Ask A Content Writer

"Content is king!" There, we said it. It's a mantra echoed in every corner of the marketing universe, from freelance professionals to large marketing agencies alike; it's earned its cliché. Content's rise to the throne as King was swift, but you'd have to go back over a decade to understand how it came to rule organic search strategy. That's another blog all to itself, but here's a clue from an old Google Webmaster Blog post that explains Google's pivot away from using keyword meta tags as a ranking factor. What that meant for website owners was simple; don't tell us your content is worthy, prove it. The bar was set. It's a measure that continues to tower over content creators today. In part three of this series, we give technology professionals an inside look at what it takes to create content that dominates online search by interviewing our team of professional Content Writers.

Fact:  All staff Writers at One Firefly are rigorously trained on all manners of the Residential Custom Integration channel, and only write for this industry. They have mastered the delicate craft of writing content that is all together technically accurate yet easy to read, persuasive, and, most importantly, effective. Every month, our writing team regularly cranks out over 400 uniquely tailored articles on behalf of Custom Integrators throughout North America. That's a nice setup to say; their insight is priceless (in our slightly humbled opinion). Read on to get the inside scoop.

SEE ALSO: Working With A Marketing Agency: Interview Part 1

Peek Inside Our Thrilling Few Days Of Learning, Growing And Making Lasting Memories

At One Firefly, we take pride in our remote workforce. The ability to work from home on flexible schedules encourages maximized productivity while allowing us to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Plus, having a globally dispersed team makes our annual team training events that much more exciting!

Each year, we band together in one location for an action-packed team training event, where we get out of our everyday routines to learn, connect and ultimately return to work with our fires reignited. Get a glimpse of the adventures from our most recent three-day team event that took place earlier this month in New York City by exploring the highlights below.

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How Google Maps Pinpoints Your Ideal Customers and Lets Them Find You

For decades, the question marketers and growth-minded businesses have asked themselves is, “How do I get to the top of Google?” Because of the influx of algorithm updates and the elusive hacks it takes to work your way to that enviable position, the answer to this question has been a moving target since it was first pondered. And now, Google Maps is becoming a bigger piece of marketer’s objective than before. As you’ll find later, one of the new goals might be, more specifically, “Why should I show up in Google Maps?”

Part of the reason for this is because the way we use the internet, and what we use it for, have evolved. In 2010, just 5% of the world’s web traffic was attributed to mobile. Today, the number is tenfold -- more than half of all traffic comes from a mobile device. As mobile use exploded, Google responded by changing the way the search engine results page is organized.

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Backlinks are an essential part of any well-planned Search Engine Optimization strategy.  When one website links back to yours, you have gained a backlink. Often called inbound links, they are a signal to search engines that other websites trust you as a resource on a certain topic. The more quality backlinks you have to your website, the more search engines will be willing to show your website in search results.

If you are aiming to increase your website’s visibility on Google and other search engines in 2020, we at One Firefly recommend increasing the number of high-quality backlinks to your website. Backlinks from reputable domains that have demonstrated themselves as resources to web users will deliver more value to your website than others, so keep in mind that quality matters.

So, where do you begin?

In this blog, we are going to highlight three easy opportunities for you to add quality backlinks to your website. Just keep reading below to find out more!

SEE ALSO: Are You Hurting Your Search Results With Outdated Practices?

Build Your Online Presence With Stellar Work & Happy Customers

You do great work. Your customers like the projects you’ve completed for them and tell their friends about your great work, too. According to HubSpot, 90% of people believe brand recommendations from their friends, so word of mouth is undoubtedly an effective trust indicator for your potential customers. But how can you further encourage your customer prospects to trust in your brand and move through the buyer journey from awareness to consideration and finally to deciding to purchase your services or products? It’s simple – online reviews!

So, why do reviews matter? Because online reviews are part of the modern decision-making process. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, 61% of Americans divulged they sometimes or nearly always post an online review of a product, service or restaurant. 8 in 10 Americans consult those online reviews and ratings before making a purchase.

Keep reading to learn how online reviews can influence customers you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet and how to establish your business as an authority in your service region. 

SEE ALSO: 3 Simple Tips to Expand Your Business’ Reach Online 

Watch Their Web Presence Transform From “Under Construction” To Sleek And Customized

Starting Somewhere

It’s challenging, even grueling, to compete in the modern market without a website. Many new business owners understand this and scramble to purchase a relevant URL whenever they can. That’s a great start, right?

However, many of them then neglect to actually build a website on that URL. Whether due to lack of time or funds, or even slow website construction, they let their landing page sit for months and months.

Landing pages can be useful: In fact, we admit that it’s better to have a landing page up than nothing at all. But a modest landing page does not replace a website. Why? A lone landing page doesn’t contain enough content to educate your clients, cultivate SEO value or demonstrate your authority in the field.

Helping Northbay Technology

Our featured client, Northbay Technology, found themselves in this suboptimal position. They’d purchased a URL and set up an “under construction” landing page; now they needed a website. They reached out to One Firefly with a few goals in mind. Keep reading to see what those objectives were and how One Firefly exceeded our client’s expectations.

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Are customers turning you down? Whether customers are finding you online or through referral, what they see when they land on your website speaks volumes. Human connections are essential here. Consider the theory; if two people have chemistry (as they say), the attraction is known in seconds. Interestingly enough, the same principals apply to your customers; if they aren't interested within seconds of hitting your website, they're on to the next. It's a bit heartbreaking truly, yes? Indeed, it is. The great news is, it doesn't have to be that way. Start with a simple solution - make an excellent first impression online. The harder question is, how. How do technology professionals stand out online? How do they stay relevant? How do they establish credibility and worthiness? In part two of this article series, we interview a team of Web Design Professionals to get their inside take on online presence for technology professionals. We'll explore everything from how long it takes to build a website, to revealing answers from routine questions small business owners have about marketing and growth strategies. Let's get started.

SEE ALSO: Working With A Marketing Agency: Interview Part 1

Key Components That Can Make or Break Any Advertisement Campaign

As the leading platform on social media in the United States, Facebook transformed itself from being a place where we connect with friends and family. Now, Facebook is commonly used to learn about new products, engage with local businesses, and even get daily news.

Being that 68% of Americans use Facebook according to the Pew Research Center, there is an opportunity for business owners, and marketers bring more awareness to their business or product.

Have you ever been scrolling through Facebook or Instagram and come across a brow-raising advertisement that seems to be specifically targeted to you? That's because it is. Based on gender, age, and even interests, Facebook advertisers can bring their content directly in the hands of their specific audience.

But like many things, Facebook ads aren't as easy as it might seem. Many aspects can make or break your advertisement, especially if done with little to no strategy. In this blog, we dive deep into the top questions you should ask yourself to get the most out of your marketing budget with strategic, scroll-stopping content.

READ MORE: When and Why You Should Advertise on Facebook

Small businesses are continually weighing crucial decisions that will impact their operations, finances, and reputation in the marketplace. Do they need more Sales personnel, do their technicians need better training, do they need to improve their accounting systems? Arguably, one of the more critical decisions for any small business owner is whether or not to commit to marketing as part of their growth strategy. In part one of this article series, we interview a team of Digital Marketing Account Managers to get their inside take on marketing for technology professionals. We'll explore everything from exposing common challenges technology professionals face, to revealing answers from routine questions small business owners have about marketing. Let's get started.

SEE ALSO: Working With A Marketing Agency: Interview Part 2