Why I’m switching my clients and sites to Squirrly SEO
Ahhh SEO. Love it or hate it you've got to do it. For a LONG time I've advocated using Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress. I have had a change of heart. As I have added more and more sites that I manage for Yoga Studios, Gyms, Salons, and Spas I have needed more features than the basic free version of Yoast can provide. Adding the LOCAL pack is an Expensive Proposition.
So I started looking for a replacement. Something that really guides my clients through the SEO process and makes it easier for them to get great SEO done. Enter Squirrly. It is a rather new plugin but is also gaining ground FAST. So far I'm very happy. The best part is that it can impoprt your Yoast settings so you don't lose any of your existing work.
Below is a video about Squirrly.
On Our Roadmap – Projects We are Working On
We're always looking ahead at the future of marketing for our niches. The marketing landscape moves fast as technology improves and advances. I thought I'd give you a sneak peak into what we're working to enhance the marketing for our clients.
Chat Bots
Chat Bots on Facebook Messenger are the next big thing. We're working on it and learning as much as we can. What are they? Facebook has recently added all sorts of new Marketing Channels using Facebook Messenger. You can now direct users to message your page. But ... you're busy. How many times has been days since you responded to a message?
Well that is wherethe bot comes in. It will respond to questions, direct people to links like buying options and the schedule. We currently have several bots in beta for salon and yoga. Look for more information soon. If you're interested in having a chat bot click our Chat at the bottom of the page and we'll be in touch.
Superior "Branded App" Technology at Lower Cost with More Features
We've all had our headaches with the MindBody branded app. I know they are working on it. However, I want far more functionality and felxibility with an app. I am actively developing my own App Platform that will have amazing features and limitless functionality. If you can dream it I can do it. The Zen Media Social App Platform will have the following advanced features:
- Integration into Google Analytics (versus Flurry analytics)
- Push Notifications (superior to the MindBody Branded App)
- Multiple Types of Notificaitons
- Inbox of all recent alerts
- Integration with OneSignal
- Automated Alerts for Social Notifications like New Facebook Events
- Unlimited Design Potential
- Featured Posts from Your Blog
- Full Branded Web Integration (hopefully with contracts coming soon)
- Video (yes... video in your app)
- The ability to Market it via Facebook and Google default App install channels (a special way of promoting the installation of your app and getting new clients via approved methods)
- Google Remarketing and Facebook Pixel Integration
- Native Social Sharing to Facebook/Twitter/Instagram from inside the App
Digital signage
We're working on a digital signage solution for Studios, Salons, and Spas that will have some amazing features. We're currently accepting demo sites so message us using our chat window on this page.
Features We're Planning:
- Facebook Checkin Stream (encourage Checkins on Facebook, raising Awareness)
- Social Media Stream
- Upcoming Workshops Stream
- Schedule Stream
- Video and Photo Streams
- Weather
- Blog Posts
- Much Much More
There is your sneak peak into what we're working on. There are some even more exciting things I can't tell you about just yet... so keep reading.
MUST DO: Setup your BrandedWeb/Healcode Thank You Page
The Branded Web Feature You Must Use Today!!!
Branded Web feature you need to be using is the Thank You page. It is a vital step in your Customer Journey and you should use it immediately. There are a ton of reasons but here are the quick reasons:
- You can use it to measure all the registrations in Google Analytics
- It gives you a place to announce things like Workshops, Events, and Specials to your customers
- It gives you a place to ask for a Google Review
- It gives you a place to encourage follow your business on Social Media
The way it works is pretty simple. Everyone that buys a pricing option or schedules a class, event or workshop will be redirected to your thank you page. Magic!
There are easy steps you can follow to make this happen.
- Create a Thank You page on your website
- Login to Branded Web at Healcode.com
- Click on Site Settings
- Paste the URL to your thank you page
- In Google Analytics click on Admin > Goals and create a goal that tracks all your thank you page visits.
- Start Tracking!
Get Quality Backlinks for your Yoga Studio by Writing
Backlinks are super important for Local SEO. This SEO strategy is very simple and anybody can do it. To get your backlinks numbers up you can talk about what you already love: YOGA.
What is a high quality backlink?
A backlink from a popular website is always better. What do I mean?
A backlink from your friend's small yoga studio is ok but a backlink from Yoga Journal is AWESOME. Domain Authority is a ranking from 0-100 of how popular a website is. The higher the Domain Authrity the better. Getting a link from a high Domain Authority site to your site tells search engines that your site also has authority on the topic of yoga. Get what I'm saying here?
