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You're probably vaguely familiar with the term "search engine optimization," or SEO, if you're starting a home business -- but do you know how to put SEO to work for your business's web presence? Here are two things to keep in mind after you create your business webpage.  

Start a Blog and Get the Right Word Count

While you may already have a good webpage with your services, a blog is key in breathing life into your web presence. While a home page can give potential customers an idea of what your company is about, a blog that is regularly updated can keep your page relevant on search engines. While old marketing tactics focused on out-bound marketing, a blog is a great way to pull clients in by answering their questions and concerns with meaningful dialogues. When you build a rapport with these customers, they will be more likely to share your blog's info with others. And Hootsuite.com says that social shares are becoming the new link building techniques. This means that if your loyal customers link back to your site on Facebook posts and Twitter Tweets, Google's algorithms won't discount those as manipulated links. So how do you get customers to actually share your blog posts? Keep Bill Gates' phrase "content is king in your mind." Your blog posts should have the following qualities:

• They should provide detailed answers to a specific group's questions
• They should provide informative or entertaining articles
• They should be well structured and easy to read

Lastly, along with content, you may be wondering about blog length. The Write Practice has a plethora of word count ranges, all showing that the word count depends on what you are trying to achieve. For instance, shorter word counts (e.g. 75-300) may be easier to parse through and can generate quick discussion. However, lengthier word counts (750+) may show more credibility and have the space to create detailed answers. In essence, there is no right answer when it comes to length. However, nothing will kill a reader's interest more quickly if they sense that your lengthier word counts are full of filler information. If you don't have a lot to say, just keep the post short and sweet.

Don't Fall For Black-hat SEO Tactics 

Since you are new to SEO, you may be tempted to take shortcuts in the hopes that your business's presence will skyrocket. This route can backfire, as black-hat SEO--or tactics that are aggressive and sometimes unethical--can again, quickly eliminate a web reader's interest. For instance, one tactic is to link dozens of industry-related keywords in your blog. Seeing a million hyperlinks looks "spammy" and it will make the blog post difficult to read. And keep in mind that Google is updating its algorithms all the time, so your attempts at black-hat SEO may backfire. While you can keep your blog updated by yourself, you may want to talk with a professional SEO service to help you stay clear of black-hat tactics when it comes to link building.