What’s all this fuss about S-E-O? Well, it’s what brings people with questions to the people with answers. Every time you make a search for something on your favorite search engine there is a complex algorithm that calculates the relevance of the search terms to the content of your website… and thus search-engine-optimization is born! If you’re feeling a little confused about how this all works, we’ve decided to write a bite-size guide to some of the most important facets of SEO.
Top 10 Tips for Awesome SEO
1. Analytics
This is an essential tool for gathering data on your website, it’s traffic, and the behavior of your visitors. Google provides a very detailed and thorough application for free, but there are many others out there each with their own unique features and advantages.
2. Keywords
Good keywords means good search results for your visitors. Focusing on specific keywords and search phrases for specific pages on your website will get you much further than dropping every word you can think of into a lengthy mission statement in your header.
3. Social
As if you haven’t heard enough about the benefits of “social media” and its advantages to your business. Well, it’s true! Keep your followers informed, make new friends, and share your stories. All of these actions will increase the amount of activity associated with your website which will increase your relevance and attention on the web.
4. Friends
It helps to have clients and friends who want to talk about you and your business. Something as simple as sharing a link to your website and expressing their gratitude will generate more activity concerning your brand and attract more traffic to your site through both direct and indirect means.
5. Follow-Up
Once the job is complete, don’t just take the check and walk away – follow up with your client and make sure they are satisfied with your work. A happy customer can leave a glowing review for you on Yelp or Google Reviews, which will show up front and center on search results; thus, attracting attracts more customers who may wish to have the same happy experience.
6. Blog
Offer something on your website that is a little more fluid and continuous than your static mission statement or capabilities. A simple news item or thought of the day goes a long way! By writing a blog post every now and then, you are actively publishing content to the web, which reflects as positive activity for your website.
7. Upkeep
A website with continual updates to their portfolio or products will outstand one that has been sitting un-touched with the same content for months/years. This will also provide a reason for your users to come back and see what’s new, thereby increasing your hits, your clicks, and your happiness.
8. Tags
If possible, it’s best practices to annotate your blog posts, products and portfolio items with little descriptors known as “tags” which is common to WordPress, Drupal, and other out-of-the-box website management tools. These labels will further refine your content and increase the searchability based on the topics you adhere to your work.
9. Creativity
The old adage of “thinking outside the box” is still applicable in this highly technical and formulized world of search engine optimization. There’s always room for a little ingenuity to put you one step ahead of your competitors or peers. Find a unique way to communicate or focus on the traits that make you stand out from the rest and emphasize these ideas.
10. Have Fun!
Don’t over think it. It’s OK to be yourself and reflect your personality through social media channels and website content. There may be many complex computer algorithms connecting all the dots to bring internet traffic to you, but in the end it’s actual people that will be browsing your website and they want to connect with other people – not a highly calculated formula for attention.
Need some help putting all this together? Give us a ring!