3 Keys to SEO Success
Discover the Keys to Search Engine Optimization
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
You have a website for your telephone answering service. That’s the first step to establishing your online presence. But is your website doing all that you want it to do? Is it living up to your expectations?
If you’re not enjoying the traffic you want to have, the answer may be search engine optimization (SEO). As the name suggests, SEO makes your website more attractive to search engines. If you impress them, they’ll show your content to more people searching for answering service solutions or the expert content you’ve posted.
Here are three keys to successful SEO.
1. Content is Key: Good SEO starts with great content. But don’t produce content for search engines. Instead write for people. Put your visitors first and the search engines second.
If you pursue the opposite strategy and produce content with an SEO-first mentality, you may see a quick bump in traffic, but visitors will quickly bounce once they discover your content is substandard or not what they expected. It’s a prime example of the adage of winning the battle but losing the war.
2. Avoid Shortcuts: Successful SEO is an investment in the future. Adapt a long-term perspective when it comes to optimizing your website for search engines, and you’ll enjoy lasting results with traffic that matters.
Yes, there are ways to game the system and garner a short-term spike in traffic. But it isn’t sustainable. And most of these get-traffic-quick schemes hurt your site in the long term and end up working against you.
These are called black-hat strategies. Basically, it’s cheating. Though nefarious SEO practitioners will continue to develop new ways to avoid doing the hard work of search engine optimization, the search engines strive just as hard to negate these cheats. This means that to stay ahead, they need to continually develop new strategies to trick search engines.
Don’t go this route. Instead take the high road. When you do, you’ll enjoy better, long-term results.
3. Outsource with Care: Though you can learn SEO and successfully implement it, many opt to outsource it instead. It seems either too daunting or the learning curve is too steep, or they lack the time, so they seek SEO professionals to do the work for them.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to assess the abilities and effectiveness of individuals and companies that offer SEO services. Most talk a good game, but not all can produce. Too many will only perform basic steps you can easily do yourself.
Sometimes they haven’t kept up with the industry and recommend techniques that once worked but no longer do. Other times they unknowingly—or knowingly—use black-hat tactics that will cause problems in the end and damage your website’s search engine reputation.
There’s no effective way the vet an SEO professional, but referrals from happy, long-term clients are key. You should expect quantifiable, measurable results. If an SEO vendor can’t provide that, then they don’t deserve your business.
This isn’t to disparage all SEO providers. There are good ones out there who are worth every dollar they charge. The challenge is finding them and distinguishing the good ones from the not-so good ones.
SEO Action Steps: When it comes to SEO success, put visitor-focused content first, avoid damaging shortcuts, and select your SEO vendor with care—or do it yourself.
But the worst thing you can do is nothing. That’s the most ineffective SEO strategy of all.
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of TAS Trader. Check out his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials, ideal for medical answering services.
The Benefits of a TAS Client Portal
By Lance Brandon
Telephone answering services (TASs) are a valuable resource for businesses of all sizes, providing a professional and reliable way for customers to reach the company. However, in today’s digital age, it’s essential for these services to have an online client portal where their customers can access information and manage their account.
Convenience: A key benefit of having an online TAS client portal is convenience. With the ability to login and view messages, customers can easily see all the calls they’ve received and respond to them at their own pace. This is especially useful for businesses that receive a high volume of calls, as it allows them to manage calls more efficiently and avoid missing important messages.
Transparency: Another advantage of an online client portal is transparency. By allowing customers to view their call history and see who contacted them, businesses can show their commitment to open communication and build trust with their clients. This is particularly important in industries where transparency is crucial, such as finance and healthcare.
Customer Updates: Having an online client portal also makes it easy for customers to update their status and manage their calendar. For example, if a customer needs to take a break from receiving calls, they can simply update their status in the portal and the telephone answering service will know not to transfer calls to them. This allows customers to have more control and ensures they only receive calls when they’re available to take them.
Instead of a TAS manager having to keep up with constantly finding and updating an on-call schedule, the client can simply go in and edit it themselves, saving time.
Universal Accessibility: In addition, an online client portal should be cloud-based. This means the portal is hosted on remote servers and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. This allows customers to access their account from anywhere, at any time. This is particularly useful for businesses with remote workers.
