The Sonic Boom

Blog

by

How to Create an SEO Strategy That Works

Launching your own website can be an exciting first step in business, whether you are creating it for a company, or are simply setting up your own blog that you intend to grow over time. The issue that many encounter, however, is that they don’t realize how much work goes into making sure your website is visible to the general public. In order to do this, you need to make sure you are properly optimizing your website and the content within. But what goes into a great search engine optimization (SEO) strategy? If these questions are looming over you, let’s take a look at some initial tips that will help you to develop an SEO strategy that works!

img

Build an SEO Strategy

1. Figure out your direction and conduct competitor research

Some may believe that as long as you write and post content regularly, people will come. However, this is not true. Your content needs to be built around specific keywords people are looking for (and that are relevant to your industry). Writing for the sake of writing does serve its purpose, but you will only be able to drive organic traffic to your website by incorporating the right search terms into your published content. Defining your SEO strategy begins by figuring out what you will be writing about. Some important questions to ask yourself in the beginning include:

  • What is my industry? What content should I be writing and how can it provide value to my audience?
  • What are people looking up when it comes to my industry?
  • What are my competitors ranking for? What seems to be working for them? How can I build upon this?
  • What type of content am I looking to create? What other types of media should I be using in my strategy?

Keep in mind that these are just a few questions that can help you get started. Knowing exactly where you want to go is essential to building an effective strategy that will work for your website.

2. Develop a content plan and publishing schedule

Armed with a better idea of which direction you plan on taking your content in, the next step is planning out your content. This begins with using a high-quality keyword research tool, such as the free keyword research tool offered by searchatlas.com. Once you’ve figured out a topic you are interested in writing about, you can use the tool to identify high-ranking keywords that you can incorporate into your content in order to draw that traffic to your website (as long as you have the domain authority to rank for that specific keyword).

Once you’ve found the right keywords, you can begin working on a content calendar that keeps you accountable when it comes to content creation and publishing. As long as you are diligent about publishing the right content, you are well on your way to growing your online presence.

3. Figure out how to build authority over time

Top ranking websites have managed to reach their place because others consider them to be an authoritative website. How? This is accomplished by having other websites linking to your own. When others reference you when producing their own content, it shows Google that you are considered to be an expert in your industry, which grows your authority and improves your position. Along with your content, now is the time to develop a link-building plan that will help you gain that attention and the backlinks that you need.

No matter what type of website you own, a proper SEO strategy is essential to your success. Use the tips above to begin working on your own before you launch your website and begin the content creation process.

by

How to Use Instagram as a Marketing Tool

Since debuting in 2010, Instagram has grown to one billion active monthly users. With almost everyone spending time on the social platform, it’s no wonder more brands have established a presence on Instagram. When it comes to using Instagram as a marketing tool, there are several different ways to increase your brand awareness.

Switch to a business profile.

Switch your existing Instagram profile to a business profile. A business profile allows followers to use an interactive contact button to message you from Instagram. You also get to create and publish Instagram ads sans Facebook’s advertising tools. A business profile also comes with Insights, an analytics tool that shows you statistics on how effective your posts are. Use your business name on your profile so readers will recognize it, and choose an easy to search username that will allow readers to engage with your brand.

img

Take advantage of free Instagram tools.

Of all the free Instagram tools that come with a business profile, Insights is priceless. The free analytics tool lets you see a breakdown of your followers by demographics, such as age, gender, location, and hourly activity. You can even find out how many impressions your top posts earned in a specific time period and see which posts were popular. Understanding how your followers interact with your content and, subsequently, your brand will teach you where to adjust content to increase engagement.

img

Be a tease with new products.

Instagram is a great platform to advertise products, but you have to find a balance between pushy and suggestive. Well-done product teaser posts feel natural and are short, sweet, and to the point. Followers are more likely to buy your product if they don’t feel pressured. Even if followers don’t make a purchase, they at least took the time to engage with your post.

Knowing how to utilize SEO is essential to creating suggestive posts that engage followers and convert them into paying customers. SERPtheory is a community of SEO experts, content marketers, webmasters, and SEO professionals ready to teach brands how to optimize their digital marketing strategy. Brands can discover SERPtheory’s SEO education platform at www.serptheory.com and learn the essentials of content strategy, SEO insights, search engine theory, and next-level practices.

Utilize Instagram Stories.

Using Instagram Stories is a smart way to generate leads. These slideshow-style posts last for 24 hours, but they can be saved to your phone or computer to be recycled later. Every time followers view your Story, it is displayed at the top of their daily timelines.

