Search Engine Optimisation has been changing rapidly over the past few years. So much so, in fact, that the tactics used even five years ago are likely to get your site penalised by search engines today. For this reason, it’s vital that your site is optimised the right way. If your business could do with an SEO jumpstart, don’t worry – we’ve put together a 3-step guide to get you off on the right foot.
Step 1: Revisit all of your site content and tailor it to human beings
This may sound like an odd thing to say, but the main aim of your website should be to talk to humans – not search engine bots. A few years ago, SEO practitioners recommended filling your site content with keywords with no real regard to quality. In 2019, that’s all changed. Thanks to algorithm updates from Google, the search engine now tracks how long users stay on your site or bounce back to results, then boost rank accordingly. If you want to boost your rankings, you need to engage users with content they want to read.
Step 2: Ensure you’re visible on the local level
Much of today’s SEO practices come down to local search. After all, the first place many of us will look for a business is online. This is why it’s essential that, if a user searches for either your service or your brand directly, they find you right at the top. To guarantee this, be sure that you’ve set up your “Google My Business” profile with the most up-to-date information. This will ensure that info like your opening hours, website, and phone number and delivered front and centre in search.
Step 3: Develop and deploy a content strategy
As we mentioned above, SEO today is all about content, relevance, and engagement. In order to attain (and, importantly, retain) your rankings on Google and other search engines, you need to be publishing regular content. This will do two things: first, it’ll show Google that your site is active; and second, it’ll create the opportunity for organic backlinks from other sites to your content – which are like SEO’s secret sauce – to start appearing.
Don’t forget: this quick guide is just the beginning. If you’d like to discover what true SEO success looks like, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Westcountry Media today and we’ll show you how to do just that.