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7 Hacks to Boost Google Rankings

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Grammarly is a multi-million-dollar bootstrapped company (no external funding) with an amazing story that has become the world’s leading online automated grammar checker and proofreader.

The most exciting thing happening at Grammarly today is its transition from a website application to a browser plugin that can be used anywhere you write online. Grammatical accuracy is so important these days for your startup’s brand as well as SEO rankings, and we at Addicted2Success have recently started using it—and love it.

One thing that Grammarly has done well is SEO, and below are the top tips for startups from Nikolas Baron, Grammarly’s head of SEO.

What is SEO / Search Engine Optimisation?

Google processes 3.5 billion searches per day. Put simply, SEO is the practice of creating, optimizing, and promoting web pages to maximize traffic from those searches. Fundamentally, SEO can help you reach a potential audience that expresses intent for what you offer at a higher ROI than most other channels.

1. Know when to employ an SEO person

The correct answer will vary greatly depending on the situation. Hiring a consultant or an agency is a great way of getting started quickly and getting a feel for the potential ROI of hiring someone full-time to manage SEO.

2. Understand the relationship between SEO and Social Media

A lot of social media platforms, including Facebook, don’t let search engines crawl their content. Also, Google has publicly stated that they don’t use social media metrics to inform rankings (including Google Plus). Check out the article on Blind Five Year Old to find out more.

“It’s not the actual social activity that matters, but what happens as a result of that activity”

However, links from around the web indubitably affect rankings, and maximizing your exposure on social media can help you capitalize on that. Social media can indirectly impact SEO by bringing in links, even though it won’t directly impact your rankings.

3. Get used to hearing the word influencer a lot more

What is an influencer? For SEO purposes, an influencer is someone who is going to be interested in writing about you, who has a very high authority web presence and can influence your end users.

Do actual research on who the influencers are in your niche and then try and promote your startup to those influencers. Knowing which platform to use the most for your startup, really depends on where the influencers for your niche are most available.

A lot of people put out social media posts or landing pages and then make the mistake of buying very dangerous black hat links or doing nothing. Create valuable content and pitch it to influencers. If that’s not working, it’s a good sign that you need to refine whatever you’re showing in the search results. If you can’t get influencers to buy into it, it’s unlikely that search engines will deem you worthy of ranking in competitive search queries.

4. Yes, you’re hearing it again. Content is very important

When you think about content, you need to think to yourself, “What is going to make people link to my page?” For some products and services, you can just have a homepage, and people will be interested enough to link to it. For the majority of products and services, it takes a little bit more hand-holding to guide someone through the fact that there is a problem, there are solutions, and this is how the solution works. Content can be a great way to get a foot in the door with people, to tell them about what you do and whatever you’re selling.

Only put something out there if you think it’s going to be valuable and catch on. Think about the influences you’re trying to reach. Does your content add anything new to them? Nikolas suggests focusing on one blog post per week that’s insightful, valuable, and unique as opposed to having five blog posts that might get some clicks, but don’t add any value.

There’s no specific number of words that is ideal. Think about what your competition is doing; that will help you determine how many words you should be using. When posting your content, also think about which platforms you post it on. For example, if you post something to Facebook that is not getting a lot of engagement, then this can affect your edge rank, which Facebook uses to compute how many followers will see your post. This means your next post may only get shown to half as many people. On Twitter, though, that’s not the case; you might just lose followers, or people might start to ignore what you’re saying.

Content and SEO is about conveying something and communicating it with that audience. You need to have authority, be trusted, and communicate clearly, and Grammarly is an excellent tool to help you out, especially if you’re startup that can’t afford to hire a proofreader.

Whoever writes the content needs to be knowledgeable and credible. If your startup is trying to stay lean, then one thing you could do is source content from your community. One big advantage that you and other startups have is that you will have really evangelical early adopters and users, despite the fact that your product might be a little buggy or unrefined. These are the right people to ask to produce content for you.

5. Good research is important, especially when it comes to keywords

One question you should ask yourself before doing any keyword research is “What are the profiles of the people I want to find my page?” Focus on search profiles because some keywords have thirty different variations, yet search engines know it’s exactly the same thing. The keyword clusters within these search profiles are also very important, and you should try to focus on around five or less of these, although these clusters could be made up of 100 keywords.

If you’re able to determine what the different profiles are, then you can create specific landing pages for those profiles, which include a lot of the keywords, and create content for the influencers of those various profiles.

6. Start looking at the future now

One trend that is really hard to ignore is the rise in mobile phone searches. People are searching for different things and people are getting a lot lazier with their search queries because when they ask a search engine a question, they expect the right answer. A great way to prepare for this is to go to your own site with your phone and try to do what you want people to do on your site. If you’re able to do it easily, that’s great; if not, you need to make changes.

You should also try to anticipate the future. As search queries get more natural and more human, try to imagine how people might express themselves when looking for your startup.

