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Newbie Requesting Assistance

by gzibell
22 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hello Everyone,

I have been reading as much info as I can from the forum over the last couple of days so I finally decided to get signed up. I a looking to tips to improve SEO of the site that I have been working on for my wife's business. Heather AnnZ Salon. I am trying to learn as much as I can about web design and SEO because I have plans of starting a business in the near future that would be a web store. I think that I have done a great job so far but have not gotten the expected results.

I am targeting the keyword phrase "hair salon fargo" My research suggests that this gets about 1300 searches on google per month. I have designed the home page of her website around those keywords. Currently getting bottom of page 2 or top of page 3. I had her write a couple articles and submitted the latest one to reddit beauty which generated about 500 page views. I have been trying to get her site ranked closer to the top for a month or so now and haven't gotten it to budge.

I tried generating some backlinks from Hair Stylists Forums but that has not helped. I tired to get her business in all of the local directories and things like yelp, bing maps, google maps, mapquest, etc.

Anyone have any suggestions. I think that I have a pretty decent website setup for her. If anyone has some suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

Also if you want to pop over to her site and give it a quick look and let me know what you think and if you see improvements that I should make to help with the overall look or more importantly SEO that would be awesome.

Thank You in Advance
I look forward to being part of this community and all that it has to offer.
#assistance #newbi #newbie #requesting
  • Profile picture of the author RobinInTexas
    Just a couple of quick observations:

    Your ad is coming up at the top of page1 , I find your organic on the bottom of page 2 if I search hair salon fargo have you completed setting your site in Google places and done a Google+ page?

    I didn't see a link from Hair Salon - Heather AnnZ Salon - Fargo, ND to a facebook page which should link back to your web site.
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    Robin



    ...Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just set there.
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  • Profile picture of the author nocturnal911
    Get some guest posts in your niche. It will help surely. I see, you are competing pretty low competitive keyword, you can rank it easily.
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  • Profile picture of the author gzibell
    Hey RobinInTexas

    I Google Places Link, I think so. This is what you are asking about right? Do you mean like a specific google + page for business then I am not sure when I search for Heather AnnZ Salon on google plus it show me Heather Zibell and underneath Heather AnnZ Salon. How do you make a dedicated google plus page for a business?

    There is links to facebook in the top header bar and bottom footer bar. They go Heather Annz Salon - Fargo, ND - Hair Salon | Facebook which also links back to her website. I guess after looking at that there dosen't seem to be a direct static link back to her website. Stuff in the posts though. Oh wait if you click about there is a link back to her website.

    I am using free google adowrds credit that is going to run out soon. Either I am really bad at writing ads or people in the area are scared of them. only getting one or two clicks a day with about 500 impressions per day. I have to think that the sites ranking in the number 1 or 2 spot of google right now under the search "hair salon fargo" is getting way more traffic than this.
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    • Profile picture of the author RobinInTexas
      You could embellish the Google+ page, add photos and anything else you can, also get customers and friends to write glowing reviews about how great the salon is. Google likes action. Same for the facebook page.

      Stuff other people do counts for more than what you do.
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      Robin



      ...Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just set there.
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  • Profile picture of the author gzibell
    Can you explain "guest posts in your niche"? "did you optimize her site" how so should have I optimized her site?

    I will copy to the offline section.
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    • Profile picture of the author kaytav
      Originally Posted by gzibell View Post

      Can you explain "guest posts in your niche"? "did you optimize her site" how so should have I optimized her site?

      I will copy to the offline section.
      Your Niche would be Beauty/Fashion/Haircare/Skincare etc. Try to do guest Posts on such sites.... They will help you get some ranking and authority to your website...
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  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    Hi
    There is a forum dedicated to SEO here:Adsense / PPC / SEO Discussion Forum
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    Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

    ― George Carlin
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  • Profile picture of the author 3rnald0
    1 Tip that will get you to the top of page 1 within a month or so.

    - Write 3 guest posts on sites that have a Pagerank of 3 and above that are in the salon industry. An idea is to type in "hair guest post" and then type their domain name into a pagerank checker.

    You will have the chance to link to your site in an author bio section at the end of the article.

    Have the anchor text as the following.

