How to Create Search Engine Friendly Title Tags

One of the most frustrating things about SEO is getting everything to work together as it should.

If you’ve done SEO, you know exactly what I’m talking about. There are so many little elements in SEO that sometimes it seems impossible for everything to work out perfectly.

Even today! I know I talk a lot about how “smart” the search algorithms are and how it’s virtually impossible to game the system.

However, there are still a lot of elements you need to pay attention to for your SEO to succeed.

Case in point: Page title tags.

Before you yawn and find some more sexy SEO topic to jam on, hear me out.

Title tags are one of the cornerstones of SEO. They always have been, and as far as we can tell, they always will be.

Moz explains, “Title tags are the second most important on-page factor for SEO, after content.”

When it comes to low effort/big results, title tags take the cake. It’s such a small element, but has such a massive impact!

You know it’s important to create eye-catching headlines, but optimizing your titles also matters for SEO.

That’s where page title tags come in. They’re how your titles are relayed to search engines, and they’re an important part of any SEO strategy.

This is one of the few times when you need to write for both people and search engines, and that can be tricky. (Especially with headlines.)

In short, you have to create a clickable headline that also makes search engines happy.

Here’s the challenge: People have to like it. Search engines have to like it. Yikes!

Does that sound difficult?

Yes, it can be if you don’t know what to do. That’s why I’m going to break down my process step-by-step.

We’ll go through that process, but first, let’s look at why title tags are important for SEO.

What are Page Title Tags?

If you’ve ever used a search engine before (and I’m guessing you have), you’ve seen a page title tag whether you’ve realized it or not.

It’s simply the headline on the SERP (search engine results page).

For example, if you Google “kitchen appliances,” you’ll see that one of the top results is from IKEA.

In this case, the page title tag is “Kitchen Appliances – IKEA.”

This is what both people and search engines will see as the title of your page. Often, this is the first thing they’ll see, and that’s a big reason why it’s so crucial to put time and effort into your title tags.

The point you need to remember is this: real people are reading your title tag.

They are going to respond to it. They will judge it. They will be compelled by it. They will be put off by it. They will learn from it.

Basically, the title tag is your page’s message to the world!

Title tags work with the meta description (the text below the title). In the case of the IKEA search result above, this is the meta description — a sentence or phrase that adds more information about the page.

I’ve written about meta descriptions before, but title tags are even more important.

Both the title and the meta description together give a brief idea of what your content is about, but the title tag stands out more.

There are two big reasons why page title tags are so important.

First, if you have a clear title that’s relevant to your page, both humans and search engines will see that as a sign of a good page.

If your title tag isn’t optimized, then people could skip right over your content, and search engines may determine that your page isn’t as good as it could be.

A second reason why title tags are important is they show up in browser tabs:

title tags guide show up in search bars

So when someone wants to find your page out of all their browser tabs, they’ll look for your title tag.

Title tags are often what people will see if your page is shared on social media. For example, here’s an example of a title tag on Facebook:

example of a title tag

Can you see why title tags are so important? A good title tag means maximum visibility, while a bad title tag can sink your page.

There are three important steps to take to optimize your title tags.

  1. make sure your headlines make for good title tags
  2. create the title tag
  3. make sure the title tag is optimized for SEO

Let’s dive into all three.

Step 1: Write Your Title Tag

You might be wondering how writing a title tag is any different from writing a headline.

In some cases, your headline and title tag will be the same exact title. But there are some cases where they won’t be.

Check out this SERP result from Copyblogger:

copyblogger example of a title tag

It seems like the title for the page would be “How Content Marketing Builds Your Business,” right?

But when you go to the page, you’ll see a different title:

copyblogger title tag example

The title shown on the page is longer and more descriptive.

So why would Copyblogger do this? It’s most likely because the shorter title tag looks better on the SERP, and it takes less time to read.

The actual title that you see on the page goes into more detail, and that’s probably why they used it. They get the benefits of having both a streamlined title tag and a descriptive page title.

It’s a sneaky and useful tactic that’s the sort of SEO stuff I love.

With that in mind, here’s how to write a great title tag.

There are a few elements of title tags:

Title Tags Should Be Short

Shorter titles are easier for people to read and for search engines to crawl.

But there’s a better reason for shorter title tags.