Instagram Stories are a fun way to share behind-the-scenes insider posts with followers and experiment with different content formats. Because Stories are only live for 24 hours, they provide a chance to post content that veers from your brand’s usual aesthetic. See how well certain photos, short videos, live videos, or Boomerangs perform with followers, and tag the accounts of other brands or influencers you are collaborating with.

Post just enough at the right time.

Followers don’t enjoy over-posting and having their newsfeed blown up with the same brand, but you do want to post consistently so that you regularly appear in followers’ newsfeeds. Post during peak days and times when your followers are active on Instagram, and don’t worry if your specific audience happens to be more active during Instagram’s general non-peak hours.

Create an editorial calendar or use a post scheduling tool to manage your Instagram presence and streamline your content management. Figure out what type of posts you want, plan out captions, hashtags, and posting times with an editorial calendar.

Create a consistent brand aesthetic that reflects the personality, values, and definition of your brand. Tailor your content to match your brand aesthetic. Everything from the color palette in photos to compelling storytelling in captions and images that reflect brand narrative can make you more relatable to followers.

There are several great features in Instagram that make it an effective marketing tool—all you have to do is learn how to use them.

img

by

5 Things to Buy Before Summer Ends: Because, Why Not?

Can you believe it’s already July? Half the year has flown by, and summer is coming to an end. No one would’ve guessed that summer 2020 would’ve been like this, and it’s put a damper on a lot of fun summer adventures that were planned. So you know what? Why not treat yourself to something before the weather becomes gloomy and dark? You deserve a bit of joy, even if it’s just from spoiling yourself to a new pair of sandals.

Here are five things to buy before the end of summer, because why not?

img

1. A Cute Summer Outfit

You may not have anywhere to go, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dress up just because! Splurge and buy yourself a new petite maxi dress, a cute floppy sun hat, and a new pair of sunglasses. Don’t be afraid to accessorize with a chunky bracelet or necklace, either. Sundresses and maxi dresses are a quick way to bring a touch of summer and sunshine to your day. Throw on that new outfit and take a walk or visit a park, but remember to always practice safe social distancing.

img

2. Some Camping Gear

Speaking of safe social distancing, there are still activities you can enjoy this summer that are safe, such as camping. Check your local camping grounds and ask if their open, and what policies they have in place. Camping is usually in a secluded setting, away from the general public, meaning it’s the perfect COVID-19 activity. So buy a new tent, sleeping bag, or air mattress. Stock up (or restock) on your camping equipment, and head out of town for the weekend. An escape from reality and everyday life might be just what you need.

3. Something Sexy

Because why not? If you’re feeling down on yourself, a great pick-me-up can be something sexy to boost your self-esteem. Remind yourself that you are worthy and beautiful! So pick out a new lingerie outfit and embrace your inner goddess. It’s wild how a cute new bra can boost your confidence, and make you feel unstoppable.

4. Backyard Gear

Since we’re all stuck at home anyway, why not invest in your own backyard? Most of the time everyone is off traveling during the summer, visiting and staying in other places. But since everyone is pretty much stuck at home, now is the perfect time to create your own oasis. Buy a pool! If you don’t have space, get an inflatable pool and just relax in it. Get a new patio set or some lawn chairs, and make an outdoor living space. You may not be able to go to a lot of places, but you can make an escape for you and your family.

img

5. Something for Your House

You’d be surprised how improving your surroundings can positively affect your mood. When the days are brighter and longer, open your windows (if it’s not too hot) and let in some light. Give a corner in a room or the whole room a facelift. Add some greenery to your space with a new houseplant or two. They’ve even been shown to make people happier. You’ll appreciate having some live green plants in your environment once the weather starts to change and the foliage dies for the season.

It’s easy to get down on ourselves or to overlook our own needs. Give yourself permission to spoil yourself and buy something extra because why not? You deserve it! Enjoy a little bit of happiness before the seasons change and summer ends. So don’t feel guilty, go ahead and buy that cute new maxi dress.

by

5 Ways to Get in Touch With Your Spiritual Side

The world we live in is a demanding one. Society demands that you work hard, and earn a decent living. Family and friends demand your time and energy. Even your children can be demanding. All of these demands can leave you feeling empty, and lost. It’s no wonder why most of society suffers from some kind of depression or anxiety.

Thankfully there’s a way you can ground yourself and find peace within your daily life, and that’s by getting in touch with your spiritual side. Here are five ways you can do that.

img

1. Find peace in stillness.

The world is in constant motion. Taking just fifteen minutes a day to yourself to sit and be still can improve your daily life immensely. It’s a great way to establish a spiritual practice. You can take that time to meditate, set your intentions for the day, or chant. Find a place in your home where you can be alone for at least those fifteen minutes.

