Shawn Ryder

Shawn Ryder has over fifteen years in the automotive industry. Having worked with a training company in the early 2000s for a number of years, focusing on manufacturers and dealer groups. I then transitioned an automated digital marketing company for a couple of years focusing specifically on automotive dealerships. At that point decided best to work in a dealership for real experience, so I worked at a dealership selling vehicles for two years to understand the retail world. For the last three years has worked with dealers on digital marketing and growing traffic, leads and sales for the retail dealership.

Search Engines That Use SEO

June 6, 2020Automotive Marketing, Dealership Tips, Digital Marketing, SEO

Automotive SEO

Google and Yahoo are two of the search engines that use SEO. While there are those who say that both of them also rely heavily upon link building when it comes to page placement in the search engine results, both of them also rely heavily on search engine optimization. They send their search engine spiders and bots through the text to pick up keywords to help rank the page. The bots pick up both long-tailed and regular keywords. Long-tailed keywords are phrases that appear throughout the text and will be discussed in a later chapter of this book.

All of the search engines use SEO to some extent. While SEO is not the only factor that figures in to search engine results placement, it is a primary factor in this placement. Google, Yahoo, Bing, and all of the other search engines all rely on SEO in the content to figure on placement in their pages. However, one search engine may rely on SEO more than others.

Google Searching

If you do a search on Google, for example, chances are that you will pull up different results than if you plug the same keywords into the Yahoo search engine. Both of these giant search engines use SEO in order to determine rank, although they also figure in other factors.

One factor that figures heavily in the Google search engine rankings (as it does in other search engines) is link building and page building. The search engine will rank a website higher if it has many links back to the site throughout the web. This is very prevalent with the giant information site, Wikipedia. You have probably noticed that this site often comes up when you are searching for information. That is because there are so many backlinks throughout the web that link back to this site.

SEO Hyperlinks

When you are on a Wikipedia page, you will notice hyperlinks to other areas of the site. This large link network creates hundreds of thousands of pages that are all linked together to dominate the search engine results. In addition to link building, however, Wikipedia also uses SEO. If you study any Wikipedia article, you can pick out the keywords and see how often they are used.

Everyone who has a website online wants to make sure that they get their website noticed in the search engines. There are positive ways to do this and tricky ways to do this. Tricky ways are often called “black hat” techniques that can get a website banned from the search engines. This can be self-defeating, so you want to be sure that you naturally build up your ranking in the search engines through the use of SEO and other strategies.

One way that you can naturally build up your rankings in the search engine is to properly implement SEO in all of the text that is committed to your website. You want to be sure not to use keyword stuffing, which is when you have too much of a keyword density in your text. You should have 2-3% keyword density for your text.

Automotive SEO Basics

Some of the basic principles of using SEO in text are as follows:

Use it in the title of the text, preferably in the first few words;  Use it in the first sentence of the text;
Use it in the last sentence of the first paragraph of the text;
Use it once in the body of the text per 500 words;
Use it in the last sentence of the text.

Automotive SEO Tactics

Different marketing companies that practice SEO will use different tactics to get their website noticed. Many of them use variations of the above when it comes to SEO. Two things that you want to avoid when you are working with SEO to market your site is using too many keywords in your text or not using the right keywords. Later, we will discuss the different ways that you can discover which keywords will work for your type of site.
In order to market your website online, you will want to use search engine optimization in all of your text related to your website.

All of the search engines pick up SEO to varying degrees so understanding how to optimize your website is important if you want others to be able to easily access your website when online.

What Is Search Engine Optimization?

June 6, 2020Automotive Marketing, PPC Management, SEO

Automotive Search Engine Optimization

Automotive SEO is used in all aspects of automotive digital marketing. You need to understand as much as you can about how SEO works in order to get the proper marketing of your website online.

When you use SEO in all of your content – both text and visual, you can draw more traffic to your site. In order to understand how to use SEO, you need to know why people use this type of marketing and rely on it so heavily in order to get the desired traffic to their website. SEO is what gets a website noticed in the search engines.

So what exactly is Automotive SEO?