If your title tag is too long, search engines will cut off your title with an ellipsis (…):

title tag example

Ideally, your readers and search engines should be able to see the entire title tag so they get the best idea of what the content is about.

Google typically shows no more than 60 characters of the title tag. So if your title tag is 60 characters or less, you can generally expect that the entire title will show.

If you want to make sure, Moz has a handy preview tool:

title tag tool moz

This is a great feature that I recommend you use. Remember, keep it short if possible.

Title Tags Should Contain Your Main Keyword

You probably expected to see something about keywords in an article about SEO.

For best results, try to put your focus keyword as close to the beginning of your title as possible. That’s so search engines (and people) will see the keyword early on.

Here’s a title tag with the keyword right up front:

title tag example

Contrast that with this result that has the keyword closer to the end of the title tag:

title tag example

One tip: Make sure the keyword placement is organic. It’s preferable that the keyword is close to the beginning, but it’s not necessary for great SEO.

Title Tags Should Describe a Benefit

Much like a headline, a title tag needs to communicate a benefit to stand out.

This is one of many reasons Google warns against keyword stuffing and boilerplate titles.

Your title tags are representatives of your pages, and you want people and search engines to know that your pages have unique, valuable content.

Make sure your title tag is related to your content. It should read naturally and grab the reader’s attention.

Keep in mind, you’re not trying to trick people. All you need to do is clearly explain the benefit of clicking on the page.

Often, the “benefit” is nothing more than telling them what the page is about! At this point, you’re not trying to sell anything. You’re simply giving them information.

Here’s an example that clearly expresses a benefit (ignore the jargon-filled, not-so-great meta description).

title tag example laptops

On the other hand, this title tag is plain and doesn’t explicitly state a benefit (they did a nice job with the meta description, though).

title tag for seo example amazon

(Sure, Amazon probably doesn’t need to state a benefit, but your site probably does.)

Stating a benefit probably won’t do anything for search engines, but it goes a long way for human users who come across your site with a search.

Step 2: Create Your Title Tag

Once you have your page title tag written, you need to set it as the title for your page.

The way you’ll do this will depend on what powers your website.

If you have a custom site, you’ll need to edit the HTML directly. (And it’s super easy to do.)

If you use WordPress, it’s also super easy.

If you use another CMS or host, it might look a little bit different for you.

Let’s take a look at each of these three different cases and how to create a title tag for each scenario.

Case 1: You Have a Custom Site Not Hosted on a CMS

If your site isn’t hosted on a CMS, you can edit your HTML to add titles.

First, you access the HTML for your specific page. I recommend checking with your hosting service on how to do this.

Once you’ve found the editable HTML, make sure you’re between the <head> tags.

how to add title tag to custom site example

(Note: This is an example code using Editpad.org. Your code will probably look different, and there might be extra code here. That’s okay––just make sure you’re only between the <head> tags and not any others.)

To create the title, use <title> tags. For example:

how to add title tag to custom site example  HTML

That’s it! Save your code, and your title will now show up correctly.

Case 2: You Use WordPress

If you use WordPress, you’ll be happy to know there’s a super simple solution — it’s actually way easier than editing the HTML.

In fact, this method uses something you’re probably already using: the well-loved Yoast SEO plugin.

This is a powerful plugin that you can get a lot out of. And it’s great for editing your title tags.

First, if you don’t have Yoast installed, go to Plugins > Add New.

add yoast plugin for title tags

Type “Yoast” into the plugin search bar.

type yoast title tag guide

Look for “Yoast SEO.”

add yoast SEO to WordPress - title tag guide

Click “Install Now.”

Next, click “Activate.”

Now the plugin is up and running.

To edit the title tag for a page or post, navigate to that content and open the editor.

Scroll down to the bottom of your post or page, and you’ll see the Yoast box, where you can edit the title tag and meta description.

It’ll also give you a nice preview of both your title and meta description:

where to add title tag in Yoast

If your title tag (or meta description) turns out to display differently on the actual SERPs, you can always go back and edit it in this section.

Case 3: You Don’t Have a Custom Site or a WordPress Site

I know not all of you fall under these categories.

You might use a completely different kind of CMS, or your web host might have a different setup.

In those cases, I recommend contacting your CMS company or web host to find out how to access your HTML to edit your page title tags.