Set it up with some comfort items, such as a nice squishy pillow or plush blankets. You can add any decoration that might help you relax, and candles always create a relaxing ambiance. Depending on how you intend to use those fifteen minutes, advent candles might be beneficial to your practice. If you want to try meditation but you’re not sure how to get started, try looking for a guided meditation.

2. Listen to your inner voice.

Do you know when you get a gut feeling about something, and go against it, it usually ends up bad? That’s your intuition speaking to you. When you’re getting in touch with your spiritual side, listening to your inner voice helps. No matter how you want to label it, be it a spirit guide, a guardian angel, your intuition, or just a gut feeling, will usually lead you down the right path. And don’t dismiss signs, either. These may be messages from your inner voice. These can manifest as an old familiar song randomly on playing on the radio, or seeing a butterfly. Be open to what messages your spirit may need to hear.

The world can be distracting, and it may be hard to hear what you’re being offered. A good way to calm the waves inside is by trying out hemp flower buds. Smoking CBD bud has been shown to calm anxiety, and relax the mind. It’s also worth trying along with tip number one, meditation. CBD joints will give you the calming effects of marijuana, but without the high from THC. It may help ease your anxiety and help you enter a state of stillness. There are different strains of CBD flower, and each has its own benefits. Try it and see how it can enhance your spiritual practice.

img

3. Take care of your body.

That doesn’t mean you have to go on a diet and lose weight. It means that you should nourish your body in the way that’s best for you and your spirit. You should eat what makes you happy, but take care of it as well. Enjoy a donut and pizza, but find balance with healthy options. Look for ways to move your body that makes you happy. That means getting out there and taking a yoga class, or a kickboxing class. Explore until something feels right. You’ll find that when your body is in balance, your spirit will fall into balance too.

4. Nourish your mind.

Don’t neglect your brain! Discover new things, continue searching out new ideas, and educate your mind. Feed your curiosity and never lose it. Knowledge and curiosity are a good foundation for any spiritual practice.

img

5. Experiment.

What works for someone might now work for you. Search and explore all your options for spiritual practice. If you can’t find one that fits for you, then take aspects of others and create something unique for yourself. A spiritual practice is entirely personal, so making it your own will make it even more meaningful.

There is no right or wrong way to start exploring your spiritual side. These tips are just meant to guide you in the right direction. It’s up to you and if you’re willing to open your heart and soul to something wonderful. So grab some CBD bud, roll a joint, and meditate on it for a while.

by

What Is User-Generated Content?

Running a business is hard. You have to handle product production, financial records, a full staff, and marketing campaigns. Talk about a lot to juggle. But what if we told you there are new and innovative ways to make your job a little easier?

When marketing a business, the name of the game is content creation. From emails to print media to commercials to social media campaigns, there are a lot of ways to get your name out there. And now there are new and innovative ways to take some of the content creation requirements off your plate. User-generated content creation is the new generation of gorilla marketing. Rather than relying only on the emails, pamphlets, and posts your company releases, start using other platforms and mediums to spread the word about your company.

img

What is User-Generated Content?

Just to clarify we’re all on the same page, let’s start by answering the obvious question: what is user-generated content? Simply put, user-generated content is all the content about your business that outside sources create. So we’re not talking about the email language your staff carefully calibrated or the well-written advertisement that plays during the Harry Potter marathon on FreeForm. We’re talking about a review of your company that someone shares on Yelp or an Instagram influencer tagging your product in their latest post.

When you create a following of loyal customers, they end up doing some of the work for you. Consumers trust each other. Therefore, they’re more likely to check your product out when it is recommended and endorsed by other consumers like them. Plus, by publishing or encouraging this sort of writing, you make your customers feel like their a part of what you’re building. Collaboration is a powerful tool, and user-generated content provides that level of camaraderie between you and your buyers.

As we dive further into how user-generated content can help grow your business, let’s look at the two biggest ways to engage it: search engine optimization and social media.

Utilizing SEO and Backlinks

Since we’re answering a lot of questions here, how about we define what exactly search engine optimization really is. There are SEO companies throughout the world that help maximize clients’ visibility and site visits by bumping their website up on search rankings. They do so by utilizing blog posts and other writings online to include backlinks to your site’s page.

Continuing with our theme of defining terms, backlinks are simply keywords that hyperlink to your domain. So you can build links that are then written into guest posts and blogs to attract people to click on your site. And the more clicks you collect, the higher your search engine rankings.

And don’t worry, you won’t be making this content on your own. We are discussing user-generated content after all. You work with pros and webmasters who develop6 a link building campaign to really give you a high search engine placement. Sights like Link Laboratory provide link building services to aid with content creation, data analysis, digital marketing, and referral traffic. In fact, they’ve helped create over 10,000 successful, quality links. Studies have proven that the number and quality of your external links directly relate to business traffic. If you’re looking to expand your online marketing, you definitely want to check out an SEO company.

