Are you investing in #SEO for your business? 

Did you know that it is a cost-effective and highly scalable way to reach your customers? And has long-term benefits that traditional advertising can't match?

Get started with this roundup of our best content from professional SEOs!

Not sure how to develop an SEO strategy? @rankwatch CEO & founder Sahil Kakkar walks you through 5 simple steps to successfully dip into keyword research, understand search intent, and technical considerations to optimizing your web presence. 

https://articles.bplans.com/create-seo-strategy/

Core Web Vitals are an updated set of page experience signals that impact your overall site health & organic presence.

Learn the basics of these metrics & how to improve them from @digitalhothouse, a leading Auckland SEO agency, CEO Paul Thornton.

https://articles.bplans.com/core-web-vitals-explained/

Keyword research doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.

Learn to leverage Google Trends to find the right keywords from Julia Burova, who leads global marketing efforts for @WincherSEO.

https://articles.bplans.com/google-trends-keyword-research/ 

Do you have a physical storefront? 

You need to invest in the local search visibility of your business to target customers likely to visit your store.

Learn the basics of Local SEO & how to improve it from the SEO fulfillment experts at @loganix.

https://articles.bplans.com/local-seo/

Want to see how other business owners have successfully leveraged SEO?

Learn the exact 4-step SEO process that @PdfUseful founder @daniel_ndukwu used to enter a highly competitive SAAS market, establish authority, & grow (all with a minimal budget).

https://articles.bplans.com/saas-seo-strategy/


You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/Bplans/0bBfb4l

Small Business SEO

What does it take to make a good #businessplan? 📄 

A plan that's more than a document, keeps everyone on the same page and helps you run your business.

It's simpler than you may think. Just keep these 10 things in mind to turn your plan from basic to excellent!

Use clear language 💬 

You never know who will read your plan. Investors, employees, partners, family, and friends. 

Stick with language that anyone can understand. Avoid industry jargon, clean up typos and have people review your plan to ensure it's easy to follow.

Plan for employees 👥 

Even if you're a business of one, you should address how you'll approach bringing on employees from the start. 

Focus on who will be necessary to grow, the culture you want to instill, and how you will recognize accomplishments.

Set achievable goals 🥅 

When it comes to your financials, don't shoot for the moon. This will only hurt your chances of success. 

Look to others in your space to establish a baseline for performance. If you exceed them, you can always adjust.

Know your mission 🔭 

The purpose, or mission, of your business, should be outlined in your plan. 

It helps drive why you're doing what you do and inspires others to get behind you.

Know how to track results 📊 

It's not enough to set milestones and goals. You need to have a way to track ongoing performance.

Define what metrics you care about, what tools you will use, and how this data can inform decisions. 

Consider marketing strategies early 📣 

Marketing may be the last thing on your mind. But, it's vital that you at least start considering how to promote your business.

Who is your audience? How much will you spend? What's your messaging? Start small and build from there.

Fit the need of your business 💼 

You shouldn't write a business plan to check a box. You should know how you intend to use it. 

Pursuing funding? Need an internal management tool? 

Having an answer will help you choose the best format and focus on info vital to your needs.

Be realistic 

It's easy to set unrealistic financial goals. It can be just as easy to establish an unrealistic and unsustainable strategy.

So, get specific and avoid vague ambitions. Focus on what's achievable within the next 3, 6, and 12 months. Review as you go and adjust.

Identify your assumptions 🤷 

You don't have all the answers. And that's OK! Make educated guesses, leverage external data, and reference your competitors. 

Just be sure that you are upfront about your assumptions. This will help you easily refine and update them as you go.

Know your audience 🎟️ 

Similar to knowing how you'll use your plan, you want to keep in mind who you are intending to read it. 

Just you? Your employees? Investors? A mentor?

Depending on your audience, you may adjust the scannability, formatting, and even document type. 

BONUS ⭐ Keep your plan updated ⭐ 

Your business plan isn't something you write and forget. 

