So your goal is to generate more website traffic and increase conversions—but you can’t get started without oiling up a well-built SEO machine.
With over one billion active websites today, it’s a challenge to differentiate your site from an enormous pool of digital content. However, with the implementation of an effective SEO strategy, you’ll have less trouble boosting your online presence and driving desired traffic to your page.
The ideal result is to create SEO with all the force of a juggernaut, which would solidify a high position in search rankings and pave the way for long-term success. So, without further ado, here are five easy ways to create an effective SEO strategy.
1. Keyword Research
Keyword research is the main driver of successful SEO. In order to improve your search engine ranking, you’ll need to first analyze keywords that are relevant to your industry. And with several online tools at your disposal, such as Google AdWords’ Keyword Planner and WordStream’s Free Keyword Tool, you’ll be able to differentiate competitive keywords from those that are more likely to increase website traffic.
Keyword research doesn’t just give you an understanding of what terms to use; seeing what people search for also provides insight into topics of interest. This can greatly benefit your SEO strategy, as your content will be influenced by which themes generate user engagement.
However, remember that your competitors will ride this interest wave as well. To bypass the issue of highly competitive terms, consider using long-tail keywords: three to five word phrases. By targeting more niche phrases, you’ll wind up getting more visitors to your site by tailoring your product or service to a specific audience.
2. Take Advantage of New Search Algorithms
Keeping on top of new SEO algorithms is imperative to the success of your page. For example, as part of its ongoing user-friendly developments, Google recently introduced the second version of its mobile-friendly algorithm. Since the search engine’s algorithm awards better search ranking to mobile-optimized websites, it allows users to find more pages relevant to their searches—i.e., yours.
So how exactly should you capitalize on this update? In order to guarantee search engine optimization and avoid being penalized, you need to improve your site’s mobile usability as well as its aesthetic experience. According to Google, there are three top things you should keep in mind when building a site for mobile devices:
- Make it easier for your visitors to complete simple tasks
- Measure the effectiveness of your current website layout
- Create a responsive web design for all platforms
By following these simple guidelines, you’ll have your mobile-friendliness covered—which means more time to build the effectiveness of your SEO juggernaut in other areas.
3. Put Emphasis on Quality Link Building
It’s simple: High-quality link building produces greater results. But what is link building? According to Search Engine Land, domain owners need to acquire quality links from respectable sites in order to rank well. Then, by having quality pages link to your site, you’ll be one step ahead of your competitors and their respective SEO strategies.
Of course, this isn’t the only type of quality link building. On the flipside, finding links for your own content from industry-relevant websites can also improve your search engine ranking. Not only that, but it’s a great way to build valuable, long-term relationships with other influential organizations in your field.
Essentially, a successful link building strategy has the potential boost your online presence by driving traffic to your site through avenues other than a direct search.
4. Create Harmony Between Content and SEO
Don’t let poor content affect your site’s search engine rank position. It’s vital that you offer engaging, fresh, and useful information to keep your visitors coming back to your website again and again.
To improve the quality of your material, consider formatting your content for readability. For example, you could restructure your content to include subheadings, numbered lists, and images, where appropriate. Although it might not seem like much, you’re more likely to bring more visitors to your site if your content is easy to consume.
But what if your newfound legibility still doesn’t improve your page’s ranking? Like so many other businesses, you’ll have to kick-start your SEO strategy with brand new content. This can range from inviting guest bloggers to contribute to your blog, to creating infographics that include cutting-edge statistics. Your goal here is to avoid damaging your website’s search engine ranking with bland or redundant material—which is why you should maintain a constant flow of new content.
5. Improve Your Website’s Loading Speed
Slow and steady doesn’t win the SEO race. You’ll need to improve your site speed in order to obtain a high search engine ranking from Google and other search engines. Viable solutions to start with include optimizing your images and minimizing site redirects.
You also need to be aware that page load time considerably impacts your bounce rate. Even if your site contains the most in-depth or unique content on the internet, page visitors will not stick around long enough to read it if it takes a lifetime to load.
The good news is, there are a few online tools available to check the page load time of your website and make fundamental adjustments. By optimizing your site for speed, you’ll increase time on page while improving your search engine rank placement.
Many site owners struggle to keep an effective SEO strategy ticking along. But, armed with these five tips, you’ll have the winning formula to achieve the search engine ranking of a marketer’s dreams. Timeless, industry-backed methods are all you need to create an SEO juggernaut that’s fit to conquer the web.
