If you are a small business owner, or even an employee at a company that is still in its startup phase, you may not be aware of the benefits of SEO. The good news is that it’s quite easy to implement and can bring your website to the top of search engine results pages (SERPs). If your site isn’t ranked high on SERPs, you might not even know it!
The importance of SEO depends on whether you have a large or small business. If you’re just starting out, you’ll want to focus on the basics, such as optimizing your content. Once you’ve established your brand, you can get into more advanced topics like keyword research, link building, paid advertising, etc. This article covers the basic steps and tips for getting started with SEO.
1. Optimize Your Website Content
Optimizing your content means making sure that all words and phrases within your text are relevant to your target audience. When writing about a product, include keywords throughout the text that will help your site rank higher in search engines. For instance, if your site provides information on new technology, make sure you use terms like “new,” “innovative,” “top-of-the-line,” and “cutting edge.” You should also avoid using too many adjectives; instead, keep things simple by using one or two descriptive terms.
2. Ensure That Each Page Is Unique
When you write articles about your products or services, ensure that each page is unique. If there are multiple pages for the same topic or service, make sure they are different from one another. There needs to be a clear distinction between the pages so users understand what their next step is going to be.
3. Provide Rich Media With Links
You can add a link to a video, audio, image, or PDF file on your blog or website. To do this, click the Insert tab and then click Image. From here, you can upload media files to your website.
4. Use Images And Graphics Effectively
Images and graphics are great ways to catch a reader’s attention. However, you need to make sure you don’t overuse them. You should only use images where appropriate. For example, if you provide a picture of a product, use it to illustrate the features of the product, but don’t use it as part of your main headline. Instead, use it as a secondary call to action.
5. Link Back to Other Pages
There are several reasons why you should link back to other pages on your site. First, it improves user experience because visitors can easily navigate around your website. Second, it helps search engines determine how important your content is. Third, it shows potential customers that you care about improving your ranking in Google and other search engines. Finally, it gives you credibility because it indicates that your website has been reviewed by someone else who believes that it contains useful information.
6. Maintain Consistent Headings
Heading tags allow search engines to categorize your content in a way that makes it easier for readers to find specific types of information. Headings should be short, concise, and meaningful, so that they help readers quickly find the information they want.
7. Include Schema Markups
Schema markup is another method used by search engines to improve your rankings. Schema markups allow search engines to display structured data on individual webpages. Search engines, including Google, Bing, and Yahoo!, use schema markup to show relevant information about a webpage. By using schema markup, your site will appear more prominently in search results.
8. Create A List Of Topics On Your Site
Having a list of topics on your website allows your consumers to browse through your website without having to read every word on every page. Having a list of topics also lets people know what they can expect when visiting your site, which encourages them to stay longer on your website. A list of topics can include things like customer testimonials, upcoming sales events, featured products, etc.
9. Make Sure To Cite Original Sources
Citing original sources shows readers that you are trustworthy and credible. It also increases the chances that your site will be listed among others in the search results. To cite an original source, you must place a link back to the original source. You can find this information by clicking the “Web” button on the right-hand side of your browser.
10. Add Video Into Your Content
Video is becoming increasingly popular among Internet users. According to a study conducted by ComScore, nearly half of U.S. adults watch online videos on a monthly basis. You can increase your exposure by adding videos into the content on your website. Videos can include everything from product demonstrations to interviews with customers.
11. Build Trust With Social Media Sites
Social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, are great resources for promoting your site. These websites allow you to create a social presence, which can boost your SEO. You can build trust with these sites by posting links to your website on your account profile. Also, you can post updates, pictures, or videos related to your business.
12. Write Blog Posts About Relevant Topics
Blog posts are great places to promote your website. They’re often written by individuals who are passionate about a particular industry. Their expertise, combined with their knowledge of your industry, can help you gain visibility and authority. If you can find bloggers who cover topics similar to yours, consider contacting them and offering to contribute to their blog.
13. Be Consistently Active In Online Communities
Online communities are useful tools for increasing traffic to your site. However, you shouldn’t become overly active in forums and comment sections. People tend to be drawn towards those who are consistently active. Therefore, it’s best to participate in online communities occasionally rather than too frequently.
14. Offer Free Stuff
Offering free stuff is a great way to encourage visitors to sign up for your newsletter, subscribe to your blog, or visit your website. Visitors like being able to take advantage of freebies before paying for something. If you offer a free report, for example, you can direct prospective clients to your email address, where they can request access to the report.
15. Track Conversions
Tracking conversions is another way to measure the effectiveness of your efforts. You can track various metrics, including number of visits, bounce rate, time spent on site, etc. These metrics give you insight into how visitors interact with your site. Tracking conversions can help you figure out which areas of your site aren’t working well.
16. Test Different Types Of Content
Content is king, especially on the Web. While most website owners believe that all content needs to be original, there is some evidence to suggest that you can benefit from repurposing content. Repurposed content includes blog posts, press releases, infographics, podcasts, eBooks, white papers, etc. You can test different types of content to see which ones work better for your website.
17. Monitor Competitors’ Rankings
Search engines like Google and Yahoo! publish regular reports that identify changes in the rankings of the top search results. It’s important to monitor these reports closely to see if you’ve fallen from the top spots. Changes in rankings could indicate that there are competitors outranking you. If this happens, try to determine why and try to come up with strategies to beat your competition.
18. Keep Updating Your Content
While it’s helpful to write new posts now and again, it’s essential to update your older content regularly. Regularly updating old posts with fresh content increases the chance that your site will rise above the competition.
19. Don’t Forget To Optimize Meta Data
Meta data refers to the information included in HTML code that describes your website. Meta data includes title tags, description tags, heading tags, alt tags, and keywords. All meta data should be optimized to increase your site’s visibility in search engines.
20. Avoid Using Spammy Link Building Tactics
Spamming involves creating links on your site that don’t serve any purpose other than increasing your page rank. One common spam tactic is purchasing links from low-quality directories. Another common spam technique is trying to buy links from blogs that already have a high domain authority score. These tactics can harm your reputation, so it’s best to avoid them.
21. Focus On Keyword Research
Keyword research is vital to your success with SEO. You should perform keyword research periodically to see how your keywords are performing in general, and specifically, on search engine result pages. If you notice that a certain keyword no longer brings in a lot of traffic, you can replace it with a new keyword that does.
22. Submit Your Website To Directories
Directories are useful for submitting your website to major search engines like Google and Yahoo!. Submitting your website to directories requires that you fill out profile forms for each directory. After you complete the form, you can submit your site. Some directories require that you pay a fee to have your website submitted.
23. Engage With Influencers
Influencers refer to people who have a following of millions of people. Many influencers are celebrities, politicians, journalists, and bloggers. If you can reach out to influencers and establish a relationship with them, you can potentially receive free publicity and increased brand awareness.
24. Implement Guest Posting
Guest posting is a powerful way of increasing the visibility of your website. If you have someone on staff who is knowledgeable about your industry, consider asking them to guest post on another site. Guest posting doesn’t always have to involve a formal arrangement. You can simply ask your employees to write articles for your blog.
25. Get Rid Of Poorly Written Content
Poorly written content can hurt your SEO. Search engines can detect poorly written content and penalize your site accordingly.