If you're starting a new business, first off — congratulations! It's a big step to take, and startups are notoriously fragile within their first few years. There's a way that you can combat this, though and give your company the fighting chance it deserves. It all starts and ends with search engine optimization (SEO). This important element of your online presence is often overlooked, and that can prove disastrous. 

SEO Broken Into Simple Terms

Simply put, SEO is the process of loading your website up so that it attracts visitors. There are different types of SEO. The most common involves the content on your site. It should be frontloaded with optimized keywords, but they need to be organic, rather than forced. Overstuffing can lead to being blacklisted by Google (News - Alert), and that can be a death sentence for any website, let alone a startup that needs a strong start. 

When used properly, SEO can: 

·         Drive traffic to your site 

·         Increase business life

·         Promote customer loyalty

·         Provide targeted leads

·         Improve brand recognition

·         Increase profits

As you can see, it's worth learning everything you can about not only implementing SEO but implementing it properly.

The Importance of Quality Over Quantity

Content also needs to be high quality. You can't post gibberish loaded with keywords and expect good results. So put a primary focus on creating high-quality content. This means informative blogs and articles with strategically placed keywords that fit naturally and don't stand out like a sore thumb. If you're in ecommerce, trends can help you predict future content. 

Types of Content

There are several types of content your website may have. These include, but are not limited to: 

·         Blogs

·         Articles

·         Podcasts

·         Images

·         Videos

·         Apps

Your content needs to focus on achieving your business goals. Don't stray far from this, otherwise, you're going to confuse your viewers. When this happens, it has adverse effects on your goals — fewer click-throughs and lower conversion rates. 

Developing Content 

Developing content should be a time-intensive project. Brainstorm ideas that deal with your type of business directly. Use keyword planners and analysis tools to see what's currently popular and performing well. 

Your content plan should extend a few months out, and be adaptable. Sometimes, there are significant advancements in technologies, for example, and it's up to you to stay on top of them, to report on new and breaking developments. 

Guest posts, content that you post on another site linking back to yours, are extremely beneficial and paint your company in a positive light. There are many sites that allow for guest posts, but be picky. Make sure the site's values align with yours and that of your company. Brand reputation is extremely important. 

Links Are Good

Your written content should, when possible, include links. You want to link back to your site. It could be a product page, a blog that collaborates what you're writing about, or even the home page, if necessary. 

Authoritative links are ideal, too. These are links that come from other sites, trusted authorities. But be careful, because the expression "just because it's on the internet, doesn't mean it's true" is very accurate. Choose only links from reputable sites, trusted bloggers and companies, or even journalists. 

Don't Forget Social Media

Social media should definitely be a part of your content strategy. You'd be remiss to leave out sites like Facebook (News - Alert) and Instagram but also LinkedIn, which can help you network with professionals in your field. They can mentor and even provide additional resources for you to build upon. Plus, you may find an individual or company who's willing to invest in your idea, if you're seeking funding. 

Another benefit of social media is you can browse through groups or forums and see what your prospective customers are talking about. This can help drive content lists and help you plan for the future. Where better to get feedback than from your target audience? Scroll through a few times each month to see what pressing topics may have arisen since the last time and then incorporate that into your content. You'll be directly serving your customers at little to no cost — it's valuable research. 

Any business worth its salt needs a game plan from the beginning. SEO should be at the top of your to-do list when establishing a web presence. Don't be afraid to hire experts to do an analysis or break down planning for you. We can't all be experts at everything and if it gives you more time to focus on your business, that's all that matters.