TMCnet Online Community News
'How Do I Get My Online Community Story a Killer Google Ranking?' Write a 'How To' Piece
Let’s be honest for a moment; we probably all Google (News 
- Alert) outlandish things from time to time (and secretly hope no one will find these questions in our browser history), whether we are ready to admit it or not. From “How do I say no to being in a bridal party?” to “What’s the quickest way to feel like a million bucks by the weekend?” to “What’s the capital of Uzbekistan?” the inane questions that we ask are endless, albeit important.
So one would assume that in the tech space, just as in the retail, finance, healthcare or education spaces, people Google everything from “How do I find the best cloud provider?” to “What the heck do VoIP, SIP and IVR mean?” So, why not be the online community that has the answers?
This month, we at TMC (News - Alert) challenge you to work with your Web Editor to come up with that killer service piece – you know, that piece that boasts a title that your customers or prospective customers are most likely to copy and paste into Google to search.
Specifically, let’s say you work in the data center space and you want all individuals – not just the tech savvy ones— to know that you offer ways to increase data center efficiencies. Since someone might type into a search engine things like “How can I combat rising data center power consumption?” why not have the story available for them? Then take it one step further. Think about the question that someone first breaking into the data center space might have like “What is DCIM?” and take on a story about that. Not only will you make a certain individual very happy that he/she can now hold his/her own when presented with data center jargon, but you might have just earned a new customer.
These service pieces do much more than just make for a fun a read; they substantially give your story a fighting chance in the SEO battleground. When you put your feet into the shoes of your potential customer or someone interested in your space, you will realize that their questions run the gamut from the most high-level musings to questions better left for “Tech for Dummies.” And these are the questions that are almost always put into Google. By choosing a headline that you assume has a high likelihood of being Googled, you have just increased your chances of your article being found in cyber world.
Aside from SEO, compiling “how to” service pieces turns your company from an intimidating tech giant into a relatable tech friend. Simply put, it is your job as an industry thought leader to speak to both the experienced tech-y and to the amateur tech cub scout. After all, both these groups can become your potential customers. And since your customers are already looking up the answers to these questions on Google and Bing, you should be their first line of defense.
So spring forward this season with the service piece –from “how To’s” to “Top 10’s” to “What’s Hot, What’s Not’s.” We promise your customers and potential customers will love them, and you and your editor might have some fun in the process as well.
Edited by Juliana Kenny
