There was once a time where people believed digital marketing was just a fad. We now know that, not only is it here to stay, but it’s just getting bigger. If you want your business to survive and stand out in this age of competing content, you need to understand SEO and how to absolutely master it.
What is Search Engine Optimization? (SEO)
Simply put, SEO is the name given to the activity that works to improve search engine rankings. In search results, Google displays links to pages it considers relevant, credible and resourceful.
Why does it matter?
67% of all clicks go to the top 5 listings on Google and 95% of traffic stays on the first page, leaving only 5% for remaining search result pages! If you want to be on that first page, these 5 tips are absolutely vital for your marketing strategy!
1. Optimize your page title, URL, and descriptions
Keywords are essentially the backbone of SEO, meaning you need to pay attention to them. Your page title, URL, and descriptions should all use the keyword you are trying to promote! For instance, if you want to rank for the search phrase “coffee shop NYC” your page URL, page title and description should all include the words “coffee shop NYC.” Consistency is key!
2. Research relevant keywords to implement
Keywords are one of the main elements of SEO. A website that is well optimized for search engines “speaks the same language” as its potential visitor base with keywords for SEO that help connect searchers to your site. Do your research on how people are looking for the products, services or information that you offer, in order to make it easy for them to find you. Implementing keyword SEO will help your site rank above your competition.
3. Minimize your page loading time
A slow website not only creates poor user experience but it’s also detrimental to your SEO ranking. If your page takes more than a few seconds load, you can be losing traffic to your website as well as ranking status which translates to fewer page views and less ad revenue or customer conversions for you! This simple yet effective strategy will play a major role in your goal to reach higher on Google.
4. Make sure your contact information is in the header or footer of every page on your site!
Your business name, phone number, social media links and address should be in the header or footer of every page on your site. When Google crawls the site it looks for those elements to determine credibility. Plus, the easier you are to get in touch with, the better chance you have of a potential customer reaching out to you.
5. Mobile Optimization
Is your website mobile optimized? With over 50% of organic traffic coming from mobile devices in (and that number is growing every day), it’s hardly surprising that websites with a mobile-friendly interface will rank higher in Google searches. Ultimately, Google is trying to provide the best user experience. So, really, the better the user experience on your site, the better you will rank with Google!
If you want to remain relevant in the competitive world of marketing, stay tuned here for the latest trends, tips and tricks, and don’t hesitate to update your brand strategy to fit these new opportunities!