As consumers become more aware of marketing strategies, printers need to develop their awareness tactics to break through customer inertia and the noise created by rivals. There are ways to do this that vary in cost and impact, but one of the most effective ways is through innovative digital marketing activities such as search engine optimisation (SEO).

Customers use search engines, such as Google, to find products they need. You might type in ‘large format printer Bristol’ or ‘cheap ink roller banner suppliers’, and Google presents you with a list of results sorted by relevance.

No matter what industry you work in, you need to be optimising your website at all category levels as this will help you connect with customers who are searching for the services you provide. For example, printing companies could use ‘high-level’ umbrella keyword terms such as ‘large format printing’ (monthly UK search volume of 1,000), mid-level keyword terms such as ‘banner printing’ (search volume 4,400), or lower-level terms such as ‘vinyl banner printing’ (search volume 390).

More specific phrases (known as ‘long tail keywords’) like ‘vinyl banner printing’ are important as they can be easier to rank for and are more likely to convert into an enquiry or sale, as people using these search terms will be nearer the end of the buying cycle.

Once you have established the correct keywords, you need to put them in the correct place on your site to make it as easy as possible for Google to find your website and drive traffic. Below I have identified some key areas to focus on in regards to SEO keywords:

Page title

This is one of the most important factors for Google, as it distinguishes what the webpage is about. When you use the correct terms, you will increase your visibility in search results, which can have a significant positive impact on your click through rate.

It is crucial to use the exact key phrase you are targeting at the start of the title, but do not use the phrase more than once, as this will send Google’s alarm bells ringing and they will know that you are ‘keyword stuffing’.

Page URL

Include targeted keywords in your page URL too. This will not be possible if it is the homepage, but where it is, take advantage.

Meta description

Although page descriptions do not have a direct effect on page rankings, they are shown on search results and effect click through rates. If you do not add a Meta description, Google will automatically take a snippet of text from the webpage to display in search results. By setting your own, you can control the message your customers see. What is more, if the copy in your description matches that of the visitor’s search query, the copy will show as bold, highlighting your site even further.

Page header

Your header tag (or h1 page header) is another place that you should include keywords and phrases. The h1 acts as the headline of your page, so think of it as a magazine article’s title.

Page copy

For search engines and site visitors, content is king. By using keywords and phrases in your page copy, you will not only adhere to best practices, but you will improve user experience. You need to write page content with the reader and your audience in mind. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience and craft content focused on their pain points, but remember your own key phrases.

Image alt

Alt tags are used when an image on a webpage cannot be displayed properly and the ‘alternative text’ is shown instead. They are also used by ‘screen reader’ software to enable visually impaired users to listen to the content of a web page.

Once you have followed these simple SEO tips and successfully optimised your site, concentrate on improving it by providing and updating your pages with valuable content.

At Innotech, we are currently redeveloping our website with informative blogs, how to guides, promotional articles, and video content. This technique appeals to Google’s algorithms, as they love regular content, which in turn, helps improve and boost your performance in search results.