This is really a case-by-case scenario, so it will probably look different for a lot of you. However, you should be able to get an answer with a quick email to your web host’s support email.

So far, you’re two-thirds of the way done! Now you just need to make sure your title tag is the most SEO-friendly it can be.

Step 3: How to Optimize Your Title Tag for SEO

We’ve talked a little bit about this already, but there are a few more steps you can take to make sure your title tag is optimized.

This is the step that most people miss entirely!

They think, “Yay. I’m done with my title tag!” But they forget that one of the primary methods of marketing and promotion is through social sharing!

Here are my best tips for optimizing your title tags for social.

Use Your Brand Wisely

The title tag can be a great place to include your brand, but if you overdo it, you could face some consequences.

Google suggests using your homepage title tag to include the most branding. Their example: “ExampleSocialSite, a place for people to meet and mingle.”

For most of your pages, adding your brand to the end of the title tag will suffice (if there’s room, that is).

Here’s how I do that:

title tag example neil patel

Prevent Search Engines from Rewriting Your Title Tags

You read that right: Sometimes Google will rewrite your title tags.

It’s crazy, I know! But why the heck would this happen?

According to Silkstream, “Google will automatically change how your title is displayed in the SERPs if their algorithm is under the impression that the page title doesn’t accurately represent the content on that page.”

So if your title tags don’t look good to Google, they’ll consider other factors, including:

Take a look at this title tag:

title tag example rewrite

If you go to the homepage and view the source code (right-click and select “View Source” or “View Page Source”), you’ll see the company set the title to be something else:

title tag example source code

Google rewrote it because they felt their revised title tag would help people more than the original.

The good news: If you follow the steps outlined in this article, Google should keep your title tags as they are.

If you do see your title tags showing up differently, revisit them and try to identify how you can further optimize them.

Consider Making Your H1 Page Heading Different From the Title Tag

This is exactly like the Copyblogger example from earlier.

You can use two different sets of keywords in your title tag and H1, which organically enhances your SEO. Search engines will count the title tag as the “heading.” (Just make sure it’s optimized.)

Avoid Duplicate Title Tags

Google explicitly says that “it’s important to have distinct, descriptive titles for each page on your site.” So don’t copy and paste your title tags.

If you’ve done everything so far, you should now have an optimized title tag! Finalize it and send it out into the world.

Title Tag Frequently Asked Questions

What are title tags and why do they matter for SEO?

Title tags are the title of a page users see in the search results. They serve as a first impression and can encourage — or deter– people from clicking on your pages.

What’s the difference between title tags and meta descriptions?

Title tags are shorter and appear first in the SERPs.

How do you write a good title tag?

Pay attention to the length, use the main keyword the page targets, and explain what benefit the user will get by clicking.

How long should title tags be?

Between 50 and 50 characters. Any longer than that and Google may truncate your title.

How many keywords should be in my title tags?

Generally just one. You can add a second if it is closely related and makes sense. Don’t keyword stuff; the goal of the title tag is to explain what users can expect if they click.

Title Tag Conclusion

I know first-hand that SEO can be a headache., but it doesn’t have to be.

I’m all about demystifying SEO because I know it’s something anyone can do. Even if you’re a technophobe, you can do this!

It doesn’t take years of experience in digital marketing to get SEO right. You just have to learn the ropes and get used to it.

For example, creating page title tags is pretty simple. It might seem complicated at first, but once you take a peek behind the scenes, you see how easy it is.

If you’re not currently leveraging the power of optimized title tags, use this article to start doing that. It can be a game-changer and help your visibility on the SERPs.

Best of all, it only takes a few minutes.

What tips do you have for using title tags for maximum SEO power?

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SIRUM is making medications affordable for all.

We’re a small (~25) but quickly growing team that’s passionate about our mission of reimagining healthcare access for those in need. We like to work hard, solve tough problems, and are determined to improve healthcare access for families who have trouble affording the medications they need to stay healthy.

We’re currently hiring for both our Palo Alto and Atlanta offices, as well as some fully remote roles. We have opportunities for senior software developers, software architects, sales, communication, and many other positions and are especially interested in anyone with pharmacy experience.

If you want to work in healthcare, love mission-driven work, and thrive in a startup environment, then we may be a good fit. Check out our open roles at https://www.sirum.org/about#careers.

Even if you don’t see something that’s the right fit right now, we love hearing from folks on Hacker News who share our mission.