This sets up your text, photos and videos so that they are easy to find when someone is searching for them using the various search engines online. While it is often said that Google relies more on SEO content than Yahoo, which relies more on link building, the truth of the matter is that in order for a website to be discovered online, it must come up in the search engine.

Since dealers have a website that sells new and used vehicles, you will want to make sure that you structure your site so that others who may be looking for the brands you sell will be able to find it online. Those who are looking online for what you have to sell may do it in a number of different ways, although the easiest way for someone to find something online is to use the search engines. Most of the traffic to your website will come from search engine optimization.

You need to know which keywords will work for your website. These are the words or phrases that people will put into the search engine bars to receive the search engine results pages. Many people today are putting in longer phrases into the search engines to narrow down their search.

Search Engine Optimization Tools

There are tools that the website owner can use to investigate the best keywords for their website, based on what they sell and what words potential customers are likely to plug into the search bars that will lead them to the site. In order to succeed at this, a website owner must not only know the concept of Automotive SEO but also much about the target market, which is those who are most likely to purchase the products on the website.

If you are just starting out your new dealership website, or if you have a website up and running already, you need to know how to use search engine optimization in all facets of your marketing. While there are other ways to market your website and products without using SEO, the fact of the matter is that 60 percent of all traffic on websites comes from those who found the website in the search engines. These people are seeking out what you have to offer and are finding you online as long as you are accessible.

Once your site is search engine optimized, you can expect to get more traffic to your site from the search engines. People who may be interested in your site will find it easier if your website is search engine optimized. Most customers use search engines to find what they are looking for when they go online. By having your website optimized and easy to find in the search engine results pages, you can attract more traffic to your website through the search engines.

There are many internet marketing companies that will help you get your website search engine optimized and keep it that way. Some of the methods that they use to optimize a website include the following:

Article marketing
Blogs
Press Releases
Video ads
Google ads

SEO Keywords

All of these can be optimized in order to incorporate keywords that will make the website appear in the search engine results pages or, in the case of Google ads, land them on pages where they are most likely to find people who will be interested in your website. The entire purpose of making a website search engine optimized is to make it easier for potential clients or customers to visit your site.

Those who may be interested in your products or services can only take advantage of them if the know about them and where to get them. You have, most likely, gone online in search of something that you wanted to buy at one time or another. Chances are that you put the information into the search engine toolbar to pull up search engine results pages. You probably sifted through a few pages before you came up with what you wanted.

This is the basic concept of SEO

Those who understand how to use SEO to make their website more searchable and likely to come up in the first two pages of the search engine results pages are more likely to have clients land on their site.

There are probably many sites out there that offer you interesting information as well as products or services. Unfortunately, many of them are buried deep in the search engine results pages.

Most people, when searching online for something, will give up after going a few pages into the search engine results pages. In some cases, a search may produce millions of hits. Needless to say, you do not want to go through everyone in order to find what you are looking for. Most people have neither the time or the inclination to do this.

This is why it is so important for businesses and others who want to have their website noticed to make sure that they use SEO techniques in order to do so. By using SEO, a website will no longer be buried in the middle or at the end of millions of results. It has a better chance of getting to the front of the search engine results pages.

Voice Search

June 8, 2020Automotive Marketing, Dealership Tips, Digital Marketing, SEO

Future of Voice Search

Is voice search for the future of mobile search? The jury is still out, but Google says that 20 percent of all searches on mobile are now voice searches – and that number is growing.

While you currently can’t target voice searches directly, if you are interested in driving conversions from voice searches, here are some tips to consider for moving forward.

Understand what makes voice search different

Voice search queries tend to be longer. In 2004, most searches were 2 or 3 words. Today, search queries can be 27+ words. Voice searches also tend to be more specific (for example, searching for “find the closest open store that sells a Ford F-150 ” instead of just “Ford F-150”).

Analyze your longer tail keywords to find patterns

Since voice searches are usually more natural and conversational, keyword optimization should fit this new long-tail landscape.

