SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is an alien term to many businesses, something that can work to your advantage if you can nail it properly. Boosting your Google search rankings can be a challenge, especially if you’re new to the game. With these top secrets from the professionals, however, you can create an effective SEO strategy to put you ahead of the rest.
1. Keywords alone won’t cut it
Keywords are an essential part of SEO. However, if the content that goes with them is no good - the keywords may as well not be there. Content for the sake of content will not build engagement with customers and make them hunt for what they need elsewhere. Make sure you create content that is relevant, useful and gives something back to the reader. Refresh your content regularly and keep your information up to date.
Your content should also be well-informed. A personal blog will rely a lot on the writer’s own experience to get the desired reaction, but for a business website you’ll need the information and facts to back it up. The use of backlinks will give your content more credibility, leading other websites to link to yours as a useful resource.
2. Understanding the customer journey will help you develop better keywords
Understanding the customer journey can help you to improve your SEO. Knowing what leads them to your website, what they search for when they get there and what informs their decision to purchase can help you design a more effective strategy. An in depth analysis of keywords used once on your website can help identify your most-searched for products, and identify those that you don’t sell that you should consider investing in. This is a popular technique used by large department stores who work out which products to purchase for their stores for Christmas based on the things being searched for on the website.
Once you’ve got your list of keywords, you can then work out a strategy for implementing them. This will need reviewing regularly to make sure you’re always targeting new visitors to your website.
3. Work on your meta-descriptions
SEO experts like an agency, a marketing automation inbound marketing & SEO agency, understand the power of meta-descriptions. For many marketers however, these can be left behind in the fight to create good content. Meta-descriptions are an additional place to sell your content, giving you 150-160 characters to convince the reader to click through to your website. Keeping your metas short, sharp and informative for maximum impact.
You can get some good tips on improving your meta-descriptions online that will help you to perfect your meta-description writing. Remember to include your keyword and create content that’s going to connect with the customer.
4. Don’t ignore long-tail keywords
Short, snappy keywords are great for attracting users who are performing more general searches. For those looking for something in more detail and with a better idea of what they want, long-tail keywords are the answer. Long-tail keywords allow you to reach those niche internet browsers who could be left out of your current marketing strategies.
Long-tail keywords can be based around your existing keywords, with some more detailed queries added in. Devising a database of your short keywords and then expanding them to form your long-tail keywords will give you a wider range of options to help you have the maximum impact.
5. Keep it simple
Nailing SEO is relatively simple with the right strategy. Keywords should be kept simple to stop you overthinking things. Think about what you would search for if you were trying to find your website or product. Often one or two words is all it takes, and how you use them is how you’ll hook your customer in.
Keep an eye on the latest trends and innovations related to your website and industry as a way to inform new keywords. Back-end analysis of what worked and what didn’t will help keep things fresh and ensure that your website continues to be relevant to browsers’ needs.
If you’re just getting started with SEO, you should take a look at these top tips for optimizing your website to help you learn the basics. Once you’ve established what’s needed, you can form a more effective strategy that will move your website up the rankings and put you above your competitors. In the world of digital marketing, SEO is important and harnessing its power will make sure that your business doesn’t get left behind.
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