    Article 1: "hair salon fargo"
    Article 2: "my hair salon in Fargo"
    Article 3: "the" hair salon fargo

    " " represents which words to have linked.

    Best of luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author Hansons
    I checked your site, the design is good but you have to improve loading speed, it is opening a little slow.

    Also, try to put some more plain text..
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    Is your website Hacked? Try -> www.sitebeak.com
    Is Google Analytics installed Properly? Test -> www.GAtective.com
    Impersonal Google search? Check -> www.impersonal.me

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    • Profile picture of the author gzibell
      Figured out optimizing her site...I think anyway...that I got the speed issue taken care of this evening. Took a bit of research and learning but I think I got it resolved. Anyone want to give it a test for me so I have an unbiased opinion?

      I also figure out how to make a physical google+ page for the business. It was easy once I figured it out. Google places creates a google plus page but as far as I could tell couldn't really do much with that. I created a google plus page for the business got some detail info and some posts up. Going to upload some picks in the morning.

      Heather AnnZ Salon
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  • Profile picture of the author gzibell
    Thank you for all of the suggestions so far. I have learned a lot. I have taken everything into account that has been posted here ans suggested in the offline forum. I have not been able to come up with any quest posts yet. When looking to blogs to do guest posts on I am having trouble coming up with valuable site. The only sites that I am coming up with seem to have pr 0 or 1.

    Since google passes pr from backlinks will a guest post on a pr0 blog do any good?

    I have also done some more research on targeted keywords. My original target was getting very few searches per month. 22. I have switched my target to "hair salons in fargo nd" this is showing 200+ exact searches per month. I think I am currently ranking on the bottom of page 1 so I am getting closer can anyone verify this I am getting mixed results when searching from behind different proxies.

    I read that .edu link carry alot of weight so I joined a local colleges alumni discount program and they linked back to my site. Pr6 I think, not seeing any traffic from there but thought that would push my ranking up but hasn't seemed to. Maybe that is just a piece of the puzzle and is helping.

    Any more suggestions to get my site up on the top of page 1? I don't think that this is real competitive and there is only one website that I am seeing in the results that seems to be real competition.

    I heard that having your keywords in bold in an h1 or h2 tag helps, is this true or just nonsense.

    I am running out of ideas, still searching for blogs but hoping for some more input.

    Do searches actually improve results or is this nonsense? For example is I got a few hundred people to search for "hair salons in fargo nd" and then click to my website Heather AnnZ Salon would that help?

    Thank You
    Primary Website Heather AnnZ Salon - Hair Salon in Fargo ND
    (I built another site hoping it would help and when this showed to be indexed by google that is when I saw my website show up on the bottom of page 1. Link site http://hairsalonsinfargond.com
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    • Profile picture of the author Backlinko
      Originally Posted by gzibell View Post


      Since google passes pr from backlinks will a guest post on a pr0 blog do any good?
      Yes, if the site is related to yours.

      Originally Posted by gzibell View Post

      I have also done some more research on targeted keywords. My original target was getting very few searches per month. 22. I have switched my target to "hair salons in fargo nd" this is showing 200+ exact searches per month. I think I am currently ranking on the bottom of page 1 so I am getting closer can anyone verify this I am getting mixed results when searching from behind different proxies.
      Your rankings are somewhat personalized based on IP and browsing history. Plus, it's a bad habit to check your rank all the time. All that matters is traffic.

      Originally Posted by gzibell View Post

      I read that .edu link carry alot of weight so I joined a local colleges alumni discount program and they linked back to my site. Pr6 I think, not seeing any traffic from there but thought that would push my ranking up but hasn't seemed to. Maybe that is just a piece of the puzzle and is helping.
      This was a great move! Keep building links like that and you'll blow your competition out of the water.

      You have to be patient. It can take time for links to make a difference. Also, make sure the link is dofollow.

      Originally Posted by gzibell View Post

      Any more suggestions to get my site up on the top of page 1? I don't think that this is real competitive and there is only one website that I am seeing in the results that seems to be real competition.
      Here are some things I'd recommend from taking a quick look at your site:

      1. Add more content to your homepage. In general, pages with 1000+ words tend to do better. You can add it below the fold so you still have your visuals up-top.

