That’s why we put together this list of realistic digital marketing side hustles, so stay tuned to find the perfect one for you.

What’s a Digital Marketing Side Hustle?

Any business that wants to survive needs promotion, and now that the majority of the world is online, digital marketing reigns supreme. 

That’s not to say that traditional marketing has gone by the wayside, although its growth is halting in certain areas. For example, it’s predicted that B2B professionals will decrease traditional advertising methods by 3.64% in 2024. 

What’s digital marketing?

It refers to promoting a brand’s products and services through digital channels, such as:

• Search engines through SEO (search engine optimization) 
• Email 
• Social media 
• Digital content (videos, blogs, infographics, etc.)
• PPC (pay-per-click) advertising 
• Paid ads (YouTube, banner ads, etc.)

A digital marketing side hustle, then, is when you perform specific digital marketing tasks for businesses as part-time work (typically through freelancing). 

For instance, if you’re a competent graphic designer, you can make extra money online by designing logos, infographics, general graphics for videos/websites, and banner ads. 

Once you build a portfolio and pick up a few clients, you’ll officially have a digital marketing side hustle (woo-hoo!). 

Since most of these side hustles involve freelancing, it’s common to look for digital marketing work on freelancer marketplaces like:

• FreeUp. Whether you specialize in cold calling, copywriting, or web design – you’re bound to find work on FreeUp’s bustling marketplace. All skill levels are welcome, as there are different rates for beginners and experts. 
• Upwork. Currently, Upwork is the largest freelance marketplace online, and they have plenty of digital marketing work available. However, it is noticeably difficult to gain traction on Upwork, which is something to consider.
• iWriter. Specifically for copywriters, this marketplace connects clients with content writers of varying skill levels – making it a viable option for both beginner and expert writers. 

Why Should You Consider a Digital Marketing Side Hustle?

Are you not sure about committing to something on the side?

If so, your hesitation is understandable. After all, we’re talking about taking on more work here, which isn’t something most people jump for joy about, especially if you’re already working 9 to 5. 

Yet, before you decide that being a human couch cushion is your new side gig instead, you should take a look at the benefits a digital marketing side hustle can bring:

• Earning potential. One of the biggest perks of choosing digital marketing as a side hustle is how much money you can earn. For example, freelance UX designers can earn up to $97,426 annually, while content marketers and copywriters can earn up to $150,000. Regardless of the avenue you choose, digital marketing side gigs tend to pay a lot more than other side hustles. 

• Learning opportunities. There’s never a downside to learning a new skill, and digital marketing skills are always in demand. Whether you choose to start managing social media accounts or writing content, you’ll be learning the ins and outs of valuable skills that can lead to full-time employment down the line. 

• Lots of demand with diverse opportunities. Digital marketing services are in demand from businesses from all industries, so there’s no shortage of work available. Beyond that, the opportunities are extremely diverse, from SEO to user experience design and many others. As a result, you’ll be able to mix and match if you so choose (like learning WordPress design while writing content for clients). 

• Work from home. Why wear out your car making deliveries when you can tackle a digital marketing side hustle from your couch? As stated before, digital marketing tasks are easily handled online, so you’ll enjoy more freedom than other side gigs (like making food deliveries). 

As you can see, digital marketing side gigs offer many attractive benefits. If you want to further your marketing education while earning great money working from home, don’t sleep on digital marketing side hustles. 

The Best Digital Marketing Side Hustles for 2024 

Now that you know why digital marketing gigs are worth your time, let’s look at some of the most popular options. 

While each hustle requires some existing marketing knowledge, they are beginner friendly. If you’re a total marketing rookie, remember that you can request beginner rates/work on marketplaces like FreeUp. 

Graphic and UX (user experience) design 

If you’re savvy with programs like Illustrator, GIMP, and Figma, graphic and UX design are the perfect side hustles for you. 

On the graphic design side, businesses from all industries need visually pleasing graphics for their websites and online content. 

For example, you could focus on creating eye-grabbing infographics for content marketers, as those are excellent for generating backlinks and social shares (both of which are integral for digital marketing campaigns). 

Infographics are a diverse content type that feature things like statistics, detailed instructions, data visualizations, and even maps. 

Besides that, every business needs logos and original graphics for their website/videos/social media profiles. 

On the UX side, you can help businesses nail their user experience, both through product and website design. UX is a crucial component of any company’s customer journey, so there’s no shortage of opportunities related to it. 

Content writing and copywriting 

If your writing skills are constantly scoring you compliments at your day job, why not monetize them through a digital marketing side hustle?

Content marketing is a HUGE industry that’s projected to reach a staggering $2 trillion by 2032 with a 16.9% CAGR. 

It’s a form of inbound marketing where businesses educate, inform, and entertain their audiences with valuable content. This not only builds brand awareness and loyalty, but it also drives traffic to crucial landing pages for products and services. 

As a result, countless businesses release regular blogs, videos, and social media posts – and someone has to write all that content. 

Enter content writing, a side hustle where you write compelling, SEO-friendly content for brands online. 

Copywriting is a bit different, as your primary goal is to convince the reader. Businesses also make heavy use of copywriting, especially eCommerce businesses (being able to write a stellar product description is an in-demand skill). 

A great way to get your foot in the door with this side hustle is to work at the beginner tiers on platforms like iWriter to gain experience and meet clients. 

Affiliate marketing 

One of the most reliable (and easiest) ways to make money through digital marketing is to become an affiliate. 

What’s that?

An affiliate is someone who promotes a business’s products and services through their own digital channels, such as:

• Their blog 
• Social media accounts 
• Their website 

You’ll receive an official affiliate link, and you’ll receive credit for every sale made through it. 

If you already have a large following online, affiliate marketing can almost become a passive source of income. Set up a few posts, get the word out to your followers, and sit back and let the money roll in. 

How do you get started?

There are hundreds of affiliate programs online, with Amazon Associates being the most popular. We also have our own affiliate program offering 50% commission and an unprecedented 120-day cookie window (more on this in a bit). 

Social media management 

If you’re social media savvy, or if you just love scrolling through TikTok and Instagram all day, you should consider becoming a social media manager. 

Practically every business has a presence on social media (definitely every major company), and they’re often far too busy to manage it themselves. 

That’s where social media managers come into the picture, who regularly handle tasks like:

• Reacting and responding to follower’s comments 
• Deciding which content to create and when to release it 
• Analyzing engagement data to determine which content types work best 
• Addressing any complaints or concerns from followers 

Being a social media manager also offers lots of flexibility, as you can easily handle the tasks from home or even on-the-go in some cases. 

Start Earning Money with a Digital Marketing Side Hustle Today 

Digital marketing gigs are great because they offer the best of both worlds: high earning potential and the freedom to work from home. 

That’s not to say that there’s no hard work involved, as the digital marketing space is fiercely competitive and results-driven. 

Yet, if you’re motivated and eager to improve and change with the trends, you can make lots of money and further your career with a side gig related to digital marketing. 

Are you looking for an easy side hustle that will earn you money?

Then, you need to check out The HOTH affiliate program, which offers generous 50% commissions for all new sales. Not only that, but you’ll gain access to branded HOTH assets that make promoting our services a breeze, so don’t wait to sign up now.   

The post The Top Digital Marketing Side Hustle Ideas for 2024  appeared first on The HOTH.

Backlinks are one of the most important ranking factors for Google’s search algorithm, so you’ll need to take part in link-building if you want to reach the #1 position. 

The only problem is building links is a time-consuming process that can be downright confusing. 

However, if you use Semrush for link-building, you’ll have access to a fleet of tools that contain features for:

• Uncovering top-tier backlink opportunities in your field 
• Auditing your current link profile to ensure it’s in tip-top shape
• Identifying the exact number of links you need to close the gap with competitors 
• Conduct, automate, and monitor link-building outreach campaigns 

In other words, these tools will transform you into a link-building extraordinaire.

According to research, the #1 search result contains an average of 3.8x more backlinks than positions #2 – #10, which is a testament to the ranking power backlinks provide. 

That’s why it’s worth learning how to use Semrush’s tools for link-building, and that’s exactly what we’re going to teach you in this article, so stay tuned. 

An Overview Of Semrush’s Link-Building Tools 

Here’s a glimpse at all the link-building tools you gain access to with a subscription to Semrush:

• Backlink Analytics. This tool provides a general overview of your backlink profile, including any new or lost links. The Analytics tool features the largest and fastest link database on the market and provides extremely accurate competitor data.  

• Backlink Audit. With the Audit tool, you’ll be able to avoid Google penalties by getting rid of any harmful links. It’s also a useful tool for ensuring the quality of your link placements. 

• Backlink Gap. How many links do you need to build to bridge the gap between you and a competitor? That’s the central question this tool answers. 

• Bulk Backlink Analysis. One of the most annoying aspects of link-building is how time-consuming it is. This tool eliminates that problem by analyzing competitor websites and new link opportunities in bulk.  

• Link-Building Tool. Conducting outreach is cumbersome, and it’s easy to lose track of if you’re not using a central tool like Semrush. The link-building tool serves as your central hub for your link-building campaigns, as you can manage and automate your outreach efforts. 

Now that you’ve taken a peek inside the toolbox, let’s learn some of the best ways to use Semrush to improve your link-building campaigns. 

Checking What’s New With Your Link Profile (Backlink Analytics) 

It’s crucial to keep an eye on your website’s backlink profile, as it’s subject to change quite often. Try to check it at least once per week, especially if you’re actively trying to build more links. 

The Backlinks Analytics Report is what you want to use to check on your link profile, including any new developments. 

You’ll be able to see if your outreach efforts paid off by selecting New and Follow (to only show dofollow links) from the filters list. 

Yet, if you’ve been building press links, you’ll also want to include Nofollow links to see if you picked up anything new. 

Other important metrics in this report are:

• Your authority score 
• Total number of referring domains and backlinks 
• Monthly visits 
• Organic traffic

Further down the page, you’ll find insightful features like your TLD (top-level domain) distribution, top countries, backlink types, and link attributes. 

Find and Recover Lost Backlinks 

Not all backlinks last forever, which is an unfortunate fact of life. However, Semrush keeps track of all the links you lost via the Lost backlinks filter on the Analytics Report. 

There are a number of reasons why you may lose a backlink. 

It could be that the site owner moved the page containing the link but forgot to add a redirect, resulting in a 404 Not Found. 

Or it might be that a competitor convinced them to use one of their links instead. 

Whatever the case may be, you can use the Lost Backlinks filter to quickly identify your lost backlinks. Not only that, but the report will even tell you what the issue is, such as a broken domain, page redirect, or if the site owner removed the link manually. 

Once you know which links you lost, you can reach out to the site owners and hopefully convince them to resurrect your backlink. 

Audit Your Anchor Text Profile 

The anchor text (the text masking the URL) you use matters to Google, and it’s important to have a balanced anchor text profile. 

In particular, you want to avoid using ‘exact match’ anchor text too often. 

That’s where your anchor text consists of a keyword important to your business and nothing else. This screams spam to Google, so it’s best to use exact match anchor text sparingly. 

A better bet is to use ‘partial match’ anchor text, where you combine keywords with other phrases. Branded anchor text and naked URLs should also be thrown into the mix. 

Semrush makes managing your anchor text effortless with the Anchors report in its Backlink Analytics tool. 

Here, you’ll be able to view a breakdown of the different types of anchor text your backlinks have, which will help you determine if you’re using too much of one type. 

Set up Automated Notifications for Your Backlinks 

Semrush’s Backlink Audit tool features an extremely handy notification feature. 

It will notify you via email any time there’s a change to your link profile, including:

• Acquiring a new backlink 
• Losing a backlink 
• Broken domains 

Turning on notifications will ensure that you’re fast to act on lost backlinks and broken domains, which is essential for maintaining a healthy link profile. 

Find Valuable Content Ideas from Competitors 

One of the best ways to build links without going nuts conducting outreach is to create outstanding content that naturally attracts links from other websites. 

Yet, that’s often easier said than done, as it can be tricky to know which type of content to create. 

Semrush’s Indexed Pages report is your secret weapon for uncovering content ideas that generate links. 

This time, you’ll want to enter a competitor’s URL into the tool instead of your own. Once that’s done, navigate to the Indexed Pages report to see the web pages that have generated the most backlinks for them. 

From there, take notes on which content types attracted the most links, and then create similar content for your brand. 

Try Out Semrush With an Exclusive 14-Day Free Trial 

Those are only a few ways you can use Semrush’s tools to improve your link-building campaigns. 

The platform contains a comprehensive suite of SEO tools, and we’ve only scratched the surface. 

If you’re ready to see what Semrush can do for your business, don’t wait to take advantage of our exclusive offer – an extended 14-day trial of Semrush Pro. The standard trial only lasts 7 days, so don’t forget to use our special link!  

The post How to Use Semrush for Link-Building: Tools and Strategies appeared first on The HOTH.

But what if you could use AI to help with your link-building?

And… what if the links AI helped you build weren’t some watered-down version of a backlink, the same way so much AI content seems to be? What if they were better, more high-quality links?

