What is SEO and how does it effect your online coaching programs? Well, search engine optimization is actually a fundamental part of marketing by implementing keywords across your website and other online platforms to attract more ideal clients to your business.
This week, we dive into the basics of what you actually need to know about SEO, and what starting steps you can take to use content and basic SEO knowledge to jump ahead of 90% of your competition.
Seo for Dummies on Office Hours
We can’t teach you SEO in under 30 minutes. But like so many things we cover on Office Hours, we can teach you what you need to know to start. Use this as a jumping off point to launch your journey to success in this crucial area of online business.
If we’re really being practical here, you don’t need to know the definitions of a bunch of technical terms that give you deeper insight into what’s going on under the hood of Google’s search algorithm.
You need to know enough to get ahead of your competition, and while it may sound reductionist, if you can get to the point of routinely hitting “publish” on new content, then you’ll be ahead of the vast majority of the comparable programs and businesses out there.
So let’s start with step 1.
#1 Install Google Search Console
If you want to see what’s working and what opportunities are becoming available to you, this is your essential ‘step 1’.
Google Search Console gives you the bare essential running stats on how each page of your website is performing overall, and the keywords for which you’re ranking for and receiving traffic.
Here’s how to install Google Search Console on your website.
This will become your critical learning tool going forward once you’ve published some content. But that’s the most important thing, so let’s get into creating that content.
#2 Start Writing
I know, this seems like vague advice. But it’s actually a little more specific than it seems when you consider that 90% of people aren’t publishing any content on a regular basis.
So the critical word is START. Don’t wait.
More specifically, think for a moment about the ideal clients you want to work with more, and think about a central topic that they know they are highly interested in or struggling with, but likely need help to fully understand.
Write a deep, long-form exploration of that core topic. For us, this might be a 2,500 word article on something like “How to start coaching online,” or “How to create a coaching program.”
A word of caution here. You’re probably a real expert on this topic. Your goal is to show that, yes. But remember you’re speaking to beginners here, not to other experts. Speak their language, not the jargon of your craft.
I’ve always found the concept of the Beginner’s Mind helpful for content creation.
When you’re an expert, there are fewer possibilities because of all you’ve learned. To a beginner, there are a world of possibilities. Don’t take that for granted.
Use the article you’re writing to explore several possibilities with your audience, and then narrow down to why “your way”, your unique perspective, is the one they should trust.
#3 Edit For Google
Editing for Google really just means structuring your content in a few basic ways that will help Google understand your article better.
As you begin to write and publish more content, this is an area where you can continue to learn and grow forever. There are A LOT of “best practices,” but in my experience, to get started ranking you only NEED to implement a critical few.
Structuring your Headlines
This just means that your primary headline is seen as the primary headline by Google, and your secondary headlines (section headlines), are understood as secondary and so on, so there is a clear hierarchy.
If you’ve ever seen or heard “H1” (or Heading 1), “H2”, and “H3” tags mentioned, this is where those come in.
In most cases the title of your article should be the only “H1”, then your section headlines should be “H2”. And subheadings within those sections, “H3”.
Linking to Other Pages
The internet is, quite literally, a worldwide web of interlinking content. So naturally, you don’t want to leave your article in its own silo.
One way to subtly show Google your article is relevant and worth ranking is to include links to other, high ranking pages on your topic or related topics that you cover throughout your post.
For example, I’m sharing only introductory, “need to know” information to get you started with SEO, but I want you to know that you can dive deeper on a site like Backlinko, with Brian Dean’s guides on things like SEO Content.
Now, don’t get distracted by all the advanced information there yet. Focus on getting something published first, then you can go and learn more advanced SEO tactics later.
Once you’ve got a handful of relevant outside sites linked in your article (shoot for at least 3), go back through and look for any opportunities to link to other pages of your own website where people can learn more about working with you.
Especially if you have pages where you know people “convert”, for example, book introductory calls or learn more about your programs, work in those pages as links within your post when possible.
For us, this could be a pricing page, or a page where you can get more information about our White Label app solution or Done For You program building service.
Don’t go nuts with this, but make sure you’ve got a handful of thoughtfully placed relevant links that naturally flow in your article.
#4 Don’t Wait, Publish Your Post
Perfection is the enemy here. If you obsess over these things, take a deep breath, close your eyes and JUST HIT PUBLISH.
Otherwise, you’ll never post anything.
After you hit publish, send it out to your email list, on social, or just to a few friends and ask for feedback.
Make some updates to the post and PUBLISH those.
Creating content as a strategy, SEO as a strategy, is daunting for everyone. That’s why the moment you suck it up and just hit publish, you’re putting yourself ahead of 80% of the competition.
Make a habit of hitting publish and you’ll be ahead of 90%.
Start diving into Google Search Console after you’ve had your content up for a few weeks and find keyword opportunities that you can add into your existing articles, or white new posts about, and now you’re getting into the top 5%.
Creating content that ranks has a compounding effect and can become an incredible asset for your business over time, to bring new eyeballs to your offerings and draw people in who otherwise never would have found you.
I can’t say it enough. The key is to create the habit of hitting “publish”, and from there, let the learning begin.
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