So how do I get these backlinks?
You start writing!
Most yoga websites will gladly take content from you. Your doing the job for them!
I've compiled a list of websites that you can submit too below.
Get Over Your Fear of Writing
You have time. You have knowledge. Share it. If you're concerned about editing my partner Marc-Cristobal Guilarte is available for editing. He has a masters in English and is extremely authoritative when it comes to Yoga knowledge.
You will help your business tremendously by writing blog posts for other blogs and linking back to your own site. Make sure they website is going to provide a backlink before you submit. You'll need to provide a biography and headshot as well.
Contribute to your local media
Reach out to your local TV station, Mommy Bloggers, Newspapers, and local Magazines. They want content and the best content is FREE because you wrote it and it is helping them and you! Don't be afraid to ask. What's the worst thing that could happen? They say no. Move on. Fight another day.
Yoga Backlink Suggestions
Get More Google Reviews for Your Salon or Spa Studio Today
Get Google Reviews for your SALON AND SPA today
Google Reviews Are One Of The Most Important Marketing Tools Today
You know they are important but you probably don't have enough. I work with businesses that have been operating for more than 10 years, have a thriving community, but have 5 Google Reviews! Clients often say "but I have 65 Facebook Reviews!" So what? Facebook Reviews are nice but they are not heavily featured on the platform. People use Google to discover and find businesses and they read the reviews.
A lot of Salon Owners see REVIEWS as a PAIN not a TOOL!
You probably get reviews from the PISSED people not the happy people. You dread realizing you have another bad review. The trick is to outweigh the bad ones with good ones! People like your business. They will help you. I promise.
A Low Number of Reviews is a WARNING to Clients!
Getting Reviews
There are a lot of ways to get Reviews. You can just send an email asking for them but that takes a lot of your precious time and you have to remember to do it. Be honest. You won't remember.
Here are some strategies that you can implement today:
- Add a link from THIS site to your Autoemails, Receipts, etc.
- Add a button on your appointment signup confirmation page (If you aren't allowing online Booking you should... more on that later)
- Have your Front Desk and Stylists/Providers ask for Reviews
The Zen Media Solution
Our LOCAL Product has a new feature to automate Review Generation and Feedback! It is included in the Core of LOCAL. All you have to do is upload a CSV you export from your system and LOCAL takes care of the rest! Bad reviews are captured, good Reviews prompt the customer to leave a review on a site you choose including Google, Yelp, Facebook, Foursquare, and YellowPages. Remember I recommend focusing on Google first!
A Zen Media LOCAL Client got 15 New Google Reviews in 2 Weeks After Signing Up For LOCAL!
LOCAL Does So Much More
LOCAL offers a lot of other great benefits. LOCAL is a citation management system that ensures that your business listing, hours, phone number, social media links, about text, and services are consistent on over 38 directories. This is a HUGE factor in your Local Search Engine Ranking on Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
LOCAL also offers you one place to respond to Facebook comments, and Reviews from Google, Yelp, Foursquare, and more. You can see how many reviews you have and respond in one interface.
My Salon has 65 5 Star Reviews and they are our BIGGEST ranking Factor and the Overwhelming Number of New Clients say "You Had So Many Amazing Reviews"
Get Started TODAY
Get More Google Reviews for Your Yoga Studio Today
Get Google Reviews for your yoga studio today
Google Reviews Are One Of The Most Important Marketing Tools Today
You know they are important but you probably don't have enough. I work with businesses that have been operating for more than 10 years, have a thriving community, but have 5 Google Reviews! Clients often say "but I have 65 Facebook Reviews!" So what? Facebook Reviews are nice but they are not heavily featured on the platform. People use Google to discover and find businesses and they read the reviews.
A Low Number of Reviews is a WARNING to Clients!
Getting Reviews
There are a lot of ways to get Reviews. You can just send an email asking for them but that takes a lot of your precious time and you have to remember to do it. Be honest. You won't remember.
Here are some strategies that you can implement today:
- Add a link from THIS site to your Autoemails, Receipts, etc.
- Add a button on your Branded Web Tools (Healcode) Thank You Page that points to the link you got above. (If you haven't setup a Thank You page in Branded Web Contact Me Today! You're Missing and Essential Part of your Sales Funnel)
- Have your Front Desk and Teachers ask for Reviews
The Zen Media Solution
Our LOCAL Product has a new feature to automate Review Generation and Feedback! It is included in the Core of LOCAL. All you have to do is upload a CSV you export from your system and LOCAL takes care of the rest! Bad reviews are captured, good Reviews prompt the customer to leave a review on a site you choose including Google, Yelp, Facebook, Foursquare, and YellowPages. Remember I recommend focusing on Google first!
