Enjoy Part I of the key SEO best practices to help improve your digital marketing efforts.
Search Engine Optimization, aka – SEO, is the process of taking steps to help a website or piece of digital marketing content rank higher on Google. Specifically, content that someone is searching for online. And nowadays, search trends and algorithm updates continue to evolve and impact how we conduct online optimization. So, by understanding the fundamental principles of SEO analysis and strategy, you can win in online marketing.
As search engine technology persists and innovates, this 2-part article offers insight into eight of SEO’s most essential elements. Although many more factors can affect SEO, those we discuss in this blog consistently confirm the importance and relevancy of SEO and its impact on digital marketing success. Thus, for Part 1 of this blog, we’ll address four best practices.
Skip to each SEO element now!
So, let’s get into FOUR of the EIGHT best practices that keep SEO relevant and necessary for every online business. In addition, they help put you on track for developing and incorporating the best possible SEO strategy for your company.
1. Good-Old-Fashioned SEO Page Mechanics
When it comes to page optimization, there are still RULES that every online marketer must apply. And if you don’t play the SEO game by the rules, you’ll automatically lose each time you play!
So, we must first understand that as search engine technology constantly improves, so does Google with updating algorithms. However, core SEO standards have stayed the same over the years, which means we can still apply old-fashioned mechanics (with other key elements, of course) and experience success.
Examples of Optimization Mechanics:
· Always provide quality and relevant content.
To keep customers and clients properly engaged on your website, you want to develop consistent content that is precise, original, resourceful, and updated as needed. In addition, your information must include relevant keywords based on search intent and brand messaging. These elements incorporated into content will consistently connect your targeted audience to your business.
· Implement on-site search engine optimization.
Ensure that page titles, meta-descriptions, image tags, headers, and content are optimized so Google2 can analyze all the content on site. Bots will crawl your pages and relay information back to Google to assign an appropriate rank, so on-page SEO is key to helping increase rank position.
· Use digital-worthy backlinks.
Be sure to concentrate on obtaining high-quality backlinks from authoritative industry resources. When some of your web pages link to the quality sites of other industry leaders, you will also move up in rank. For instance, consider gaining quality backlinks through guest blogging, content marketing, or public relations and associations.
· Keep technical elements updated.
You’ll want to ensure your site visitors have an excellent UI/UX encounter with your online business. Marketers can help you avoid technical blunders by ensuring your web pages accomplish the following technical aspects.
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- Fast loading speeds (under three seconds)
- Maintaining accurate responsiveness on any digital device
- Having proper indexing
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· Incorporate industry-specific SEO ranking factors
Knowing and understanding your service industry, corporate-level competitors, and audience are critical factors in developing a sustainable SEO strategy. So, be sure to align ranking factors based on your industry. In addition, you should search industry ranking factors like word count, keyword saturation, content relevancy, etc., frequently, as they often change.
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2. Relevant Content + Quality Content = King Content
Since the pandemic, we’ve learned that though content length isn’t a direct SEO factor, a strong correlation exists between extensive content and improved rankings. This change is due to how Google currently associates page content with quality.
Google has begun associating quality with more resourceful and in-depth content. It’s also original, exudes authoritative qualities, and connects with audiences better. And because quality content marketing remains the “Go-To” standard for SEO rankings, you should create comprehensive data with targeted keywords to help improve your position.
However, remember that not all content is created equal. So, ensure that the optimized information on your web pages also connects and resonates with your audience. The ultimate goal that most businesses have in mind for digital marketing is to see a return on investment. Therefore, creating a lasting impact on consumers each time they experience your brand helps encourage them to act and purchase your product/service.
Overall, you’ll want your content to have quality and relevance to consistently entice and encourage buyers on their journey. King content will nurture and help them move through the sales funnel based on keyword research and their search intents for product or service solutions.
3. Keyword Analysis & Research
Keyword research is the basis of search engine optimization. Yet, the days of using one keyword to optimize a blog article, landing, and web page are long gone due to Google’s advancements in natural language processing (NLP) technology and keyword targeting. Today, you need multiple related keywords and phrases to optimize pages and get Google to rank them higher.
However, to win with SEO here, it’s best to know and understand WHO is visiting your site, HOW they arrived there, and WHY (‘What drew them to your website?’). In other words, you should have a firm grasp of buyer personas and how they impact the overall SEO strategy.
4. Rich Page Snippets with Structured Data
One of the essential SEO best practices involves how web page data shows up on a search page. For example, schema markup is a term of microdata that helps Google comprehend and take pieces of key content from a page to display it in the search results. This display shows on the results page as a snippet that attracts users to content that is most related to their search.
Google likes rich snippets like the example above. Snippets with proper data structure enable bot crawlers to show results precisely related to what users are searching for, providing an overall better UX for site visitors. In addition, businesses that leverage schema markup are already advancing against the competition. Take a look at Google’s samples of structured data in different formats so you can begin incorporating them into your SEO strategy.
Consider partnering with reliable experts for a fresh start and a conducive strategy for your digital marketing campaigns.
Like you, we want you to excel and see a return on your investment. However, obtaining page one rank position means the following:
- Developing an SEO strategy with help from professional marketers
- Implementing those various SEO elements based on the strategy plan
- Starting with an SEO analysis to determine where you are and where you want to go
Consider working with us to help your ideal customer and client find you online, connect, and start purchasing your offered solutions. So, register now to get your free SEO analysis, or contact us at your convenience so we can talk more!
References
- Featured Image – Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. Photo concept by LinkedIn Sales Solutions.
- Google search query on-page optimization. Photo concept by Firmbee.com.