To make it truly useful, you should update it based on performance, add new objectives, and explore what-if scenarios to best prepare your business for the future. #businessgrowth

Now you know what to focus on to create an excellent business plan!

For a more detailed exploration of the tips on this list, check out our full writeup:

https://articles.bplans.com/good-business-plan-qualities/

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/Bplans/7M6DQJg

Qualities of a Good Business Plan

Will you be seeking funding for your #business? If so, you are going to want a well-written executive summary that explains your general #businessplan. Learn more in this 🧵: 

A good executive summary grabs your reader’s attention and lets them know what it is you do and why they should read the rest of your business plan or proposal.

It’s not unusual for investors to make an initial decision just based on reading an executive summary, so it’s important to get it right!


You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/Bplans/OrTkfQz

Lean Planning helps your #businessplan become a living breathing document that grows along with your company. 📈 Read why we like #LeanPlanning in this mini 🧵 : 

1. It’s faster than traditional business planning. You can complete an initial Lean Business Plan that’s a one-page plan for your #businessidea in 30 minutes.💡

2. Your plan stays up-to-date because it’s easy to update as you learn about your business and your customers. You can revise your plan and strategy in minutes instead of hours.⏱


3. It’s concise. Because Lean Planning requires you to document your ideas with limited text, your ideas are distilled to their core essence.✍🏼


You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/Bplans/91dkIgC

What is Lean Planning?

It's important to use what you learn in your #market #research to develop a more nimble #businessplan that guides your strategic #growth.📈  Learn more in this mini 🧵 :

Start modeling different sales projections using what you know about customer demand and competition. But don't just stop there.


Make doing market research an ongoing part of your process.🧑🏽‍💻

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/Bplans/aUgSGdS

What is Market Research?

Writing a business plan makes you more likely to succeed. 🏆 

But, like anything in business, starting is often the hardest part.

What info do you need❓ What is the best structure❓ 

You can easily answer these questions and more by following this business plan outline: 📃 

Executive Summary 💬 

This is basically a summarized version of your full plan. You'll cover the problem, your solution, target market, and highlights from your financial forecast.

Keep it brief! This will be the first impression your business makes and needs to be enticing.

Products & Services 🛍️ 

What's the problem you're solving? Who are your competitors? How is your solution different?

Keep these questions in mind as you describe how your idea takes advantage of a business opportunity. 

Market Analysis 🔎 

Who are your customers? How many are there? What are their needs? How will you reach them?

Conducting market research helps answer these questions. That way you know if you can and how to be competitive in the current market. 

Marketing & Sales 📢 

What are your sales channels? What marketing activities will you lead with? How will you position yourself in the market?

While this will likely evolve over time, it's beneficial to outline how you will sell and promote your business early on. 

Organization & Management 📁 

How do you describe your business? Who is on your team? Who do you still need?

Think of this section as a brief resume for your business. Fully explain how your business operates, its history, and who is involved. 

Financial Projections & Metrics 📈 

Compiling business financials can be overwhelming. Keep it simple and include your:

- Sales Forecast
- Profit & Loss Statement
- Cash Flow projections
- Balance Sheet

If you're applying for funding, also mention how much $ you need. 🏦 

Appendix 📓 

Do you have any additional info that supports your plan? 

Maybe more detailed financials, specific resumes for your management team, credit histories, patents, marketing examples, etc?

Just drop it in your appendix.

Just like that, your finished with your plan!

By following this outline you'll cover everything needed to start a business and impress investors.

Looking for a more detailed outline? Check out our full writeup for additional insights: https://articles.bplans.com/a-standard-business-plan-outline/


You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/Bplans/UxGfHcl

Business Plans Explained

If you're looking to #startabusiness, you've likely heard how important your #businessplan is– but do you know exactly what that is? Follow along in this mini 🧵 to find out! 


If you’ve ever jotted down a business idea on a napkin with a few tasks you need to accomplish, you’ve written a business plan—or at least the very basic components of one. 

At its heart, a business plan is just a plan for how your business is going to work, and how you’re going to make it succeed.📈

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/Bplans/XswxAWD