SEO can do big things for your business. Even though search engine optimization (SEO) may seem overwhelming, don’t be so fast to write it off. It’s a valuable tool that makes it easy for people to find you online through organic and editorial search results.
One common misconception is that implementing an SEO strategy will produce results immediately. It takes time, persistence and tweaking before you’ll notice a change in website traffic.
Not sure where to begin? A digital specialist can certainly give you advice, but consider following these tips to get started on the right track.
Jargon is not a keyword
Step one for any SEO strategy is coming up with a list of keywords that you associate with your business and the services you’re offering. These words should be incorporated into your website copy and related content. The list should be made up of keywords and phrases that are used often in searches. Think carefully about what your audience is searching for online and avoid using salesy terms. People don’t talk like a marketing plan in everyday life. If you were your customer, what would you be searching for? It probably wouldn’t have anything to do with “innovative solutions.”
Write lots of content
Now that you have your list of keywords, start incorporating them into your materials. A great way to naturally use keywords is in a company blog. If you’re consistent with posts and write about relevant and interesting topics, people will know to come back regularly. The more quality content you put out into the world, the more potential there is for your material to be found in searches. For more tips on how to enhance your blog content, check out this article on Hubspot.
Link your information
Inbound links on external sources bring people back to your website or content. If that external website is considered authoritative like The Wall Street Journal, it adds a higher level of credibility. That’s one of the reasons why public relations is a key component a great SEO strategy. When articles are placed in top publications read by your audience, and link back to your website, white paper or another piece of content, it produces more traffic for your business. You may even consider writing an ongoing column or blog at a respected news site.
Linking to outside sources in your own blog content is also important. Do it enough and they may link back. This strategy can be used with internal links as well. If you’re writing about a topic that has been discussed in more detail in a previous post, link to it within your copy. It shows your readers that you have a plethora of valuable information at their fingertips.
Audit Your Website
Your website is one of the first places people go to learn more about your company. SEO can help attract people to your site when they are searching for someone who offers your services. Perform an audit to find out where your website needs some SEO work so you can create a plan of action. There are many tools that can aid in this process.
Here are some of the more common errors that are found:
- Tag all your images. Even the file name gets picked up by search engines. Rather than leaving the image’s file name as a string of numbers and letters, rename it to a searchable phrase.
- Always update Meta descriptions. These brief descriptions provide an explanation of the contents of web pages. They appear on search engine results pages and display a preview of what’s on the page.
- Webpage URLs should be structured properly. The easier the URL is to read, the easier time search engines have to pick it up. Read this blog for more URL tips.
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