Is There A World Beyond Google For SEO?

The answer to that question is yes. But where is this proverbial world? If you can’t gain traffic to your website from the most powerful search engine on the web, where do you go? Most internet marketers make the mistake of sticking to a single platform for all of their SEO efforts. As a result, they often miss out on the plethora of other opportunities that might bring them the same value and leave the competition in the dust. Here is how –

Bing

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This search engine also happens to give Google a run for its money. Bing achieved a respectable 20% share in the market this year which was a blow to its competitor who saw its dominance drop 3% from 67% in 2014 to 64% in 2015.

Once you see what Bing is capable of it is easy to see why this is so. The search engine combats its competitor’s simple design by providing visitors with a rich user experience full of visuals. A trending bar at the top appeals to millennials who prefer to be informed about the latest news and updates immediately. It even goes a step further by offering gift cards The search engine therefore has a lot of marketable potential for an online business especially one whose target audience happens to be millenials.

Apple Inc

Apple doesn’t fall far from the SEO tree. A new and improved search feature, the iOS 9 is set to compete with the big boys in search engines. One of the most interesting aspects of the iOS 9 is that it makes it possible for users to search for content in apps that they haven’t even installed yet. And that is saying something.

Yahoo

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This search engine used to be incredibly popular in its heyday. That popularity may have slowed to a trickle now but Yahoo’s association with Bing still makes it a powerful tool for SEO. This is because it uses search results from Bing as its own. In other words, focus your SEO efforts on Yahoo and you have the chance to be rewarded on the double.

Online Community Forums

Of course, SEO shouldn’t only be limited to how many times your web pages appear on popular or not so popular search engines. Visiting forums that are relevant to your business is also a great marketing technique. Take part in active discussions and answer any questions that your community has. Not only will this make your business popular it will also make them recognise you as an expert in your respective field. This way, the people who trust your advice are more likely to hire your services or do business with you as well.

Take Advantage of Trending Topics

We already discussed how trending topics are a magnet for millenials. Keep yourself updated on the latest news, topics or other hot issues. Once you are armed with such information, you can determine how they fit with the industry that you specialize in. Incorporate your findings in blogs or videos. Remember, visitors hate being blasted with promotional messages and are more likely to visit websites that provide them value. Content that is geared towards popular topics is sure to generate traffic to your website and increase your leads.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is often overlooked especially since emails tend to be deleted as spam. In order to prevent something like that from happening, encourage visitors to sign up for your newsletters instead. After all, if visitors or members give you permission to email them, there is no reason why they would not go through your emails at all.

Of course the quality of your offerings will also have an effect on your leads. For example, let’s say that you own a spa that caters to working women. Such women usually don’t get the time to pamper themselves especially if they have kids to pick up from school. Get them to subscribe and send them offers on the latest discounts or short spa experiences that won’t take too much of their valuable time.

Be Adventurous

There is no harm in it. It might actually help you in the long run. It is difficult to rank for popular keywords in Google. However, there is no guarantee whether you will run into the same trouble on Bing. Try various keyword variations on the search engine and see how your website ranks on it. Who knows? You may find that a website that ranks poorly on Google does well on Bing. It wouldn’t hurt to try.

Get your Content in Order

In the end it doesn’t matter which search engine you use; if your content doesn’t provide value or is poorly created, it will always rank lower. Focus on creating captivating content that gets noticed. Don’t be afraid to experiment with blogs or videos. Search engines love valuable content.

Don’t Forget Facebook

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Wherever online trends go, you can be sure that Facebook will not be far behind especially if the competition involves Google. According to Business Insider, Facebook is working on a search engine that might hurt Google’s own search abilities. This is because the new feature will allow users to search and post links to articles without relying on Google to do so. The move is meant to keep users within the social media’s site’s own network thereby sparing them from interrupting their browsing experience whenever they need to search for something online. Once the feature comes into play officially, it is sure to provide online marketers with a great alternative for their SEO efforts.

In a world where the term “search engine” is synonymous with Google, online marketers usually fail to check out other hidden truths that have the potential to catapult their promotions skyward. The old adage “you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket” applies here. While you should never disregard Google as a tool for SEO, it is important to remember that other search engines such as Bing and online forums have as much potential when it comes to acquiring traffic to your web pages.

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