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What Are Inventory Loans and How are They Affected by the Recession

Inventory loans are short term loans that business owners can use to purchase inventory.  The inventory is the security for the loan.  By taking out this type of loan, a business can stay ahead of demand.  It also allows for taking advantage of special pricing, thus increasing profit. 

Inventory Loans are Not Always a Sure Thing

 Investopedia defines inventory financing as: 

“… a revolving line of credit or a short-term loan that is acquired by a company so it can purchase products for sale later. The products serve as the collateral for the loan.”

These types of loans are a type of inventory financing.  Seeing as these are, at their core, secured loans, it stands to reason that they are easier to get than unsecured loans.  However, that is not always the case. 

Why Inventory Loans are Hard to Get

The idea of inventory as collateral for the financing used to buy it sounds simple enough.  However, after the hard economic downturn of 2008, lenders are much stingier with this type of small business financing.  During that time, it was painfully evident that, if your loan was secured by non-staple items, there was about to be trouble.  

Non-necessities do not sell well in a recession.  If you can’t sell, the bank cannot either. That means the security is pretty much worthless. 

Another issue is that inventory depreciates.  As security, it’s basically on the clock.  If it depreciates to the point of not being worth the amount of the loan, it is worthless as security.  There is also the idea that it may be a fad that is going to quickly go out of style, also not selling. 

These are just a few of the reasons lenders are reluctant to approve loans secured by inventory. Typically, they approve these types of loans on a case by case basis, taking all of these factors into account. Even when they grant approval, it is typically for only around 50% of the cost.

inventory loans Credit Suite

Learn more here and get started with building business credit with your company’s EIN and not your SSN.

Ways to Use Inventory Loans

There are some things you can purchase with inventory loans that may surprise you.  For example: 

  • If you run a dining establishment, you can use inventory loans to buy flatware and linens in addition to food supplies. 
  • If you run a salon, you can use this type of financing for towels and supplies as well as items to sell. 
  • A clothing store may use the funds for shoes, accessories, and other items. 

The point is, funds for these loans can purchase items that are not specifically inventory in terms of things that you sell to the public.  They can also purchase supplies for any services you may offer. 

Other Options for Inventory Loans

How do you fill in the gap for the other 50% of inventory costs? Further, how can you finance inventory if you cannot get any type of funding at all?  There are some other options. 

Inventory Loans: Credit Line Hybrid

A credit line hybrid is essentially an unsecured line of credit.  It allows you to fund your business without putting up collateral, and you only pay back what you use.  The funds can be used for many things, including inventory financing. 

 It’s super easy to qualify.  You need a personal credit score of at least 680, and you can’t have any liens, judgments, bankruptcies or late payments.  Furthermore, in the past 6 months you should have less than 4 credit inquiries, and you should have less than a 45% balance on all business and personal credit cards.  It’s also preferred that you have established business credit as well as personal credit.

I know, that doesn’t sound all that easy.  Here’s the catch.  If you do not meet all of the requirements, it’s okay. You can take on a credit partner that meets each of these requirements.  Many business owners work with a friend or relative to fund their business.  If a relative or a friend meets all of these requirements, they can partner with you to allow you to tap into their credit to access funding. 

Credit Line Hybrid vs. Inventory Loans

There are many benefits to using a credit line hybrid.  First, it is unsecured, meaning you do not have to have any collateral to put up.  Next, this is no-doc funding.  That means you do not have to provide any bank statements or financials.  

In addition, typical approval is up to 5x that of the highest credit limit on the personal credit report. Often, you can get interest rates as low as 0% for the first few months, allowing you to put that savings back into your business. 

Here is another benefit of the credit line hybrid.  With the approval for multiple credit cards, competition is created.  This makes it easier, and likely even if you handle the credit responsibly, that you can get interest rates lowered and limits raised every few months. The process is generally quick, especially with a qualified expert to walk you through it. 

Inventory Loans: Alternative Lending

Alternative lenders generally operate online.  They tend to reduce risk by increasing interest rates rather than relying completely on credit information.  This means that they can be an option for those businesses and owners that either have bad credit or have not yet built strong enough credit to qualify for financing with traditional lenders. Here are a few options. 

Fundbox

Fundbox offers a line of credit rather than a loan, but it is a great funding option because there is no minimum credit score requirement. 