The other thing to keep in mind is knowing when Google has changed their search algorithm. The fastest way to check if this has happened is via Twitter. Some other great sites to check out these updates are Moz, Search Engine Journal and Search Engine Land.

SEO books might not be that valuable because the changes to SEO happen so quickly, although some courses like the Distiled.net are worth checking out. As far as SEO experts, the one you should know is Neil Patel. For tips about reaching out to him and other experts, see our article from Vincent Nguyen here.

7. Finally, don’t forget the basics

Start using Google Webmaster Tools. This will show you how many pages are being crawled, if your pages are being crawled correctly, and if you have any duplicate content issues.

Backlinks

From a search engine’s point of view, the question is, “What are the reliable metrics to determine authority?” For relevance, you can look at the text on the page, the meta-description, and the number of pages. For authority, it’s fairly limited. Backlinks are extremely important and will be for the foreseeable future. It’s one of the only reliable signals that search engines can use. The disavow tool in Google Webmaster Tools can be used if you are unlucky enough to have someone put toxic links to your site: a text file tells Google which links will no longer count going forward

Hosting

Uptime matters for SEO results. If the Google bot is trying to crawl your site, and it can’t because your page isn’t loading, then Google will stop indexing your site, which will drastically affect your rankings.

Stay away from black hat techniques

Some quick black hat techniques can definitely still be used, but many of them are very short-term and will probably get you banned in a few weeks, so unless you want to change your domain every few weeks, stay away from them! Google is changing this regularly and two weeks could easily get down to one day in the future.

Feel free to visit Grammarly for more information about the grammar checker, and let us know in the comments section below what you think. You can also check out Nikolas Baron on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/nikolasbaron

Aussie Blogger with 500M+ views — Writer for CNBC & Business Insider. Inspiring the world through Personal Development and Entrepreneurship You can connect with Tim through his website www.timdenning.com

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Startups

15 Business Lessons From Napoleon’s Playbook

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Business Lessons and strategies from Napoleon Bonaparte for Entrepreneurs and CEO's
Image Credit | Joel Brown

Unleash your business potential by harnessing Napoleon’s strategic genius.

From dreaming big and thinking bold to moving fast and staying agile, these time-tested tactics are your blueprint for success.

Learn how creative leadership, detailed planning, and relentless execution can transform your business landscape. Boost morale, lead with clarity, and embrace hard work to conquer your industry.

Don’t just survive—thrive with the power of Napoleon’s lessons.

Here are 15 Powerful Lessons You Can Learn From Napoleon Bonaparte

 

1. Dream Big, Think Bold

Napoleon wasn’t just playing small; he believed that “Imagination rules the world.” In the business world, boldness and creativity are game-changers. Don’t just aim to fit in—push boundaries and set ambitious goals that make you stand out.

Think of Steve Jobs, who didn’t just want to make computers; he wanted to revolutionize entire industries. Your vision should be so grand it almost feels unreachable. When you dream big, you inspire those around you to believe in the impossible and work together to achieve extraordinary outcomes.

2. Move Fast, Stay Agile

Napoleon’s quick and secretive moves gave him an edge. In business, you gotta be nimble. Adapt quickly, move fast, and you’ll often find yourself ahead of the game, capturing opportunities your competitors miss.

Companies like Amazon and Tesla thrive because they constantly innovate and pivot when needed. Speed is your friend; it allows you to react to market changes and customer demands faster than the competition, ensuring you remain relevant and ahead of the curve.

3. Creative Leadership

Napoleon thrived on chaos and wasn’t afraid to switch things up. Unlike rigid leaders, he was flexible and adaptive. In business, embrace change and let chaos work for you. Being adaptable can turn unpredictable situations into opportunities.

Think of how Netflix transitioned from DVD rentals to a streaming giant. Flexibility and creativity in leadership allow you to navigate through turmoil and emerge stronger, transforming challenges into stepping stones.

 

4. Organize Like a Pro

Napoleon’s mind was like a supercomputer, processing vast amounts of info to make smart moves. Businesses should do the same—stay organized, use real-time data, and adapt strategies based on fresh insights to keep that competitive edge.

Utilize modern tools like CRM systems, analytics software, and AI to manage information efficiently. Staying organized and informed means you can make better decisions, foresee potential issues, and react promptly.

 

5. Keep It Simple

Napoleon knew the power of simplicity. Overcomplicating things can bog you down. In business, streamline processes and focus on what truly matters to hit your goals efficiently.

Apple’s product design philosophy under Jobs was about simplicity and user-friendliness.When you remove unnecessary complexity, you reduce errors, speed up processes, and make it easier for your team to focus on what’s important, driving efficiency and effectiveness.

 

6. Execute Relentlessly

Once Napoleon decided on a course of action, he went all in. In business, once you pick a direction, pursue it with full commitment. Execution is where success is truly made.

Look at how Elon Musk commits to his vision for SpaceX and Tesla. Relentless execution means overcoming obstacles, staying focused on your goals, and not getting distracted by setbacks. It’s the determination and persistence in execution that ultimately leads to triumph.