Use modified broad match keywords

Modified broad match lets you specify that specific broad match keywords or close variants (such as +make +model +locatoin) must appear to show your search ad. So even if the voice search is 30 words, as long as 3 of those are “make,” “model,” and “location” your ad will appear.

Negative out keywords that aren’t driving customers

As you test and refine your keyword list for voice search, be sure to negative any words from a modified broad match that indicate the searcher is not a potential customer.

Be sure to give voice searches the option of calling

People use voice search because it is easy and hands-free. It makes sense that a voice searcher would want to keep using voice to engage with a business – and that means a phone call.

Speak in the language of “mobile.”

Since these ads will only be seen by people on their smartphones, your ad language should reflect it.

Tell searchers that operators are standing by to take their call. Use mobile-specific calls to action such as “Shop our mobile site,” “Buy on your phone,” “Find nearby stores,” and “Call us now.”

Professional Closes

June 6, 2020Dealership Tips, Sales

Automotive Salesperson Closing Techniques

Most of the time, a combination of closes will be required for a delivery decision. Remember – the magic number is five! Most professional sales consultants close on the fifth attempt.
It’s not how much you give; it’s how many times you give.

The Magic Number is Five!

Practice putting these closes into your own words:

Assumptive Time Close

“Would you prefer to take delivery of your new vehicle this afternoon or this evening?” “Is 6:00 or 7:00 better?”

Alter or Improve Close

“Before you take delivery of your new vehicle, what would you like to enhance the enjoyment and add to the convenience (protection, safety, or resale value) of your new vehicle?”

Assumptive Title Close

“Would you like your new vehicle titled in your name, your spouse’s name or both (or business)?”

Assumptive Final Close

“Would there be anything else that we need to consider before we go ahead and finalize the agreement?”

Spouse (third party) Close

“Now that everything is agreeable, let’s write it up and get that much out of the way. Then you and your spouse can decide on what is best for delivery date. Fair enough?”

If “No”—“What would she say no to, the vehicle or the money?”
If “Money”—“Price – trade – difference – down payment – monthly payment?”

Insurance Close

“Before you take your new vehicle home today, allow me to get binding coverage to make sure you are protected. What’s your insurance agent’s name? What’s the number there?”

Advisor Close

“It’s obvious you know how to shop for the best deal and it’s also obvious you understand all the facts after seeing the fairness of the figures and the benefits our dealership can provide. Knowing all that, I’m sure you would advise Mr. Stevens to finalize the agreement, wouldn’t you?”

Financial Advisor Close

“I know you are here to advise Mr. Stevens on the fairness of the figures, isn’t that right? (wait) Just to clarify my thinking, will you be helping Mr. Stevens with the down payment, monthly payments or both?”

“None”—“So you are here to advise but not going to get financially involved, is that right?”
“Yes”—“Allow me to provide you both with figures that you can agree to, feel good about and say yes to. Fair enough?”

Assumptive Approval Close

“Now that we are in agreement on the vehicle and the terms I need your approval right here, here and here.” (Hand customer the pen)

Hidden Objection Close

“Assuming the vehicle is right, the equipment is right, the price is right, the down payment is right, the difference is right and we pay you enough for your car, would you own the vehicle?”
“Yes”—“Then please share with me which one of these is not right.”

Reason Close

“Forgive me for asking: are you looking for a reason to own or not to own?”
“I want to own!”
“Great. Please share with me what some of those reasons might be.” (Wait, listen and write them down)

Buyer’s Remorse Close

“Congratulations on your decision to own one of our fine products. It was a very wise decision on your part.

“Now from time to time my customers leave so happily with the decision that they have made, they can’t wait to share that decision with friends, relatives or both. These people, not knowing all the facts, or even being a bit jealous sometimes try to talk them out of going ahead with the transaction.

Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, if you think for any reason that anyone could change your decision to own, would you tell me now?”

Puppy dog close / Re-demonstrate

“Before you make your final decision, I want you to take the vehicle for one more test ride. I want you to see what a wise investment you are about to make for you and your family.”

Validation Close / Evidence Manual

You must prove with third-party evidence that people purchase from you. The customer will believe others before believing you.