If you’re unsure how this could work, read on. We’ve figured out a way to make SEO success with link building simpler than ever—and we’re using AI to do it. 

Introducing HOTH AI Link Select

Our Link Outreach services are still considered some of the best in the market. The HOTH’s focus on quality, scalability, and ease of use has allowed us to continue to grow long after many of our competitors have exited the market. 

And getting white-hat links isn’t easy (ask anybody who’s ever had to build them). Even agencies with incredibly experienced teams and a vast network of sites and publications put a ton of work into outreach. 

AI Link Select is going to change all that. 

What is HOTH AI Link Select?

Picture a software that allows you to plug in your target URL and any filters like DA, DR, and site traffic you’re looking for. 

Imagine that software can “read” your site to determine its content. You or a team member need not provide further context, and no more research is required.

That software takes your site and your filters and goes through thousands of sites that have been hand-selected for quality that can link back to yours. They meet all the metrics you’re searching for.

And beyond that, they’re relevant links. They’re in your industry or niche, making these links even more authoritative.

You see a list of sites that fit your metrics with descriptions of their content. Next to each link option, you see a price. You pick the links you want and expect delivery in 30 days or less (usually much sooner).

It’s as simple as that. 

Your Personalized Path to Page 1 

While AI takes the outreach wheel, you’re more in the driver’s seat because you have more control over which links you get to your site than ever before. 

While some links may be more expensive than our Link Outreach packages, others may be cheaper depending on the metrics you’re looking for. It’s an AI-powered white hat backlink marketplace. 

We can’t wait for you to try it. Click on the AI Link Select Product Page for faster, better, more relevant links– and experience the future of link building.

The post Using AI To Scale Your SEO With AI Link Select appeared first on The HOTH.

Eye-tracking studies have shown that online users ignore ads and make a beeline to the content they were looking for in the first place. 

In fact, users have become so ad-averse that they give the cold shoulder to content that resembles ads, is close to ads, or is in locations traditionally dedicated to ads (like the Sponsored section of Google’s search results). 

This behavior is known as banner blindness — a form of selective attention where users ignore ads or entire sections of a website that don’t have the type of content they want.

If visitors ignore your ads, you won’t generate as many clicks and conversions as you’d like. That’s not to mention all the money you’ll waste on paid ad placements (which don’t come cheap, especially today). 

So, how can you A) reach your target audience in a way they won’t ignore, and B) get them to complete the actions you want (i.e., sign up for your newsletter, make a purchase, etc.)?

One way is through sponsored content.

By getting trusted YouTubers, bloggers, and journalists to create sponsored content for you, you’ll gain your audience’s undivided attention (and they won’t even realize they’re being advertised to).  

If you’re not already using sponsored content in your marketing mix, you’re missing out on opportunities to engage and convert members of your target audience.

In this article, we’ll break down what sponsored content is, showcase different types, and provide examples of how to leverage this channel to drive measurable results.

What is sponsored content?

Sponsored content is a form of paid advertising where you work with blogs, newspapers, YouTube channels, and influencers to publish content that promotes your products and services.

Unlike traditional ads that are often intrusive, sponsored content appears organic as it comes in the form of blog posts, videos, and social media posts. 

In other words, instead of ads getting in the way of users trying to view something else (like an ad before a YouTube video), your sponsored content will be the very thing your audience is seeking out (like a TikTok video from one of their favorite creators who you sponsor).

How does sponsored content work?

The way it works is simple — a company partners with a content creator who agrees to publish content in exchange for payment (or another perk, like free products and services, discounts, etc.).

It’s up to you to determine how you’ll compensate your sponsors, but the most common way is to provide a fee for their service. 

Sponsored content is EVERYWHERE today, so you’ve undoubtedly encountered it while on social media or YouTube. 

After all, how many times have you heard a content creator on YouTube say “and that brings me to today’s sponsor,” followed by a lengthy plug for a product or service?

That’s sponsored content in action, and it’s exploded in popularity over the last decade.

To cite a real-world example, Audible, a subscription service for audiobooks, regularly partners with influencers. In the post below, photographer Jesse Driftwood discusses using Audible to listen to audiobooks on business management and productivity.

Source

As you can see, the post generated thousands of likes, and it directly appeals to professionals eager to continue their education. 

It also doesn’t appear like an ad since it just looks like one of Jesse’s regular posts (complete with a relevant, high-resolution image). For this reason, it circumvents the ‘banner blindness’ problem mentioned earlier, which is why sponsored content is so effective. 

Why bother with sponsored content?

Let’s face it:

Nobody likes ads.

We’ve all been there; you’re completely engrossed in a captivating article when, suddenly, a giant pop-up ad consumes your entire screen. 

Or worse, you’re watching a YouTube video, and just as things are getting juicy, it cuts to not one but two paid ads that you have to sit through.

It’s not surprising that 39% of respondents are often annoyed by internet advertising, which isn’t good news for paid advertisers. 

What makes matters worse is over 912 million internet users use Adblock to avoid ads completely.

The bottom line is that people don’t like ads, and many will go out of their way to block them.

Sponsored content provides an alternative to disruptive ads. A sponsored post will help you reach your audience without disrupting their current experience. Instead, the sponsored post will be the experience they actively seek out, so there won’t be any need to disrupt it. 

Since sponsored posts closely resemble editorial content (just like the Audible post from Jesse Driftwood), users are far more likely to engage with it (which is why that post got 10,000+ likes).

This type of paid advertising helps you:

• Raise brand awareness
• Educate and entertain your audience
• Build trust and credibility
• Establish thought leadership in your field

If users get value from your content (learning how to do something, answering a question, solving a problem, entertaining them, etc.), they’ll likely continue interacting with your brand in the future and may even become customers.

Sponsored content vs. native advertising

Due to some deceptively close similarities, it can be easy to mix up sponsored content with native advertising, but the two are distinct forms of advertising. 

Here’s how to tell the difference between a sponsored post and a native ad. 

Native ads

A native ad is a form of paid advertising that intentionally matches the look and feel of the platform on which it resides. 

In other words, a native ad on Instagram will try to ‘blend in’ with the organic posts that appear on your feed. A native ad will look like a post from any other profile, but it will subtly promote a product or service. 

Here’s an example of a native, in-feed ad on Instagram that perfectly illustrates what we’re talking about:

Source

Since this ad comes in the form of an Instagram post (complete with a profile, picture, and caption), it blends in with the rest of the user’s feed. Someone scrolling through their newsfeed may not even notice that this is an ad, which is the point of native advertising.  

Most native ads include the following:

• Headline
• Product image
• Short description
• Call to action

These ads are less intrusive than traditional ads, but that doesn’t mean that they’re indecipherable from organic posts. Most social platforms provide some way of telling users that a native advertisement is indeed an ad, such as the ‘Sponsored’ tag appearing on the top-right corner of the Instagram ad provided above. 

Paid advertising 

Paid search ads are another example of native ads, but they appear on search engines like Google instead of social media platforms. 

Let’s do a quick search and find some paid search ads to analyze. 

Sticking with the theme of the Instagram ad, If we search for “quality mineral water” in Google, these paid ads appear at the top of the results page:

The only clue that these listings are ads is the ‘Sponsored’ tag circled in red. Besides that, they appear like normal product listings that would appear for any type of search. 

Paid content 

Finally, another popular format for native ads is paid content that appears below an article, as shown below.

Source

Every article you see here promotes a product or service, which is noted by the Paid Content subheading above them. Despite this, they’re made to appear like regular blog posts, which is why they qualify as native ads. 

Clicking on these posts typically directs visitors to a landing page where they can learn more about a product and make a purchase.

Those are the different types of native ads, and they can certainly help you generate sales. In fact, research shows that native ads have a click-through rate that’s 8.8x higher than standard display ads. 

However, some visitors may find it off-putting if you try to push them towards a conversion too soon.

Also, native ads aren’t immune to banner blindness. As we’ve pointed out, every native ad will have some sort of identifier revealing that it’s an advertisement (required by law), which can cause users to scroll past them without a second thought. 

For these reasons, sponsored content is a better option to reach your audience without being too pushy, and it’s far less likely to cause banner blindness.

Sponsored content

Sponsored content takes a completely different approach to native advertising, and it’s a lot stealthier. 

For one, sponsored ads take the form of articles, videos, and social media posts. 

Another difference is that native ads are created by advertisers, while sponsored content comes directly from publishers and content creators. At first glance, this may seem negative, as it grants you less control over the content of your ads. However, this is usually a good thing, as it will make your ad appear more organic and less ‘salesy.’

Also, brands still create their own sponsored content at times, but they still have to work with a relevant publisher to ensure it fits their audience. 

The main reason why sponsored content is able to perfectly blend in with traditional content is that its primary goal is to educate rather than sell. Sponsored content isn’t concerned with hard sell tactics, as immediate conversions aren’t your aim. 

Instead, you want to build your audience’s trust by providing them with valuable content that answers questions and solves problems. Once your audience trusts you, they’ll be far more likely to make a purchase or sign up for a service.  

One thing to note before we continue is that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires publishers and influencers to disclose when they have a “material connection” to a brand.

Undisclosed advertising is illegal, so every type of ad, sponsored or not, must let the audience know in some way that it’s an advertisement. In the case of sponsored content, your audience must know that the content creator or publisher has a material connection to your brand (more on FTC guidelines below).  

Source

Types of sponsored content (with examples)

Creating sponsored content can be an effective way to raise brand awareness, showcase your expertise, and build trust with your audience.

Here’s a look at different types of sponsored content. We’ve also provided examples of how companies use these content formats to drive engagement.

Articles

Blog articles comprise the backbone of most companies’ content creation efforts. They’re cost-effective, easy to create, and can encompass numerous content types (how-to’s, buyer’s guides, listicles, etc.). 

As such, articles are one of the best ways to take advantage of sponsored content. As long as you post sponsored articles on your audience’s preferred platforms, they will help you reach and connect with qualified prospects. 

As an example, music streaming juggernaut Spotify once sponsored a BuzzFeed listicle entitled ‘15 Bands That Probably Wouldn’t Exist Without Led Zeppelin.’

Source

Notice that at the top of the page BuzzFeed clarifies that it’s a Paid Post, and they list Spotify as the Brand Publisher. 

Besides these two identifiers, users would have no way of knowing that the listicle is actually a paid ad for Spotify. 

Despite being an ad, the article is an informative, entertaining post that chronicles Led Zeppelin’s influence on modern rock music. It’s a genuinely interesting read for music enthusiasts and rock lovers, which are definitely who Spotify is trying to appeal to here. 

Videos

Long-form content (anything over 1,000 words) is a great way to explore a topic and provide lots of helpful information for your audience. 

Yet, many users prefer watching videos, so you shouldn’t ignore video-sharing platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

Sponsored videos will help you reach new audiences and generate more sales. 

In fact, 82% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a video. After all, there’s a reason why so many businesses choose to sponsor YouTubers. 

A good example is the investment firm BlackRock, which sponsored a series of financial well-being videos for the popular news outlet NowThis News.

(Source)

The sponsored videos provide financial advice on budgeting, investing, and more. It’s a perfect match for BlackRock as it offers investment management solutions.

Social media

The sponsored videos provide financial advice on budgeting, investing, and more. This was a perfect match for BlackRock, which offers investment management solutions to professionals worldwide. 

Social media

It’s no secret that social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are a huge part of consumers’ lives in the modern world.

People turn to social media to find entertainment, connect with friends, stay informed about current events, and learn more about local businesses. 

For this reason, it makes sense that brands are investing more in sponsored content for social media. 

In fact, global influencer marketing spending reached an impressive $34.08 billion in 2023.

Acquiring sponsored posts on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook gives you the opportunity to increase brand awareness and drive referral traffic to your site.

Let’s take a look at a sponsored post on social media to see an example. 

Popular OTC (over-the-counter) heartburn medication Tums sponsored the following post on First We Feast’s X account.

Source

First We Feast is known for producing the wildly popular Hot Ones series. The show’s host interviews famous celebrities while they eat spicy chicken wings (and typically struggle to do so).

While the ad is comical, it’s a perfect sponsorship — spicy food can cause an upset stomach, which antacids like TUMS just so happens to relieve.

Podcasts

While podcasts have been extremely popular since 2014, they’re still growing in popularity, so it’s not a content medium to ignore.

In 2024, it’s forecasted that 59.2% of US digital audio listeners will consume a podcast at least once per month, which totals 135.4 million people. 

Moreover, podcasts are extremely diverse, so it won’t matter your industry or niche focus (chances are there’ll be dozens of popular podcasts in your space already, so you’ll definitely have an audience to work with).

Sponsoring a podcast or a segment that’s related to your business will help you tap into this massive market to raise brand awareness, drive traffic, and drum up sales.

As an example, AG1 by Athletic Greens sponsors the Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) podcast. 

When polled, a massive portion of Joe Rogan fans claim they aspire to be fit and healthy (92%), so the sponsorship makes perfect sense.  