 

7. Play to Your Strengths

Napoleon only fought battles he knew he could win. In business, focus on your strengths and avoid head-to-head fights in areas where you’re weak. Know your advantages and leverage them.

Microsoft leverages its strength in software development and cloud services rather than trying to compete directly in hardware. Understanding and maximizing your strengths ensures you play a game you can win, using your unique capabilities to outshine competitors.

 

8. Plan in Detail

Napoleon planned for every possible scenario. Businesses should do the same—conduct thorough planning and prepare for various outcomes.

Detailed planning helps you stay ready for anything. Scenario planning and SWOT analysis are tools that can help you foresee different futures and prepare accordingly. When you’re prepared for multiple scenarios, you can adapt smoothly and continue to drive forward, no matter what challenges arise.

 

9. Seize Opportunities

Napoleon saw luck as the ability to capitalize on accidents. In business, be prepared and ready to grab unexpected opportunities. Agility is key.

Companies like Uber and Airbnb seized gaps in the market by being ready to pounce on opportunities when they arose. Always be on the lookout for opportunities, and when they come, don’t hesitate. Preparation and readiness to act quickly can turn unexpected moments into major breakthroughs.

 

10. Learn from the Past

Napoleon studied the greats who came before him. Entrepreneurs should always be learning from the successes and failures of others. History is full of lessons waiting to be applied.

Warren Buffett is famous for studying businesses and market histories. By learning from the past, you can avoid repeating mistakes, understand what works, and build on proven strategies. Continuous learning from history helps refine your strategies and improve decision-making.

 

11. Boost Morale

Napoleon knew how to keep his troops motivated. Business leaders should do the same—keep your team inspired and engaged. High morale leads to high productivity.

Companies like Google and Salesforce invest heavily in employee well-being and motivation. When your team feels valued and motivated, they are more productive, innovative, and loyal. High morale fosters a positive work environment where people are excited to contribute and excel.

 

12. Lead with Clarity

Napoleon believed in the power of a strong, decisive leader. In business, clear direction and strong leadership are crucial. Ensure everyone knows the plan and follows it.

Leaders like Jeff Bezos provide a clear vision and direction, ensuring their teams know what they’re working towards. Clear, decisive leadership aligns your team, fosters trust, and drives coordinated efforts towards achieving your business goals.

 

13. Reflect on Failures

Napoleon analyzed both his wins and losses. Businesses should review their successes and failures to keep improving. Learn from mistakes to avoid repeating them.

Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates emphasizes the importance of learning from failure in his book Principles. By conducting post-mortems, you can understand what went wrong, make necessary adjustments, and continuously refine your strategies to avoid future pitfalls and drive success.

 

14. Action-Oriented

Napoleon was all about turning thoughts into actions. In business, decisiveness and execution are vital. Don’t just plan—act on those plans with energy and determination.

Entrepreneurs like Richard Branson embody this principle by constantly moving from ideas to actions. Action orientation ensures that you don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis but instead drive forward, making things happen and turning visions into reality.

 

15. Embrace Hard Work

Napoleon lived and breathed work, saying, “Work is my element; I am born and built for work.”

In business, a strong work ethic and relentless dedication are key to success. Think of how Howard Schultz rebuilt Starbucks through sheer hard work and determination. Embracing hard work means being willing to put in the necessary effort, staying dedicated to your mission, and continuously pushing towards your goals, no matter the challenges.

 

By implementing these lessons from Napoleon, businesses can sharpen their strategies, strengthen leadership, and execute with precision, driving sustained success.

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Startups

How to Manage Your Startup’s Finances More Efficiently

No matter how groundbreaking your product or service, your startup could quickly be on shaky ground without proper financial management

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managing your startups finances

Running a triumphant startup requires juggling numerous responsibilities. From managing operations and coordinating with team members to developing innovative marketing strategies and nurturing relationships with clients, the to-do list seems endless. (more…)

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Startups

5 Strategic Power Moves to Successfully Build Your Empire

Transitioning from idea to empire is a journey of strategic planning, execution, and constant evolution

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how to build your empire

The journey from a fledgling idea to a thriving empire is both exhilarating and daunting. The Startup Launchpad is not just a process but also a strategic framework that enables visionary entrepreneurs to become market leaders. This framework comprises five power moves, each a critical steppingstone in building a successful business.

These moves—Ideation, Business Plan, Online Presence, Strategic Marketing, and Launch and Growth—are the blueprint for turning aspirations into achievements. (more…)

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Startups

How to Avoid Startup Clichés and Buzzwords When Pitching Investors

Using jargon can make you sound like you’re trying to fill space instead of providing meaningful data

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How to pitch investors better

Entrepreneurs frequently seek startup funding through a variety of channels. Yet, none seem as challenging as successfully pitching to experienced investors. After all, investors are pressed for time and eager for opportunities. These characteristics make it challenging to motivate them, especially if you’re bombarding them with a pitch full of jargon. (more…)

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