You might be asking yourself, “What is search engine optimization (SEO), and why is it important?” To start, SEO is an essential and often overlooked part of digital marketing. It is even sometimes confused as being a one-time effort. Here we will set the record straight and discuss the top seven most important things to do for SEO to make your website successful for the long-term.
The first thing every digital marketer should know and practice is the importance of using the right keywords in their content. This is the most basic part of any SEO strategy and probably what strategists are most familiar with. Not only does using the right keyword matter, but the location can make all the difference as well. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s an easy concept to grasp – it requires an in-depth knowledge of content optimization to be successful.
In general, be sure that your H1 tag contains the most relevant keywords to your title and content. The H2 tag should be a subheading and contain similar keywords to the H1 tag, and the same should be done with the H3 tag (or the subheading for the H2 tags). You can continue this for as many subheadings and tags your content requires. This helps Google pick out your website more easily since the algorithm can detect your keywords and tags on your site.
SEO tags are extremely important when trying to improve your SEO rankings. When people search for something, they’re served a result of Google pulling your keywords, title, and meta tags for the most relevant page. If your meta tags do not explain your page well enough and with keywords, Google will not only rank you lower, but people will not click on your website and may not see it on the first page of the search engine results pages (SERPs). Very few people go to the second page in the search results.
On-site SEO is not only about getting people to your website but also about keeping them there. Interesting keywords and meta tags will help direct the right people to your website, blog, or product, and the content you provide should keep them hooked. Having unique and interesting content on your page will help with this. Try to avoid duplicating content as this will deter not only Google from optimizing your SERP but also people from your website.
In addition to on-site SEO, there is off-site as well – this includes link building. To take full advantage of SEO potential, it’s important to use these essential tools in your strategy. By connecting with people who produce similar content, you can begin a mutually beneficial relationship where you share content, followers, ideas, and most importantly, links across platforms. If you link to similar pages across the web, and they are doing the same for you, you could be reaching people you never even thought to include in your demographics.
Similar to link building, there is also guest posting. This is a more direct way to tell your followers that you share and support other content. By either sharing someone else’s blogs on your site or having them write unique content for you, you are broadening your reach to new consumers. This will help attract people to your website who may not have found it before and improve your domain authority.
While on-site SEO tips are important parts of a successful SEO strategy, you should not overlook the technical aspects of your website as well. Page speed is essential, especially in our current world. People’s attention spans are dwindling, and if your website takes too long to load, people will click elsewhere for their content. Compressing images and using lightweight themes will ensure that your website speed is as fast as possible.
To help your page land a higher ranking on Google, you should be adding relevant schema markup to your HTML code. This means that there are keywords in the HTML link that the Google algorithm can pick out, helping improve how your page is displayed on the SERPs. They directly enhance the meta descriptions beneath your page title by adding additional keywords that aren’t necessarily on your webpage.
None of these SEO best practices will mean anything if your website isn’t secure. There are plenty of different tools out there to help maintain your website’s integrity and keep your customers’ data safe. It is wise to invest in website security software to give you a little peace of mind and help keep your site as secure as possible.
Do you think you’re ready to dive into the world of SEO and digital marketing? Not quite sure where to begin? Don’t worry! Our team of SEO experts is ready to help you optimize your content. Contact us today to set up a consultation and learn more about our services.