Source

The examples above are just some content types that you can sponsor. Others include:

• Ebooks. Does your audience consist of avid readers? Then, you may want to consider sponsoring relevant ebooks. For instance, TheScientist has a comprehensive list of sponsored ebooks. 

• Infographics. If you want your content to generate lots of shares and backlinks, infographics are an excellent choice, and plenty of publishers and content creators make them. Here’s an example of a co-sponsored infographic from Hunch. 

• Whitepapers. You can think of a whitepaper as a highly formal blog post that’s extremely well researched. Whitepapers are popular for professional industries, so sponsoring whitepapers is a good move if your target audience works in information technology (or another field with complicated products). The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has a section on their website dedicated to sponsored whitepapers. 

• Newsletters. Instead of flooding your prospects’ inboxes with promotional emails that they’ll never open, you’ll have a lot more success with sponsoring newsletters, which boast 62% read rates. As an example, Morning Brew’s newsletter features a large section of sponsored content. 

• Webinars. If you have a professional audience, sponsoring a webinar is a great way to promote your business while they’re engrossed in a valuable presentation. 54% of B2B professionals participate in webinars at least once a week. For instance, the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) offers sponsorship opportunities for their webinars.

FTC Guidelines for Sponsored Content

As stated before, undisclosed advertising is illegal, so you’ll have to follow the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) guidelines for your sponsored content. 

The idea is to protect audiences from being misled by undisclosed advertising, which is why the rules exist. 

Key Points of FTC Guidelines:

Clear disclosure: If you receive any compensation (money, free products, or experiences) in exchange for a social media post, you MUST disclose it clearly and conspicuously.

Use transparent language: Using vague terms like “thanks to,” or “#collab” isn’t sufficient. Use straightforward words like “#ad” or “sponsored” at the beginning of your post.

Placement matters: The disclosure should appear “above the fold” or be clearly visible without clicking “more.” It also needs to be noticeable in videos.

Own your experience: Even when a brand gives you talking points, you must remain honest about your genuine experience with the product or service.

Why does this matter? 

Builds trust: Transparency fosters a loyal audience that will trust your recommendations.

Protects you: Violating FTC guidelines can result in warnings or even fines.

It’s the right thing: Your audience deserves to know when content is promotional.

Here are some resources to get you started:

• FTC’s Endorsement Guides
• FTC Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers

Now, let’s look at how you can use sponsored content to connect with your target audience, regardless of their preferred platforms. 

How to get started with sponsored content

When done right, sponsored content drives measurable results for your business, and it can even establish your brand as a household name. 

But, just like any marketing strategy, you’ve got to develop a plan and allocate your resources accordingly if you want to find lasting success.

The following steps will teach you how to promote your brand using sponsored content.

1. Set a goal

Sponsored content is all about placing your branded messages in front of the right people. However, before you get started, you’ll need to decide on A) which branded messages to promote, B) which audience you want to target, and C) what you ultimately hope to achieve with your sponsored content (i.e., more brand awareness, referral traffic, etc.). 

Therefore, the first step is to define a goal (or goals) for your sponsored content campaign. 

Here’s a peek at some common goals:

• Raise brand awareness. This goal involves reaching a new audience on the platforms that they frequent. 

• Increase referral traffic. Referral traffic is beneficial because it’s a sign that you’re building brand awareness and loyalty online. There’s also less competition since the traffic isn’t coming from SEO keywords, and your referral traffic won’t be affected by algorithm changes. 

• Establish thought leadership. Sponsoring informative content will help establish your brand as a thought leader in your field. Other important types of content include whitepapers, webinars, and data-driven industry reports. 

• Drive more leads and sales. If you partner with trusted creators who share your target audience, you will drive more leads and sales for your most important products and services. 

Why should you create goals for your sponsored content?

It’s because defining your goals will help provide guidance on the type of content you should create.

Let’s say your goal is to raise brand awareness. 

You could sponsor a sleek and well-written listicle entitled ‘10 Things to Consider Before Investing in (your product type).’ 

On the other hand, if thought leadership is your ultimate goal, you could sponsor a comprehensive industry report on a pain point facing your target audience. You could then offer it as a download on a respected website in your field. 

If you’re having a hard time coming up with goals, take a look at your existing sales funnel and ask yourself, “Where does sponsored content have the most potential to make a difference?” Answering this question will help you come up with valuable goals. 

2. Research your target audience

Understanding your target audience is integral to creating effective sponsored content.

Think about the audience that you want to reach. 

What are their demographics? What do they want to learn more about? What problems are they facing?

Here are some ways to research your audience:

• Collect and explore demographic data: Google Analytics offers plenty of information about your website visitors, like age, gender, interests, and more. You can also explore this data through Facebook Audience Insights and X Analytics.
• Conduct customer surveys: One of the best ways to learn about your audience is to ask them directly. Send out email surveys or, if possible, arrange face-to-face meetings with your existing customers.
• Analyze your competitors: Chances are your competitors are using platforms like Facebook and X. Analyzing their pages can also yield valuable insights into your target audience. Pay attention to the content their followers engage with and take inspiration from it.

Use the information you’ve gathered to create a realistic buyer persona – which is a detailed profile of your target audience. This will come in handy as you start creating sponsored content.

What is a buyer persona? A buyer persona (also known as a customer avatar) is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer. It’s created based on market research, customer data, and insights into your existing customer base. A buyer persona typically includes: Demographics: Age, gender, location, job title, income level, etc. Psychographics: Personality traits, values, interests, lifestyle. Goals and motivations: What problems do they want to solve? What are their aspirations? Pain points: What are their challenges or frustrations? Online behavior: Where do they spend time online? What influences their decisions?

3. Decide on a content type

Now that you understand where your audience spends their time online, it’s time to consider the formats that will reach them, like social media posts, blog articles, sponsored videos, etc.

It’s important to select a content type that aligns with the goals you set in step #1. For example, if one of your goals is to drive more organic search traffic, you might consider sponsoring long-form content.

Why is that?

It’s because HubSpot found that articles with longer word counts generate more traffic on average than shorter articles.

Search engines value content that goes into great depth about a topic, something that’s hard to do with short articles. That’s why sponsoring long-form content will likely drive more traffic to your pages.

Of course, don’t just limit yourself to one content type.

If you’re only sponsoring blog posts, you’re missing out on a portion of your audience who may prefer watching videos or listening to podcasts. Once you set up a process for sponsored articles, consider expanding into different formats.

4. Research and choose a publisher

The next step is to choose a company, influencer, or publisher to distribute your sponsored content.

Here are some things to consider:

• Audience: Choose a publisher with an audience that aligns with yours. For example, if you’re a travel agency, you might contact travel magazines or blogs. Research the platform to learn more about their audience.
• Traffic: Creating sponsored content takes a lot of time and effort, so you want to make it worthwhile. Use our free website traffic checker tool to estimate how much traffic a publisher receives a month. If they aren’t pulling the type of numbers you want to see, consider looking for another sponsor. 
• Cost: Find a publisher who fits your budget. The price you pay will depend on factors like demographics, reach, engagement, and content format.

Once you find a promising publisher, contact them and request a media kit – which is a document that contains information about their audience and other details, like engagement metrics.

Of course, don’t forget about influencers on social media. 

61% of consumers trust product recommendations from influencers, so the products and services they recommend hold true power. Use platforms like BuzzSumo, HypeAuditor, or AspireIQ to streamline your search for influencers in your field. To get the best results, set filters for niche, location, engagement metrics, and more.

Additional Tips

Don’t just focus on the big names: Your first move shouldn’t be to reach out to Logan Paul or Addison Rae, as they’re way too big. Micro-influencers often have highly engaged, niche audiences that can be a great fit, especially if you’re just starting out.

Start building relationships early: Engage with potential creators or publishers on social media, comment on their content, and nurture a connection before pitching partnerships.

5. Create your sponsored content

Often, publishers and creators want to create the sponsored content themselves to maintain control over what’s said. For example, T Brand Studio is a branch of The New York Times that works with companies to create branded content.

However, if you need to create your own sponsored content, then keep the following in mind:

• Provide value: Always focus on providing value no matter what publisher you choose to distribute your content. In other words, avoid hard sell tactics at all costs. If your content is too promotional, readers may simply tune out, or the publisher may reject it.
• Include multimedia: Nobody likes to read large walls of text. Include multimedia like images and videos in your article to increase engagement and to mix things up. Bloggers who include at least ten images report stronger results than those who use fewer images.
• Follow editorial guidelines: Many publications have strict guidelines of what they can and can’t accept. Make sure that you stick to these editorial standards to get your content accepted.
• Optimize for SEO: Don’t forget to optimize your sponsored content to improve its rankings in the search results. Use our free Google Keyword Planner Tool to identify keywords you can target.

If you’re looking to get professionally written content, then check out HOTH Blogger.

6. Measure your results

If you want your sponsored content efforts to bear fruit, you need to know how to measure your progress. Here’s a list of the most important metrics you’ll want to track:

• Reach and impressions: This represents how many people laid eyes on your content. 

• Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, clicks, etc. 

• Website traffic: The total number of visitors driven to your website from the sponsored content. 

• Conversions: This refers to the number of leads, sales, or other desired actions taken. 

Timing also matters, as sponsored posts on social platforms often see a quick engagement spike that fades over time. While sponsored blog articles may have a slower start, they provide longer-term benefits for your organic traffic. 

You should also use certain tools to track your performance, which include the following:

• Google Analytics. This platform provides website traffic stats, traffic numbers, referral sources, and conversion rates. 

• UTM tags. For granular insights, use these unique links for each campaign (provide your publishers with them). 

• Social media analytics. As stated before, each social platform has analytics that you can use to gain insights into the success of your sponsored content. 

• Social media monitoring. Tools like BuzzSumo and Ahrefs Alerts will notify you every time someone mentions your brand or when you pick up a new backlink. 

After that, the next step is to analyze the data to determine what worked and what didn’t. Did you see the most success from certain content formats, publishers, or platforms? Use these findings to guide your future sponsored content efforts. 

Conclusion

Consumers today are bombarded with ads, which has led to an ad fatigue pandemic.

It’s gotten to the point that many internet users ignore ads on web pages or even install software to block them entirely.

Sponsored content offers a solution. 

By providing genuine value and seamlessly blending into trusted platforms, it engages your audience in a way that feels authentic and builds brand credibility.

You’ve learned the steps for a successful sponsored content strategy.  Now, let’s put it into action!

Need help taking your content to the next level?

Schedule a call with our digital marketing experts to learn more. ​​We’ll partner with you to create expertly crafted sponsored content that positions you as an authority and drives results. 

The post Sponsored Content: Definition, Examples, and How to Get Started appeared first on The HOTH.

If so, verifying your business with a listing on Google Business Profile (GBP) is an absolutely crucial first step.

97% of consumers take to search engines like Google to learn more about local businesses, and a GBP listing will help you appear in the local search results. 

If you’ve ever searched for a restaurant or business ‘near you’ or ‘in your area,’ you’re probably very familiar with seeing search result features like these:

This is Google’s ‘Local Pack,’ and it contains three local business listings relevant to the search query, and even features a handy map. 

Well, every business listed in this example has one thing in common – they all have Google Business Profile listings. 

If you want your local business to appear in dynamic search results like these that contain maps, reviews, and photos – creating a GBP listing is a necessity. 

With a Google Business Profile, you’ll have more control over how your company appears on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs for short), including your:

• Business NAP (name, address, and phone number) 
• Positive user reviews 
• Photos of your business 

Also, by creating a GBP listing, Google will verify you as a legitimate and reliable business, enabling you to appear in all sorts of SERP features (like the ‘Google Local Pack’ listed above, but more on that later). 

In this article, we’ll teach you all five verification methods for setting up your Google Business Profile listing, so stay tuned.  

What is Google Business Profile, and Why Does it Matter for Local SEO?

Google Business Profile is Google’s own business listing service. It helps businesses manage their online presence across Google’s platform, especially for Search and Maps.

Whenever you search for a business on Google, its GBP appears as an information box that provides essential details like:

Business name

Address (or service area)

Hours of operation

Contact information

Photos and videos

Customer reviews

(Source)

The good news is business owners can either A) claim an existing GBP listing (sometimes Google will auto-generate business information if there is none) or B) create a new listing from scratch. 

By doing so, you’ll have complete control over the information Google displays about your business, which is a serious advantage. 

GBP is particularly important for businesses with brick-and-mortar locations (restaurants, stores, etc.) or those serving specific cities and neighborhoods (electricians, mobile detailers, consultants, etc.). 

Once you verify your GBP listing, you’ll unlock additional features, including the ability to:

• Respond to customer reviews and questions
• Create original posts to share offers or updates about your business
• Add service options like online delivery or booking

Besides Google Business Profile, other free tools offered by Google that help business owners with their digital marketing include:

• Google Analytics. The more you know about your target audience, the easier it becomes to create content for them. Google Analytics is a free platform that provides all kinds of insights into your audience’s behavior, including their demographics, how they found you, and how they interact with your site. 
• Google Search Console. If you want to find success with SEO (search engine optimization), you need a way to monitor your progress. Google Search Console provides crucial SEO metrics like position rankings, keywords, and indexing error reports. 
• Google Ads. A quick way to skyrocket your brand to the top of the search results is to use paid ads through Google. A perk of going this route is how much control you have over your ads (i.e., demographics, control over when they display, etc.).    

