Here are 10 SEO tips to help make your website work for you and aid business growth:
1. Do your keyword research
Before you can start implementing keywords into your copy, you have to know what keywords people are searching for in relation to your product or service. One of the easiest ways to do this is through Google AdWords.
The application has a function that will tell you how often a specific keyword is searched for, where it is being searched from, and related keywords or phrases. The tool is invaluable, and should be used at the beginning of every new SEO campaign.
2. Know where to place your keywords in an article
You now have a bank of non-competitive, natural sounding keywords, and the goal of putting 1-4 of them per 100 words into your written copy. Choosing where to put them in that copy is important.
Generally, you want a keyword in the title of your article or blogpost, at least one in a subtitle or bulleted list within the article, and the rest spread throughout the article naturally. This will show the search engine algorithms that your content is highly relevant to the keyword because it’s not only the subject of your copy, but it’s referenced throughout.
3. Don’t over-do it
Now that you’ve got all of those shiny keywords at your fingertips, you may be tempted to stuff your site with as many high-value keywords as possible. This is a really bad idea!
Search engines penalize websites for keyword stuffing. Instead, your focus keyword should be 2.5 percent or less of the copy. Sprinkle in synonyms for your focus keyword. Search engines are smart and will recognize and value synonym keywords.
4. Write engaging content
This is an important concept and one that’s easier to understand when you think of it like this – SEO is the bait in the water that attracts the fish, but when they get to your website (or take the bait), they need to be hooked in order for you to catch that fish. If you write engaging content that’s designed to inform your reader and get them excited about your product or service, they’ll be hooked, and you can start to reel them in.
This means don’t simply write a boring article that lists a bunch of information about your stylish fashion outfit, that makes visiting it sound no more thrilling than a trip to the dentist.
5. Keep content fresh
The more frequently you update your website, the more frequently it’s crawled by search engine bots, which can change your site’s ranking.
The easiest way to keep content fresh is by adding a company blog to your site and publishing a new post at least once a week.
6. Have more than 300 – 400 words on every page
This is a general rule of thumb but for search engines to gather enough information about a page and rank it, it’s always a good idea to have at least 300 words on a page. Without content the search engines have less to go on when considering your website for a page one result.
If your competitors have thorough information on every page that’s relevant, useful and helpful to users wouldn’t it make sense for a search engine to rank them over you? You must have the content available to educate the search engines what your pages are about.
7. Make use of hyperlinks
Another way that search engines determine relevance is by seeing that your specific keywords or phrases are used to expand upon the information desired by a searcher. The best way to do this is by turning your keyword into a hyperlink. You have a few options on where this link leads – it can direct clickers to another part of your website, or it can lead to a different website where a specific concept is explained or expanded upon.
The most valuable links for SEO purposes are backlinks. That is, links from other websites to your website. Getting quality backlinks can be tough. A good strategy to use is to team up with other sites and have them link to your website as well – this will skyrocket your relevance in the Google’s eyes.
8. Create a mobile-friendly site
More people search Google nowadays using smartphones and tablets than desktops and laptops. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices, then your mobile search engine ranking is likely to take a hit. A site that’s not optimized for mobile won’t display correctly and may not even function as intended.
WordPress and other online publishing tools offer free website templates that are ready for mobile users. So you’re probably in good shape if you use this kind of platform. However, you may need to enlist a Web developer to convert your site for mobile. While this could be expensive, it’s well worth the cost. Otherwise, you risk losing more than half of your potential online customers.
9. Engage regularly via social media
Social media pages play a notable role in local business’ visibility in search results. The more proactive your social media strategy, the higher likelihood your pages will attract followers — and in turn, appear within search. Develop a strong social media strategy that engages customers via Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other popular networks on a regular basis.
Some ideas for engagement include updates on new products, promotions and giveaways, and highlighting stories of relevance to your customers. The more followers and engagement you receive, the higher your pages will appear in search.
10. Encourage and respond to online user reviews
User reviews help to build your business’ visibility in local search results, and so does your engagement in responding to them — whether they are positive or negative.
Encourage your customers to leave ratings and reviews of your business if they are satisfied with your work.Whether it’s a simple email after a service is rendered, a flyer at checkout, or a call-out on your website – the more positive, authentic reviews your business receives, the better your business will appear in search.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments. If you have any brilliant ideas to share, be sure to do that, too!