You must employ SEO to master the search engines in order to be discovered by your consumers online. Hundreds of ranking signals play a role in determining search results. Link structure, keywords, and time on site are just a few examples.
You will be rewarded if you follow best practices and publish high-quality material. If you don’t, be prepared to face Google’s wrath.
Because Google weeds out low-quality material, some advertisers are penalized with bad search results. Keep this in mind while deciding whether or not utilizing a black-hat SEO tactic is worthwhile.
So, if you want to use SEO methods in your marketing effort, make sure you stick to the regulations.
Here are seven guidelines that I constantly teach to new website owners seeking SEO assistance when it comes to developing a content strategy. While some of these may seem obvious, they are often missed and may have a significant impact on your search results (and your wallet from lack of website traffic).
1. Don’t Overuse Keywords
Keywords are used to inform search engines about the content of your website. Years ago, marketers would repeatedly utilize the same keyword to indicate to Google that they were related to that search.
If Google rated you fourth for a term you used ten times, it would rank you first if you used it 20 times. I understand that math is difficult, but that makes sense, right?
That, however, was just for a brief period. Those who tried to influence search results by cramming keywords found themselves with no visitors.
2. Don’t Compete for Keywords That Are Already Oversaturated
Carry out your usual keyword research. Keep in mind, however, that utilizing the most relevant term isn’t necessarily the greatest technique, particularly if the phrase is already being used by 70,000+ individuals.
Look for comparable or unique keywords that are still related to your message but aren’t being used by as many people. Concentrate on them since you will be able to rank higher with less effort if you do. Make an effort to arrange your keywords and synonyms in a manner that compliments one another. Your authors will be able to develop material that seems natural to the reader as a result of this.
You may employ packed keywords, but attempt to use keyword synonyms instead. Build your plan around your “dark horse keywords” after you’ve found them.
I propose adopting the Skyscraper Technique if you do decide to utilize congested keywords. If you’re not aware of the term, it simply implies taking material that performs well for a keyword and improving it.
3. Produce Original Content
Creating original content is always a part of a good SEO strategy.
It’s just as vital to make sure your content is valuable and well-written as it is to have an SEO plan for it.
Let me express it to you this way…
Few individuals will read your article if it isn’t distinctive. When fewer people read it, Google receives fewer ranking signals. The rest, as they say, is history.
The term “unique” encompasses more than simply “quality.” You need to give your readers something they haven’t seen before. I referred to SEMrush’s page regarding the Skyscraper Technique in the preceding section. If you go to that website, you’ll learn about a unique content approach that you may use.
4. Avoid using links that are of poor quality.
Many webmasters place so much emphasis on incoming links that they overlook the importance of external connections.
You must ensure that all of your external connections point to high-quality content. If you link solely for the sake of linking, you’ll be shooting yourself in the foot with your SEO approach.
Bad or broken links may irritate consumers and have an impact on your Google results (which is why you should update your site on a regular basis – I’ll explain why in the following section).
Take your time and carefully choose links that are relevant, compelling, and come from well-established websites. These are the types of links you want to build, and Google will reward you for them.
With that in mind, I would advise against linking to material that already has a high ranking for the phrase you’re attempting to rank for. You’re essentially providing them link juice and demonstrating to Google that their material is marginally superior to yours.
5. Make Regular Updates to Your Website
Have you ever visited a website that hasn’t been updated in a decade? How long did you stay? If you’re like the vast majority of internet users, you’ll say no.
Maintain a presence on your website and update your social media platforms on a regular basis.It’s almost impossible to see an inactive domain boost its ranks.
Don’t be afraid to make changes to your material. Indeed, you’ll see articles with hat notes that say “updated for 2020” or something like that all the time. A marketing firm turned an article into evergreen content with a simple change, as seen in the image above.
This is why it’s critical to examine your content to determine what’s not working. By upgrading information that isn’t ranking, you may attempt to enhance its rating.
6. Follow the On-Site Optimization Guidelines from Google.
Google’s recommended practices are updated on a regular basis, so make sure you’re up to date. Even though the majority of the changes are modest, you must keep current.
If Google does something as simple as devaluing URLs with certain keywords, you should be aware of it while creating content (which I doubt will happen). Don’t be alarmed; this is only an example).
As a result, make sure you’re up to date!
7. Keep an eye on the speed of your website.
You should also keep an eye on the speed of your website. Make sure it’s responsive and snappy. I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but it’s critical, particularly in today’s mobile environment.
Allow me to pose a question to you. Why did Google create AMP if site performance isn’t important? That is precisely my point!
You should examine your site’s operation on a frequent basis. It’s time to figure out why your site’s performance is slowing. To assess your load time and identify any bottlenecks in the process, use a tool like SEMrush Site Audit.
You’ll receive a detailed report on the speed and performance of your website. This is how it should look: If everything is green, you’re good to go. It’s a solid clue that something is wrong with your site if you’re witnessing slow loading times and low-performance scores.
Regularly check the speed, particularly after major upgrades. Running a broad test like Pingdom at least once a week is a reasonable rule of thumb.