Why Is It Important to Verify Your Business Listing on GBP?

Are you still not convinced that you need to verify your business with a GBP listing?

Well, these five key benefits should help change your mind:

Keep your business information up to date

With a verified GBP listing, it’s confirmed that you’re the rightful owner of your business. That will prevent others from claiming your listing or making unauthorized/inaccurate changes to it. 

As long as you have complete ownership of your listing, you can update your business hours, respond to reviews, add photos, and create posts. 

If you don’t verify or claim your GBP listing, you risk Google displaying outdated or inaccurate information about your business, which can have disastrous results. 

Since so many users search on Google for local businesses, a huge chunk of your prospects will fall by the wayside because they saw an incorrect address or business hours. That’s why it’s imperative to claim your listing and keep your business’s information up to date. 

Enhanced customer interactions

One of the biggest perks of GBP is that you can respond to customer reviews, which will improve your reputation management. 

You can reply to both positive and negative reviews, which will demonstrate both professionalism and a staunch commitment to a positive customer experience. 

(Image Source)

You’ll definitely need lots of user reviews if you want to drum up business from local patrons. 

Why is that?

It’s because of how crucial reviews are for businesses in today’s age. According to a 2020 survey, 94% of customers claimed positive online reviews made them more likely to choose a business, while 92% said negative reviews turned them away immediately. 

With GBP verification, you can interact and respond to reviews to save your reputation. 

For example, you can call out fake reviews whenever they pop up, and you can address a patron’s genuine concerns whenever you receive a negative review. 

While you may want to just ignore negative reviews, it’s imperative that you respond to them, as that’ll improve the public’s perception of your brand.

The proof?

Harvard Business Review conducted a study which found that businesses who responded to reviews – good or bad – saw an increase in their ratings as a result. 

This is why it’s so important to respond to every review that your business receives on Google. 

Besides responding to reviews, GBP also enables you to:

Answer questions: Customers can post questions directly on your profile. Once verified, you’ll have the ability to answer their questions, which will position your brand as an authority figure. 

Message customers: GBP allows customers to message you directly through your listing, which definitely comes in handy. Through the messaging feature, customers can reach out with pressing questions and concerns or just to sing their praises.

Crucial for local SEO

Local SEO is the name of the game for brick-and-mortar businesses eager to capitalize on relevant user searches on Google. 

We’ve already mentioned how the vast majority of customers use search engines to find information about businesses in their area. 

If you want to rank high for keywords related to your business (like ‘pizza near me’), you MUST have a Google Business Profile. 

Otherwise, Google won’t know if it should trust your business or not, so you’ll have limited visibility on the SERPs. Moreover, a GBP listing is necessary if you want to get your business listed in the aforementioned ‘Google Local Pack’ (where three local listings appear along with their locations on Google Maps). 

Appearing in the Local Pack is integral for the success of local SEO campaigns. 

Why is that?

Studies show that 93% of searches that have local intent on Google feature a Local Pack, and 50% of users will visit a nearby business within 24 hours as a direct result of their local search. Moreover, 78% of those users will make an offline purchase in the near future. 

Increased trust and credibility

Picture that you’re on the hunt for a reputable plumber in your area. 

Which service would you choose: one with glowing reviews, readily available contact information, and high-resolution photos – or one that has no pictures, reviews, or even an address listed?

The choice is clear. 

This hypothetical proves the importance of Google Business Profile verification for generating new customers. 

In other words, Google isn’t the only one interested in your business’s credibility; your prospects are, too. 

In fact, Google reports that users are twice as likely to consider a verified business trustworthy over a non-verified one. Therefore, it’s in the best interest of your business and brand reputation to get verified on Google Business Profile. 

Prevent misrepresentations

As stated before, Google auto-generates business information for companies that don’t have active GBP listings. 

That’s because Google wants to provide the best experience possible for users trying to find local businesses in their area. Not every business creates a GBP listing, so it’s up to Google to fill in the gaps. 

However, while your GBP listing remains unclaimed, anyone can claim they’re part of your business (or even the owner). From there, they can scam your customers, upload misinformation, and destroy your company’s credibility. 

GBP verification will ensure that you’re the only one who can publicly upload information about your business. 

That will prevent scammers from claiming that they own your business, and you’ll be able to keep all your information up-to-date (auto-generated GBP listings may have inaccurate or outdated information). 

Access to insights and analytics 

A verified GBP account grants you access to invaluable analytics for your local SEO campaign. 

In particular, you can view metrics like:

• Search terms. You’ll have a list of all the unique search terms users typed into Google to find your business. 

• Profile views. This is the total number of users that viewed your Google Business Profile. 

• Direction requests. This represents the number of users that requested directions to your business. 

• Food orders. For restaurants, you’ll be able to view the total number of food orders placed through your GBP. 

• Calls. How many users called your business from your GBP listing? This metric lets you know. 

These are just a few of the data sets available to you with a verified GBP account. Also, you can view which actions users take once they visit your listing (like making calls or scheduling bookings). 

These insights are perfect for improving your listing, website, and marketing strategies.

How to Verify Your Listing On Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)

Now that you know why GBP verification is worth it, it’s time to learn how to make it happen. There are five unique ways you can verify your business on GBP, so let’s take a closer look at each one. 

Before you start the verification process, you have to claim your business first. To do so, go to Google Search or Google Maps and type in your business name and address. 

If there’s an existing GBP, click on the ‘Own this business?’ button and select ‘Manage this business.’

Once this is done, you can move on to the verification process. 

Image courtesy of Birdeye

Google offers several ways to verify, and the available options might vary based on your business type.

#1. Postcard

In this method, Google will send you a postcard with a unique code to your address. Business owners need to enter an accurate address and request the postcard.

The postcard usually arrives within 5-14 business days. 

Once you have it, log in to your Google Business Profile. From the dashboard, navigate to your business and click “Verify now” or “Verify location.” Enter the 5-digit code listed on the postcard, and you’re all set. 

#2. Email

Some business profiles have the option to verify by email, but it’s not unanimous. If you see the “verify by email” option, click on it, double-check the email address, and select “Verify Now.”

After that, you’ll get an email from Google with a verification code and an activation link. Click on the link, enter the code on the following page, and tap “Verify.” 

Presto! You’re now verified in GBP. 

#3. Phone or text

From your GBP dashboard, select “Get Verified” and choose the “Phone or SMS” option. 

Ensure that the number you’ve provided is the right one and that you can immediately answer calls to it (a time-sensitive code is involved).

Google will then call you and give you a code. If you select SMS, they’ll send a text to that number with a code. Enter the code in your Google Business Profile page, and you’re good to go. 

This verification method is only available in a few countries, including the US and Canada.

#4. Video recording

Another option is to send Google a video recording proving that your business actually exists in your area and that you own it. 

This method is a bit more complicated, so here’s a step-by-step breakdown. 

How the process works

1⃣ Initiate verification

Log in to your GBP and click “Verify now.” If video recording is an option for you, it will appear on the list. 

2⃣ Instructions and guidelines

Google will provide specific instructions on what to include in your video and guidelines to follow. Read over these carefully!

3⃣ Record your video

Google requires a continuous, unedited video that proves you operate at the claimed location (edits could imply manipulation, which is why it needs to be one seamless take). 

Here’s what to include:

Location: Show the exterior of your business, including any visible street signs, nearby businesses, or the surrounding area. This will confirm your business’s connection to your Google Maps listing.

Operations: Showcase what you do. This could be inventory, branded equipment, marketing materials, or tools you use to serve customers.

Proof of management: Demonstrate your authority to represent the business. Ideas include showing an employee-only area, using keys to unlock the building, or briefly displaying non-sensitive business documents (or posing in front of your framed portrait).

Steps for Recording

1. Use your mobile phone. If you started verification on a desktop, scan a QR code to continue on your phone.
2. In your Business Profile, tap “Get Verified” > “Capture Video.”
3. Tap “Start Recording” and follow the guidelines to create a single, continuous video.
4. Tap “Stop Recording” > “Upload Video.”

4⃣ Upload and submit

Follow the provided steps to upload the video for Google’s review.

5⃣ Optional: Delete your video

Once verified, you can delete the video from Google’s servers. Go to your Google Business Profile > More > Advanced Settings > Video Uploads > Delete Videos.

#5. Live video call

Instead of filming a video, you can also take part in a live video chat with a Google representative to complete the verification process. 

First, you need to check when representatives are available for the call on this page.

To kick off the call, you’ll need to start a text chat with a support agent first. Go to your GBP dashboard, select “Get Verified,” and then choose “Video Call” from the list of available options. Select your language of choice, and then hit “Start Call.”

Source 

A support representative will help you join the call. 

During the call, you need to show all the same details you would in a video recording (i.e., business location, equipment, and proof of management).

#6 Bulk Google Business Profile verification

If you manage 10 or more locations of the same business, you may be eligible for bulk verification, which definitely comes in handy. 

Here’s how to get started.

Prerequisites

• No existing verified accounts: Ensure that no individually verified accounts exist for the locations you intend to manage in bulk.
• Error-free account: Double-check that your existing Google Business Profile account is in good standing.
• Ineligible businesses: Service-area businesses (those without physical locations) do not qualify for bulk verification.

Next, put together a spreadsheet containing information for all 10+ locations you manage. 

Include each business’s name, address, contact details, etc. 

Ensure that all locations are part of the same business entity.

Here are the steps to request verification:

1. Sign in to Google Business Profile Manager on your computer.
2. Click “Verifications” in the left-hand menu.
3. Select the “Chain” option for bulk verification.
4. Complete the form and provide the following information:
   • Business name
   • Countries/regions of operation
   • Contact names for all managers of the Business Profile account
   • Contact phone number
   • Business manager email
   • Google Account Manager email (if applicable)
   • Submit: Finalize and submit the form.

Google will then email you regarding the status of your bulk verification request.

#7 Instant verification 

If your website has already been verified with Google Search Console, your GBP may be eligible for instant verification. 

If you qualify, you don’t need to go through any of the verification methods listed above and can directly edit your company’s details.

This is by far the quickest and easiest way to verify your business on GBP, so it’s worth setting up Google Search Console if you haven’t already done so. 

How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile Listing After It’s Verified

Now that you’ve verified your GBP listing, it’s time to optimize it so that your profile provides:

• Useful information 
• A way to connect with customers
• A boost to your local SEO 

Here are five best practices for optimizing your Google Business Profile listing. 

Use professional images

Upload current photos of your establishment, but ensure that they’re A) high-resolution and B) remain consistent with your brand identity. 

If you have any videos of your business in action, feel free to add them as well. Visuals like photos and videos act as social proof for would-be customers browsing your products and services. 

The team at Google claims businesses with photos have a higher chance of generating clicks to their websites and requests for directions. 

This plumbing service is an excellent example of using high-quality photos in a GBP listing:

The highlighted photo beams with friendliness and professionalism, and the others are effective at showing off their plumbing work. 

In the same vein, restaurants can upload images of their signature dishes and decor – and furniture stores can highlight the craftsmanship of their products. 

Categorize your business correctly

Google Business Profile operates on categories, so you should add as many that directly relate to your business as possible. 

Why is that?

Because Google’s search algorithm uses these categories to decide when to include your business for local searches, it’s imperative that you include the full gambit of what you offer.

In other words, don’t just add one main category and call it a day. 

You’re allowed to add up to 10 relevant subcategories, and you can and should use them all. 

Google provides the example of a grocery store that offers both a pharmacy and a deli. In that scenario, their primary category would be ‘grocery store,’ but they should also include ‘pharmacy’ and ‘deli’ as subcategories. 

Enable special features

GBP provides special features for hotels, restaurants, pubs, and other types of businesses to better highlight their offerings. 

For example:

• Hotels can display their class ratings, check-in and check-out times, and a list of amenities provided. 
• Restaurants and bars can display menus and add URLs for online delivery/reservations.
• Some businesses have the ability to list their products directly.
• Healthcare providers can list their accepted insurance providers. 
• Some businesses have the option to book appointments or request a quote.

(Source)

Depending on your business offerings, you should capitalize on these features since they make it easier for customers to spend money at your business. In the example provided, the electrician company enables prospects to request a quote straight from the Google results.  

Add any other helpful information, such as wheelchair accessibility, LGBTQ+ friendly, and free Wi-Fi availability.

Actively Manage Reviews

If you want your prospects to view your business as credible, you need user reviews. 

Google provides star ratings and detailed comments so that customers can accurately relay their experiences. 

We’ve already gone over how important it is to respond to both good and bad reviews, since professional responses will lead to higher ratings later on. 

