You know how it is when there’s something very important you’ve got to do, but you’re not really sure how to do it, and you’ve got so much else on your plate, that you end up putting it off?
That’s how I feel a lot of business owners are treating the entire advent of the Information Age. Some of them have been putting off any kind of adaption for 15 years. Others have done a little bit so that they feel it’s getting done, but have achieved no real progress.
So, now is the time to just do it! If you’re a manager who has put off the business of understanding SEO, then let 2017 be the year that you finally come to grips with Google and how it works. Let 2017 be the year that the Internet becomes your revenue-making ally, rather than the hobgoblin of your business. Now is the time to get out there and do it!
“But,” I hear you say, “A lack of will isn’t my problem. I want to get this right, I just don’t know how, no one will give me a straight answer, and SEO ‘experts’ just want my money. No matter how much I spend, my website just doesn’t bring in the revenue.”
I hear you! It’s an unfortunate fact that the digital marketing industry (and the software industry in general) is one of those odd industries where the vendors know a lot more about their clients’ needs than the clients do themselves. It’s a tough time to own a business – without an independent understanding of the Internet and what it means for you, it’s very difficult to compete with the tech-savvy giants like Amazon.
That’s why on January 17th, we’re making it easy.
Search Engine Marketing: Understand SEO – and how to put it to work for you – in about six weeks
I know . . . ew, right? You thought you were reading an insightful article, and it turns out I’m selling something. But don’t let this be a knee-jerk turn-off moment. Hear me out. There are couple of simple reasons why this is so important:
- It is a fact that your customers are on the internet, and they’re using search engines to find you. 80% of people use search engines at some point in the process when buying from local businesses. 68 percent of adults own smartphones, up from 35 percent four years ago. Having a website that is search-optimized and mobile-friendly just isn’t optional any more.
- 91% of small business websites are not optimized for mobile. The 9% who are enjoy a significant advantage with customers who are primarily researching and searching through mobile. Optimizing for mobile isn’t that hard, or that costly. Not doing it is basically leaving money on the table.
- You know full well how important the internet is when it comes to buying, because you probably use it extensively yourself. Most of us go to our phones when we’re thinking about buying something. Most of us do at least a little bit of research. Most of us are turned off by a site when we perceive it as frustrating to use, or outdated, or clunky. You know where you set the bar for other websites. Does your own website meet that standard?
- Shasta County is not going to become a tech hub unless local businesses master this. Communities like Redding actually have a tremendous advantage when it comes to attracting business to the area simply because Shasta County is beautiful, the cost of living is low, and there’s no commute. The biggest reason tech companies stay in the big cities is that’s where the talent is. If we all become sharp when it comes to SEO, then our community could become a true economic force. That helps everyone.
It is this last point that drives us. Cloud Wise Academy makes enough money to cover our costs, but the reason we create classes is not to become rich. We exist because the Shasta Economic Development Corporation, a non-profit dedicated to improving economic circumstances in Shasta County, backed us from the start and helped us succeed.
Our web development courses have already changed lives. Many of our graduates, including this writer, have gone on to work for tech startups around town. But we aren’t just interested in helping individuals take charge of their lives. We want to transform companies also. Our goal is to equip you with total confidence when it comes to the difficult task of marketing online. We hope you understand what a transformative asset that can be. We hope you’ll join us.
Search engine marketing
begins on January 17th. It will take place in the Cloud Wise Academy at 4300 Caterpillar Road in Redding. Class times are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6-9 PM, for six weeks. This course requires no prior web development or marketing experience. Sign-ups are online, at Cloud Wise Academy’s website, http://www.cloudwiseacademy.com. Scholarships are available for students. If you have any questions call us at 800-241-0341 or email us at info@cloudwiseacademy.com.
