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Do you feel like your affiliate offers are invisible to the world?

If you want to increase your click-thru rate and make sales you’ll need SEO.

But, how do you rank your content if you have no experience?

In today’s email:

• Partnership - This week’s partner is…

• Rank your Content - SEO in plain English

• Recommended Reads - Articles We Think You’ll Love

• Cool Find of the Week - Sharing a Cool Product/Service

• Feedback Poll - Let us know how we did

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This week’s Partner is Money.com👇

Money.com offers a convenient way to receive expert financial insights directly in your inbox, helping you stay informed and make smarter money decisions. 

With a variety of specialized newsletters, you can choose the ones that best align with your financial interests and goals.

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TOP STORY

Does SEO still matter in 2025?

SEO or Search Engine Optimization is still very much alive in 2025. Sure, the strategies and techniques have changed a bit in the last decade or so, but it’s still relevant.

Learning how to optimize your content should be at the top of your list when it comes to new skills and tools you can pickup.

We’ll cover some basic strategies to rank your content and maybe get some free traffic too. Have no experience? This issue is especially for you!

What is SEO?

Google is like a helpful friend who knows everything (almost 🤣).

When someone asks "Where can I find [xyz]?", Google does one of two things:

• Recommends your website first, OR

• Forgets you exist (it’s okay we know you exist)

Why This Matters:

• More customers find you (without paying for ads)

• People trust Google's recommendations (more than ads)

• It works while you sleep (unlike social media posts that disappear)

The Reality Check:

• Most people only look at the first 1-2 pages on Google

• If you're not there, chances are high you won’t be found

• Good news: Your competition probably doesn't know this stuff either

Finding the Right Keywords

🤔 What Are Keywords?

Keywords are simply the words people type into Google when they're looking for what you offer.

Example: If you're a dog groomer, people might search:

• "dog grooming near me"

• "how to wash my dog"

• "dog haircut prices"

How to Find Your Keywords (Without Expensive Tools):

Step 1: Think Like Your Customer

• What problems do you solve?

• What questions do customers ask you most?

• How would your mom/dad search for your service?

Step 2: Use Google's Free Help

• Type your topic into Google

• Look at the suggestions that appear as you type (auto-fill)

• Scroll down to "People also ask" and "Related searches"

• Write down anything that fits your business/niche

Step 3: Check Your Competition

• Google your main topic/niche

• Look at the first 3 websites that show up

• What words do they use in their titles?

Making Your Website Google-Friendly

The Homepage Title

This is the blue clickable text that shows up in Google results.

Bad title: "Welcome to Our Website"

Good title: "Dog Grooming in Denver - Same Day Appointments Available"

Your job: Make sure every page has a title that includes what you do + where you do it.

Headers (Like Chapter Titles in a Book)

Break up your content with headers that include your keywords.

Example for a dog groomer:

• Main header: "Professional Dog Grooming Services"

• Sub-headers: "Nail Trimming," "Flea Baths," "Puppy's First Haircut"

Writing Content That Works

• Write like you talk (no fancy business jargon)

• Answer questions your customers actually ask

• Use your keywords naturally (don't force them)

• Make it helpful (would you find this useful?)

Quick Pro-Tips Anyone Can Do:

1. Rename your photos: Instead of "IMG_1234.jpg" use "dog-grooming-denver.jpg"

2. Add photo descriptions: Tell Google what's in your pictures

3. Link to your other pages: When you mention another service, link to that page (internal linking)

4. Keep URLs simple: yoursite.com/dog-grooming (not yoursite.com/page1/services/category/dog-stuff)

Getting Other Websites to Recommend You (Free Backlinks)

🤔 What's a Backlink?

When another website mentions yours and includes a clickable link, that's a backlink. Google sees this as a thumbs up 👍

Think of it like: If the local newspaper mentions your business, people trust you more. Same with websites. 💰The Ultimate Social Media Strategy for Affiliate Marketing Beginners 

Easy Ways to Get Your First Backlinks:

Community Connections

• Sponsor a local sports team

• Join local business groups

• Volunteer for community events

• Partner with other local businesses

Help People Online

• Answer questions in Facebook/LinkedIn groups

• Comment helpfully on local news websites

• Join conversations on local community boards

What NOT to Do:

• Don't buy links from websites you've never heard of

• Don't join "link exchange" schemes

• Don't spam other websites

• Don’t beg people to visit your website

Mistakes That Harm Your Progress (Avoid These!)

Mistake #1: Trying to Be Everything to Everyone

What people do: Try to rank for "business," "services," "solutions," "quality"

Why it fails: These words are too general/saturated

Do instead: Focus on exactly what you do ("plumber in Chicago," not "quality solutions provider")

Mistake #2: Stuffing Keywords Everywhere

What people do: "Best pizza, pizza delivery, Chicago pizza, pizza restaurant, pizza place"

Why it fails: Sounds robotic and Google hates it

Do this instead: Write naturally and mention your keyword 2-3 times per page

Mistake #3: Ignoring Your Website Speed

The problem: If your site takes forever to load, people leave

Quick check: Google "GTmetrix" and test your site

Easy fixes: Shrink your photos, choose a faster web host (Bluehost is one I’ve used)

Mistake #4: Expecting Instant Results

Reality: SEO takes 12-18 months to work

What to do: Start now, be patient, stay consistent

Track progress: Check your Google position monthly, not daily

Mistake #5: Creating Useless Content

Bad content: "We're the best because we care about quality"

Good content: "How to choose the right dog food for a puppy"

Rule: If it doesn't help someone solve a problem, don't publish it

👇 Watch Step by Step Tutorial Videos 👇

RECOMMENDED READS

COOL FIND OF THE WEEK

SurferSEO is a content optimization tool that helps people improve their website rankings on search engines like Google.

It analyzes the top-performing pages for a given keyword and provides data-driven recommendations to optimize your content. T

his includes suggestions for word count, keyword usage, headings, and structure.

By following SurferSEO’s guidelines, users can create more relevant and SEO-friendly content, increasing their chances of ranking higher in search results.

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Partner Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support my work and allows me to continue to provide valuable content. I only recommend products that I personally use and love. Thank you for your support!