Have you ever wondered how successful IT security vendors grow their audiences and revenue online? Have you set up a new website and struggled to reach your clientele?

Establishing an online platform can transform your business from a small startup to a thriving enterprise. Yet, many security vendors struggle to attract clients. They wonder why, after providing quality products and services, they aren't doing as well as they hoped.

The difference between a successful website and an unsuccessful one isn't the products or services offered. Instead, it often comes down to how well companies implement search engine optimization (SEO) techniques.

But what is SEO? And how can you incorporate it into your web pages? Keep reading for a quick and easy SEO tutorial.

SEO: A Brief Introduction

If you've looked around for digital marketing tips before, you've likely run into the acronym "SEO" before. Many marketing professionals highlight it as a main digital marketing technique. But why is SEO so popular, and why should you be using it?

SEO consists of a series of techniques meant to help technology vendor websites appear higher up in search engine results. When someone uses a search engine to find goods or services, the engine's algorithm sorts through millions of online web pages. It then determines which results to display first.

Users rarely look beyond the first page of entries to find the products or services they need. As a result, websites that appear on page one of search results get more traffic. Once a visitor enters a business website, the company has a chance to convert that person into a customer.

So, the equation is simple: the higher up you appear in search engine results, the better earning potential you have.

Search engine algorithms look for two things when determining how to list websites on a results page: relevance and reliability. The algorithms do this by looking for keywords and links. As such, it's important to have both keywords and links on your web pages.

Keywords

If you've ever typed something into a search engine, you've (perhaps unknowingly) used SEO keywords. An SEO keyword is any word or phrase that users type into a search engine. Once they hit "enter," the search engine looks for those words on web pages. If a web page features a specific word or phrase, it may show up in the search results.

But how do you know which keywords to include? Use a keyword research tool. Many digital marketing companies offer these tools for free online. Begin by thinking of words or phrases you would type into a search engine if you were looking for the products or services your company offers. Then, enter each of these into the tool's search bar and press "enter."

The page should then pull up a list of keywords related to the ones you typed. Next to each keyword, you'll find some useful information. This usually includes how many people use the word in their search engine inquiries each month. You'll also want to pay attention to the cost-per-click (see “Using Google Ads” below) and how difficult it is to appear near the top of the page.

You’ll want to find keywords that many people use in searches and aren't very hard to rank well with. Each keyword should be related to something you do as a company. Otherwise, you won't be attracting the right clientele.

Links

Algorithms determine the reliability of a website by looking at how many other web pages link to it. As such, you need to build a link-building strategy.

Start by creating accurate and interesting content. Many businesses do this by launching a blog. Research the topics your customers are interested in learning more about, and then write on those topics. Make certain your content remains accurate and engaging. Useful content might inspire other websites to reference your work and link back to your blog post.

You should also include links to other websites. This shows the reader where you got your information and establishes you as an expert.

In addition, you should link to web pages on your own site. That way, you can direct readers to other parts of your website. Internal links also help the algorithms understand your web pages.

Using Google Ads

Do you want to make sure your website always stands out in search engine results? If so, you might want to consider using Google Ads.

Google Ads allow you to create your own ads and select relevant keywords. Then, Google will display your ad whenever someone types in those keywords. Whenever someone clicks on your ad, Google will charge you a specified amount of money. This is why it's important to pay attention to the cost-per-click when using a keyword research tool.

Need Help with Search Engine Optimization?

Search engine optimization is one of your greatest assets when it comes to marketing your business online. Incorporating SEO into your web pages helps you rank better in search engine results. In turn, this helps you grow your clientele and reach people who might not have heard of you otherwise.

Need help getting started? If so, you're not alone. Learning how to implement SEO can be difficult, especially if you don't have a background in digital marketing. That's where we come in. Our team of marketing professionals has years of experience helping security vendors reach their SEO goals. We tailor our SEO services to your particular needs, helping you get more visitors and clients.

Need Help with Blogs?

Regularly adding blogs to your website dramatically improves your website’s SEO performance. Need blogs but don't have time to write them? If so, let one of our IT subject matter experts create compelling blog content for you on any IT-related subject – business or technical.

Need Someone to Own Your Digital Marketing Program?

Do you have someone dedicated to overseeing your digital marketing program? If not, you’ll want to find someone – and fast! The good news is we provide highly qualified Interim Digital Marketing Managers for 20-40 hours/week for our technology vendor clients.

Request a Consultation

Want to learn more about our SEO, blog writing, or Interim Digital Marketing Manager services? Great! Request a consultation today.