SEO In Trinidad & Tobago Part 5: New Rules- Market Yourself

I’m compelled to write Part 5 right on the heels of Part 4 for two reasons: 1. It’s a developing story worthy of special attention, and 2. The shifting sands in Trinidad & Tobago I’m witnessing of late is palpable, seemingly out of nowhere. I’m seeing such an uptick in website awareness that was missing for most of the year.

Forward Multimedia has been at the top or near top of Google all year so it’s not a sudden increase in visibility that’s the cause. I’ve done nothing special with my site except to stay the course with regular page updates, new articles, basically staying steady and doing as I’ve been doing. So what’s up with all the traffic and new business?

Google’s latest ‘100% Not Provided’ of all keyword data means that you won’t be able to see the organic search keywords, i.e. the actual keywords visitors have typed in to come to your site. Yes it’s a bad thing but not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a bad thing for lazy, unethical site owners who game Google’s algorithm to propel their crappy site with sub-par content using ‘black hat’ techniques— because that window has been steadily closing.

But shutting out the bad-guys also shut out the good guys but it’s not necessarily a bad thing because it levels the playing field. Your site has a more equal opportunity (sadly, some sites are still more equal than others) to rise up the ranks . How? By getting found for the right reasons, the reasons search intended.

You must create spectacular content

Great content is great, but spectacular content gets shared and linked. What distinguishes between the two? Didn’t I just tell you? If your content is not getting shared, it’s not spectacular, so it means there is need for some introspection.

What constitutes spectacular?

How does a Trini business ‘spectaularize’ seemingly ‘un-spectacularizable’ content? You may be wondering this right now, especially as there may not be many ways to present the information for an auto parts store, construction business or a dry goods wholesaler. I hear you loud and clear and I totally agree with you. But I have the answer.

Stop selling your business at every turn

Nothing wrong in promoting your selling points: low prices, great customer service (snort…in Trinidad?) and all the other all-you-can-eat buzzwords you try to fool Trini people with. Try something different for a change that will work— focus on your solution instead. Show your customers how you’re solving their problems. For example, if you make kitchen cabinets, don’t put a picture of an empty cabinet that’s so blah. Show a picture of a cabinet in use with someone reaching in with an item in hand and add text on the image: “Designed with you in mind…” or something like that. Your site needs creativity.

Focus on marketing yourself

Keywords and the science behind search is important yes, but your focus should be on inbound marketing. You have to get into the psyche of your ideal customer then configure your site to attract them. In Inbound Marketing this is called knowing your ‘buyer’s persona’. There is no way of getting around this as it makes absolute sense.

The trick is how to configure your site

If anyone could do it then you wouldn’t need me would you? All web designers in Trinidad and even yourself have access to the same tools. But it’s not the tools, but how you use them. Wearing the same shoes as Usain Bolt won’t make me (or you) run faster right?

CASE STUDY: Forward Multimedia

CARE ABOUT THE CONTENT. Position your site for results, it’s not about getting the content in, it’s getting the content to work. How does an upstart web design company like Forward Multimedia with no presence on Google in 2011 rise to the top with business now going full throttle? It’s really two parts: my site plays a pivotal role but the other reason is that I back up everything you see and read when I talk to you, by confirming to you that I absolutely, beyond a doubt, know what I’m talking about. Many sites in T&T think they’re doing the right things and many are. But it’s not about only doing the right things, it’s DOING THINGS RIGHT!