They offer an automated process that is super-fast. Repayments are automatic, meaning they draft them electronically, and they occur on a weekly basis.  One thing to remember is that you could have a repayment as high as 5 to 7% of the amount you have drawn currently, as the repayment period is comparatively short.  This means you need to be sure you have enough funds in whatever account you connect them to so that it can cover your payment each week.

inventory loans Credit Suite

Learn more here and get started with building business credit with your company’s EIN and not your SSN.

Upstart

Upstart is an online lender that uses a completely innovative platform for loans.  The company itself questions the ability of financial information and FICO on their own to truly determine the risk of lending to a specific borrower.  They choose to use a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to gather alternative data instead.  They then use this data to help them make credit decisions.

This alternative data can include such things as mobile phone bills, rent, deposits, withdrawals, and even other information less directly tied to finances.  The software they use learns and improves on its own. You can use their online quote tool to play with different amounts and terms to see the various interest rate possibilities.  Typically, business loans are available up to $50,000.  Interest rates vary greatly, ranging from 7.5% to 35.99%.  Repayment terms can be either 3 -year or 5-year. 

Fora Financial 

Founded in 2008 by college roommates, online lender Fora Financial now funds more than $1.3 million in working capital around the United States. There is no minimum credit score, and there is an early repayment discount if you qualify.

OnDeck 

Obtaining financing from OnDeck is quick and easy. First, you apply online and receive your decision once application processing is complete. If you receive approval, your loan funds will go directly to your bank account. 

Bond Street

Offering term loans of up to $1 million, Bond Street terms are for up to 1 to 3 years. They will ask for both EIN and SSN.

Lending Club

Popular online lender Lending Club offers term loans. Business loans go up to $300,000 and terms from 1 to 5 years are available.

Quarter Spot

Quarter Spot is an online lender that offers short term loans up to $150,000. The terms are 9 to 18 months. 

Rapid Advance

Rapid Advance offers standard, select, and preferred loans. For standard loans, amounts up to $1 million are available. Their terms are 4 to 12 months.

Kiva 

Kiva is an online lender that is a little different. For example, the interest rate is 0%, so even though you have to pay it back it is absolutely free money. They don’t even check your credit. However, there is one catch.  You have to get at least 5 family members or friends to invest in your business. In addition, you have to give a $25 loan to another business on the platform. It’s like a crowdfunding, 0% interest loan.

Accion 

If your personal credit is okay, Accion may be a good fit for inventory financing. It is a microlender, a nonprofit, that offers installment loans to both startups and already existing businesses. You don’t have to already be in business, but if you are not, you must have less than $500 in past due debt. In addition, your business needs to be home or incubator based. 

Credibly 

Credibly is also a good option if you are already generating some revenue. They offer short term loans for both business expansion and working capital. 

Details related to loan amounts, eligibility requirements, and interest rates change frequently, so it’s best to get that information from the lender’s website directly.  However, many of these either do not check credit or will work with a credit score of less than 600.  Though interest rates are higher than with traditional lenders, they often offer options where there seem to be none. 

Inventory Loans: Credit Cards

In a pinch, you can handle inventory financing with credit cards.  If you pay attention, you can get good introductory rates and rewards.  However, you have to pay attention so you don’t get stuck with high rates once the introductory rates are over.  A better bet is the credit line hybrid, because you can take advantage of all the benefits with an expert to walk you through the process and make sure nothing is missed. 

Inventory Loans: Merchant Cash Advance

In some situations, this can be an option for inventory financing.   This is how it works.  If you take credit card payments, you can get financing based on the average of daily credit cards sales.  Then, payment is taken from future sales.  

The thing is, if you are in a recession, credit cards sales may not be that great, and future sales may not be solid.  However, it is an option that bears mentioning.

inventory loans Credit Suite

Learn more here and get started with building business credit with your company’s EIN and not your SSN.

Inventory Loans: Are They Right for Your Business? 

The fact is, every business is likely to need some type of inventory financing in the course of their business. The problem comes when lenders envision large amounts of inventory sitting in a warehouse not selling.  If it’s not selling, then the business isn’t making money and the lender is not getting paid.  

