Denver SEO Consultants

Search Engine Optimization – or the practice of attracting visitors to one’s commercial website via preferred placement on common search engines – is a highly effective sales generation methodology. Frequently though, small business operators jump into the SEO game without doing some elementary marketing homework. Without the background and information that this homework reveals, the SEO strategy may have to be revamped and re-targeted to attract the kind of readers and customers the organization wants. In the end, jumping too soon into search engine marketing can mean wasted time and money.

Bloomberg BusinessWeek opined in its August 4 release, that to help the US economy get moving again, the focus should be placed on small and new business enterprise development. The simple message was that boosting the economy required help to the self-employed. Historically, unemployed workers entered the small business world because they were compelled to. Unfortunately, too many got in a hurry and neglected pre-start up planning – specifically the marketing plan.

It is surprising how many new enterprises are opened without a marketing plan. Understanding the market needs of consumers in particular locations and organizing the business around serving these needs is crucial to success. It is also crucial to guiding other elements, such as the internet marketing plan. Many free marketing plan outlines are available for download, including a good one that is easy to follow from the Service Corps of Retired Executives or SCORE. A simple internet search reveals several good (some free) outlines.

A marketing plan doesn’t necessarily require weeks to complete, but it does require serious time and effort. Once completed, the marketing plan drives and directs specific elements of the marketing effort, such as the SEO and internet plan. Here are a few items to consider when writing the plan.

Uniqueness: Most small businesses open on the basis of trying to fulfill a unique market niche or meet some customer demand that the entrepreneur believes is not being met. Unique characteristics can be anything from a greatly reduced price to the consumer to a much more convenient location. To have the greatest opportunity for success, any prospective business owner should have some unique or valuable proposition that customers understand. Uniqueness can also be found in certain product features.

Competitive Advantages: Once the business’ unique advantages are researched and understood, they may be compiled into a series of competitive advantages. The greatest opportunities for success are found in enterprise plans that offer advantages in pricing, distribution, service, and location areas. New businesses that have difficulty competing in any of these areas may want to rework the plan so as to acquire advantages in any area in which they may not be as competitive.

Marketing: Internet marketing is built around the competitive advantages identified in the marketing plan. Keywords, on page text modifications and other SEO techniques require sound background information about these advantages in order for the effort to produce results. Effectively developing a keyword strategy then, requires identification of the market needs and advantages before the SEO plan is implemented.

SEO and internet marketing allows the entrepreneur to target very specific or micro markets that will respond to a set of competitive advantages articulated in the plan. If there is no actual plan, the chances of success are reduced.