Reduction to the Ridiculous Close

Reduce the amount you are negotiating to yearly, monthly, daily; then compare the daily cost with the cost of something the buyer can do, or give up doing for that daily amount.

Time and Money Close

The customer says they want to hold off for a while. Ask how long they would like to wait and offer more time.

“Remember that while you are waiting it will cost you more, not less.”
“New vehicles go up 1 to 2% without notice.”
“Factory incentives may be discontinued.”
“You will still have to make payments on your present vehicle.”
“You could incur costly repairs and maintenance.”
“Your vehicle will depreciate in that amount of time.”
“You will lose the sales (or use) tax credit.”

Take the total monthly cost of these items, add it to the present payment and compare it to the payment or cost of the new vehicle.

Lost Sale Close

“Forgive me, Mr. and Mrs. Stevens. Before you leave, I have to apologize for not doing my job. You see, if I had said and done all the right things today, you would have seen the value in my product and my offer. Because I didn’t convince you of that value, you have to go home without the new vehicle. That means you and your family won’t be enjoying the comfort, convenience and safety of the new vehicle. For that I am truly sorry.

“I make my living by getting people like you happily involved in my product and yes, that’s how I support my family. So that I don’t make the same mistake again, would you be kind enough to take a moment and tell me what I did or what I said wrong?”

Down to the penny close

“We are within seventy-eight dollars and sixty-two cents of you enjoying your new vehicle.” (Be quiet and wait for the customer to react).

Google My Business – Photo Management

June 6, 2020Dealership Tips, Digital Marketing, SEO

Google My Business Photos

Managing images of a dealership can have a significant impact on the quality of content users find when researching travel online. It is possible to add or remove photos from your account at any time. There are also ways to flag inappropriate images added by other users.

Adding Images of your Dealership

Data from Google shows that dealerships with high-quality, relevant images receive higher levels of engagement from users and are more likely to be visited by consumers who have viewed that dealership’s listing online.

Having the photography that includes the exterior and interior of your dealership as well as photos of models and the service department will be beneficial to attracting customers.

To add an image or images, simply log into your Google My Business account and select the “Photos” tab from the menu bar on the left side of the screen. From this section, you’ll be able to add and manage images, including selecting the cover image, identifying specific subjects (such as vehicle photos from your inventory) and other actions. You can add photos from your device or from Google Photos.

How to Remove an Image From Your Listing

Removing an Image Added to Your Account

Sign into your Google My Business account and choose the listing you’d like to manage. Select “Photos” from the menu on the left. Click the image you want to remove and then click the trash can icon in the top-right corner. This will delete the image from your listing.

Flagging Images from Other Users for Removal

To flag an image from another user for removal, navigate to your location’s photo gallery in Google Maps. Click on a photo to pull up the photo gallery image panel, and click on the three-dot menu icon in the top left corner.

Select “Report a Problem.” Complete the information on the form about why the photo should be flagged for your dealership and then click “Submit.”

A photo must be in violation of Google’s photo policy in order to be removed from the Google My Business. Sometimes it is necessary to flag an image a second time if it is not removed after an initial period of 7-14 days from the profile.

Photo Best Practices

Photo Orientation

Orientation is important for photo selection, and it’s best to keep this in mind when photographing a location. Horizontal images are preferred. Vertical images are acceptable if they have sufficient resolution to be cropped horizontally. Avoid using extreme angles or tight crops on images.

For example, when photographing the dealership’s exterior, try to find a direct shot that includes as much of the façade as possible. When shooting vehicles or service department photos, it may be more practical to use an overhead angle or a close crop shot.

Clarity

The dealership location should be the focal point of the photo. Users should be able to easily recognize what they are seeing when quickly looking at the pictures.

Photos should be sharply focused and without any blurriness. Images should look real and be high-quality without being heavily doctored.

Lighting

You want to add images that showcase the focal point in the best manner possible, including quality lighting. It’s generally a best practice to capture things during the day unless you are highlighting a location specifically known for its nightlife. Subtle differences in lighting quality can make notable differences in the visibility of photos within Google products.