If you sell staples that are needed in most any type of economy, inventory loans can be a good option.  With strong fundability, you may not have any issue getting loans secured by inventory.  However, this is not the case with many businesses.  A lot of business owners find their fundability is not up to par, and they didn’t even realize it.  Couple that with the already unsure nature of getting approved for business loans, and it may be best to go with an alternative. 

While alternative loans are a viable option, the first stop for most business owners should be the credit line hybrid.  It is available to absolutely anyone.  Even if your own credit is not great, the option to take on a credit partner can make this funding source an option for almost anyone.  

The best part is, using the credit line hybrid helps to build the fundability of your business.  This is because the experts that walk you through the process help ensure that, not only get the funds you need right now, but also that your business is set up and prepared to qualify for any type of funding you may need in the future. 

All businesses need inventory funding.  If inventory loans won’t work, there are other options.

The post What Are Inventory Loans and How are They Affected by the Recession appeared first on Credit Suite.

How to Work With a Consultant: The Ultimate Guide

While looking through your business objectives, you suddenly feel your organization needs to shake things up a bit. Unfortunately, your in-house team doesn’t have the required expertise to push through change. So what do you do? Hire a consultant, hands down. A consultant can provide your company with specialized knowledge to help solve specific problems, … Continue reading How to Work With a Consultant: The Ultimate Guide

How Being Fundable Helps You Get the Best Business Loans

Everyone wants the best of the best, and it should be no different when it comes to business loans.  However, you may need to change your thinking about what actually makes the best business loans the best. 

Build Fundability So You Can Get the Best Business Loans

For example, do great terms make a loan one of the best?  Could it be low rates? These things are awesome. However, the best business loans are the loans you can get.  Of course, you can look at the cream of the crop. Still, if you cannot access them, they will not do you any good.  You need to know what the best business loans are that you can access. Furthermore, you need to know how to gain access to those that are even better.  

Find out why so many companies use our proven methods to get business loans

What Makes a Loan One of the Best? 

Fortunately, U.S. News helps us out by outlining the best business loans in various categories. When compiling their list, they consider such factors as product availability, terms, and service ratings. 

Best Business Loans for Borrowers with FICO Credit Scores as Low As 530

BlueVine takes the prize in this category. The minimum loan amount available from them is $5,000 and the maximum is $100,000. Annual revenue must be $120,000 or more and the borrower must be in business for at least 6 months. Personal credit score has to be at least 600. It is also important to know that BlueVine does not offer a line of credit in all states. 

They report to Experian.  They are one of the few invoice factoring companies that will report to any business credit bureau.  This helps build business credit and in turn, fundability.

Best Business Loans for Up to Five Year Loan Terms

The winner in this category is Funding Circle.  Honestly, if you’re looking for a low APR, then this is your go-to.  They have fixed rate term loans and require a credit score of 620 or above.  There is no minimum revenue requirement, but they do require you to be in business for at least 2 years.  

Best Business Loans With No Collateral Required

OnDeck offers lines of credit and term loans with fixed interest rates.  You can get up to $500,000 with a term loan.  The minimum FICO they require is 600. In addition, you must have $100,000 minimum annual revenue and be in business for at least one year.  

Best Small Business Loans for Up to $1 Million 

With a large selection of financing products that includes term loans, Rapid Finance can be a great option for larger amounts.  In addition to term loans, they offer bridge loans, healthcare cash advances, and lines of credit.  Terms are from three to six months. Amounts range from $5,000 to $1,000,000. Unfortunately, they do not make their minimum credit score readily available on their website.  However, you can use their quote tool to get an idea of what you qualify for. 

Best Business Loans for Borrowers In Business for 6 Months or More

StreetShares offers invoice financing, term loans, and lines of credit.  The number of years in business requirement is one.  They require less minimum annual revenue than the others at only $25,000.  The minimum credit score is 600.  

The key with each of these loans is, your ability to get them is dependent on the fundability of your business.  

What is Fundability? 

Fundability is, in short, the ability to get funding.  It is the complete picture of your business and personal financing and your ability to repay debt. If you think of fundability as a puzzle, there are hundreds of pieces that come together to complete it.  The problem is, a lot of business owners cannot see the complete picture because they are unaware of what additional pieces may be floating around out there.  

Also, unlike a puzzle, the pieces are not all the same size.  Some are very large, while others are smaller. If your large pieces are in great shape, the smaller ones may not matter so much. If, however, your large pieces, like credit history, are not so great, the smaller pieces can make a much bigger difference in your ability to get the best business loans. 

