“YOU CAN’T GROW IS YOU ARE COMFORTABLE.

IF YOU AREN’T GROWING, YOU’RE IN SLOW MOTION LIQUIDATION.”

This is one of the mantras I read to myself every morning when I get into my office.

These words , along with my other mantras along side this and this wall art I have on my office wall next to my computer fuels me to BE BETTER every single day.

I say all this not to commercialize the idea of mantras in the work place, though that is something that has truly upped my game, but rather to challenge yourself to do things you might not have yet or might not be the best at yet.

Yet.

As a business owner, you and I have to juggle many flaming balls in the air all at the same time, and most of those fiery fear spheres are things we might not be good at, didn’t get into this this (or your) line of work to do, or simply just can’t figure out.

To me? That thing has always been SEO.

Now, if you’re a follower of our VLOG videos where I talk about digital marketing concepts, video creation, and everything else that I think might be helpful to someone out there, then you know I end every video with “Be Better & Do Something Awesome Today” – this tagline isn’t just for branding, it’s a message to myself.

Every video I create, every blog I write, every thing I create, I want to be better than I was the last time.

So while I might be saying this to the world, I am focusing this concept, this ideal, back to myself.

With that in mind, this blog is as much for you as it is for me. I want to be better in business, and in order to do so, I have to learn things I don’t know and get gooder!

Hey, I’m a video maker, not a languager. (here’s that joke’s reference , for those who might now get it right away)

So when I say “we” and “our”, I am including us at EO7 Media as everyone else out there wanting to up their business game! Let’s get our learning on together!!

Small businesses often face unique challenges when it comes to competing in the digital world, or let’s face it, the everyday world, too.

The grand majority, if not all of our commerce, marketing and outreach to bring in new clientele is found online, in one shape or another. And while we will get into the visual importance of online, SEO is more than just visuals.

However, with the right strategies in place, we can effectively improve our websites and social media platform’s SEO, which can drive more traffic that is ready to spend money on our businesses.

Here are some easy-to-follow strategies for improving our websites and social media platform’s SEO and attracting and converting potential customers.

~ Keyword Research ~

One of the most important factors in SEO is keyword research.

This involves identifying the words and phrases that people use when they search for products or services related to your business.

Once we have identified these keywords, we can incorporate them into our websites and social media platform’s content to improve our search engine rankings.

To start our keyword research, we can use online tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush.

These tools can help us identify the keywords that are most relevant to our businesses and provide us with insights into our search volume and competition.

When choosing your keywords, it’s important to choose ones that are relevant to your business and your target audience.

For example, if you run a bakery, you might choose keywords like “fresh baked goods,” “artisanal bread,” or “homemade pastries.”

~ Create High-Quality Videos and Photos ~

Yes, we preach this a lot, partly because we are a video and photo production company (located in the Chicago area), but more so because it actually works. Check out some of our clients who have upped their game already.

Visual content is an essential element of any successful digital marketing strategy.

High-quality videos and photos can help all of us showcase our products or services in a way that is engaging and compelling.

They can also help us build our brands and establish our businesses as an authority in our industry. SEO and digital content is all about “authority.” If we take anything away from this blog, read this sentence above again and take it to heart.

To create high-quality videos and photos, we don’t necessarily need a professional photographer or videographer. With a good smartphone and some basic editing software, we can create content that is both visually appealing and informative.

When creating videos and photos, it’s important to keep our audiences in mind.

Think about what kind of content they would find most interesting and engaging.

For example, if you run a restaurant / bar, you might create videos showcasing your drink artisans preparing gorgeous looking cocktails or photos of your signature dishes.

~ The Importance of Visual Content ~

Visual content is not only important for attracting potential customers but also for converting them into paying customers.

Studies have shown that people are more likely to make a purchase after seeing a product video or image.

In 2013, 64% of consumers were more likely to purchase a product after watching an online video (link).

In 2018, 85% of millennials have purchased a product after watching a video. (link)

Then in 2020, something made us all stay indoors and live out our marketing-and-shopping-ready lives almost completely online.

In 2023, 91% of marketers say they use video content as a marketing tool. This is up dramatically since 2016 (61%).

96% of marketers say video content is the most important part of their marketing strategy and 92% say video content is the most positive form of ROI.