Color

Choose images that have bright, vibrant colors because these often generate better visibility and more engagement for your Google My Business profile. Your image may be competing against hundreds of other photos of a given location for a user’s attention. While photos should not be heavily doctored, modestly boosting the saturation of images may be beneficial in some cases.

Seasonality

As much as possible, images should be relevant year-round. This means avoiding seasonal photos (for example – Holiday decorations or colorful Halloween shots).

Photo Rights and Watermarks

When adding photos, you want to avoid intellectual property violations. Make sure the photos you are uploading belong to only you. Try to add a variety of unique images rather than uploading the same images repeatedly.

If your photos have a watermark, it should be small and limited to one corner to avoid distracting from the overall image. Photos should obviously never include inappropriate or dangerous content and obviously no personal or confidential information. Photos should focus on the dealership – so include the building, service, vehicles and limited team members photos from the dealership.

Presentation Basics

June 6, 2020Customer Tips, Dealership Tips, Sales

Coaching Presentation Basics

A central issue to an effective presentation is the degree of customer understanding and involvement. To be effective, a sales presentation must answer four basic questions for the customer:

“What is it?”
“How does it work?”
“What will it do for me?”
“What will it cost me?”

Each time you make a presentation, it is your responsibility to answer all of these questions.

Presentation Formula

Show the Feature

What is it? When you show the feature, point to the feature. Stay focused, make appropriate eye contact, have a positive frame of mind, find the key point, use appropriate body language.

Provide the Function

How does it function/work? How does this provide an advantage over the competition or past make or model?

Explain the Benefit

What will it do for me? Personalize the Benefit. When you provide the benefits, use appropriate eye-to-eye contact, and explain what it will do for the customer. Use the dealership customer’s words and demonstrate your commitment to them.

Every customer has a different set of expectations and a different set of needs. It will be your task to customize your product presentation for the customer. The flow of the product presentation should be the same in every case.

The pacing, tone, and language, however, will certainly vary.

Question Follow-Ups

There are four kinds of follow-ups or “tags” you can use to create an incremental decision (a “close”) from a customer.

Standard “tie-down”:
It’s a great vehicle, isn’t it?
Inverted “tie-down”:
Isn’t it a great vehicle?
Tag: Customer says, “This car rides great.”
You say: Doesn’t it?
Silent:
Ask the question and nod your head.

Building Great Business Relationships

June 6, 2020Business, Customer Tips

If you’re in a business relationship with anyone – a client, vendor, or customer how important is that relationship to you? Do you value the relationship? Do you want to nurture it?

A business relationship, like any relationship, is a two-way street. The expectations of both parties need to be clear and easily understandable. Applying the Golden Rule is also a good idea: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

That is a very powerful statement, and one I try to practice in my daily life, both in business and personal matters.

Good communication is key for any business relationship to grow and thrive. Even when conflicts surface (and they will), keeping the lines of communication open at all times is extremely important. Meet conflicts head-on, no matter how frightening they may seem at the time. The sooner the issues are out on the table and dealt with, the sooner you can get back on track and back to business-as-usual.

Another thing to keep in mind is letting people know you appreciate them. Thank you notes, cards and e-mails are always a good idea, and they never go out of style. People love to be appreciated. If you are receiving great business from someone, always be sure to let them know. You will feel better for it, and so will they.

Another great idea is to reach out and touch your clients and customers on a regular basis by sending them monthly newsletters. This is a wonderful way to keep in touch, both to let them know you are thinking about them and to remind them about you as well.

Remember, you get out of a great relationship that you put into it. Value those you do business with. Nurture the relationships, so they are always growing and prospering. Keep this up and you will always have a garden full of healthy, happy business contacts.

The New Way to Connect with Automotive Customers

June 6, 2020Automation, Automotive Marketing, Digital Marketing, Sales, Text Marketing

Text Messages

Did you know that while many emails go unopened and unnoticed, the majority of text messages are opened within just five minutes of being received? That means that text messaging, also known as SMS, is a highly effective and immediate way to communicate with your customers. An automated text message solution makes it easy and efficient to personally connect with customers. So now that you know, what are some of the best ways you can use text messaging to stay in touch with your customers and bring in more business?

