Improving Your SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the main way to increase relevant user traffic to your website. It’s particularly important for small scale businesses that are trying to increase their reach. In order to improve your SEO, and subsequently, your website ranking in the search engine results, you need to keep the following factors in mind:
1. Post Relevant Content
Whether you outsource your content or have it done in-house, it needs to be great and relevant to your target audience. This is what will ultimately make your website an authoritative and credible source in the eyes of your readers. Publishing quality content includes:
• Optimizing the keywords used
• Using keyword phrases based on the ones that users are likely to type in (such as best coffee brew/best brewed coffee) – if you want to target multiple different phrases, you’ll need to publish separate content
• Naturally using a keyword without making it seem too forced. Stuffing a keyword can threaten your credibility
• Using the keyword frequently, but not forcefully.
2. Stay Consistent
No one gets top spot by posting once or twice a month. The more frequently you publish content, the more relevant your website will be, and the more traffic you’re likely to get.
3. Metadata is Important
Metadata is displayed at the top of the browser and also appears under your site link on a search engine. This is where you need to use your keywords/ phrases, so viewers know that the content on the website will be relevant to what they’re looking for.
Not all search engines may use your Meta description, but it is important for you to provide it regardless.
Keyword metadata is generally not used to rank a website on search engines. However, since you’re already optimizing your content to include these keywords, it shouldn’t be a problem adding the meta-keywords. Make sure that they aren’t too long – a general rule of thumb is to keep phrases up to 4 words long (or less).
4. “Click Here” Isn’t Getting You Anywhere
If you’re linking to other sites through your website, just remember that “click here” isn’t enticing your viewers enough. Using a descriptive link instead will show users that clicking on it may lead to something they’ll like.
For instance, adding your URL to “Nescafe Cappuccino Brewing Technique” is likely to have more click-throughs. This will also capture the interest of someone who is differently-abled and is browsing the web through screen readers.
5. Optimize Your Graphics
Images break up large passages of text and help viewers visualize the point you are trying to make. But in order to improve your SEO ranking, you need to format these images in such a way that they don’t take forever to load. Slow loading images can damage your ranking. When adding image tags, insert your keywords too. For instance, if it’s a cup of coffee, instead of writing that, you can add “best coffee for espresso.”
By simply producing quality content and sing your keywords smartly, you can improve your website traffic significantly, and if you’re consistent with the quality, you can greatly increase your SEO ranking.
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