Free Website Traffic? Get These SEO Basics Right.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial for making your website visible to potential customers searching for products or services like yours online. By implementing effective SEO practices, you ensure that your site appears in relevant search results, connecting you with the right audience.?

Whether you're running a small business or managing a large corporation, the foundational principles of SEO remain the same. This guide will walk you through the basics every website needs. Once you've mastered these essentials, you can begin working on improving your keyword rankings and developing a long-term SEO strategy. For expert guidance, Des Vader has the specialist you need, so don't hesitate to reach out!

SEO Technical Website Audit

If you already have a website, conducting a technical SEO audit is an important first step. An SEO specialist can perform this audit, identifying errors, explaining their impact, and outlining the steps to fix them. Errors can hinder your site’s visibility and even lead to penalties from Google for not adhering to SEO best practices.?

If you’re comfortable with website backend operations, you might choose to use tools like Semrush or Ubersuggest to conduct the audit yourself. However, be cautious—making corrections without SEO experience can sometimes do more harm than good.

Basic SEO Guidelines

Page Titles

Ensure every page on your site has a unique title to avoid confusing Google about which page to rank higher. Pages with duplicate titles compete against each other, weakening your SEO efforts. Ideally, each page title should include the keyphrase you want to rank for and should be between 30 and 60 characters.

Headings

• H1 Heading: Google loves well-structured content. Each page should have only one H1 heading, including your keyphrase. Multiple H1s can confuse Google, making it unclear which term you want to optimize for.

• Other Headings: Use H2 and H3 headings to further structure your content, making it easier for both readers and search engines to understand.

Word Count

While you don’t need to write lengthy copy, each page should have enough content for Google to understand its purpose. Aim for at least 300 words, and never go below 100 words.

Hyperlinks

• Broken links: Check that all hyperlinks on your site are functional. Broken links frustrate users and can negatively impact your SEO. If your site has multiple broken links, Google might view it as low quality.

• Linking Best Practices: Each page should include at least one outbound link and several internal links. Avoid generic anchor text like "Read more." Instead, use descriptive text that reflects the content of the linked page. Keep in mind that Google does not count links to social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter as outbound links.

• Anchor Text: When using a hyperlink, never link, for example, “Read more.” It would be best if you hyperlinked an anchor text that contains the words you are linking. For example. “Centralised digital learning systems that facilitate training and development solutions can be integrated with Wyzetalk’s digital platform.”? The words “learning systems” link to an internal page with the URL learning-systems/. It doesn’t have to be in the URL, it can be in any sentence on the page you link to where the words in the hyperlink are more or less the same.

Meta Descriptions

Every page must have a meta description summarising what the page is about. It should also contain the key phrase you are trying to get ranked. You should never have duplicate meta descriptions; each page must have a unique description. Google also displays meta descriptions in search results, as shown in the example below. Say as much as possible using the least possible words.

URL

Customize your page URLs (called the slug on the backend) to be clear and descriptive, helping both readers and Google understand the content at a glance. For example, see the above URL, "beginners-guide-to-seo" which clearly indicates what the page is about. Avoid using special characters such as: !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, (, ), [, ], ?, {, }, ;, :, ".

Redirects

If you no longer want to use a page, don’t delete it or place it in drafts. Instead, implement a proper redirect, such as a 301 redirect, to maintain the page’s SEO value. It’s often best to have your webmaster handle this.

TL:DR? How about the video...

In Closing

By following these basic SEO rules, you’ll lay a strong foundation for your website’s search engine visibility. Once you're ready to take the next step, developing a comprehensive SEO strategy with the help of a specialist will ensure continued growth and success. And remember, Des Vader has the right expert to guide you.

About the Author

I’m Desmond Kurz, also known as Des Vader. Expect more as I share my insights and thoughts from more than 30 years of business experience. If you kindly follow me on LinkedIn and my YouTube channel, I shall endeavour not to disappoint!