APRIL 2018 • FOGHORN 23 respond to the “long tail searches” or searches with lower number of people searching for them, but are still important. Target pages are usually very informative and concise. Examples: “seattle ferries june 2018,” “pet friendly ferries,” “sunset cruises washington,” etc). Base each piece of content around a relevant keyword, and pepper the rest of the article with other similar keywords that may have lower search volume but are still among those people search for regularly. 5. Link Building The more links that link back to your site, the higher Google will rank your site. The higher Google ranks your site, the higher up the Google search results you’ll appear (this refers only to organic searches; not paid searches/ ads). It’s probably best to outsource this task to a specialized digital marketing business. Their job will be to get as many relevant sites to link back to your website. However, keep in mind that these websites will more likely than not link to your blog or content pages and less so to your sales/ticketing pages (i.e. the pages where you list your product). Therefore, anyone who falls on your website via a link will be “higher up the funnel,” and further away from buying. 6. Press Mentions Public relations is still important, though the type of PR has changed a bit. Now, it’s all about digital marketing, and therefore, digital media. Getting a press mention in an online publication is actually better than in print. It might feel less official or look less impressive than a glossy magazine spread, but you actually get more benefits from online press mentions. First, you get one or more links back to your site - which, as already stated, is good in the eyes of Google. Secondly, it’s the gift that keeps on giving - an online publication will be online for forevermore, therefore more likely to attain a higher audience. It can be shared and re-shared - especially on social media or by relevant bloggers. Thirdly, by doing this, you are gaining brand awareness and increasing your potential customers’ confidence in you as they’ll feel they already know you when they go to buy your product. And it doesn’t have to be an article all about you. In fact, a list-icle (a list article) on which you appear can have great results, as such lists appeal to a wider audience and therefore are more likely to be shared (think: “Best Islands to Visit in New England and How to Get There”). MARKETING