Search engine optimization is more than just a set of skills and tactics; it is also an ever-evolving science. What worked five, ten, or even twenty years ago may not work today. Changes are made by search engines all the time, and every so often those changes can throw your site into a tizzy.
SEO has a lot of moving pieces, but there are some tweaks and optimizations that you can do today that will improve your rankings very quickly. Here are six time-tested techniques that will help you gain more natural traffic.
Make Your Web Content Mobile-Friendly
Mobile use is growing globally, and this trend is set to continue. With this in mind, it is essential to make sure that people can access your website from any possible device.
It is not surprising that Google has recently announced that it will be taking the mobile-first approach in its algorithm rankings – meaning websites that are not optimized for mobile devices will get pushed down in search rankings.
So, it is crucial for your website to have a mobile-friendly version. You should be aware of the different breakpoints and make sure that your website is responsive at any point.
A responsive site will arrange page elements differently based on the size of screen the user is using to view your site. Check with your website developer to find out if your site is built on a responsive platform. If so, your site should pass Google’s test of your site to make sure it is mobile friendly. If your site is not responsive, check to ensure you have a mobile version of your site setup for any visitors that are on a mobile device.
While most browsers offer a “mobile view” option, it is not always accurate in terms of the layout, so it is best to make sure that your site is designed specifically for smaller screens.
Technology is changing at an incredible rate. Today, it is essential to keep up with the times. Mobile-friendly websites are one way to do that.
Improve Your Website’s Load Speed
In today’s online world, high speeds are a must-have for any website. The ability to load a page quickly is crucial for the success of any website or application.
It is no secret that faster websites are perceived as more professional. There are many factors that affect a user’s experience when they load a website, but one factor that can have a huge impact is how quickly websites load. The more quickly a user sees your content, the quicker they will be able to act on it. That means you have an opportunity to grab users and convert them into customers before they have even had a chance to see everything on your site.
Let’s face it, people are getting less and less patient as the speed of modern life continues to increase. No one wants to wait. So, in order to capture customers and convert them into your loyal followers, you must have a fast website.
Often times site that have a large amount of functionality can have slower load times. An experienced web designer can identify elements that are causing a delay in your site’s load time and provide recommendations. If your site is built on the WordPress platform, there are third-party software plugins that can dramatically improve the speed of your site load times. Check with your webmaster to see how your site can be improved.
Create an XML Sitemap for Better Indexing
In order to make sure that your website is going to rank in the search engines, you need to create an XML sitemap. It is a necessary step for search engine optimization, and it will guarantee that your website will rank higher in the search.
So what exactly does an XML sitemap do? Basically, it includes all of the pages on your site so that crawlers can index them better. XML Sitemaps should be submitted to each major search engine individually, and they should be updated regularly, so make sure you have Google Search Console installed if you want to use them effectively.
A well-designed XML sitemap with accurate page information will only take a few minutes and will help your website’s ranking tremendously!
Optimize Title Tags to Boost Rankings
Every experienced webmaster knows that it is crucial to optimize the title tag for their website as it can affect how high they rank in search engines.
In a nutshell, a title tag is what appears at the top of the browser window. It is one of the most important metadata tags for SEO as it builds up your site’s credibility with the search engine.
To write a suitable title tag you need to think like your target audience and include keywords that they are likely to use when finding your page. For example, if you are a store selling footwear think about what people might search for when looking for shoes and include some keywords from that list in your title tags.
Title tags are best when they offer a user-friendly summary of the page’s content so that people can decide whether they want to delve into your page or not based on their titles alone. This can also affect rankings in Google’s search algorithm, because Google may give preference to pages whose titles promise more relevant results.
Use Keywords
The importance of keywords in search engine optimization is hard to ignore. They can help you target the right audience so that your content is relevant to their needs.
You can use tools such as Moz or Google Keyword Planner to find the top ranking terms related to your site’s topic and keyword research tools for finding related long-tail keyword phrases. The more related keywords you have, the better chance you have of increasing conversions and getting higher rankings on search engines such as Google or Bing.
However, make sure to refrain from using oversaturated keywords that may have already been taken by other more popular websites so you can avoid serious competition.
The most important thing about keywords is to use them correctly and not stuffing keywords everywhere. Keep in mind that this can result in your website’s ranking being affected, and it may even lead to lower traffic.
Produce High-Quality Content
Content is still the king, and it is necessary for your business and brand to stand out from the crowd.
The internet has changed the way people find, consume, and share information. Today, your website has to offer something more than just a mediocre product or service. If you want visitors to stay with you for a long time, you need to think about how you can add value for them. Write more, write better, and produce more top-notch content, and eventually, people will notice you.
The Bottom Line
SEO optimization can seem a tricky and time-consuming task. However, it is a crucial part of any online marketing campaign, whether it is for your blog, business, or personal website. At the end of the day, if you can take the right actions, you can reap the rewards of your success in the long run.
