What is SEO & How do I do it?
To simplify it, SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of optimizing a website to improve its visibility in search engine results. By enhancing your content, keywords, and site structure you are improving SEO. It helps to increase organic traffic and to improve your rankings so it is easier for users to find your?website online.
Optimizing a website normally involves 8 things:
Research Your Market Keywords
Understanding what words your target audience uses when searching for your services is the key. This involves researching keywords that align with user intent and are relevant to your business. I like to use?Semrush.com?or?answerthepublic.com When I'm doing keyword research.
Incorporate Keywords into Your Website
Once you have your keywords, the next step is to strategically add them to your website. This includes optimizing meta tags, headings, body text, and image descriptions. But remember, don’t overstuff! Make sure the content reads naturally. This is where having a blog on your site helps a lot. You can naturally add the keywords people are using in their searches without making the other copy on your site awkward or forced.
Submit Your Site to Google
While search engines like Google may eventually find your site through crawling, it’s a good idea to submit your site manually through tools like Google Search Console. This helps ensure your site gets indexed quickly. Google Search Console is also a great place to set up Schemas but I'll save that for the next article.
Build Credibility with Backlinks
Backlinks are links to your site from other reputable websites. The more credible sites that link back to you, the more search engines will view your site as trustworthy and valuable. There are many ways to set up backlinks. It can be as simple as talking about your site on your social media channels. Other ways to do this is to have your local news write an article about you or collaborate with bloggers.
Track Traffic with Analytics
Setting up your analytics is another critical element to your SEO strategy.?These tools help you understand who is visiting your site, how they’re finding you, and where they’re coming from. This data will help you continuously refine your strategy. I use Google Analytics on my sites but there are a handful of analytics tools available for use.
Collect Positive Reviews
Collecting reviews, especially on platforms like Google My Business and other business review sites, can significantly boost your local SEO. These reviews not only build trust with potential customers but also improve your visibility in local search results. It's also another great way to set up backlinks.
Improving Site Speed and Mobile-Friendliness
Ensuring that your website loads quickly and is optimized for mobile devices. Search engines like Google prioritize fast, mobile-friendly sites. Most websites have the tools built into them to speed them up and make them mobile-friendly, but learning to utilize them can take a bit of effort if you are not already familiar with them.
Creating High-Quality, Relevant Content
Regularly updating your site with valuable, engaging content tailored to your audience. This helps maintain good rankings. Search engines reward sites that consistently provide fresh, useful content. I've seen great sites lose traction because they hadn't updated their content in over a year.
Optimizing a website isn’t just about showing up in traditional search engine results anymore. As technology evolves, AI-powered searches and voice assistants are becoming a significant part of how people find information online. In my next article we will make sure your website isn’t just optimized for search engines like Google, but is also ready for AI-driven search? Here is a link to the next article and I'll see you there.