A Zen Media LOCAL Client got 15 New Google Reviews in 2 Weeks After Signing Up For LOCAL!
LOCAL Does So Much More
LOCAL offers a lot of other great benefits. LOCAL is a citation management system that ensures that your business listing, hours, phone number, social media links, about text, and services are consistent on over 38 directories. This is a HUGE factor in your Local Search Engine Ranking on Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
LOCAL also offers you one place to respond to Facebook comments, and Reviews from Google, Yelp, Foursquare, and more. You can see how many reviews you have and respond in one interface.
A Chicago Studio Increased Their Rank to the First Page of Google for 15 Keywords 60 Days After Signing Up For Local
Get Started TODAY
Where do you find Yoga Blog Content?
Good question!
Let's face it. Most studio's blogs suck. They either empty or filled with reposts of other people's content. BAD! WRONG! Content marketing is a topic all in of itself.
First, you can't rank for other people's content. If you just post an article from Yoga Journal you won't get any help from Google because Yoga Journal has already ranked for that content. To rank in Google your content must be original.
PLEASE NOTE >>>>>>
Blogging isn't a formal writing style. You certainly don't want to have a bunch of grammatical errors but it isn't a academic paper either. Relax and just write.
So where do you get ideas?
Remember you are accomplishing a few things by blogging. Answering Questions that people ask with your original ideas and content is the best thing you can do to drive free organic traffic to your website. Google loves quality content that is well written and answers questions people are asking. So let's find out what people are asking!
Where you get the ideas
Google Trends https://trends.google.com/trends/
Go to this website and you'll find a place you can research what people are currently searching for. Type in a style of yoga and you'll see the search volume! Neato! It helps you judge of a topic is worth writing about.
EpicBeat https://epicenter.epictions.com/epicbeat/
EpicBeat lets you search for a topic like Yoga and see what other people are writing about. It'll show you how viral the content is too!
This is by far one of my favorite sources for content ideas. Type in yoga and you'll see the top questions people are asking about it! Amazing! You'll get hundreds of ideas.
Soovle.com
Soovle lets you type in a topic and see what all major search engines return for auto complete. Neat! Answer those questions and you'll get a chance to rank for it!
Stay tuned for more sources for content marketing. This should keep you busy for awhile.
Favorite Tools: Toby for Chrome – Control Your Tabs
We've all been there. 250 Thousand Tabs Open. So what do we do about this?
Organize them! I use Chrome almost exclusively unless I am testing something for my development business. This article will focus on Tab Management for Chrome.
My Current Favorite Solution: Toby for Chrome
Chrome is an awesome browser. You can murder it with too many tabs. I love Toby because you can organize Tabs by task!
You can also pause and resume your work in Chrome!
Here are some ideas for grouping your tabs:
- Web Development
- Studio Mangement
- Research
- Social Media
- Social Media Management
- Advertising
- Yoga Reading
Building a Easy Online Course – and Making Money From It
I’ve worked hard to build an easy to use WordPress based platform that my clients can easily manage themselves. A big part of a good website is engaging content so I prefer my clients to have the ability to add things like blog posts themselves. One of the features of my platform is the ability to quickly build an online course. How could you use this feature for your business?
How could you use this feature for your business?
You could create a mini-course about hair styling. You could explain a yoga sequence pose by pose. Do you know what you get from that?
Your existing clients feel like they are getting added value for their money.
People who find you through search results or a paid Facebook Ad are given a taste of your expertise but then you get the ability to sell them your services!
The great guys at Thrive have made a great video tutorial. You can see just how easy it is here. If you don’t think you can build it of course I’m happy to assist. All you have to do is provide the content! Check out the video tutorial here.
Make Email Rules for Your Business in Gmail and G Suite
It is important to make rules in your Email system to make sure you aren’t losing business.
Make sure to add rules to your system so that form entries from your website, emails from your CRM, emails from your business systems, etc are not trapped in the spam folder. Gmail LOVES to put WordPress emails in the Spam Folder. It is essential you do this or you could miss a lot of business!
I recently had a client with 89 contact form entries requesting booking! That is a lot of missed business. I had another client with 29 emails in one month. They were all in spam!
Create Rules in Gmail or G Suite