Calgary SEO for Small Business and Entrepreneurs

I work with a lot of different clients who work in many different fields. Some of them are long-running businesses who have made a name for themselves over time with traditional marketing efforts, and some of them are fresh and inspired entrepreneurs who want to make a serious splash with their vision. In either case, it is important for the client to understand that marketing is not what it used to be; the world has evolved and marketers have had to evolve with it.

Traditional marketing techniques such as radio ads, newspaper ads, and television commercials all have varying degrees of effectiveness. This form of marketing depends on research into your target demographic, and then attempting to pinpoint the optimal location for your ad based on that research. It’s very much a shot-gun marketing technique in that you are hoping to hit as much as possible without having much precision. Does it work? yes it does, but it’s expensive and it only works for as long as you continue to pay for it.

For some clients, particularly those who have larger marketing budgets, this might seem like a good idea (especially since it’s a familiar idea), but I often urge them to reconsider. A successful marketing strategy shouldn’t chase people around trying to get their attention, it should place your product directly where people are Already looking for it.

This is the beauty of the internet and it means a profound change from gimmicky one-line billboards to useful and interesting content that will satisfy the potential buyer. People want to find information that interests them, content that’s both entertaining and helpful, and they will trust the person who provides it to them reliably.

Calgary SEO ex. Imagine that you have created a great Pirate Adventure game for the computer. Good SEO is like having a flyer for your game in every copy of Treasure Island in every library around the world. It’s there for the people who are already interested in the topic.

I say this often to my clients in Calgary, SEO is an investment in time. Rather than building a house quickly that looks good for a short while but has constant repair and maintenance cost, SEO is a slow process of establishing a solid foundation of content while also creating a relevant network of links to your website.

For small business and entrepreneurs in Calgary, SEO techniques are the most feasible and cost effective. SEO offers traffic over the long term, even when you have stopped putting money into the campaign. It is a long term investment with long term payoffs. One year of proper SEO campaigning can provide clients for years to come.