Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the process of affecting the visibility of a website in a search engine’s “organic” search results. Normally, the higher a website is ranked, the higher the website will appear among search results. When used as an Internet marketing strategy, SEO refers to the optimization of content using specific keywords that people are searching. Optimizing a website for SEO can include editing the content and re-working the HTML to increase relevance to specific keywords and remove barriers from search engines.
By considering these five tips below to improve your SEO, you’ll not only raise your website’s traffic, you’ll create a more user-friendly experience causing the popularity of your site to grow naturally.
1. Generate quality content
Many website owners make the mistake over “quantity over quality”. When it comes to content, quality is the most important attribute to feature on your site. Content that doesn’t live up to quality standards will create lackluster SEO and could discredit the reputation of your site. Keyword research is also important. While many think more keywords are better, marketing specialists think differently. It is important that your site’s content be well-written, as unique as possible, and informative. If your content is well-written and applicable to your topic, it could already many necessary keywords.
2. Research your keywords!
In the above tip, I stated that keyword research is important, but it cannot be stressed enough! A good rule of thumb is to compile a list of carefully researched keywords and phrases that are relevant to your topic and distribute them through your headlines, subheaders, and content by using a tool such as Google’s Keyword Tool on Google AdWords.
3. Make your URLs SEO friendly
It isn’t hard to optimize all of your website’s pages at a basic level. The best way to optimize your pages is by optimizing your URLs first. For example, if you have a website about how to make a kite, have your URL say: www.abcwebsite.com/how-to-make-kite instead of the auto-generated URL: www.abcwebsite.com/howtos/?391042
4. Build internal AND external links
Internal link building is an SEO tactic that consists of creating a thorough and well-organized linking structure back to your website’s pages in text-based hyperlinks. It is essential to make sure that you are placing the right hyperlinks on the right keywords in your on-page content.
Another helpful feature is a site map which is proven to help search engines index your site quicker and better.
External link building is a whole different ballgame. Relationship building is an important part of external link building. The key is to build relationships with credible websites that have content that matches your niche and get them to feature your link. Building back links can take time, but don’t get discouraged! Once established, back links can build some really great SEO.
5. Enable social media sharing
Enable social media sharing whenever possible. Installing buttons for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other major social networking websites will allow visitors to your site to spread the word about your interesting and quality content. Overtime, social media sharing can create some quality back links too!