Have you ever wondered about the best SEO tools for small business search optimization? It’s one of the questions I get the most, so I decided to put this breakdown together.  Let’s go over my five favorites, and why they made it to the top of my list. Tool 1:...

You don’t need all the SEO agency tools out there to succeed. You just need the right combination to carry out a strategy that will work for your agency.  Let’s look at the main tools most agencies need, and how to choose the right set for your specific setup. Core...

Many entrepreneurs ask about which is better, Ahrefs vs Semrush. Both tools do some of the same things, but have different focuses, too.  Let’s go over the key features so you can decide which one brings more value for your needs. Ahrefs vs Semrush Overview Both the Ahrefs and Semrush...

AI SEO software is a more sophisticated way of doing SEO. Artificial Intelligence isn’t replacing SEO; it’s helping people adapt to the new requirements, like understanding user intent.  AI helps SEOs to create better quality content that covers topics in detail. Plus, it helps optimize that content to create a...

I’m excited to share this SEO crash course with you because I know how appealing short form content is.  This is going to be a kind of cheat sheet that you can use as a jumping off point. It is by no means a comprehensive guide, but it will help...

The best SEO courses are the ones that fit your needs and style. They teach you not only what you need to learn but how you can best learn it.  In this post, I will show you how to evaluate an SEO course that you’re interested in. I’ll also list...

How long does it take to learn SEO?  It really depends on how well you want to know the ins and outs of optimization. I like to divide it into the three phases I’ll discuss below. After that, I’ll talk about how to go faster and keep track of your...

DIY SEO courses help business owners take charge of their online presence. If you’ve ever wondered how some new businesses appear at the top of search results even without huge budgets, this is how. DIY SEO is all about optimizing to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) without...

You need to know the 4 SEO pillars to develop a good foundation for your online marketing strategy. These pillars are the core principles that help you make sure your website is optimized. In this post, we’ll go through the 4 major pillars and how they play into a strong...

Search engine compliance is not optional for websites. If you have a website, you need to make sure it follows search engine guidelines and recommendations. I recommend following Google’s rules, since they are the most complete. Understanding Search Engine Compliance Search engines look at various factors when ranking websites in...

Alright, guys, let’s cut to the chase. SEO audits. You’ve heard about them, you know they’re important, but maybe you’re not entirely sure why or how to get down to business with them. Think of an SEO audit like a reality check for your website. It’s about figuring out where...

Are you an entrepreneur in need of creating financials projections for your startup? Over the past year, I’ve been introducing my startup theory, currently called the Four Pillars of Startup, to my communities and have received ample excitement for the third pillar focused on Startup Financials. I wrote two columns...

Is your business at the point where you’re spending hours on repetitive and scheduled daily tasks to keep the company running? Build a Core Team Around your Founders If so, it’s time to start hiring a core team of support players around your founding team. The goal of the founding...

You know that feeling towards the end of the day when your head begins to hurt a bit and you’re mind feels like it’s turning to mush? If you’re a startup entrepreneur, you’ve most likely become accustomed to the feeling as you work through an endless checklist of tasks to...

Introduction As your startup team begins to grow from you and your cofounder to a founding team of intelligent individuals, it’s critical that you, as the CEO and owner, have the ability to lead. The leadership of the company stems directly from the precedence that the owners and CEO sets...

Introduction As I’ve been reading The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution by Walter Isaacson, I’ve become transfixed by the impact that the Internet has had on the world since its discovery. I’ve taken time to think about the many tech companies that have risen...

My Experience with Startup Mentors It’s now been almost 4 years since I moved to Orlando, Florida from the Northeast United States. When I first moved down to the area, I was a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed entrepreneur working on my first eCommerce business on the Amazon Marketplace. For the first year...

Are you an entrepreneur seeking to create your personal brand, for the betterment of your entrepreneurial reputation and your company’s future success? In this column, I will discuss the importance of a personal brand through examples from my life and iconic entrepreneurs. I’ll then dive into key strategies that one can...

Introduction to eCommerce in China This past weekend, I needed a new book to read so I turned to my bookshelf where I collect all of the books that I’ve read and that I want to read. I always have a backup of new books and one in particular caught...

Understanding Startup Theory Since August of 2015, I’ve been writing on ConnorGillivan.com about my experiences as an eCommerce entrepreneur. I started two new companies in the beginning of 2016, eCommetize and FreeeUp and have been on a mission to document the first year of growing both businesses for the benefit...