Optimize the copy on your listing

Add a small overview of your business offerings at the top of your Google Business Profile listing. Here’s an example from a sushi restaurant:

This one or two-line sentence is a deciding factor that can persuade customers to pick your business over the competition. If your company has a concise, enticing description while your competitors only have a few words (or no description at all), it becomes clear which business is more professional.  

Think of it as a call to action for your company. Keep it short and sweet, but highlight what you offer and how you stand out from the crowd.

Leverage Google Posts

Google Posts are mini-updates that appear directly on your Business Profile whenever your listing appears in Search and Maps.

It gives you a platform to highlight what’s happening in your business, which will keep your customers in the loop. 

Here’s how to use them effectively:

Source

There are three different types of posts, including:

• Offers: Promote sales, discounts, and limited-time deals. Visually showcase the offer and use time-sensitive language to create urgency.
• Updates: Share general news about your business. This could be new products, awards, blog articles, or behind-the-scenes glimpses to build connections.
• Events: Announce upcoming events, workshops, webinars, etc. Include dates, times, and how to register or attend.

Boost Your Local SEO Presence with a Verified Google Business Profile

Setting up your Google Business Profile and getting verified is the foundation of a strong local online presence. 

It signals legitimacy to both your customers and Google – plus, it gives you the tools you need to stand out in local search results. 

Want to dominate your local market? 

Let’s make it happen!

Take the next step:

If optimizing your Google Business Profile and tackling local SEO seems overwhelming, don’t worry! 

The HOTH’s marketing and SEO experts are here to handle everything for you. Get in touch today and start attracting more local customers to your business without having to lift a finger.

FAQs

What is a Google Business Profile?  

A Google Business Profile is a free listing that helps your business get discovered on Google Search and Maps. 

It lets you showcase essential business information like your address, hours of operation, photos, and enables customer reviews.

Why is Google Business Profile verification important? 

Verification adds a badge of legitimacy to your listing, boosting customer trust. 

It also helps improve your ranking in local searches and grants you full control over how people interact with your business online.

How long does the verification process take? 

The most common verification method is to receive a postcard containing verification codes, and it typically takes 5-14 days to arrive. 

Other methods like phone or email verification can sometimes be faster, but the overall timeline can depend on your specific business and location.

Can any type of business get verified? 

Most businesses that have a physical location or operate as service-area businesses (those that serve customers at the customer’s location) are eligible for verification. 

There are certain restrictions for strictly online businesses or specific sensitive business categories.

I’m not receiving my verification postcard. What should I do? 

First, double-check that the address in your Google Business Profile is completely accurate. 

From there, you can request that Google send you another postcard, or if your business is eligible, you can attempt a different verification method.

My verification was rejected. How can I fix this?

The most important step is to carefully review Google’s Business Profile guidelines. 

Common reasons for rejection include inaccurate information or not meeting Google’s eligibility standards.

Can I change my business information after verification? 

Yes, you can edit your basic business information after verification. However, be aware that significant changes to your name, address, or business category might trigger the need to re-verify your listing. 

The post Google Business Profile Verification: What Is It, and Why Do You Need It? appeared first on The HOTH.

It’s no secret that social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are goldmines for marketing, with a whopping total of 4.95 billion active users worldwide. 

Since 60% of the global population is on social media, it’s no wonder that almost 93% of marketers will leverage these platforms in 2024. 

While registering and setting up a profile on social media is easy, crafting content that goes viral amongst your target audience is a different story.

How can companies, especially smaller businesses, ensure their voices are heard by the right people?

The answer is to invest a lot of time and effort into creating social media engagement posts. 

Bear in mind that these aren’t your average posts that blatantly promote your products and services. 

Instead, they’re specifically designed to foster interaction and engagement with your brand – building brand awareness and establishing your brand as an authority figure in your industry. 

In this article, we’ll teach you how to develop exciting social media engagement posts that your audience craves, so stay tuned to learn 17 easy ideas for attention-grabbing posts. 

What Are Social Media Engagement Posts and Why Do They Matter?

A social media engagement post is a piece of content crafted to encourage maximum interaction on social platforms – such as likes, comments, shares, and clicks. 

Engagement posts are great because they’re a step beyond passive viewing. Instead of simply consuming your content, users are encouraged to engage with your brand. This usually takes the form of:

• Leaving a comment so the audience member can share their two cents on a topic (which you can encourage by saying something like, “what are your thoughts on the issue? Let me know in the comments!”
• Liking the post due to the quality and helpfulness of the content. 
• Sharing the post on their feed to expand your content’s online reach. 

The average user spends 2.3 hours on various social media platforms each day. 

That means if you want to reach your prospects, you have to be wherever they are, and they’re definitely on social media. 

Engagement posts are key to capitalizing on each prospects’ daily time on platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. 

Here are the top benefits of social media engagement posts:

Increased visibility: Engagement posts signal to Google’s algorithm that your content is valuable, accurate, and high-quality. As a result, your content will start ranking higher on its search result pages. 

Build a community: Social media engagement posts lead to thought-provoking conversations, new relationships, and brand loyalty. Before you know it, you’ll have a loyal following of brand ambassadors (which means they actively promote your brand because they’re fans). 

Drive traffic and conversions: Engaging content will direct users to your website’s landing pages, increasing the chances of generating sales or sign-ups.

Boost brand awareness: Relevant, entertaining content that sparks discussion gets shared the most, expanding your brand’s online reach as a result.

Feedback and insights: One of the biggest perks of engagement posts is they shed light on what your audience views as valuable, which is extremely useful information for your marketing campaigns.

Enhance social proof: The more likes and shares you get, the more it’ll be clear to new prospects that your brand is the real deal. 

What’s the Best Social Media Platform for Engagement?

There are tons of social platforms out there, so which should you prioritize when creating engagement posts?

Surprisingly, Facebook is still the king of social media worldwide, with roughly 3.05 billion active monthly users during Q3 2023. 

 As a result, Facebook is also the most popular channel for marketing teams. A global survey showed that 89% of marketers used the platform to promote their business. 

While this is still more than any other platform, it’s down from 93% in 2021. That means the social media landscape is changing, which is something you need to consider. 

WhatsApp now ranks as the second most popular social media app in 2024. While initially known for personal messaging, the launch of WhatsApp Business in 2018 made it a powerful marketing tool for brands. 

As of June 2023, WhatsApp Business already boasts over 200 million monthly users.

Of course, we have to mention the elephant in the room, which is TikTok. 

While Facebook may have more active users, TikTok is the most frequently used app worldwide. 

The proof?

Android phone users spend an average of 34 hours a month on the platform, which beats Facebook’s monthly average of 20 hours. 

Also, TikTok has much higher engagement rates for its organic posts. In 2021, micro-influencers saw a completely unheard-of 17.96% organic engagement rate.

Yet, the social platform that you should focus on the most depends on your target audience’s demographics. 

Even though TikTok boasts more engagement and time spent on the platform than LinkedIn, the latter remains the preferred marketing channel for B2B companies (since LinkedIn has an older, more professional demographic). 

TikTok is the perfect platform if your business targets a younger crowd, as two-thirds of its users are between 18 and 34 years old. 

Not on all of these important platforms yet? 

We can help with that. HOTH Lock My Brand registers your brand name on all the top social sites in the world.

How to Write Engaging Social Media Posts

Just because you post something on social media doesn’t mean that it will receive engagement. 

Instead, it takes a special type of post that’s been handcrafted to foster engagement from your audience. 

Here are our top 9 tips for creating social media posts that get your audience talking. 

1. Know Your Platform

As stated before, the social media landscape is evolving, and marketers are now turning to new platforms. 

For this reason, it’s pivotal to understand the platform you’re currently using, as it may look different than it did just a few years ago (in terms of demographics, features, functionalities, etc.).

First, you need to know the type of engagement you’re trying to elicit. 

Do you want to get shares on Facebook or are you hoping to get duets and stitches on TikTok?

Moreover, you should educate yourself about the platform’s algorithm to learn how it decides which content to show to whom. 

After all, SEO is all about mastering Google’s algorithm to ensure better visibility, so why not learn the ins and outs of your preferred social platform’s algorithm to do the same thing?

For example, X populates users’ feeds with posts from the accounts they interact with the most, while YouTube makes recommendations based on topics the user likes. 

The more you know about a platform’s algorithm, the easier it will be to optimize your content for your specific audience. 

2. Discover What Works

Social media supports numerous types of content, from video campaigns to infographics and beyond. 

Because of this, you need to determine which type of content generates the most interest from your audience. 

Every demographic is unique, and the best way to find out what resonates with them is to track your posts’ engagement levels and then analyze the data. 

Most platforms have some way to monitor your metrics, such as viewing how many followers you have or how many users watched one of your videos. 

To dive deeper into data analytics, you can invest in a social listening tool. 

What’s that?

A social listening tool gathers information from various social platforms and websites online, including Facebook, X, Trip Advisor, and many others. 

You can set up custom listening campaigns for specific keywords and topics, such as:

• Your industry
• Your brand
• Your competitors 

From there, you’ll be able to ‘listen in’ on the entire social conversation surrounding things like your brand and industry, which is great for uncovering opportunities for engagement. 

Here are a few examples of popular social listening tools:

1. Hootsuite
2. Brandwatch
3. Sprout Social  

3. Develop a Brand Voice

Is your content formal and professional or casual and trendy?

Do you sound like you’re 25 or 55? 

Does your brand have a sense of humor?

Answering these types of questions will help you develop your brand voice.

A consistent brand voice aids with social media engagement because followers feel like they know you. 

You’re the funny friend, the helpful expert, or the stylish trendsetter who keeps appearing on their social media feed.

Also, ensure that your posts are as relatable as possible by sharing first-hand experiences, using humor, and even referencing movies and TV shows. 

That will show that your content was written by a human and not automatically generated by AI. 

However, your brand voice isn’t something you can create by yourself, as it should be based on what your target audience likes. 

Document the rules for your brand voice so that different employees can learn how to take the same tone in social media posts. In other words, you need to develop a style guide. 

4. Visuals are key 

Humans are visual creatures, which is why posts with images and videos foster way more engagement than posts with only static text and links. 

Social video accumulates 1,200% more shares than text and images combined, which is significant, to say the least. 

It should come as no surprise that 88% of marketers claim video is integral to their marketing strategies. 

Certain engagement posts naturally include images or videos, but that’s not always the case. 

If your post isn’t inherently visual, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to make it eye-grabbing. 

For instance, let’s say that you’re sharing a blog post through one of your social media accounts. Don’t just drop the link, as that’s too static and easy for people to ignore. Include a relevant, high-quality image that relates to the blog’s topic. 

This tiny gesture is enough to make your post stand out and entice your audience to click the link. 

5. Jump on current trends (carefully)

No matter your platform of choice, one fact remains true: social media runs on trends. 

A clever hashtag or challenge can fill up every user’s feed for a week or two—and joining the trend can boost your brand’s visibility. 

Try to find ways to organically (or humorously) interject your brand into a breaking news story or viral social media trend. 

Avoid getting too controversial here, as you should keep things light-hearted and fun. 

6. Listen to Your Audience

One of the best things you can do to elevate your brand is talk with members of your target audience – but more importantly – listen. 

The same applies if you’re interacting with your audience on social media. 

However, we’re not just talking about paying attention to what prospects have posted on your profiles and in your comments. 

Instead, we’re talking about mentions of your brand that occur outside of your profile, which is where the aforementioned social listening tools come into the picture. 

Of course, you could always simply search for your brand name on a platform like Facebook or Instagram, but that will only provide surface-level insights. 

Tools like Hootsuite and Sprout Social go far more in-depth with social listening, as you’ll have access to pretty much every mention of your brand that happens online. 

Whenever you find positive mentions of your brand, don’t just give yourself a pat on the back and call it a day. Instead, be proactive and reach out to the user to thank them for their kind words (to go the extra mile, you could even share some of their content on your profile). 

If the mention is negative, you should still reach out. 

However, instead of giving them an honest piece of your mind, you should let the user know that you appreciate the feedback and will consider it in the future. If they’re experiencing issues with a product or service, get them in touch with customer support and follow-up at a later date to ensure that everything gets resolved. 

Social listening is a powerful tool, which is why 71% of companies find value in monitoring social media. The valuable customer insights you gain from it will benefit numerous departments in your business (like sales, marketing, and even HR).  

7. Pay Attention to Influencers in Your Niche

Which creators and influencers are popular in your niche, and what are they posting about?

If an influencer is getting great engagement talking about products similar to yours (or posting content related to your industry), you should learn from their success.

Besides taking notes on what they did right, you can also reach out to them with the hopes of building a relationship. That way, they could potentially promote your products and services in the future. 

How do you do that?

The best way to start is to engage with their posts and share their content. After you’ve established a rapport (and hopefully received a few replies in the meantime), you can bring up the idea of partnering with them. 

This will also put you in front of their followers. If you find a creator whose content is likely to resonate with your audience, reach out to them about working together.

