Each year, to capitalize on potential sales leads, self storage operators must set a course for their online marketing. But that means fighting with Google and its major updates. How do you anticipate the changing tides to better navigate and succeed in the digital world?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic and free search results. By staying on top of the latest and most significant search engine changes, you can formulate better plans and adjust your SEO effectiveness for 2024. By applying Google’s new standards to your digital marketing efforts, you’ll improve your experience ‘user and you will improve the online presence of your company.
what to expect
The SEO guidelines are continually reviewed. Every time Google announces an update, the marketing world is left reeling and debating what it means for businesses. As a self-storage operator, you must be prepared to incorporate the latest SEO best practices and look ahead to future developments. As you shape your digital marketing strategy for 2024, I recommend paying attention to two things: artificial intelligence (AI) and user intent.
Conversations about the latest advances in AI vary. Some people believe it to be a useful tool, while others see it as the nemesis that will one day take over the world. In 2023, AI made its first foray into serious applications for everyday use with the launch of ChatGPT. Since then, companies like Google and Microsoft have been competing to outdo each other with service offerings.
So it’s fair to wonder about Google’s official view of AI-generated content. According to Google for Developers, it’s okay to use it sparingly as long as your website provides high-quality, useful, and reliable content that meets Google’s Search Quality Evaluator guidelines.
But here’s another critical factor: Google will apply AI to its search results to determine user intent. Technology will help search engines become smarter. In fact, it will increase Google’s capabilities exponentially. Rather than simply interpreting the search terms a person has entered, the goal is to identify the intent behind the query. In other words, what did the user want to achieve? This advancement is part of Google’s overall goal, and what the digital giant has tried to achieve with previous updates: to create a more user-centric experience.
Important steps to take
As an operator of a self-storage business, you should prepare for these digital trends and improve the effectiveness of your SEO to meet the latest changes. It can seem daunting, especially if you don’t know digital marketing well; however, the following important but effective steps can improve your strategy.
Focus on local search. In self-storage, each property has a physical address, and the success of an installation often depends on location. Google and other search engines use a tiered system of ranking factors to prioritize local queries and direct the most relevant results to the user; and geographic proximity is often an important factor. For this reason, it makes sense to draw potential customers from the immediate area. Leverage local marketing to optimize your business’ online visibility.
One way to do this is to leverage location-specific content packed with relevant keywords. For example, you can publish an article or blog on your website about local attractions, schools or businesses. Google can draw from this when indexing and ranking discussion topics for a user’s search query. By running local SEO strategies as part of your business, you can emerge as a top contender in search results.
Create content for voice search. Voice-activated devices have been widely used for a long time. As people increasingly use the voice search functionality of their mobile devices, smart TVs, virtual assistants and other connected products, there will be a compelling push for voice search optimization in 2024. This means that your web content should be written in a conversational style. . Consider weaving multi-word keywords into your long-form content.
Update your website. The biggest and best anchor point for your digital marketing is your personal storage website. A better site will strengthen your digital presence. Focus on high-quality content that is relevant to users. It should be well written, informative and easily scannable and digestible. Images should also be used, but to enhance rather than replace written content. Be careful with image sizes, as you don’t want images to slow down your website’s loading speed.
Stay tuned
The perpetual advancement of technology means that you cannot rely on the same online marketing strategies for your self storage business every year. To successfully navigate these uncharted waters, rely on industry best practices. Find relevant resources, including experts, newsletters and online content, to help you stay on top of SEO in 2024 and beyond.
Your ability to adapt to ever-changing search engine ranking factors will affect the overall success of your marketing and business efforts. By staying on top of SEO trends, you’ll ensure that your self-storage facility not only stands out, but stands the test of time.
Jeanne Dotson is the Marketing Director of The storage group, a digital marketing agency specializing in online campaigns and technology tools designed to improve self-storage facilities’ online presence, increase conversion rates and increase revenue. To contact her, call 407.392.2328, ext. 931.
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