Forbes.com says, “The popularity of streaming video services has increased since the Covid-19 epidemic. According to a video marketing survey conducted by Statista, as of November 2022, 86% of marketers used videos on Facebook for marketing purposes. YouTube was the most popular social media platform among marketers at 90%, and TikTok was used by 35% of those surveyed.”

If we want a real mind blowing experience, read what Nogen Tech says about video marketing stats in 2023! Basically the jist is:

• Brands are using almost TWICE as much video content today than they were in 2017
• 96% of marketers see video as one of the key marketing strategies
• Social Media + Explainer videos are by far the most created types of videos for businesses
• Followed by (in this order) presentations, testimonials, ads, teasers, sales, product demos, videographics, customer onboarding, customer service, staff training, and employee onboarding videos
• 42% of marketers spend ~$500 on a video
• 18% spend $500-$1,000 per video
• 9% spend $1,000-$5,000
• 3% spend $10,000-$20,000, and 4% spend $20,000 on an average video
  • EO7 tip, would you spend $500 for a video that you could use forever and that would turn around and get you 10 new customers per month?
• ROI Success is different for every brand and business, here are some important avenues of “success” to the surveyed businesses (in order of importance):
  • Video Views, Audience Engagement, Leads / Clicks, Brand Awareness, Retention, Bottom Line Sales.
  • Isn’t it interesting that “bottom line sales” is at the very bottom? Marketing isn’t always about “getting that dollar” – but rather, there is so much more going on.

Another interesting part of the Nogen Tech research interviewed people why they DON’T use video for their marketing, here are some of the responses:

• 1 in 3 people said they lack the time to create video content, and 18% don’t know where to begin
  • EO7 tip, you can begin right here!
• Around 10% feel that video is “too costly”
  • EO7 tip, ROI is never too costly.
• 5% are unclear on whether they’ll see a good return on investment
  • EO7 tip, it is, start back up at the top 🙂
• 8% of people don’t feel any requirement for video creation
  • EO7 tip, remember the beginning of this post? “If you aren’t growing, you’re in slow motion liquidation.”

When incorporating visual content into your website and social media platform’s content, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure our images and videos are high quality and well-lit.

Second, use captions and descriptions to provide context and information about our products or services.

Finally, make sure your visual content is consistent with our brand and messaging.

~ Visual Content From Customers ~

And it’s not just dependent on us to take the photos and videos.

It’s vital to get our clients in on this as well.

We already know that encouraging our clients to give us Google Reviews is probably the single most important thing we can do for SEO and marketing, but did you know that encouraging them to take photos and videos of our products and services is just as crucial marketing?

And most brands just leave this idea on the cutting room floor.

62% of people say customer photos influence purchase decisions, says Search Engine Journal (Feb, 2021).

When asked why they seek additional context about a product (or service), like customer photos, people responded:

• It may highlight something that wasn’t obvious (24%)
• Like to see a product in action before they buy (21%)
• Feel more confident that the reviews are accurate (17%)
• It’s easier to see the quality of a product (17%)
• It’s easier to see the size/fit or color of a product (11%)
• It’s easier to see the material of a product (7%)
  

Testimonials are a great way to encourage our clients to make content. A short video talking about our services or products is basically video visual content AND a review all mixed up in one!

~ Hit The Ball Where The People Are ~

Growing up, I used to play ping pong a lot, I wasn’t great, but I was decent. And rule #1 of ping pong is, hit the ball where the people aren’t. Meaning, if you want to score a point, you hit the ball where the opponent isn’t going to be.

If you want people to look at your brand, shop your products, buy your services, why would you ever advertise in a place where people aren’t going to be?

Follow with me, this is going to make sense.

While I am a big fan of shopping and my local mom and pop shops, as I am sure most people are, there is something amazing about the convenience and “at my finger tips” ease of looking, research or shopping online.

This is where your clients are, why not be a part of the visual landscape where the people are.

And here’s the beauty of social media marketing: if you are consistent, brand aware, and engaging – advertising is free.

~ Final Thoughts ~

Improving our websites and social media platform’s SEO is an ongoing process, but with the right strategies in place, we can attract and convert potential customers.

By conducting keyword research, creating high-quality videos and photos, and incorporating visual content into our digital marketing strategy, we can improve your search engine rankings and drive more traffic to our websits and social media pages.

If you need help with your content creation, EO7 Media can assist you in creating high-quality videos and photos that align with your brand and messaging. With these strategies in place, you can effectively compete in the digital world and drive more traffic that is ready to spend money on your business.