For example, Subaru reached out to multiple influencers with its #MeetAnOwner campaign (geared toward promoting the Impreza hatchback), which had fantastic results. In one instance, a popular YouTuber filmed himself and friends shooting off a slip-and-slide that propelled them off a 500-foot cliff (while highlighting the Impreza along the way). 

The video generated 1.3 million views for Subaru and provided serious entertainment value. 

8. Post at the Right Time

There’s no single “perfect” time to post on social media that guarantees success, but there are undoubtedly better times than others (depending on the needs of your demographics, of course). 

The best times depend on several factors:

Studies show that Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 to 10:00 AM tend to see good engagement across most platforms. 

You should avoid late nights and weekends, as engagement generally dips during those times due to people sleeping, running errands, and enjoying time off work.

Here are the factors that influence the best times to post: 

Your target audience: Where are they located? When are they most likely to be online? Don’t forget to consider time zones because they can completely throw off your game. For instance, if your work is located in the central time zone but most of your audience lives in California, you’ll need to calculate the difference whenever posting content – or you could wind up posting two hours earlier than you intended. 

Platform: Each platform has its own peak usage times. For example, LinkedIn sees more engagement during business hours, while Instagram might be more active in the evenings. Most millennials admit to browsing social media whenever ads play on TV or streaming services, so the evening (after work hours) is a good time to post new content. 

Industry: B2B audiences may be more active on weekdays during work hours, while consumer-focused brands may see better results on weekends. However, you should confirm this with data first. Some audiences may limit their social media use on weekends due to traveling or errands, so you should never make assumptions. 

Your own data: Most social media platforms provide analytics, which you should definitely capitalize on. Track when your posts historically get the most engagement, and you’ll uncover the perfect times to post new content.  

9. Cross-promote social media profiles

At this point, most people are on multiple social media platforms (if not all of them). 

As such, don’t be afraid to post a “Follow us on Instagram” on X or vice versa.

Your followers may be more interested in engaging on one platform than another, so cross-promoting your accounts gives them options. 

Plus, you’ll be posting different types of content on each one, which increases your chances of seeing more engagement.

Also, your website is prime real estate for promoting your social accounts, so don’t forget to include social buttons where your audience can clearly see them. Most websites stick with the very top or left-hand side of the page since they naturally attract the eyes. 

17 Creative Social Media Engagement Post Ideas to Captivate Your Audience

At its core, a social media engagement post can be anything that entices users to interact with your brand. 

If that seems extremely broad, it’s because it is. 

Fear not, as there are some tried-and-true content formats for encouraging interaction. 

Here are 17 battle-tested ideas for engagement-boosting posts. 

1. Ask a Question

The concept is simple: you want people to reply to your post, so you give them a question to answer. 

It doesn’t have to be complex, but it’s best if it’s related to your industry or the habits of your target audience.

Why it matters 

• Generates comments. Asking a question is one of the most effective ways to get your audience talking in the comments section. 

• Discussions build a sense of community. Once you get your audience talking, it will start to build a sense of community amongst your fans. 

• Learn more about your audience. Ask the right questions, and you’ll learn a lot more about your follower’s preferences, needs, and pain points – all of which is valuable marketing information. 

How to do it 

• Stay relevant. Remember, your goal is not only to generate comments but also to learn more about your target audience. As such, your questions should remain relevant to your brand in some way. 

• Use a mix of open-ended and specific questions. To get a diverse mix of responses, try using both open-ended (“what’s your dream vacation?”) and specific (“If you could add one feature to our product, what would it be?) questions. Whatever you do, avoid simple ‘yes and no’ answers like the plague. 

• Make it easy. Avoid asking questions that are too complex or require a lot of thought. Your goal is to ask relevant, fun questions that you know your audience will want to respond to. 

Example

2. Poll Your Followers

A twist on the question post is the poll, and it’s equally as effective at generating interaction and comments. 

While polls can help you learn more about your audience, the best are typically lighthearted in nature. 

For instance, asking, “Do you like pineapple on pizza?” is more likely to elicit interaction than serious market research questions (yawn). 

Why it matters

• Builds brand awareness. Polls are extremely popular, and if you make a particularly interesting one, your audience will share it with their friends. This will generate more awareness for your brand, which is a plus. 

• Sparks conversations. Posts that include polls are excellent conversation starters, as your audience will want to justify their choices and debate others in the comments.

• Audience insights. Even if they aren’t super deep, polls will help you gain insights about your core audience. 

How to do it 

• Think of a fun question to ask that has multiple answers. The question you ask needs to have several available answers, and they should vary quite a bit. 

• Create a poll on your platform of choice. Nearly every social platform has the option to create a poll built-in, so you won’t have to worry about coding or using any external software. On Facebook, all you have to do is click Create Post and then select Poll from the list of options. 

Example 

3. “Caption This”

It’s no secret that memes are extremely popular on social media, so a great way to encourage interaction is to get your audience to create their own. 

Upload a strange or goofy photo and ask your followers to add funny captions. 

It’s a simple concept, but it can be endlessly entertaining and is excellent at building brand loyalty (you’re sharing laughs with your audience, which can build a lasting bond). 

Why it matters

• Great use of humor. Creating memes is undeniably fun, so your audience should have a blast coming up with captions for your photo. 

• It grants your audience agency. Instead of simply responding to a question or adding their two cents on a topic, ‘caption this’ posts make your audience the star of the show. Granting your audience this kind of agency will help you gain their loyalty. 

How to do it 

• Find a funny (non-offensive) photo. A ‘caption this’ post is only as strong as its source material, so you should hunt down a photo that’s funny, unique, or cringe in some way. 

• Let your audience’s creativity take over. Once you’ve got the perfect photo, your part is done. Simply ask your audience to caption it, and they’ll be off to the races. 

Example 

4. Go Live

Another great way to boost engagement is to go live, or ‘doing a live’ as Vin Diesel would say. 

Just like polls, most social media platforms enable you to stream live video without having to take any special extra steps. 

Why it matters

• • Audiences prefer live video. Users love this format, as 80% of consumers prefer to watch live videos instead of reading a blog. 

• You can chat with your audience on the fly. Whenever you stream live, DO NOT forget to interact with the live chat. Besides answering their questions, give individual shout-outs to each person interacting with you. 

How to do it 

• Brainstorm a topic to cover. You shouldn’t go live if you don’t have anything to talk about. After all, who wants to watch someone sit and twiddle their thumbs? Instead, pick one of the content topics you’ve researched (like for your blogs) and go from there. 

• Use your preferred platform to stream live video. Once you know your topic, all you have to do is start a live stream on a platform like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. 

Example

A brand that makes excellent use of TikTok’s live streaming feature is McDonald’s, as they make frequent use of employee livestreams – like workers engaging in ‘fast food battles’ (which is where they try to outperform their co-workers). 

5. AMA (Ask Me Anything)

The AMA format was popularized on Reddit. It’s exactly what it sounds like—people can ask you any question, and you answer it. 

Why it matters 

• Your audience learns more about you. This engagement post is a twist on the ‘ask a question’ post, as your audience gets to learn more about your brand instead of the other way around. 

• It gets your audience thinking about your brand. If they want to ask a question, they’ll have to sit and think about your brand, which is what you want. 

How to do it 

• Create an AMA post. Just because Reddit coined the AMA doesn’t mean that they own exclusive rights to it. Regardless of your preferred social platform, you can create an AMA with ease. 

• Answer every question. Once the questions are in, don’t skip any. Instead, provide a thoughtful response to everyone who has a question. 

Example 

Online influencer and podcaster Steve-O recently did an AMA on Reddit, and the amount of interaction he got was impressive. 

6. Contest or Giveaway

There are two things that everybody loves: winning and free stuff. You can hold a giveaway for prizes, large or small.

It could be a contest, like a photo or video competition, or you could automatically enter users into a giveaway if they like you, follow you, or fill out a form. The important thing is that you clearly publicize the rules.

Why it matters 

• Contests provide incentives for engagement. There are plenty of users who will scroll past AMAs, question posts, and polls without skipping a beat. Their kryptonite? Any post that has an incentive like the possibility to win something free. 

• They position your brand as generous. Do your best to publicize the winners of your contests as much as you can, as that communicates to others that your brand is generous and cares for its customers. 

How to do it 

• Select a prize. Pick a prize (or prizes) that A) won’t blow your budget and B) are desirable enough for your audience to take part in the contest. 

• Decide on the rules. Will your audience compete for something, or is it a random giveaway (like giving the prize to the 1000th person to comment)?

Example

Canva’s Design Challenge is an ongoing example of a branded contest that fosters lots of engagement. 

They challenge graphic designers from around the web to come up with an impressive design (this week’s theme is a process diagram). 

7. Expert Interview

Film a video interview with an expert in a field related to your product. This is more interesting and authoritative to users than simply promoting your products.

Why it matters

• Audiences prefer video. We’ve already gone over how users prefer video to blogs, which is why you should film your experts instead of having them write a guest post. 

• Adds credibility to your brand. One of the best things you can do to build brand loyalty is to educate your audience, and expert interviews do just that. 

How to do it 

• Find an industry expert. It could be someone you know in the field, or they could be directly employed at your company. 

• Shoot a brief yet informative video. Without going too in-depth (as that’ll bore your audience), have the expert give a brief rundown on a topic relevant to your industry. 

Example 

In this example, a finance expert reviews BBC’s Industry to comment on the show’s accuracy (i.e., how well it depicts the financial world). 

8. Customer of the Week

Reward your fans by putting them in the spotlight. Feature a customer each week or month with a photo and a brief Q&A or story about how they use your product.

Why it matters

• Shows you care about your audience. The most loyal customers are ones who truly feel valued by their preferred brands, and choosing a customer of the week is one of the best ways to show how much you appreciate your audience. 

• Builds brand ambassadors. The customers you feature will likely become loyal brand ambassadors, meaning they’ll recommend your products and services to their friends and family. 

How to do it 

• Find your most loyal customers. An easy way to go about this is to look at the customers who frequently post about your products. 

• Reach out to them. Send your prospect an email and inform them that you’d like to include them as your customer of the week. Request a photo and a brief bio to include. 

Example 

9. Share a Review

If you’re getting good online reviews from customers, promote them on your social media.

But make sure you’re engaging with your audience. Thank the person who left the review and everyone else who’s taken the time to do so. You can also ask your followers to join the conversation.

Why it matters 

• It provides social proof for your brand. Positive reviews communicate to your prospects that your brand is high-quality and worth their time and money. 

How to do it 

• Gather reviews online. If you don’t have any reviews on your Google Business Profile, check third-party sites like Yelp, Angi, and Better Business Bureau (BBB). 

• Post them on your social channels. Create engagement posts highlighting positive reviews for your followers to see. 

Example 

10. Introduce The Team

Your followers like to know that your organization is made up of real, relatable people. In a post, feature your team or an individual team member.

Why it matters

• Humanize your brand. Without the occasional staff profile, your audience will have no way to associate a face with the name – so to speak. 

• Provide insight into your working environment. Besides getting to know the staff member, your audience will also get to peer into your work environment. 

How to do it 

• Select a member of your team to profile. Make sure the person you choose is comfortable with sharing their information online. 

• Take plenty of pictures and videos. Static interviews are boring, so include visuals like images and videos of your office. 

Example 

11. Ask For Recommendations

You know how your friends are always recommending new movies and TV shows to try out?

Well, you can mimic that dynamic on social media by asking your audience to recommend their favorite books, movies, TV shows, music, and more. 

Why it matters 

• Build rapport with your audience. By asking your audience for recommendations, you’re showing that you care about what they think. Also, do your best to respond to recommendations that you find interesting.

How to do it 

• Create a post asking your audience for their recommendations. This one’s pretty straightforward, as all you need to do is create a standard post and ask your followers for their favorite media (or whatever else you’re asking about). 

Example 

12. Offer a Social-Only Deal

Who doesn’t like a good deal? Promote a special offer that shoppers can only take advantage of if they like, follow, or comment on social media.

Why it matters 

• Expand your reach. There are some users that simply can’t resist a deal which will help you expand your reach to new prospects. 

• Engagement is guaranteed. Your followers will only receive the deal if they interact with your brand in some way, so you’re guaranteed to see more likes, follows, and comments. 

How to do it 

• Choose a special offer. First, you need to determine what type of deal you’ll offer your audience. It should be enticing enough to elicit interaction while not draining your budget (or affecting your profit margins). 

• Inform your followers of the special deal. Besides informing your followers that the deal is active, don’t forget to include detailed instructions on what they have to do to receive it (such as tagging a friend or commenting something specific). 

Example 

13. Share Something (Mildly) Controversial

We’re not recommending that you wade into the realm of political debates. You can stir up a little controversy while keeping it lighthearted and fun.

A funny “unpopular opinion” post is sure to get people talking, even if it’s about something trivial — like how winter is the best season.

Why it matters 

• Catch your audience’s attention. With a slightly controversial take, you’re more likely to raise some eyebrows and get people to stop endlessly scrolling. 

