5 Positioning Tools and Tactics is Signal Yourself as a Serious Player in Your Industry

Influence. Pull. Clout.

Call it what you will, but anything businesses can do to make themselves “bigger” in the eyes of their target audience is a major plus.

This is especially true in a day and age where competition is so fierce online.

Ask yourself: when someone stumbles upon you via Google search or word of mouth, do they see a seasoned industry player or just another up-and-comer?

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways for businesses to ensure that they’re taken seriously by potential customers and competitors alike.

And no, doing so doesn’t have to break the bank.

Below are five strategies and tool for business owners to look into if they want to cement their industry status.

Offer a Compelling Mobile Experience

There are seemingly endless apps on the mobile marketplace right now, right?

Well, where’s yours?

Apps are the bread and butter of big businesses. Whether an app solves a problem or serves as a sort of “hub” for your company online, having something to serve your audience shows that you’re a cutting-edge, modern business that’s going above and beyond.

Although the idea of offering a custom mobile app might seem far-fetched, doing so is arguably easier than ever with the help of tools like Buildfire.

Adopt a More Specific SEO Strategy

Appearing on the first page of Google for industry keywords is an obvious end-game for any business.

That said, doing so is easier said than done when you’re punching above your weight SEO-wise.

Sure, building links and ranking for keywords does take time. You can make life easier on yourself while still having a significant search presence by attacking more niche, long-tail keywords.

This might seem backward, but think about it. Going after more specific keywords means that you’re appealing to a customer base with clear intent. Also, going after long-tail terms can serve as a sort of snowball effect that gets your search rankings off the ground.

Tools like SEMrush can help you conduct competitive keyword analysis to see what others in your space are ranking for. Understanding this, you can better fine-tune your own search campaigns to take the sort of “road less traveled.”

Score Valuable Press Coverage

Although your company may not be on the front page of The New York Times anytime soon, consider the sheer value of mentions from industry publications.

And despite popular belief, getting mentioned by relevant blogs, journals and magazines doesn’t have to translate into breaking new ground.

There are tons of writers and journalists out there who are hungry for a fresh story. If you can provide a source or valuable insight, you can win some earned media as a result. Services like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) are invaluable in forming these sorts of relationships.

Measuring your earned media results can be tricky, but simply being able to say you were published in a relevant publication can do wonders for your reputation.

Leverage Your Social Proof

If you truly want to prove your worth, look no further than your own customers to serve as your best cheerleaders.

Seriously. Businesses can talk up a big game all day, but it all means very little if that praise only comes from our own lips. Social proof is perhaps one of the most important elements of marketing to both win over new customers and also put your business in a positive light.

The key is to regularly collect customer reviews and encourage back-and-forth between your buyers. For example, being open on social media and regularly checking in via email serves as a good starting point to encourage feedback. When you produce positive results on behalf of your customers, you need to be the first to know so you can likewise tell the world.

Create a Compelling Case Study

On a similar note, having a single, factual resource to point to your customer success is also an incredibly important asset to have.

Crafting a visual case study is worthwhile no matter which way you look at it. This gives you access to a truly one-of-a-kind lead magnet to pique the interest of potential customers. Meanwhile, the act of simply having a case study in the first place means that your product or service has produced positive returns.

Regardless of what your industry might be, jockeying for position is the name of the game for companies looking to stand out in the eyes of potential customers. Sticking to the tactics above, you can make your own company look like a million bucks and ultimately seal the deal with skeptics.