How to Get Customers to Sign Up for Texts

Getting customers to sign up is the first step. You should advertise the benefits of signing up for your text message marketing campaigns everywhere: on your website, at the physical location of your business, on your social media pages, and in your email marketing campaigns. Also, think about this: why would a customer want to sign up? Advertise the benefits that will entice people to want to receive your text messages.

Text Examples

Never miss an automotive appointment again with our convenient text message reminders.
Receive instant text message notifications as soon as your vehicle part arrives.
Gain access to personalized text message promotions and exclusive contests!

Engage Customers from the Very First Text

Once customers have signed up, your automated text message solution should send them a thank you text, confirming their subscription and offering them a special promotion to get them interested. The promotion can be small, for example, a 15% off coupon for an oil change or tire rotation. The main idea is to provide immediate value and reassure the customer that signing up was a smart idea.

Provide Helpful Automotive Tips

A great way to build trust and loyalty with your customers is to send them helpful text message tips they can actually use. These tips serve to keep you connected throughout the year, even when the customer has not been into the shop in a while, and to establish your business as one that is always thinking about its customers’ needs. These can include safety tips, maintenance advice, links to buyers’ guides or industry news, and so on.

Send Automatic Maintenance Reminders

Text message reminders can be sent automatically to each customer based on their vehicle type and history, date of the last appointment, and time of year. Reminders make your customers’ lives easier because they don’t have to remember when to book an oil change, routine maintenance, or inspection. They will be automatically notified at precisely the right time. These text messages encourage repeat business. Once the appointment has been booked, the customer will get an automatic reminder on the day of the appointment so they don’t forget, reducing no-shows and increasing your revenue.

Offer Personalized Promotions

Customers love to feel like they are getting an exclusive deal. Personalized promotions bring in more business and also grow customer loyalty and satisfaction. Your automated text message solution will keep track of each customer’s birthday, purchase date and other individual data so that promotional messages can be sent out on important dates.

Try using an automated text message marketing solution and track how much additional business comes in due to personally targeted text message campaigns.

Value Presentations

June 6, 2020Business, Customer Tips, Dealership Tips, Sales

Building Value

Why value? Because not all presentations are product-related! A one-size-fits-all product presentation has been proven to be ineffective when addressing many customer value-related questions.

Value Presentation vs. Product Presentation

What are some examples of scenarios that might trigger a value presentation?

Reliability questions
Program questions (rate, promotions, etc.)
Warranty questions
Don’t trust salespeople
Bad, past service experience

As a manager, you must be sure all of your salespeople have all the available tools at their disposal to meet the needs of the customer.

Repeat and Referral Business

How will the Value Presentation impact the Drivers of Repeat and Referral Business

Honesty
Product knowledge
Negotiation speed

You must take all of the information collected in the fact-finding step to finding the most suitable unit for the customer.

It is important to use the five-position walk-around to position the product. However, you will also need the proper communication skills to make it effective.

Use PACERS in order of importance when presenting:

Start by repeating the customer’s wants and needs.
Present the value, features and benefits that are important to the customer.
Avoid discussing price; it is secondary to what fills wants and needs.
Ask their reactions, feelings and opinions.
Get the customer emotionally involved.
Stimulate desire; use the senses…sight, sound, touch, imagine.
Tailor all presentations to the customer’s dominant buying motivators.
Make your value presentation different and unique.
Lead with questions, rather than pull with statements.

Every customer chooses to buy a particular vehicle for different reasons. We call these reasons “buying motivations.”

And, while each buyer’s motivations are different, they generally fall into a few categories: Does anyone NOT know what PACERS are?

Performance

Engine, transmission, suspension, and handling features

Appearance

Exterior and interior styling, and aerodynamic designs

Comfort and Convenience

Features that make driving easier and more pleasant, or more luxurious, ergonomic designs

Economy and Value

Standard equipment, gas mileage, easy maintenance features, value packages, competitive pricing

Reliability

Low-maintenance features, state-of-the-art materials and designs, and warranties

Safety

Active and passive safety features, crash avoidance and protection, personal and vehicle safety, and security features

Outwit Your Competition

June 6, 2020Automotive Marketing, Dealership Tips, Local SEO, SEO

Outwit Your Competition On-Page SEO

On-Page SEO has to be understood before you can go and turn your new-found knowledge into cold, hard cash.

