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What are backlinks?
/0 Comments/in Digital Marketing Consultancy /by adminWhy is it important to have backlinks to your website from other external websites?
In this blog post, we will discuss this important subject and how backlinks can help you to drive more customers to your website.
Backlinks help SEO
As the Google spiders search the internet for new information, they travel through backlinks to get from one site to another. If there are lots of incoming links to your website, then it is easier for the spiders to find your site, search for new content and then index it. This will help your website to have a higher position on the the Search Engine Results Page so more potential customers will find your business. With fewer backlinks, it will be harder for the spiders to find and index your website so your position on the Search Engine Results Page will be further down.
Backlinks help you get more customers
Backlinks are not just good for the Google spiders but they are a really good way to drive more customers to your website and hopefully generate more sales if they like what they see when they get there. For example, someone may use Yell.com when looking for a beauty salon as they want to see the reviews that have been written about the business from previous customers. They spot your business listing with seven excellent reviews and they click on the link on your website to find out more about your business.
The bottom line is that a backlink from another site is actually a vote of confidence in your business which both Google spiders and customers respond to.
Business owners therefore need to actively engage in building links from other reputable websites on an ongoing basis.
But it isn’t easy.
How do I find out if I already have any backlinks to my website?
There are many free backlink checkers which you can use. These include:
How do I get more backlinks to my website?
- Make sure all your social media channels include your website url within the bio or about us section. Think Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even the company page on Linkedin. You “own” these sites so this is a quick win.
- Claim your Google My Business profile and add your website to the profile.
- Write testimonials for other businesses that you have used but ask the business to include your website url with the testimonial.
- Comment on blog posts – frequently there is an option available to include a link to your website here too.
- Offer to write a guest blog on another website. Many people will be delighted to receive new content on a plate but your reward is a link back to your website. For example, a few years ago I wrote a blog on the Love Lough Neagh website about the coffee shops in my local village as long as I got a backlink to my website.
- Create listings on other sites who have a directory of businesses. Sometimes you have to pay for these listings (ie they are really a form of advertising) but there are many free listings which are available too. Listing opportunities will vary by industry sector and what’s available in your local area.
Which online directories can I list my business in?
Northern Ireland Online Directories
Northern Ireland Trade Federation – https://www.nifed.co.uk
4NI – https://www.4ni.co.uk/
Northern Ireland Info Directory – https://www.northern-ireland-info.co.uk/
Northern Ireland Facebook Business Group – this was set up during COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 – https://esriireland.maps.arcgis.com/
Support ABC – only for businesses located in the Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area – https://www.supportabc.co.uk/
Made in Northern Ireland – a directory allowing makers from across Northern Ireland to easily be found by people looking for a unique gift or who wish to support local businesses. https://madeinnorthernireland.co.uk/
Irish Online Directories
Irish Trade Federation – https://www.irishtrade.ie
UK Online Directories
Yell.com – paid and free listings are available – https://www.yell.com/
Cylex – paid and free listings are available – https://www.cylex-uk.co.uk/
Small Business Saturday – this is for small businesses across UK – https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/
Free Index – https://www.freeindex.co.uk/
Smart Business Directory – https://www.smartbusinessdirectory.co.uk/
Trust Pilot – this is an online review site – https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/
B2B Business Directory – https://www.b2b-directory-uk.co.uk/
Purple Tuesday – an organisation who works to improve the customer experience for disabled people – https://purpletuesday.org.uk/
The UK Small Business Directory – https://www.uksmallbusinessdirectory.co.uk/
My Local Services – https://www.mylocalservices.co.uk/
Yelp for Business – https://biz.yelp.co.uk/
Bark – https://www.bark.com/en/gb/
Next Door – https://nextdoor.co.uk/
Scoot – https://www.scoot.co.uk/
Touch Local – https://www.touchlocal.com/
118 Directory Enquiries – https://marketlocation.my118information.co.uk/Home.aspx
Tourism and Hospitality Online Directories
Discover Northern Ireland – free listings for accommodation, restaurants, activities and events – https://discovernorthernireland.com/
Trip Advisor – https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/
Wedding Online Directories
Getting Married in Northern Ireland – https://gettingmarried-ni.co.uk/
Weddings Online – https://www.weddingsonline.ie/
Ireland’s Wedding Journal – https://www.weddingjournalonline.com/
Wedding Wire – https://www.weddingwire.co.uk/
The Happy Bride Guide – https://www.happybrideguide.co.uk/
The Ideal Venue – https://theidealvenue.com/
Wedding Related – http://www.weddingrelated.co.uk/
The Wedding Planner – https://www.theweddingplanner.co.uk/
Weddified – https://www.weddified.co.uk/
Quirky Weddings – http://quirkyweddings.co.uk/
Wedding Day Angel – https://www.weddingdayangel.com/
One Fab Day – https://www.onefabday.com/uk/
If there are any online directories which should be listed here, please click on the button to send us a message about them.