What Makes Up Fundability?

What are these puzzle pieces and how can you make sure they are in the best possible shape?  Hold on to your hats. Some of these may surprise you.

Contact Information

That’s right.  Even something as small as your contact information can affect the fundability of your business.  Your business needs to have its own phone number, fax number, and address.  

EIN

An EIN is an identifying number for your business that works in a way similar to how your SSN works for you personally.  You can get one for free from the IRS.

Incorporation

Incorporating your business as an LLC, S-corp, or corporation is necessary to fundability.  It lends credence to your business as one that is legitimate. It also offers some protection from liability. 

Business Bank Account

You have to open a separate, dedicated business bank account.  There are a few reasons for this.  First, it will help you keep track of business finances.  Also, it will help you keep them separate from personal finances for tax purposes. 

Additionally, there are several types of funding you cannot get without a business bank account.  Many lenders and credit cards want to see one with a minimum average balance.  Also, you cannot get a merchant account without a business account at a bank. As a result, you cannot take credit card payments.  Studies show consumers tend to spend more when they can pay by credit card.

Licenses

For a business to be legitimate and fundable it has to have all of the necessary licenses it needs to run.  If it doesn’t, warning signals are going to go off all over the place.  Do the research you need to do to ensure you have all of the licenses necessary to legitimately run your business at the federal, state, and local levels. 

Website

Your business website, or lack thereof, can affect your ability to get funding. In fact, these days, if you don’t have an online presence you may as well not even exist.  Still, a poorly put together website can be even worse.  Truly, it is the first impression you make on most. If it appears to be unprofessional, it will not look good to consumers or potential lenders. 

Spend the time and money necessary to ensure your website is professionally designed and works well.  Pay for hosting too. Don’t use a free hosting service.  Similarly, your business needs a dedicated business email address.  Make sure it has the same URL as your Website. Don’t use a free service such as Yahoo or Gmail.

Find out why so many companies use our proven methods to get business loans

Business Credit Reports

Much like your consumer credit report does for the individual, business credit reports detail the credit history of your business.  Basically, they are a tool to help lenders determine how credit worthy your business is.  

Where do business credit reports come from?  There are a lot of different places, but the main ones are Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, Equifax, and FICO SBSS.  You have no way of knowing which one your lender will choose.  So, you need to make sure all of these reports are up to date and accurate. 

Other Business Data Agencies 

In addition to the business credit reporting agencies that directly calculate and issue credit reports, there are other business data agencies that affect those reports indirectly.  Two examples of this are LexisNexis and The Small Business Finance Exchange. These two agencies gather data from a variety of sources, including public records.  This means they could even have access to information relating to automobile accidents and liens. While you may not be able to access or change the data these agencies have on your business, you can ensure that any new information they receive is positive.  Enough positive information can help counteract any negative information from the past. 

Identification Numbers Best Biz Loans Credit Suite

In addition to the EIN, there are identifying numbers that go along with your business credit reports.  You need to be aware that these numbers exist.  Some of them are assigned by the agency, like the Experian BIN.  One, however, you have to apply for. It is absolutely necessary that you do. 

Dun & Bradstreet is the largest and most commonly used business credit reporting agency.  Every credit file in their database has a D-U-N-S number.  To get a D-U-N-S number, you have to apply for one through the D&B website

Business Credit History

Your credit history is the crux of your credit score, which is a huge factor in the fundability of your business.  

It includes a number of things like: 

  • How many accounts are reporting payments?
  • How long have you had each account? 
  • What type of accounts are they?
  • How much credit are you using on each account versus how much is available?
  • Are you making your payments on these accounts consistently on-time?

The more accounts you have reporting on-time payments, the stronger your credit score will be. 

Business Information

On the surface, it seems obvious that all of your business information should be the same across the board everywhere you use it.  However, when you start changing things up like adding a business phone number and address or incorporating, you may find that some things slip through the cracks. 

This is a problem because a ton of loan applications are turned down each year due to fraud concerns simply because things do not match up.  Maybe your business licenses have your personal address but now you have a business address.  You have to change it. Perhaps some of your credit accounts have a slightly different name or a different phone number listed than what is on your loan application. Do your insurances all have the correct information?  

