This entertaining and captivating business owner is passionate about the world of technology. Ian Gerada, CEO of Connectica LLC, a Search Engine Optimization, Web Design and Social Media Company, joins us today to discuss four easy tips to increase your digital footprint!
With a computer science background, he jumped into the hardware side of computers, but instead soon learned that software is where he truly wanted to work. Moving to the U.S. (listen to the podcast and see if you can guess where Ian is from based of his accent) to do encryption for a telecommunication company, he ended up head first in the dot com era, and started his own company with only one client. After the ’08 recession, Ian began his own company from scratch, again, but this time he became an expert with SEO (Search Engine Optimization). “It is just so scientific on the website, yet so human on the other side”, Ian explained. But, he realized quickly that it was a much broader system than he had anticipated…
He entered into the social media realm, realizing that you can’t do virtually anything in the web design industry without it. Now running a digital marketing agency, it was something he “stumbled” into, rather than planning or creating a grand design, and that Startup Nation is the beauty of entrepreneurship!
“Ian, what did you have to overcome to become an entrepreneur?”
He stated, “When I lose a customer, it hurts; it’s like losing your job.” Ian explained how when run your own business, you are not your own boss, your customers are your boss. So when Ian would lose a client, he had to make strategic decisions and tune his business specifically to try and overcome that.
“What is the best advice you have ever received in building a business and becoming an entrepreneur?”
Ian expressed how he always tries to go back to what drives him inside. He urged us to know our limits, and know what we are good at.
So, what is a digital footprint?
The founders of Google state very clearly that the way in which a website becomes known to Google, is by the number of links that are linking to that website from the outside.
How do we increase connections?
Great, authoritative, original content.
Keywords are important, but Google takes it one step further, “citation tracks”. Meaning, they understand the context of a page and what the user’s intent is for it, and ensure that they advertise that site the right way.
Make sure you are putting links, or trying to get links to places that are related to your content! -Psst… GUEST BLOGGING!
So Startup Nation, here are your 4 tips!
Know Your Audience: Understand what they like and don’t like! Having the right content for your site is key!
Original Content: If you’re Google, and you have two pieces of content that are exactly the same, how do you rank the one that’s better? The older one, aka, the original. So Startup Nation, if you are copying all of your content from others, you won’t get as many hits and it will actually impact you negatively. Ian tells us to go through your website, and any content you’ve copied and pasted, get rid of it all!
Top Shelf Content: Put out information that you are an expert on. Stay true to your expertise/niche and brand, and put out the best content on your most studied subject!
Videos: Ian says that video is crucial in today’s world. If you write an article, try to get a video to it! It could be a simple tutorial video, anything! Know that videos draw people in – it is easier to watch, than sit and read an article.
“What do you want to make sure your listeners get out of this message today?”
Do what you do naturally. Talk to people. Interact, pick up the phone. Get as much quality information out to your ideal clients as you can.
Ian’s giveaway this week is a website analysis of YOUR website! He will look at it from a technical point of view, and give you extremely helpful tips and critiques! This is a $295 deal, so definitely take him up on this!! Let him know that you heard (or read it) on The Private Practice Startup podcast - Email support@connecticainc.com for more information!
Check out the Show Notes page to see the two amazing books Ian recommends as well! CLICK HERE to listen to Ian’s podcast, and be sure to check out his recommendations! Assure you subscribe so you can stay in the loop of ALL the podcasts we release. The Private Practice Startup would also be super grateful if you could rate and review our podcasts. Thanks again for allowing us to Inspire YOU from Startup to Mastery!