      2. I'd consider donating to some non-profits. This will land you some killer authoritative links on the cheap.

      3. Do some guest posting. You don't need to go crazy for a keyword like that. I'd post on 2-3 fashion and lifestyle blogs that accept guest posts.


      Originally Posted by gzibell View Post


      I heard that having your keywords in bold in an h1 or h2 tag helps, is this true or just nonsense.
      H1 and H2 help...but don't go crazy with over-optimizing your content. Just include your keyword once in the title tag, once in the description tag and a few times in your content.

      Originally Posted by gzibell View Post


      Do searches actually improve results or is this nonsense? For example is I got a few hundred people to search for "hair salons in fargo nd" and then click to my website Heather AnnZ Salon would that help?
      I wouldn't do that. If it does help, it only gives you a tiny boost. And it could get you slapped (it doesn't look very natural for hundreds of new people to search for a keyword and click on the same result).
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Forget guest posting. You probably won't need it.

    First of all, your keyword gets 16 searches a month, not 1300. You need to select the "exact match" option in the Google Keyword Tool.

    Besides getting your Google+ for Business page setup correctly you need to create citations. Lots of them. They play a big role in local rankings. Use local business directories like Yelp, FourSquare, MerchantCircle, iBegin, Localeze, etc.

    And pick about 15 more keywords to target in addition to the one you have.
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    • Profile picture of the author Backlinko
      Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post


      Besides getting your Google+ for Business page setup correctly you need to create citations. Lots of them. They play a big role in local rankings. Use local business directories like Yelp, FourSquare, MerchantCircle, iBegin, Localeze, etc.
      Good call, Mike.

      Google+ local ranking might be more important than straight SEO for your wife's business.
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  • Profile picture of the author gzibell
    Create Citations?

    I went to getlisted.org and went through the entire list about a week about and made sure that her salon was listed. Is this what you are reffering to? I did not know about Merchantcircle iBegin or Localeze, is there more that I should know about?
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by gzibell View Post

      Create Citations?

      I went to getlisted.org and went through the entire list about a week about and made sure that her salon was listed. Is this what you are reffering to? I did not know about Merchantcircle iBegin or Localeze, is there more that I should know about?
      There are about 50-60 directories I use regularly. There may also be ones related to your community that you should make sure you are in.
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    • Profile picture of the author Backlinko
      Originally Posted by gzibell View Post

      Create Citations?

      I went to getlisted.org and went through the entire list about a week about and made sure that her salon was listed. Is this what you are reffering to? I did not know about Merchantcircle iBegin or Localeze, is there more that I should know about?
      There are literally thousands of places to get citations.

      Consider reverse engineering some of your competitors to find some local sites. Or better yet, hire a pro that knows local SEO (like Mike) to do it for you.
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      • Profile picture of the author gzibell
        Originally Posted by Backlinko View Post

        There are literally thousands of places to get citations.
        Is there anywhere that these are listed in order of importance? I am doing everything on my own so I will be adding citations one at a time. I would like to get the important ones first and then work my way down the list. 5 or 10 a day, a list like that would keep me busy for a while.

        I would like to hire a pro but but unfortunately can't at this time. That is why I am relying on the help and suggestions of this awesome community. Hopefully I will have something to contribute and share in the future.
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  • Profile picture of the author nightrider85
    Originally Posted by gzibell View Post

    Hello Everyone,
    I tried generating some backlinks from Hair Stylists Forums but that has not helped. I tired to get her business in all of the local directories and things like yelp, bing maps, google maps, mapquest, etc.

    Anyone have any suggestions. I think that I have a pretty decent website setup for her. If anyone has some suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.


    Thank You in Advance
    I look forward to being part of this community and all that it has to offer.
    Welcome to the community !!!

    If you want to learn about backlinks creation I got a video tutorial how to do that..feel free to visit my site at my signature below..

    There are 5 videos anyway..topics covered are keyword research, onpage optimazation, website creation ( from scratch!! ouch ) and lastly promotion

    Feel free to watch and yes it's Free...

    And feel free to ask me..and ask me if you're free..any different...
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