To make this term a little easier to understand imagine a finely-tuned engine that has several components to perform at its best. The same principles apply to On-Page SEO. It’s not just ONE thing you have to put into action, but several. Don’t worry, after reading this chapter you should have gained a good understanding of what to do. Let’s start with title tags.

Title Tags

The first thing you need to do is include your target keyword in the <title>title<title/> tag of your site. I suggest you use the keyword in a sensible form and maybe even consider using a long tail keyword to match. That way you will get more traffic. The best option, of course, is to incorporate your main keyword into a long tail keyword that gets actual searches.

Some webmasters use their keyword in their title tag (as is) which can actually repel visitors. Make them user friendly and you can’t lose, as long as your keyword is in the tag. This little tip alone can increase your search click conversions by 100% or more.

Page Headings

The next thing you need to do is use your keywords in the site’s page headings. By using <H1>, <H2>, <H3> tags you can further increase the keyword relevancy of your page.

If you use WordPress make sure the theme you use has these heading tags properly coded.

Some themes don’t and failing to pay attention here could lose you a substantial amount of search traffic over time. If in doubt, use an SEO plugin to help you rectify any possible issues.

If you worry about keyword density here, don’t. It’s more important to use the keyword in these tags and if possible incorporate long tails and keyword variations to help build your site’s authority.

Keywords in Content

Whenever you write content for your site be sure to use the keyword in the title, in the first sentence of the first paragraph, several times throughout the text and in the last sentence of the last paragraph. If you do this consistently, besides adding title and page tags you will see incredible results.

Another trick is to apply the following to your pages; every time you write new content do this once per article/post:

Bold the keyword
Italicize the keyword
Underline the keyword

This will strengthen the authority of your site because when you mark keywords like this they will stand out to the bots who crawl your site. But PLEASE, don’t do this excessively or you will get banned. Once each on every page is enough.

Keyword Density

Too many people worry too much about keyword density. While it is worth a mention here, you should be more concerned about publishing quality content that is actually user friendly. If you use bots and automation software to publish content you will eventually be excluded from Google’s index – guaranteed! Google is dedicated to clean their search engine from spam and crap and they do so aggressively all the time.

I have always done well by aiming for a density of around 2-3%. This means your keyword is featured twice, or three times for every 100 words of text. Just focus on writing quality content naturally, spike your content with keywords and most importantly use related keywords (LSI) and you will do well.

How Long Should Your Content Be?

In recent months, search engines have started to rank long content above short, spammy- looking content simply for that reason. You are best advised to opt for at least 500 words.

Optimized Images

Every single page on your domain should ideally feature one optimized image. This little On- Page SEO addition can help you outrank a competitor with his own optimized site if he fails to optimize his images.

You do this by placing your keyword into the image’s <alt> tag. You can see these tags by looking at the HTML code version of your website. In WordPress you can do this from within your post and page WYSIWYG editor at the top right hand side corner.

Optimizing your images will also give you more traffic since many people use image searches on Google to find relevant content.

Internal Linking

You’d be well advised to always use internal links where possible. When linking to your sub pages make sure to use the keyword of that page. So if you optimize that particular page for the keyword: how to buy pink widgets in new york, make sure to use the exact keyword to link. The resulting page would become a sub page of your domain.

Another thing I have found to work really well is to use the long tail keyword on sub pages and link it back (anchor text) to the home page (also called index page). This can get you a double listing on Google. More on those later in this eBook.

Outbound Links

Outbound links are links you point to pages outside your domain. In order not to dilute your Google juice you want to make these <nofollow> using the appropriate tag. The more <dofollow> links you use to point to websites outside your domain, the more “juice” you will lose in the process.

It’s the fastest way to dilute your site’s existing authority.