Wouldn’t it be cool if your business popped up on the FIRST PAGE!!! of Google when people searched for a San Diego wedding photographer, web designer for creatives, newborn photographers near Seattle, ______________ (fill in the blank for that title or phrase you want to be known for!)
Umm, duh!
Maybe you’re already dominating the search engines, but in case not and in case you’d like to (again, duh!), we want to share with you 3 quick tips for creative entrepreneurs to rank on Google, without paying an SEO specialist to make it happen for you. These things have gotten us to the first page on Google for Idealust and back in the day when we were shooting for our wedding photography business, Limelife Photography.
(Test it out for yourself! Google “business coaching for creatives” OR “business coaches for creatives” and you’ll see us at the top of the first page 😉)
Oh, and side note, we’ve been a little scarce on the blog posts lately because I’m focusing more time on our spunky 2 year old. I only share that as encouragement that all the smart blogging work you’ll do (the smart blogging work we’ve done) has the potential to keep working for you even if you take a little sabbatical to spend time with your babe or go to Iceland, whatever kind of adventure you’re on.
Tip No. 1 for Creative Entrepreneurs to Rank on Google
First up, get the Yoast SEO plug-in if you’re on WordPress. (If you’re not on WordPress, go have coffee with Jesse and he’ll talk you into switching to WordPress. Buy him an iced mocha and he might even get you switched over himself.)
Yoast is like the fairy godmother of blogging. She’s got your back, prompting you along the way to the next best thing for your blog post, one after the next.
Permalink?
Slug?
Meta description?
Focus keyword?
Not sure what they are or why you should optimize them? No problem. Yoast will wave her magic wand and BAM! you’re 7 steps closer to your ideal client than you were 3 minutes ago.
Tip No. 2 for Creative Entrepreneurs to Rank on Google
Next, start using long tail keywords and titles. Long tail keywords are phrases that are more specific (and usually longer) than more commonly searched for keywords. Yes, there are probably fewer people Googling these phrases. But, it’s much easier to climb the ranks using long tail keywords vs. using general and super common searches.
Example:
You’re much more likely to rank for “film photographer in Brooklyn” than you are for “New York City photographer.”
Make a list of titles/phrases you want to be known for. Think about words that describe your ideal client. Think of adjectives that describe your work and/or your brand. If you’re a photographer, think about locations or venues you’ve shot at that you’d like to shoot at again.
Tip No. 3 for Creative Entrepreneurs to Rank on Google
Google likes Google-related things (again, duh, Becky!) So, why not optimize all the tools at our fingertips?! Google may not come out and say, “If you use our stuff (like YouTube, Google Analytics, Google My Business, etc.), we’ll rank you higher!”, but some features, like Google Reviews, will 100% make people more likely to click on your business within the search result (see below)!
If you’re not already getting Google reviews for your business, start today! (Seriously, email your past clients and ask for a review. Don’t forget to make it super easy for them. Prompt them with questions. Give them a direct link. Stuff like that. Need more help with this, click here.)
Oh, and once you start ranking on those higher pages, this third tip is like the cherry on top. Imagine your ideal client: searching, searching, Googling, searching for “website designers for creatives” then they see your business!!!! YAY!!!! But it gets better, they click and see you’ve got 15 5-star reviews from past clients!!! YAAAAAY!! Cherry. On. Top.
These changes are easy. They are quick and painless but they’ll start giving you more bang for your blog posts. And isn’t that what you’re trying to do anyway…make every to-do you’re crossing off, really, truly be worth your time and energy? If you’re thinking: “umm, duh” then get your booty blogging the right way, starting by making these 3 quick changes that’ll get your blog ranking on Google faster than your fairy godmother can wave her magic wand.