• Foster a lively debate. Another perk is that you can spark a lively conversation in the comments, as your followers will be eager to state their side (and why it’s right). 

How to do it 

• Select a hot take that’s not too hot. Keep things light-hearted but don’t shy away from truly controversial topics (as long as they aren’t too political). 

• Encourage your followers to take it from there. Once you’ve introduced the topic, your job is done. All you have to do now is monitor the discussion and add your two cents wherever necessary. 

Example 

Ben & Jerry’s are notorious for their stance on sustainable and organic food solutions, which is a controversial take – but also made their brand famous since they don’t skimp on quality and refuse to use artificial ingredients. 

14. Post a challenge

Do you remember the viral ALS ice bucket challenge of yesteryear? There are new challenges trending on social media every day, and they present engagement opportunities for your brand. 

Why it matters

• Challenges attract a lot of attention. Social media challenges blow up all the time, such as the infamous ALS ice bucket challenge. You never know when the next challenge you participate in will take off – so stay vigilant. 

How to do it 

• Monitor social media trends. Trends and challenges pop up all the time, and keeping up with them can feel next to impossible. Luckily, there are online resources like Slaying Social that keep up with the trends for you. 

Example

Chipotle makes excellent use of social media challenges, and they’re coming up with new ones all the time. 

A notable example was the Lid Flip Challenge featuring YouTube influencer David Dobrik. 

15. Post valuable content 

If you truly want to build an audience that sticks by your brand, you need to regularly publish content that informs, educates, entertains, and solves problems. 

Why it matters

• Builds trust. Your audience will appreciate that you always solve their problems, so your brand will be the first place they look whenever they experience a new issue. 

• Keeps followers coming back. Remaining consistent with your content efforts will keep your readers coming back for more. 

How to Do It

• Learn your audience’s pain points and interests.You should always be monitoring your audience’s social discussions to learn more about their wants, needs, and pain points. 
• Share industry insights, tips, and tutorials. The more accurate and informative your content is, the better. 

Example

16. Post timely content 

Don’t shy away from posting about time-sensitive events like new store openings, concerts, and notable news stories. 

The content may not be evergreen, but you’ll capitalize on viral news stories and generate more traffic. 

Why it matters 

• Boosts visibility. You’ll improve visibility for audience members searching for time-sensitive events. 

• The ability to participate in broader conversations. The world is a fast-moving place with tons going on at once, so posting timely content will enable you to participate in broader conversations. 

How to do it

• Hashtags. Follow trending hashtags and news relevant to your industry.
• Content based on trends. Create quick, reactive content (memes, image posts) related to trends.
• Consider holidays. Plan ahead for holidays and major events.

Example

17. Post high-quality photos 

The quality of your photos is extremely important, especially if you want to boost engagement. 

You should only use visually appealing images that are perfectly composed, feature impeccable lighting, and pertain to the topic at hand. 

Why it matters

• Catches the eye. Above all else, you want your followers to stop scrolling and pay attention to your content, and high-quality photos are great for that. 

• Boosts professionalism. Your audience will correlate the quality of your images with your brand (whether they realize it or not), which is why immaculate images are a must. 

How to do it

• Invest in good photography equipment or work with a photographer.  Original images will have more impact than stock photos, so look for a reputable photographer. 
• Use photo editing apps to adjust brightness, colors, etc. Taking a solid photo is only half the equation, as you’ll want to edit it to perfection. 

Example 

Final Thoughts 

These tips are your roadmap to creating social media content that truly connects with your audience. 

But let’s be honest – social media is just one piece of the puzzle. 

There’s SEO, paid advertising, content creation…a complete digital marketing strategy demands a lot!

Imagine having more time, resources, and expert guidance to amplify your digital marketing results across the board. Let us take those worries off your plate and simplify your SEO success.  

Schedule a call with a HOTH marketing expert today, and let’s revolutionize your social media presence! 

The post How to Write Social Media Engagement Posts (+ 17 Ideas for Attention-Grabbing Posts) appeared first on The HOTH.

The company declared it would wipe out 40% of the spam currently in its index, which reinforces Google’s confidence in its spam-fighting systems. 

Among the new policies was the ‘site reputation abuse’ policy. 

Its goal is to crack down on websites that post low-quality, third-party pages in an attempt to manipulate search rankings. 

However, the policy doesn’t become official until May 5th. 

The reason for the delay?

Google wanted to give site owners a fair warning on this one, which is why they announced the policy update months in advance. Theoretically, this should give site owners enough time to remove any spammy third-party pages on their sites (more on this in a bit). 

They also confirmed that they plan on fighting site reputation spam with both manual actions (delivered by humans) and search algorithms (handled by machines). 

Manual actions are serious business, and may cause your content to disappear from the SERPs entirely. Algorithm enforcement is a bit less harsh (they devalue the ranking power of the web pages instead of de-indexing them), but can still be devastating to your rankings. 

Will the site reputation abuse policy affect your website?

Read on to learn everything you need to know, including how to prepare for the new policy. 

What is Site Reputation Abuse?

Here’s how Google explains what they deem to be site reputation abuse:

“Sometimes websites that have their own great content may also host low-quality content provided by third parties with the goal of capitalizing on the hosting site’s reputation.”

They also provide an example of a third-party publishing payday loan reviews on an educational website.

Since the educational website is already trusted by Google and regularly receives high rankings for virtually all its content, the low-quality third party pages will get to tag along for the ride. 

SEOs (search engine optimizers) have long had a term for this practice: parasite SEO.

You can think of these spammy third party web pages as Remoras, the tiny fish that attach themselves to large sharks in order to feed on their leftovers. 

These third-party pages act in the same manner, except they mooch off the hosting website’s traffic and search rankings. 

Google despises this practice because it floods its search results with spammy, garbage content that provides no value to users (which has been a massive problem for them lately). 

The site reputation abuse policy applies to all third-party content on websites, including sponsored, advertising, and partnered content. 

Do you need to get rid of all third party content on your site?

Does this mean that all third-party content is bad?

Not at all. 

Google clarifies that site reputation abuse only occurs when “third-party pages are published with little or no first-party oversight or involvement, where the purpose is to manipulate Search rankings by taking advantage of the first-party site’s ranking signals.”

So, if you have some high-quality sponsored or partnered content on your site that you directly oversaw (and is relevant to the rest of your website), you won’t have much to worry about. 

Google is only concerned with low-quality third-party content that provides no value to users and is completely unrelated to the first-party website’s purpose. 

That means you won’t have to panic and delete all the guest posts on your blog (as long as they’re relevant) or all the sponsored posts from influencers. 

Remember, Google will have a team of humans and machines reviewing each website, and its algorithm has become quite adept at identifying spam. If your third-party content truly is relevant and valuable, you shouldn’t need to delete it. 

Real-World Examples of Site Reputation Abuse 

What type of content does Google deem as site reputation abuse?

There are a few real-world examples we can point to, and it even seems as if Google was hinting at them with some of its comments. 

For example, Google provides this example, “A sports site hosting a page written by a third-party about “workout supplements reviews,” where the sports site’s editorial staff had little to no involvement in the content and the main purpose of hosting the page is to manipulate search rankings.”

This almost certainly refers to the AI-generated scandal Sports Illustrated found itself in in November of last year.

Technology news website Futurism found AI-generated product reviews with fake authors on Sports Illustrated’s website. 

Here’s one of the deep faked author profiles:

Yep, that’s a completely fake person. 

The bogus reviews and author profiles were provided by a third party called AdVon, which runs E-commerce product reviews for Sports Illustrated. 

When pressed, the team at The Arena Group (which owns the publishing rights to SI) claimed they had no idea that AdVon was using AI-generated content. 

Remember that part in Google’s policy about wanting to remove spammy third-party content that has no first-party oversight or involvement? This is the exact type of scenario they were talking about. 

Coupons, gambling, and reviews 

9 times out of 10, problematic third-party content has to do with coupon codes, gambling sites, and spammy product reviews (like the kind from Sports Illustrated). 

Google has this to say about news sites featuring coupons:

“A news site hosting coupons provided by a third-party with little to no oversight or involvement from the hosting site, and where the main purpose is to manipulate search rankings.”

For instance, the major news website USA Today has a subdomain containing an intricate coupon network, which may land the site in hot water with Google come May 5th. 

How to Prepare for the Site Reputation Abuse Policy 

Okay, now that you know what the site reputation abuse policy is all about, what should you do about it?

First, remember these two key qualifying factors:

1. For third-party content to qualify as spam, there has to be little to no oversight or involvement from the first-party website.
2. The content must provide no value to users and must be completely unrelated to the first-party website. 

If your sponsored, advertising, or partnered content doesn’t contain these factors, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. 

However, if you do have questionable third-party content that’s piggybacking off your established trust with Google, you’ll have to either:

• De-index the offending pages to avoid manual actions. 
• End partnerships with questionable third parties. 

As long as you do both before May 5th, you should be in the clear. 

Wrapping Up: Google’s New Spam Policy Coming Soon 

To summarize, Google’s site reputation abuse policy becomes official on May 5th, and the company will use a combination of manual actions and anti-spam algorithms to enforce it. 

Google wants to remove low-quality third-party content that only exists to manipulate search rankings and line the pockets of first-party websites with good reputations. 

If you directly oversee your sponsored content, this policy shouldn’t affect you. 

Do you need help getting your SEO strategy in order?

Our managed SEO service, HOTH X, will pair you with a dedicated campaign manager who will ensure you comply with all of Google’s new spam policies.   

The post Google’s Site Reputation Abuse Policy Begins on May 5th appeared first on The HOTH.

If you want your website to rank well on search engines like Google, you’ll need an SEO-friendly website with keyword-rich content, optimized metadata, and high-authority backlinks. 

But if you want anyone to actually use your website, let alone buy anything, it also has to be user-friendly and provide a pleasant experience. 

That means creating relevant content that answers pressing questions, solves user problems, and hopefully entertains along the way (after all, you don’t want your prospects to fall asleep before they get to the call to action). 

You also need a responsive web design (meaning it works on both desktops and mobile devices), lightning-fast loading speed, and effortless site navigation. 

An effective SEO strategy can provide an ROI of 12.2x your marketing spend, and the ROI on UX investments is 9,900%, so it’s worth having them both working for you.

To make things easier, we’ve put together this guide to help you strike the perfect balance between SEO and UX with your website design to achieve a sky-high ROI.

What Is SEO Web Design?

SEO web design marries the best practices of designing and developing websites with the principles of search engine optimization. 

Put simply, it’s about building a high-quality website that ranks well on search engines like Google and Bing. 

Besides ranking in position #1 for important keywords, your website will also provide an excellent user experience for its visitors, improving the chances that they’ll make a purchase or leave their contact information. 

The key goals of SEO web design are:

• Better online visibility. Since you put so much hard work into designing your website, the SEO side of web design exists to ensure your target audience actually gets to see it by boosting your visibility on search engines. 

• More organic traffic. It’s not so much about generating traffic per se but the right traffic. SEO web design helps you attract qualified prospects from your target audience. 

• A better user experience. The web design-side of SEO exists to provide a pleasant experience for anyone that visits your website. 

• Boosted brand authority. With a stellar website and a plethora of helpful content, SEO web design will help you achieve thought leader status in your field. 

Why does it matter?

SEO and web design have a symbiotic relationship, meaning their bond is mutually beneficial. The SEO side generates a ton of traffic via Google search, and the UX side generates leads and conversions. 

Tactics like placing keywords in alt tags will catch the attention of Google’s crawlers and help you rise through the search engine rankings. 

If you ignore SEO, you’ll have next-to-no visibility on search engines, making it extremely difficult to find new prospects and grow your business.

After all, 63% of all shopping experiences begin on a search engine, even if the purchase is ultimately made in a physical store. 

At the same time, user experience, such as easy site navigation, a pleasant layout, and clear CTA buttons, will help you keep users on your website once they arrive and increase the chances of them making a purchase or providing their contact information. 

Essential metrics related to your user experience include dwell time and bounce rate. If your dwell time is low, users aren’t impressed with your website or are too confused to find what they need.

The same is true with a high bounce rate, meaning users leave your site before taking further action (such as viewing a product page). 

For these reasons, it’s important to pay equal attention to SEO and web design when creating a new website.

How To Optimize Your Site for Users and Search Engines

Now that you know why SEO and web design are equally important, let’s learn how to optimize your website for both. 

The good news is, when done right, they’ll flow together so seamlessly that your users won’t even notice what you’ve done. 

Much like video editing, you know you’ve done it right when you don’t notice the transitions. 

Here are the top factors to consider when making your website appealing to users and search engines.

Make it mobile-friendly 

Since 2017, Google has practiced mobile-first indexing, which means it crawls, indexes, and ranks the mobile version of websites first. So, if your website doesn’t have a mobile version, you’ll have difficulty ranking high on SERPs. 

SEO experts are well aware of this, which is why mobile friendliness is always near the top of their priority list when working on new websites. 

Rather than using 2 separate versions of your website, it’s a good idea to adopt a responsive web design. This means you only have 1 version of your website, but the dimensions and images adapt to the user’s device. 

