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Getting Eyes on Your Products & Services
Last November I was contracted by a large International company to create (and basically orchestrate) a complete SEO/Marketing campaign. The goal was bottom-line focused right from the start. More traffic to the website, leads, better SEO, etc. All of that equals more money.
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The campaign kicked off on November 1, 2022. From the very beginning, we started by grinding out long-form content of at least a thousand words per article. One of the staff did most of the writing. I edited the content (with SEO in mind) using Grammarly. I use Keywords Everywhere to do a large percentage of my research. Keywords Everywhere is a browser extension. They have a free version, but the paid version is very inexpensive.
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From a marketing perspective, keywords can be broken down into three categories. First, you have the most competitive terms for your niche. Next, you have less competitive words and phrases that are connected to the top level (most competitive words). Finally, you have words that have very low search volume. If you can create content for all three levels, that's great. You'll have a well-rounded campaign strategy.
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Now, if you're not into SEO, I understand. Believe me. The thing is, you don't have to master SEO to enjoy the benefits it provides. For example, if you build your site on WordPress and use an SEO plugin of some kind, that ticks a lot of the boxes. If you keep your blog post titles to 60 characters and the meta descriptions to 130 characters (an SEO plugin will help you with this), you'll tick even more boxes. WordPress can be a tremendous asset to your business once you understand the basics.
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Writing blog post articles that are at least a thousand words is another little secret that most of your competitors are probably unaware of. The good news is, there are probably a thousand videos on YouTube that can teach you basic SEO + WordPress. So, that's what we did. Afterward, we used the article as a script for a video. The same article also became the script for a new podcast. Past articles were also repurposed for both.
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Next, the same video we published on YouTube was published on other video platforms and the original blog article that launched the whole process was published on Medium. By January, we'd gone from 15% of the leads (organic/non-paid) coming in through the website to 30%. At the time of this writing, the percentage of organic leads doubled to 60%.
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The Return of Long-Form Content?
Bloggers aside, long-form content is more talked about in theory today than it is in practice. There was a time when many of us read blogs somewhat regularly. Remember that? The comment or discussion area was a lively place. Then came social media, and that changed a lot of things. Today, if you're looking for consistent results with social media, get your wallet and take out your credit card.
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Will long-form content work for you as well as it's working for my client? I'd honestly say you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. One of the first questions I'd ask myself would be, "Are my competitors employing a similar strategy?" I'll go out on a limb here and say, probably not. Most of them would get lost in the details.
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For example - VIDEO. My client only had a phone and inconsistent lighting. But - he knew his topic. What did we do? We went to Canva and created various static images for the length of the video. The longer videos clocked in at around 12 minutes. The shorter ones were half that. We created a few YouTube shorts, too, which are only a minute long. Then, we turned his talking head recording from his phone into a small circle video. It's just like you see in the example below but the circle is smaller and off to the side.
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By cropping everything else out except the face (and making it smaller), we were able to produce a decent final product without investing in expensive video software and equipment. You don't have to use a circle for the video. A square works fine, too.
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A consistent volume of content (even with the help of AI) isn't something most of your competitors are going to commit to. Many will see or hear the words, long-form articles, and mentally "leave the table" right then and there.
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The Bottom Line
I would likely include a disclaimer if I were selling a course, stating that the results achieved for my client in a short period of time may not be typical. However, it's worth considering how many businesses, apart from bloggers, are currently implementing a long-form, SEO-focused content strategy in March 2023. It's probably not very common.
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The important thing to keep in mind is that website traffic is crucial. You need people to see your products and services. If this strategy worked for my client, who was competing against multi-million dollar competitors, there's no reason why it couldn't work for anyone in any niche.
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Benefits of the Solopreneur Lifestyle
One of the biggest benefits of the solopreneur lifestyle is the freedom it offers. Solopreneurs have complete control over their schedule, which means they can work when and where they want. They also can pivot their business quickly, without having to consult with a team.
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Another benefit of the solopreneur lifestyle is the ability to build a business around their passions and interests. Solopreneurs can choose to work on projects that they are truly passionate about, which can lead to greater job satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment.
Tips for Building a Successful Solopreneur Business
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If you're considering the solopreneur lifestyle, there are several tips you should keep in mind to help you build a successful business. Here are some of the most important:
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1. Define Your Niche
As a solopreneur, it's essential to define your niche. You can't be everything to everyone.
2. Build Your Brand
Your brand is what sets you apart from other solopreneurs in your industry. To build a strong brand, you need to develop a unique voice and aesthetic that resonates with your target audience.
3. Stay Organized
As a solopreneur, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the number of tasks you need to accomplish each day. To stay on top of everything, it's important to stay organized. This means creating a daily to-do list and prioritizing your tasks based on their importance.
4. Technology is Your Friend
Technology can be a solopreneur's best friend. There are countless tools and platforms available that can help you automate tasks and streamline your workflow.
5. Outsource When Needed
While solopreneurs run their businesses alone, that doesn't mean they can't outsource certain tasks. In fact, outsourcing can be a great way to free up your time and focus on the areas of your business where you add the most value.
6. Focus on Relationship Building
As a solopreneur, your success depends on your ability to build relationships with your customers and clients. This means taking the time to understand their needs and providing excellent customer service.
7. Don't Ignore Marketing
Marketing is essential for any business, but it's especially important for solopreneurs. Without a marketing plan, it can be difficult to attract new customers and grow your business.
8. Prioritize Self-Care
Running a business can be stressful, and as a solopreneur, you don't have a team to rely on for support. That's why it's important to prioritize self-care.
This might include taking regular breaks throughout the day, exercising, and getting enough sleep. It's also important to set boundaries and avoid overworking yourself. Remember, taking care of yourself is essential for your business's long-term success.
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Conclusion
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The solopreneur lifestyle offers many benefits, including freedom, flexibility, and the ability to build a business around your passions. However, it's important to approach the solopreneur lifestyle with a strategic mindset and a focus on building a successful business.
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By defining your niche, building your brand, staying organized, leveraging technology, outsourcing when needed, focusing on relationship building, embracing marketing, and prioritizing self-care, you can build a thriving business as a solopreneur.
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