Marketing helps you communicate the overall impact your company has on the community and the world. It’s vital to market your sustainability and social impact programs not only to toot your own horn, but also to make a valuable impression on others and encourage them to be a part of a movement for a better future. These search engine optimization (SEO) strategies will help you jumpstart a digital marketing campaign to elevate your branding efforts, raise awareness of your sustainability initiatives, and help your company achieve a greater overall impact on society and the environment.
1. Go after local search links
Local SEO is a crucial tactic for any campaign. Local search links drive referral traffic, increase brand awareness, and serve to improve your online brand reputation. Purpose-driven businesses can benefit from local SEO by getting listed in local business directories and news organizations that promote this unique differentiation. To get listed, submit your name, address, phone number, and other business information to local business directories. Some notable directories in the green business space, for example, include GreenMeLocally, Green America, and Green Pages—North America’s fastest-growing online search directory for sustainable purchasing and healthier living.
2. Design a content marketing strategy
Blogging holds a lot of power within your marketing strategy, especially if you’re conducting SEO or social media campaigns. There are many reasons why you need to be blogging for your business, but the most important is to continuously generate fresh and authoritative content to your website. This is crucial, because maintaining a relevant website is a top factor to earning search engine rankings and fostering a positive user experience.
A major goal of SEO is for the search engine to view your website as a current, topic-relevant option for a user. In time, you can accomplish this task by feeding healthy and consistent blogs to your website. Be sure to design your blog content strategy around your target audience and industry. You want search engines and human users to recognize your blog as an authority for relevant news and information, so your blog should focus on the topics that align most closely with your business and the issues your stakeholders care about.
3. Leverage social media
For many brands, developing creative social media content ideas can be a challenge. Luckily for purpose-driven businesses, you already have an interesting niche to carve out for your brand.
Make your social media content strategy all about your impact! Post spotlights about your initiatives and local news in your community. Showcase relevant brands in your space that are providing innovative products and services. Share tips to help your users and customers, and post national news and other information that they will find valuable. Highlight employees who embody your core values, strive to promote your value differentiation, and be sure to post content that is engaging and shareable.
4. Link to other relevant websites
Outbound links will improve your visitors’ user experience and encourage them to return to your site for more relevant content. Linking to other sites can significantly drive website traffic if implemented correctly. If you want to get backlinks from credible, authoritative sites, you need to return the favor and link to those sites. Point users to relevant blogs and websites in your space to encourage them to stay on your site longer and make it easier for them to find valuable content all in one place.
The bottom line
Creating an SEO strategy isn’t as intimidating as many might think. A few simple steps can go a long way toward gaining credibility within your sector and attracting consumers whose values align with your own. Give these strategies a try to get started.