Once this is done, your website will load on mobile devices and will have a higher likelihood of appearing on Google’s SERPs in a top spot. 

Mobile friendliness is also crucial for UX and web design because most users browse the internet with mobile devices instead of PCs. So, if your website doesn’t display correctly on tablets or smartphones, your users will click back to the SERPs to find one that does.

Create relevant content with target keywords 

Content is a crucial resource for users and search engines, so most digital marketing strategies involve creating some kind of content. 

However, you should avoid creating content strictly for search engines. 

Instead, strive to create high-quality content that’s directly relevant to your target audience. Your content should answer questions, solve problems, and provide entertainment. 

At the same time, to gain visibility on search engines, you’ll need to uncover desirable keywords and place them in the right spots, including:

• Meta descriptions 
• Title tags 
• Headers
• First 100 words of text 
• Conclusion 
• Alt text 

UX-wise, you’ll need to ensure your content is easy to read; otherwise, most users won’t bother consuming an entire post (and reading your product/service pitch at the end). 

Use short sentences and even shorter paragraphs (most blogs use one-sentence paragraphs). 

Break up the text with plenty of images, bulleted lists, infographics, and call-out boxes.

Also, you should follow Google’s E-E-A-T Quality Rater Guidelines when creating content.

What is E-E-A-T?

E-E-A-T is an acronym used by Google to guide its team of human quality raters when they assess website content. It stands for:

Expertise: Is the content creator an expert on the topic? Do they have relevant credentials, knowledge, or experience to provide authoritative information?

Experience: Does the creator demonstrate firsthand experience with the subject matter? This adds a layer of credibility that theoretical knowledge alone can’t fully establish. Wherever possible, share experiences from your past that demonstrate your expertise and familiarity with a topic. 

Authoritativeness: Is the website and content creator considered an authoritative source of information in their field? This is built over time through reputation, recognition, and backlinks from other established sources.

Trustworthiness: Is the website and its content credible, accurate, and reliable? Do users feel safe on the site and trust the information provided?

Why does this goofy acronym matter?

This framework helps Google determine which websites are informative, helpful, and reliable. As a result, websites that embody each letter of the acronym are far more likely to rank in the #1 position on Google’s SERPs. 

How to create content good enough to E-E-A-T 

• Focus on quality: Create informative, well-researched content that contains original insights and first-hand experiences.
• Showcase credentials: Highlight author biographies wherever possible. If the content is from field experts, clarify their experience.
• Build backlinks: Do your best to build backlinks from reputable websites in your niche, as these act as ‘votes of confidence’ for the quality of your content. 
• Maintain accuracy: Ensure all information provided is accurate and up-to-date.
• Build trust: Make your website secure with an SSL certificate, and consider including things like contact information, privacy policies, or positive user reviews.

Use headers to create a hierarchy within website content

Without proper use of header tags, a 5,000-word guide would devolve into an unreadable wall of text, and readers wouldn’t be able to make heads or tails out of it. 

A header tag is the HTML equivalent of a chapter title or a subheading in a book. 

They break up long pieces of text into smaller pieces, which makes them easier to read and comprehend. Headers also make your content scannable for readers, which is a big deal.

Why is that?

It’s because a vast majority of readers (79%, according to the Nielsen Norman Group) scan articles before deciding if it’s worth their time to consume the entire thing. 

Only 16% of readers in the NNG study read content word-by-word, which is why you need to make your content scannable to ensure as many users read it as possible. As a bonus, scannable articles can lead to longer visits to your site, increasing dwell times (which Google likes to see). 

Understanding header tag sizes 

Header tags come in several different sizes, which include:

• H1 tags are the largest and most prominent header tags and should only be used once as the title of the piece. It’s crucial to include your primary keyword in the H1 tag because it’s one of the first places Google’s crawler bots will look. 

• H2 tags are slightly smaller than H1 tags, and they introduce the various subtopics that encompass the main topic. Try to include primary and secondary keywords in your H2 tags without overdoing it. 

• H3 tags are subheadings that add further context to H2 tags. It’s important to only use an H3 tag if it’s related to the previous H2 tag. If it’s a brand-new concept or subtopic, use an H2 tag instead. 

• H4 tags are subheadings for H3 tags, and so on (there are six header tags in total). 

Proper use of header tags offers several SEO benefits:

Headers help search engines understand your content structure, making your pages easier to crawl and index.

Including relevant keywords in headings tells search engines what your content is about, improving its ranking for those terms.

Well-organized content with clear headings increases your chances of getting featured snippets in search results, which are great for boosting online visibility and brand awareness.

How to use header tags  

Imagine you have an article titled “The Ultimate Guide to Baking the Perfect Cake.” In that case, you’d want to use your H1 tag like this:

H1: The Ultimate Guide to Baking the Perfect Cake

This H1 clearly tells search engines and users the page’s main topic.

Here are some example H2s you could use for the post:

• Essential Ingredients for Delicious Cakes
• Mixing Techniques for the Perfect Batter
• Baking Tips for a Fluffy Cake
• Frosting and Decorating Your Masterpiece

These H2s break down the main topic into key sub-topics. 

Let’s continue the trend and throw in some H3s (Let’s say under the “Essential Ingredients…” H2):

• The Role of Flour
• Sugar: Not Just For Sweetness
• Eggs: The Binding Agent

These H3s provide greater detail for a specific section, and these headings will be neatly categorized underneath the H2.

Why does this matter?

The headers signal to search engines the organization of your content, helping them ‘understand’ the different topics and subtopics addressed on the page. 

They also help with user experience. Readers can easily scan the headers to find the information they need, improving their experience on the page. When similar subtopics are grouped together in a linkable table of contents, it makes it especially easy for users to go straight to the part they want to read the most.

Speed things up 

Your page speed is a significant factor that affects both SEO and user experience since slow load times will ruin your SEO profile and turn users away. 

Google uses the Core Web Vitals test to determine every website’s page speed and load times. If a site fails the test, it won’t appear on Google’s search results pages. 

Poor loading times on your website are also a surefire way to increase your bounce rate. Today’s users expect lightning-fast speeds, so if your site takes more than a few seconds to load, they’ll likely click away and look elsewhere. 

Here are some tips for improving loading speed:

• • Minimize CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. Excessive lines of code will slow things down on your site, so minimize it wherever possible by parsing it, compressing it, and getting the output. This post outlines how to do it.  

• Compress your images and videos. Keep an eye on the file sizes for any images and videos stored on each web page. If they aren’t compressed, they could start to slow down your website. Handbrake is an effective tool for compressing content without sacrificing quality. 

• Use a content delivery network. A content delivery network (CDN) is a group of servers that stores data near end users. This means that connected websites can deliver content cheaply, quickly, and reliably. Here’s a list of the best CDNs to use in 2024. 
• Cut down on the number of plugins you use. Too many plugins will start to hinder your website’s performance, so try to limit the amount you use at once.  

Check out Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool to learn how fast your website loads.

Follow accessibility guidelines 

While search engines may not have direct accessibility ranking factors, these practices significantly impact user experience – a crucial factor that search engines DO measure – so it’s worth making your site as accessible as possible. 

A website that’s easy to navigate and understand signals a pleasant user experience to Google, which can positively influence your search engine rankings. 

While Google doesn’t use accessibility as a ranking factor, they do have a series of accessibility guidelines for website owners, which are as follows:

• Leveraging image alternative text: Alternative text (known as an alt tag) describes the image for screen readers and users with slow connections. This gives them the chance to understand what an image represents (and its overall role in the content). 
• Using high-contrast colors: High color contrast enhances readability for everyone, especially those with visual impairments. Avoid color schemes that are hard to read, such as bright red text on a yellow background. 
• Ensuring font legibility: A minimum font size of 16px and left alignment support easy reading.

Other accessibility features to consider when creating an SEO-friendly website:

• Clear headings and structure: Use descriptive headings (H1, H2, etc.) for content sections.
• Keyboard accessibility: Ensure that visitors can navigate your website without the use of a mouse.

Not sure if your website is accessible?

These free tools will let you know:

• W3C Validation: Use the W3C Markup Validation Service (https://validator.w3.org/ ) to check your code for compliance with web accessibility standards. 
• Google’s Lighthouse Browser Extension will provide insights into your website’s performance, including accessibility. 

Fill out your website’s metadata

Website metadata is information that describes the content and purpose of a web page, but it’s not directly visible to users when they visit your site. It’s embedded in the website’s HTML code. 

Think of it as the “information about the information” on your site. It’s also the information Google draws from when listing your content on its results pages. 

Crafting clear and informative metadata in your CMS will improve your website’s search engine visibility. While Google may sometimes adjust it, your descriptions provide the foundation for attracting potential visitors.

Here’s a breakdown of the primary types of website metadata and their importance:

• Title Tags are arguably the most important metadata element. They are the clickable headlines users see on search engine result pages (SERPs). The title tag should clearly and accurately describe the page’s content and should contain your primary keyword.
• Meta Descriptions are brief summaries that appear below the title tag in SERPs. They expand on the title tag and compel users to click through to your site.
• Image Alt Text is descriptive text for images that assists with accessibility for screen readers and helps search engines understand image content.

Make sure your website is indexed

Search engines like Google build their massive database of websites by ‘crawling’ the web. If your website isn’t indexed, that means it hasn’t been crawled and won’t appear in search results. 

You can’t get an SEO campaign off the ground if you aren’t indexed, so this is a crucial step.

Here are the essential steps you need to take to ensure your website is indexed correctly by search engines: 

• Avoid Blocking Search Engines:

• Check your robots.txt file to make sure it’s not accidentally blocking crawlers.
• Ensure there are no “noindex” meta tags on important pages, as this tag will cause Google’s crawlers to ignore them. 
• If your site is under development, make sure any logins/password protection are removed once you’re ready to launch.

• Create and Submit a Sitemap:

• An XML sitemap is a file that lists your essential pages in order. Uploading your sitemap to Google Search Console will help the search engine better understand your site architecture (and decrease the chances of pages not appearing in Google’s index). 
• Many website builders can generate sitemaps automatically, so it’s not a complicated process.
• Submit the sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.

• Leverage Google Search Console:

• Create an account and verify ownership of your website. 
• Use the URL Inspection tool to directly request indexing for your homepage and other key pages.

Additional Tips to Speed Up Indexing

• Internal Linking: Create clear links between related pages on your site. This helps search engine crawlers discover and index more content. Web pages with no internal links pointing at them are called orphan pages, and they aren’t good for your SEO. 
• Backlinks: Earn high-quality backlinks from reputable, relevant websites. These act like votes of confidence, signaling to search engines that your website is worthy of indexing.
• Social Media: Promote your content on social platforms. While social media links don’t always directly influence indexing, they can drive visibility and potentially encourage natural backlinks.
• Update Content Regularly: Fresh content shows search engines your site is active and maintained.

Important note: Indexing can take time, from a few days to several weeks or even months. Be patient, especially with new websites.

Ensure your website has a good structure 

Another important aspect of SEO-friendly web design is ensuring your website is easy to navigate. 

A clear site structure improves crawlability for search engine bots and intuitively guides users, which is what you want. 

After all, you could have the most convincing landing pages in the world, but if nobody can navigate to them, it’s all for naught. 

Here are some ways to achieve a logical site structure:

• User research: Conduct user research to gain an understanding of how your site can satisfy various user personas and their common behaviors.
• Clear Navigation Design: Ensure that users can quickly and easily find the information they need no matter where they start navigating your website (i.e., have an ever-present navigation bar that guides users where they want to go). 
• Hierarchy and Categories: You shouldn’t randomly link to your web pages haphazardly. Instead, group related products and services into appropriate categories to keep things organized. 
• Breadcrumbs: Implement breadcrumbs to show users their location within the site. An example looks like this: 

Home > Products > Guitar Accessories > Strings

• Internal Linking: Create natural links within your content to guide users and search engines to related pages on your site.
• User Testing: Now it’s time to put your website to the test. Have some prospects navigate your site and provide feedback on what they thought worked and what didn’t – and then adjust accordingly. 

An example that embodies all these traits is Walmart’s website. 

They’re a giant retail operation containing thousands of products and categories, so it’s crucial that their web design and navigation are on point. 

They have a search bar and navigation bar that’s present at all times. 

Walmart’s site also makes excellent use of hierarchy, categories, and breadcrumbs to make navigating their products a breeze. 

Final Thoughts: SEO and Web Design 

When building a new website, prioritizing SEO and web design will help keep users and search engines happy, leading to more organic traffic, leads, and conversions. 

When done correctly, SEO and web design work together so seamlessly that it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. 

Do you need expert help with SEO and web design at your company? 

Contact us to learn about HOTH X, our state-of-the-art managed SEO services for websites. 

Whether you need help with an eCommerce site or want more exposure for your brick-and-mortar, our experts can do it all—so don’t wait to get in touch. 

The post 7 Important Considerations For Web Design And SEO appeared first on The HOTH.