The Social Media Approach

Beyond the behind the scenes approach with SEO link building, you’ll want to employ the biggest networks of this millennium, social media. Now, this can include a lot of different approaches, but the main goal is to have individuals or influencers posting your products for their followers to see. Maybe you start a contest for people to tag your brand in their cool pictures wearing your clothes or maybe you want to start a hashtag that the whole world can engage in.

In general, social media users love to be recognized for good content and to interact with brands. So even a simple “hey I love this photo of you using our product, may we share it?” from your official handle will make them excited that you noticed and happy to have their work spread on a wider platform too. Just be sure to give credit where credit is due! You also may want to share good reviews on your own social media, which then motivates people to post their own reviews in the hope that they may be reposted as well. Finding social media users who actively promote your business is perhaps one of the easiest, most effective user-generated content there is.

by

Facial Fractures and Dental Injuries Commonly Caused by Motorcycle Accidents

The motorcycle—an iconic two-wheeled motor vehicle—remains a popular mode of transportation that sustained several style evolutions across the decades. Motorcycle ownership and the popularity of bikes reached record numbers in 2018. According to the MIC Owner Survey conducted by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), a little more than eight percent of American households owned at least one motorcycle (2018).

Some motorcyclists ride their bikes for leisure, while others rely on their motorcycles as their primary or only way of traveling.

Motorcycle riding can be exciting, but this mode of transportation lacks the protection offered by cars, SUVs, and trucks. As a result, motorcycle riders have an increased chance of being in a fatal road accident.

img

Serious Accidents Can Cause Intense Pain and Fatal Injuries

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States reported that for every mile traveled, the likelihood of a motorcyclist being in a fatal road incident is 16 times greater than that of passenger car occupants. The risk of sustaining injuries in a road incident is higher for motorcyclists as well. A motorcycle rider’s chances of getting injured in a collision are four times greater than that of passenger car occupants. While 20 percent of car crashes cause fatalities or injuries, an estimated 80 percent of motorcycle accidents cause fatalities or injuries.

Motorcycle riders increase their chances of dying or getting injured by riding without a helmet. Helmets explicitly designed for motorcycle riding can withstand harsh conditions and damage, and protect motorcyclists’ heads and faces. By wearing a helmet, motorcycle riders can keep debris, dirt, stones, and rocks out of their eyes. Additionally, helmets can prevent orofacial pain and serious injuries, including broken noses, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and facial fractures.

Common Injuries Caused by Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclists thrown from their bikes at high speeds may contact the ground with substantial force, resulting in cracked or chipped teeth, tooth loss, root fractures, facial disfigurement or scarring, and other damages.

Motorcycle accidents expose motorcyclists to a wide range of orofacial and dental damages and fatal injuries. Facial injuries can cause orofacial pain in the face, mouth, and jaw. Dental injuries can cause intense pain that impacts motorcycle riders for the rest of their lives. For instance, dental damage can be severe enough to make eating, talking, sleeping, or even breathing difficult.

Whether or not a motorcycle rider wears their helmet, they may endure damage to the jaw, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and the temporomandibular muscle. The TMJ enables us to open and close our mouths, chew, and talk. TMJ and jaw injuries can cause temporomandibular disorders (TMD), characterized by chronic pain.

img

An injured biker experiencing chronic orofacial pain and catastrophic injuries that they fear can result in TMD should visit a dentist or doctor. Dentists and doctors have an expert understanding of temporomandibular disorders, myofascial pain, and neuropathic facial pain conditions. Consulting a professional can lead to an Orofacial Pain Diagnosis and proper management of orofacial pain such as trigeminal neuralgia.

What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident

Just as motorcycle accident victims should visit medical and dental professionals for chronic pain treatment, they should also contact a personal injury lawyer to pursue a motorcycle accident lawsuit. According to California motorcycle accident lawyer Daniel Kim, crucial actions to take following a motorcycle crash include making sure everyone involved in a motorcycle crash is okay, obtaining insurance company information and contact information from the other driver, and collecting and preserving evidence.

img

Motorcyclists in Southern California can consult the Law Offices of Daniel Kim, a trusted law firm, for expert legal guidance and to obtain fair financial compensation for property damage, lost wages due to serious injuries, and the medical costs associated with getting treatment for motorcycle accident injuries. Entrusting one’s motorcycle accident case to a skilled attorney can ensure that an injured biker receives the support and compensation they deserve while physically, mentally, and emotionally recovering from a motorcycle accident.