Today on the Rules of Thumb blog from MoneyThumb we are going to offer our readers the best advice we have found when it comes to online marketing for private lenders. We have many customers who are private lenders that take advantage of our PDF financial file converters to help them make quicker and better-informed lending decisions. These private lenders are like any other small business, they have a need to rank highly on Google and other search engines so that potential borrowers can find them. They also need to be relevant on social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, for the same reason. However, just like other small businesses, private lenders oftentimes are not well versed in how to be a successful online marketer. Hopefully, this blog post will help remedy that issue.
The first thing any private lender who does online business needs is a website. It is impossible for potential borrowers to find you online if you have no presence. Having a website built for your private lending business is the first crucial step to becoming successful online. But online marketing does not end there, not nearly. You must let potential borrowers know where and how to find your website, and that involves SEO, (Search Engine Optimization.) Unfortunately, like most small business owners, private lenders don't know much about SEO, but they don't really need to. Just like your skills as a private lender, SEO is a learned skill usually handled by professionals.
However, just so you understand the basics of SEO, imagine your website is your house. It sits still, is static, doesn't go anywhere. By using a blog, which will be an extension of your website, and writing posts with keywords and tags that explain what your website is about, you are basically advertising your website online. Think of your blog as your car that leaves the garage of your house, your website, and drives all over the internet. Google and other search engines pick up your keywords and articles on your blog and begin ranking you against your competitors. The better blog post you write and the longer you maintain your blog, the higher you rank. People make SEO complicated, but the basics really are that simple.
Of course, there are always those who circumvent this organic way of ranking by paying for the top spot on Google and other search engines. Some businesses spend millions of dollars making sure they are at the top of the heap when it comes to search engine results by paying for sponsored ads. But consumers have become much savvier over time and many of them have become wise to this practice, so will avoid clicking on links they find that say 'sponsored ad.' They aren't looking for who is first as much as they are seeking the most informative link for their search terms.
The next phase of online marketing that has become imperative for success online for any small business, including private lenders, is a strong social media presence. It is almost expected now that you have at least a Facebook and Twitter account and that you continuously engage with your followers. Smart online marketers make their social media pages fun and engaging for followers by holding contest, creating surveys, asking questions; just overall making their followers feel like friends.
The above information is the bare basics of successful online marketing. You can be successful over time by following the guidelines we have offered here. However, we suggest that if you are going to handle the online marketing of your private lending practice on your own, you find a mentor and follow their advice. We would like to suggest that you start out by reading this very in-depth article from Search Engine Watch, SEO on a Shoestring Budget.
The article delves deeply into SEO and online marketing in general, the information far more advanced than what we discussed here. After reading that article, if your head begins to spin and you feel you are not ready to tackle SEO and online marketing on your own, hiring an expert at search engine marketing and social media is your best option. There are many pros who won't charge you an arm and a leg to handle this work for you. In fact, you will most likely rank much more quickly by hiring a professional, since that is their job. That way you can devote your time to building your private lending practice rather than learning the art of online marketing.
To find a professional to handle your online marketing tasks, there are several places to begin your search for this person. Fiverr and Upwork are just two of the platforms where online marketing freelancers offer their services at reasonable prices. We don't hesitate to suggest these platforms due to the fact that each freelancer is rated by former customers as to their skills and the experience they had with that freelancer, and the platform handles the payment process so that you are protected.
The Rules of Thumb blog from MoneyThumb would really appreciate it if you would share this post on your social media page so that your private lending peers, and other small business owners, can take advantage of the information.
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