Ease of Use: Another key advantage of having a cloud-based online client portal is ease of use. Customers can login to their account, view their call history, update their status, and manage their calendar. This ensures customers can access the information they need.
With a secure login, doctors can ensure that only they have access to their patients’ sensitive information, allowing them to protect patient privacy. In addition, this allows doctors to make their workflow more efficient and allows them to focus on providing the best possible care to their patients.
Summary: In conclusion, an online client portal is an essential TAS tool. By providing convenience, transparency, and ease of use, a cloud-based online client portal can help businesses to better serve their customers and improve their overall experience.
Lance Brandon is head of sales and product design at Electronic Voice Services, a Dallas-based software company providing cloud calling solutions for the TAS industry. He and his team help answering services transition to all-inclusive web-based software.
Featured Sponsor: On Call Software
On Call Software has been in the TAS business for 17 years, developing automated solutions for industries of all types. With over 27 software programmers, they service their customers when they need help with a special customer request. As a result, many of their TAS customers are gaining large new customers.
In 2022 they launched their multi-tenant IVR and virtual PBX Software to the TAS Industry. This new software will allow TAS providers to gain new customers quickly by simply adding this new service directly to their website.
Classified Ads:
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Selling Your Business? If you are considering selling your business, you owe it to yourself and your employees to consider selling to MAP Communications’ Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Dozens of past sellers to MAP include Stericycle Communications Solutions, Answer Center VA Beach, and A-Courteous Communications in Orlando. Call Grant Sibley 800-955-9888 or email gsibley@mapcommunications.com for a confidential conversation.
Seeking Acquisitions: Nexa Receptionists is seeking acquisitions. Past deals include Answer 1, Keener Communications, Alert Communications, and MainLine Telecommunications. We have the capital to get deals done and are committed to fairness and transparency throughout the process. We pay great prices for great companies and treat sellers/owners well. Contact: Ryan.Keener@Nexa.com or 804-527-2687.
Call Center Manager Wanted: Erlanger Health System, a nationally-acclaimed, multi-hospital health system, based in beautiful Chattanooga, TN, is looking for a Call Center Manager for the Medical Call Center. The Call Center Manager will provide leadership and oversight for the Medical Call Center. Please view job description at http://www.erlangercareers.org (Job ID33102) to submit application.
System for Sale: Complete Amtelco Infinity 1st link special edition rackmount system, 4 years old with new spares. Great as a super assortment of spare components, main system, or redundant fail-safe system with $12k in new spare components included. Plus, all cables and odds & ends from original install. Let’s talk: 330-307-4721 or jjsh211@aol.com.
Professional Liability Insurance: The member-exclusive, ATSI-endorsed professional liability insurance program protects you against claims-related errors and omissions arising from your professional services. This comprehensive solution commonly known as errors and omissions liability insurance (E&O) covers defense costs and settlements and provides a valuable layer of additional coverage. Contact: ATSI-questions@alliant.com or 855-393–ATSI.
Seeking Acquisitions: Reputable TAS, in business since 1967 and still owned by the founding family, seeks a small TAS acquisition in the USA. Ideally, you’re billing under $50k per month. Smaller is better. We’ll treat you right, and your employees and customers. Let’s talk. Contact Doug at 888-693-7935 or douganswerphone@gmail.com.
Industry News
New Sales and Marketing Book: Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD released his latest book, Sticky Sales and Marketing: Produce Positive Long-Term Results and Relationships. It is book two in the Sticky series. Sticky Sales and Marketing addresses sales management, sales tips, marketing management, and marketing tactics.
In Sticky Sales and Marketing, Peter uses a coherent story-driven process to highlight what works and what doesn’t to break down sales and marketing strategies. In doing so he provides the building blocks to develop a sales and marketing strategy that will stick, as well as escape promotion failures that could damage your reputation, hurt your business, or harm your career. Sticky Sales and Marketing is now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
Send us your TAS articles and news for consideration in the next issue.
Quotes for the Month
“What the tongue has promised, the body must submit to.” -Rex Stout
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” -Jim Rohn
“When two egotists meet, it’s an I for an I.” -unknown