Easily DIY your SEO

Welcome Indie Brand Builders!

There's a danger that I'm working my way out of a job by sharing some of the things in this newsletter! Save to come back to later as I'm sharing tips to get ahead and have a magnetic website that ranks organically.

GET FOCUSED 🧘

How I use time blocking and habit stacking to stay on track

Morning routines and getting up at 5am? 😅 Not my thing! - But I respect the power of a solid start.

Good habits are the foundation of productivity, and time-blocking has been a game changer for me.

It helps me keep focused on specific tasks without getting side-tracked, and helps with motivation too!

Check out Ali Abdaal's time-blocking video to learn more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o2tm00Ar8A

Here's what my ideal work day looks like:

1. Morning mindfulness: I start the day with 5 minutes of meditation for mental clarity. 🧘 

2. Strategic breakfast: I'll opt for a protein-rich breakfast and (just one!) coffee to fuel my day. 🥓 

3. Time-blocked work sessions: I work best in the morning after I've had time to fully wake up. Then I dedicate 2-3 hours to deep work, avoiding distractions. ⌛️ 

4. Midday movement: I take a brisk walk post-lunch to rejuvenate and help digest my lunch before I get back to it. 🤸 

5. Afternoon affirmations: Spend a few moments reflecting on something I'm proud of or something that has inspired me this week. Sometimes I also like to have an afternoon smoothie to boost my energy. 🥤 

6. More time-blocked sessions: Keep the momentum going through the afternoon! Sometimes thi spart of the dsay can drag, so time blocking really helps me stay on track. ⏳️ 

7. Creative evenings: I feel most inspired later in the evening when I've had time to process the day, and getting creative at this time helps me decompress and wind down. Recently I've picked up my guitar again and am enjoying jamming with my son. 🎨 

What does a normal day currently look like for you? What tweaks would you make to make it an ideal day for you - no wrong answers here!

START FLOURISHING 🔥 

Do It Yourself SEO

SEO isn’t just for tech wizards - you can do 75% of SEO yourself.

I once tweaked an old blog post that wasn't ranking. The result? Ranking on page 1 and a big traffic surge.

I just did four things:

1. Focused on 1 long-tail keyword that was specific & less competitive.

2. Updated the content answering questions from Google's “People also ask”. Got rid of fluff and words that didn't add value. Made the content richer, with more personal insights and showing my authority on the topic.

3. Added internal links to other relevant content on my site.

4. Added quality backlinks (links from other reputable websites) directly to that post. They’re like votes of confidence from others.

The post climbed the ranks - it was like watching magic unfold. 🧙 

Traffic doubled, then tripled. All organic, all because of SEO.

Here's the process explained:

1. Focus on keywords

   • Research: Find a keyword relevant to your topic. Use Ahrefs free keyword tool to identify 1 focus keyword for your article. For example: instead of targeting “dog bowls”, get more specific and target a longer-tail keyword like “best dog bowls” or even better: “best dog bowls for french bulldogs”. 🐶 

   • Analysis: Ensure it’s specific and has low competition. In the Ahrefs tool keywords with a low Keyword Difficulty (KD) are the ones you want to find.

     

   • Assess intent: What is the user actually looking for? Do they want to buy a product, or just find some information? What info would they expect to see?
     In this example the search intent is transactional. The searcher is looking to purchase a dog bowl, they just don't know which one. That's where you come in! 🤑 

2. Update your content

   • Answer “People Also Ask”: Address common queries related to your keyword.

   • Eliminate fluff: Remove unnecessary words or sentences.

   • Write for humans: Add personal anecdotes 🙃 and expert insights. 🙂 

   • Optimize your title & meta description for Google and for Humans. Make them catchy, yet search engine friendly.

   • Show authority: Establish credibility with well-researched information.

   • Add rich content: Add more images, videos, charts and graphs.

3. Backlinks (Get other sites to link to your post)

   • Find reputable sites: Look for authoritative domains in your niche. Use Ahrefs free Chrome extension to see a the DR rating on every site you visit.

   • Create connections: Reach out for guest posting or collaboration. I use Seamless.ai for this, or you can use a link building tool like the SEMrush Link Building Tool.

   • Add the backlinks: Setup links back to your post from their content.

4. Internal Linking  

   • Content audit: Review your site for relevant content to link from.

   • Strategic placement: Add links where they feel natural and helpful.

   • Anchor text: Use descriptive text that includes the target keyword.

   • Link value: Prioritize linking from and to high-value pages.

HAVE FUN 🎉

Creating Your Unique ‘Brand Story’

Your brand story is not just a spiel.

• It comes through in the way you (and your employees) communicate, your marketing & visuals, and your products.

• It’s the vibe people get and the trust they feel when they see your products/services/brand.

• It shapes perceptions, fuels emotions, and spurs action (to buy or belong).

When you craft your ‘story’ with care it will transform spectators into die-hard fans.

Here’s how to create yours:

1. Start with your why. Why does your business exist? Why did you start it? What’s your mission? Your vision? These are the seeds of your story.

2. Identify your audience. Who are you talking to? What age are they? Is it all inclusive or does it speak to a niche market? Understand their needs, wants, and dreams.

3. Find your voice. How do you speak to them? Is it friendly? Professional? Quirky? Be consistent.

4. Be authentic. Share your struggles, failures, and successes. People love rooting for the underdog.

5. Show, don’t tell. Use stories to illustrate your points. Stories are memorable and shareable.

6. Involve your audience. Make them the hero of your story. Don't always talk about you or the brand. Instead: how does your brand improve their life?

7. Keep it simple. Don’t overcomplicate. Simple stories are easy to understand and remember. Edit, edit then edit some more. Short and sweet makes it memorable. "Just do it”

8. Stay true to your core values. Your values can be found in the vicinity of your 'why'. They are the things that are important to us, the characteristics and behaviours that motivate and guide our decisions. (Mine are: freedom, life balance, and growth.) I often write these newsletters with these values in mind. Your values should be evident in every part of your story, and every part of your brand.

9. Evolve your story. As your brand grows, so should your story. Keep it fresh and relevant and your audience involved on the journey.

Your brand story is a journey. Not a destination. It’s always unfolding and growing as you learn and grow.

Take your customers on that journey with you and you'll create a business built with customers that will want to buy everything you sell.

That's it for this week!

To your success,

Dan