Six SEO tips for the paper shredding industry

March 25, 2014

By Drew Dekker, NetGain Vice President

These days, getting found online is one of the most important factors for the success of any business, and that goes for shredding companies as well. Just a few short years ago, direct mail and newspaper advertising was the best way to drive leads but the times have changed. Now the most successful businesses, big and small, have a number of platforms from which they can advertise and sell their products or services. The largest platform, without a doubt, is online marketing.

Over the last 10 years, the Internet has changed dramatically. It went from simply having a website for the sake of having one, to being the main hub that drives the majority of sales. The other change I have witnessed is the huge increase in mobile device traffic. Nearly everyone has a smartphone and 2014 is the year where mobile Web traffic will surpass desktop computer Web traffic.

It’s not just about having a website – it’s about having a website that gets found. 

So what does all of this mean for you? It is extremely important that you, or your marketing team, put together a strategy that will find you leads and take advantage of the limitless potential online. Having a shiny new website is really only half the battle. After all, your business could have the most incredible website in the world but if no one knows how to find it, it’s essentially useless.

SEO Tips for Shredding Companies

1. Submit your website to Google – Once your website is complete, you need to submit it to Google and the other search engines. Otherwise it will take a long time for it to be found – sometimes months. Submitting your website is a signal telling Google to work its magic and start to index your website in their search queries. The best place to get started is here: https://www.google.com/submityourcontent/.
2. Submit your website to Google+ Business and Google Places – This is another signal Google uses to help get your business found online. The majority of businesses rank higher if they take the time to submit to Google+ Business and Google Places (especially in mobile device searches) because it shows your location in a handy map. You may have to create a personal Google+ page before you can add your business but it is well worth the time. Visit these links to learn more: http://www.google.com/+/business/ and https://www.google.ca/business/placesforbusiness/.
3. Blog regularly and add fresh content – Blogging regularly is an incredible way to tell the search engines you are a serious player in your market. It’s worth noting that you need to blog about something related to your business. Write about the products and services you provide and why your company is the best. This is key to the success of your online marketing strategy.
4. Use social media – Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn are extremely important factors when it comes to getting found online so be sure to create a business page for each. Google uses the likes, tweets, shares and pins from these sites as a signal that people really like your business. You need to maintain your social media account and constantly submit content. Social media isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it kind of tool. Create a reason for people to share your business with their friends and family and update them often.
5. Testimonials and online reviews – These can act as powerful tools to market your shredding business and not only are they influential, they are free. Before you make a new purchase or require service from a company you are unfamiliar with, chances are you’ll do some online research first. Your potential customers are doing the same thing. Be sure to share testimonials from happy clients on your website so they are clearly displayed to your visitors. In the same sense, always reply to online reviews about your company, whether they are positive or negative. This is proof to prospective customers that you care to acknowledge all comments made. People will read these, so be sure reviews are not left unanswered.
6. Put in as much time as possible – As mentioned throughout this post, you have to put time into creating your online presence. This means filling out all of the details possible for your Google, Facebook and other social media accounts. This also means constantly blogging, and updating your accounts as well. It is a constant work in progress, but one that is worth the effort in the end. The more active you are online, the greater the return you will receive.

If you’d like to learn more about SEO services for your business, I will be speaking about cost effective strategies for SEO and prospect conversion in greater detail April 5 at this year’s NAID 2014 Annual Conference.