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How Coronavirus has impacted a Digital Marketing Consultant in Northern Ireland
/0 Comments/in Digital Marketing Consultancy /by adminIn the first six months of 2020, we have all experienced enormous changes in the way we live and work due to the coronavirus pandemic. Kicking and screaming we have had to embrace the “new normal”. But are there any benefits to the new way of working for a digital marketing consultant?
I’ve been mentoring businesses since 2007 and I have to say that I always find it really enjoyable. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of meeting many business owners from a very diverse range of organisations. From drain cleaning companies, artists, cafes, hotels, photographers, florists, fitness instructors, gardeners, b&b owners and many many more.
What happened before Coronavirus?
Once a date and time had been agreed with the business, my day started with a drive to the business or a nearby coffee shop. As I have been working with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council on their Amplify Business Support Programme over the last few years, I could be travelling to Larne, Carrickfergus or Ballymena to see a business. So I could spend an hour travelling from Aghalee while listening to BBC Radio 2 and enjoying our beautiful County Antrim countryside. (By the way, I also deliver mentoring for Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council as well as Lisburn City and Castlereagh Council.)
Talking is thirsty work so coffee and scones was how the digital marketing mentoring session usually started. Then the challenge was to log on to the wifi so we could have a look at how to help the business with marketing on digital channels. After the meeting was over and action points agreed upon, I started to drive back home. Of course there had to be another coffee shop stop to catch up on emails and missed calls as well as writing up my report.
Sometimes the meeting venues were lovely and cosy but other venues were absolutely freezing! I have very fond memories of mentoring Brendan McKay at the Glensway Tavern in Martinstown (near Ballymena) and sitting at a cosy fire in the corner of the bar (pictured above). Visiting the premises did allow you to get a very good understanding of the actual business and its products. Plus sometimes I had the pleasure of chatting to customers too.
Working as a digital marketing consultant after the coronavirus peak
On 23 March 2020, Boris Johnson announced the start of the Coronavirus lockdown . With this announcement, the days of travelling to meet business owners ended and initially I thought it was the end of the mentoring work too. But I was pleasantly surprised in mid April to hear that the councils were introducing online mentoring with the businesses.
The new normal for a mentor is now meeting the business owner by Zoom but does it actually work?
In a word, yes. Although you can’t actually shake hands with the business owner, you can still have a very productive meeting by Zoom once they have got to grips with using the technology! As I am helping businesses with making changes to their WordPress websites, helping to set up events on Eventbrite, creating new backlinks or writing targeted Facebook advertisements, it is very easy to show how to do these things by sharing my screen.
What are the pros and cons of digital marketing mentoring by Zoom?
The Pros
With good planning in advance of what you have to cover, time flies. It is very easy to share information by sharing your screen with the business owner.
No time is spent ordering refreshments so more time is spent on discussing the business needs.
Extra people from the business can join the meeting as the need arises.
No diesel costs or no time spent in travelling to see the business owner.
Sometimes it can be hard to get good wifi at business locations or coffee shops. It is very hard to demonstrate digital marketing without wifi so the wifi at home is usually good.
It is safer for both the mentor and the business owner as we are not in the same place.
The Cons
As you can’t actually see the business, meet personnel in the flesh, it is harder to get a grasp of the real issues facing the business.
I have to make my own tea and toast! But sometimes my husband will pop in with refreshments during the meeting.
From time to time, I can get interrupted by other family members who forget that mum is on Zoom.
So what do business owners think about talking to a digital marketing consultant by Zoom?
For everyone, the Coronavirus pandemic has led to huge changes to the way in which businesses had previously received mentoring support. Some business owners were very experienced in using Zoom. But for others, it was a completely new world to them and they needed some help to get cameras and microphones sorted out.
We asked two businesses for their thoughts and this is what they had to say.
I found it very strange at the start but I have got used to it now. It is easier talking to the mentor on a 1: 1 basis rather than in a larger group.
Business Development ManageR
Government guidelines during COVID-19 meant I could not receive business mentoring face to face. Lynda Willis, however, mentored me via Zoom, providing amazing advice as well as sharing readily available resources with me. By pointing me in the right direction and spending time on research specific to my business, Customer Sense Training has magnified the online platform of my business.
Owner
If you would like to have some digital marketing mentoring for your business, please click the button below to send us a message.
Food and Drink Days of the Year 2020
/0 Comments/in Digital Marketing Consultancy, Food /by adminAt the start of another New Year, many business owners and marketing managers are scratching their heads to come up with new interesting content for their social media channels. One idea is to check out the various “Days of the Year” which are relevant to their business and then devise a quirky post based on […]
Digital customer service still has room for improvement
/0 Comments/in Customer Service, Digital Marketing Consultancy /by adminDigital customer service still has room for improvement With global brands like Amazon driving customer expectations higher and higher every year, how do other organisations match up to their high standards on their digital channels? According to the 2017 “State of UK Digital Customer Experience” Report conducted by digital customer experience software provider Eptica, there […]
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