The key to this piece of the business fundability puzzle is to monitor your reports frequently.   

Financial Statements

First, there is the obvious. Both your personal and business tax returns need to be in order.  Not only that, but you need to be paying your taxes, both business and personal.  

Business Financials

It is best to have an accounting professional prepare regular financial statements for your business. Having an accountant’s name on financial statements lends credence to the legitimacy of your business. If you can’t afford this monthly or quarterly, at least have professional statements prepared annually. Then, they are ready whenever you need to apply for a loan. 

Personal Financials

Often tax returns for the previous three years will suffice.  Get a tax professional to prepare them.   This is the bare minimum you will need.  Other information lenders may ask for include check stubs and bank statements, among other things. 

Find out why so many companies use our proven methods to get business loans

Bureaus

There are several other agencies that hold information related to your personal finances that you need to know about.  Everyone knows about FICO.  Your personal FICO score needs to be as strong as possible. It really can affect business fundability and almost all traditional lenders will look at personal credit in addition to business credit. 

In addition to FICO reporting personal credit, you have ChexSystems.  In the simplest terms, this keeps up with bad check activity and makes a difference when it comes to your bank score.  If you have too many bad checks, you will not be able to open a bank account.  That will cause serious fundability issues. 

For this point, everything comes into play.  Have you ever been convicted of a crime? Do you have a bankruptcy or short sell on your record?  How about liens or UCC filings? All of this can and will play into the fundability of your business. 

Personal Credit History

Your personal credit score from Experian, Equifax, and Transunion all make a difference.  You have to have your personal credit in order because it will definitely affect the fundability of your business.  If it isn’t great right now, get to work on it.  The number one way to get a strong personal credit score or improve a weak one is to make payments consistently on time. 

Also, make sure you monitor your personal credit regularly to ensure mistakes are corrected and that there are no fraudulent accounts being reported. 

Even the Application Process Matters

Often this part isn’t even considered by those looking for the best business loans.  For example, consider the timing of your application.  Is your business currently fundable?  If not, do some work first to increase fundability.  

Then, are your business name, business address, and ownership status all verifiable.  Lenders will check into it.  Also, make sure you choose the right lending product for your business and your needs. Do you need a traditional loan or a line of credit?  Would a working capital loan or expansion loan work best for your needs?  Choosing the right product to apply for can make all the difference. 

Increase Fundability to Get the Best Business Loans

How do you get the best business loans?  You need to know how to find the best business loans for your specific business needs.  Make sure your fundability is as strong as possible. Pay bills on time, work on building business credit, and make sure to dot all your i’s and cross all your t’s. Do these things, and most all business loans will be yours for the taking. 

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Organisation Broker Guide- How To Choose A Reliable Business Broker

Company Broker Guide- How To Choose A Reliable Business Broker

Organisation brokers or company transfer representatives are practical in offering your service at greater costs. A company broker supplies customers as well as vendors for various companies.
Company brokers locate customers for you to make a reliable company sale. Company broker can be an individual as well as a company that allows you to offer numerous services that consists of Internet organisations as well as site.
Service brokers give exact worth of the service. They promote your company for sale and also manage all first conversations with the purchasers as well as additionally aid the vendors to market their company at great rates.
Service brokers are really much positive with their job. Customers can additionally obtain advantages of organisation brokers by informing their demands.
While considering organisation brokers, extremely initial inquiry that can be found in mind, exactly how to select an appropriate company broker?
There are not particular certifications of organisation brokers yet the individual or company, that you’re going to employ for your service purchases, must be trusted, educated, skilled, pleasant as well as scheduled with you. You need to call 2 or even more company brokers for meeting as well as after that pick the finest amongst them.
Company brokers ought to recognize just how to preserve excellent buyer-seller partnership. The individual that can commit time for your company is the ideal organisation broker.
International Business Brokers Association is the prominent organization of service brokers.

Service brokers or company transfer representatives are handy in marketing your organisation at greater rates. A service broker supplies customers as well as vendors for various organisations. Organisation brokers discover customers for you to make a reliable company sale. Service broker can be an individual as well as a company that allows you to offer numerous services that consists of Internet companies as well as site.
There are not details credentials of organisation brokers yet the individual or company, that you’re going to work with for your company deals, must be reputable, well-informed, knowledgeable, pleasant and also scheduled with you.

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