While word-of-mouth referrals remains king when potential end-buyers look for distributors they want to work with, online search and resulting website traffic are also critical, according to recent findings from ASI Research.

Making sure your website is found quickly in online search engines, particularly Google, is critical for generating business, and especially in a competitive industry like promo. The practice is called search engine optimization (SEO), and fortunately, there are easily adapted tactics to improve it and thereby boost your site’s performance.

Why is it so vital? According to digital marketing firm WebFX, 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine – and SEO platform Higher Visibility reports that about 53% of all website traffic comes from organic search (consumers finding your website via optimization, rather than paid ads), most of it beginning with Google.

Data also shows that it’s crucial for your site to appear on the first page of search results. SEO training site Backlinko reports that only 0.63% of people navigate to the second page to peruse and click on links – demonstrating the importance of your site being on the first page (and near the top).

Here are eight ways to enhance your SEO for your promo company.

1

Use keywords.

Keywords are the terms that people looking for a company like yours would enter into a search engine. “Promotional products” is a given, but consider more-specific ones like “custom promo products in [your county and state]” in order to target local buyers. Then make sure your site content contains those keywords and phrases. You can also use the “People also ask” section of resulting search terms for clues as to the keywords you should be using.

2

Refresh your content.

Google rewards sites that contain keyword-rich, fresh content by pushing them to the top of search results, so make sure your website is updated regularly with useful, authoritative information that’s relevant to your target audience. Offer content on different types of products and possible promotional applications, announce new products you’re offering, and spark branding ideas for those searching for a company like yours so you can persuade them to reach out and start a conversation with you. Also maintain a presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and keep the content up to date.

3

Leverage metadata.

In the code for your website, you can insert additional information that can help boost SEO but that isn’t displayed on your pages. Make sure the title metadata (the page titles at the top of browser windows) are keyword-rich, along with the description metadata for each page and the keyword metadata; a good rule of thumb is to include three to seven relevant keyword phrases here, each with about one to four words.

4

Optimize images.

Visually appealing elements not only break up text but also help Google identify what your site contains so it can make sure it appears in relevant searches. Use hi-res images in formats like WebP that are meant for fast loading, check copyright rules on each file, and check to make sure all images load well on mobile. Also use alt text in your website coding so Google can identify the images, but write naturally – don’t stuff it with keywords.

0.63%
the percentage of people who go to the second page of results in a Google search. (Backlinko)

5

Improve loading time.

Google rewards pages based on how quickly they load; those that do so most efficiently appear at the top of search results, while slower pages will rank much lower. You can use Google PageSpeed Insights or WebPageTest for a quick report on your site’s performance and make adjustments as needed. Also be sure your site is mobile-friendly – both load speed and the user experience on desktop and mobile affect search rankings. If visitors are navigating away from your site quickly, Google takes note.

6

Remember local SEO.

Do some research to find out what your local target audience is looking for and how they’d search for your products and services. Make sure you use relevant keywords, like the areas you serve and your differentiators, to help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. You can also use a service like Local Listings from ASI (see box) to boost your appearance in search engines among nearby prospects.

7

Track metrics with Google Analytics.

Google Analytics offers a dashboard where you can track organic traffic, including: how well your site is doing on the search engine; how many searches result in visits to your site; and how long people are staying on your site to browse your offerings. Monitor it regularly and take a look at fluctuations over time. If traffic is consistently strong, your SEO strategy is working. If it’s low or suddenly drops significantly, take a look at improvements that can be made.

8

Ask the experts.

Regularly monitoring and making tweaks to SEO strategy can be time-consuming and downright confusing. Fortunately, there are a number of marketing agencies that can help with SEO for your specific business. In addition, custom websites from ASI can be optimized with content specific to your company that will help improve SEO.