Many individuals are familiar with the term SEO in connection with digital marketing, online businesses, or the internet in general. However, it is surprising how many people only recall the three letters without comprehending their significance.
If you fit this description, we have everything you need to know about carrying out an effective SEO strategy.
To optimize your website for users and search, one of the key steps is to focus on a specific theme. This can be achieved by using a distinct keyword or phrase on each page. The targeted keyword should be included in the title tag, description tag, H1 tag, and body copy of the page.
For effective optimization, it is important to ensure that the keyword is included in the URL, as well as in both internal and inbound links directing to the page. Additionally, any images on the page should relate to the theme and have filenames and alt attribute tags that are in line with the theme, whenever possible.
All of this is not as easy as it may sound. On-page optimization presents various difficulties. It requires a significant amount of time and its outcome is affected by numerous specific parameters and established practices. However, it is crucial to ensure the correctness of these elements.
Why is organic traffic and SEO important?
If you want your digital marketing to be long-lasting and cost-effective, organic search strategies driven by SEO are unbeatable. SEO is not only cheaper than paid advertising but also has longer-lasting effects. Unlike PPC campaigns that require renewals and have fluctuating bidding costs, SEO tracking tools utilize organic data to generate keyword lists and offer content ideas that expand as you delve deeper.
Although SEO may seem slow initially, over time you will begin to notice significant improvements in your overall traffic and rankings. Additionally, as you continue with SEO, you will accumulate more backlinks and establish greater site authority, allowing you to target larger and more impactful keywords. And the cycle continues.
Focusing on specific sub-topics and using long-tail keywords can be an effective strategy for SMBs to achieve early results and establish a strong foundation. It is worth considering that more than one-third of Google searches consist of four or more words, which are considered long-tail keywords. These keywords are less competitive and, as a result, it is easier to rank for them. Additionally, they can still attract a considerable amount of organic traffic.
The importance of SEO
Safari Digital states that around 61% of marketers consider SEO as crucial for achieving success on the internet. Consequently, businesses nowadays allocate approximately 41% of their marketing budget to SEO. Essentially, dedicating efforts to developing a well-defined SEO strategy has the potential to completely transform not only your online traffic but also your overall business.
With the current state of the world, internet usage is at its peak. The pandemic has led to increased online shopping, streaming of more movies and TV shows, and participation in numerous Zoom meetings. In 2020, SEO has played a crucial role for many organizations, and we anticipate it will continue to be important in 2021. As we near the New Year, it is important to develop an SEO strategy that adapts to evolving trends. To begin, let’s focus on the fundamentals.
What every SEO strategy must have
SEO involves using qualitative content principles and technical enhancements to increase online traffic and rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). Additionally, quantity is an important factor. Generating more content, incorporating more links, and utilizing a broader range of keywords contribute to gradual improvement in rankings, also known as ‘scaling’.
First, it is important to note that we have included a few things. However, before progressing too much, let us quickly list the primary tools that you will need to begin developing your 2021 SEO strategy.
1. Keyword targeting
Keywords are important for increasing your website’s rankings on search engines like Google and Bing. By strategically using keywords in your content, you can improve your website’s visibility and move up in the search results.
Over the years, the strategy for keywords has evolved significantly. Previously, the approach was to include as many keywords as possible, however, this resulted in an abundance of spammy content. Consequently, websites were penalized by Google’s algorithms. In present times, conducting thorough keyword research and incorporating a diverse range of relevant keywords is crucial. It is important to seamlessly integrate these keywords into the content. With Google constantly advancing its intelligence, achieving favorable results requires diligent effort.
For further assistance with keywords, please refer to the following text.
- How to Rank for a Keyword in 10 Steps
- The 18 Best Keyword Research Tools for Every Need
- How to Find Long-Tail Keywords
2. Metadata
When considering the process, you can regard metadata as the display window of your shop. The meta title and meta description are the initial elements that catch the user’s attention in the SERP, ultimately impacting their decision to click or not.
By incorporating keywords into your meta data, including image tags and heading tags, Google’s ‘crawlers’ can efficiently comprehend the significance of your webpage while scanning websites to gather information that aligns with search queries.
3. Backlinks
Moving into the more technical aspects, another important aspect of SEO performance is the acquisition of backlinks. This occurs when a different website includes a link to your website in an article or blog post. This not only assists in gaining domain authority, but also enhances the likelihood of individuals clicking through to your website if it is featured on other trustworthy domains.
The process of link-building involves earning organic links through the creation of engaging content that closely aligns with users’ search intent. The quality of your work and its relevance to others in your industry can increase the likelihood of references to your site. While the option to trade links with other sites exists, there are numerous other activities that can expedite this process.
- Guest blogging.
- Testimonials.
- Answering questions on sites like Quora.
- Creating shareable content such as videos and infographics.
- Using industry contacts and sharing on social (e.g. LinkedIn).
4. Technical SEO
Continuing from there, your site’s backend has other technical issues that, when resolved, can greatly impact your SEO results. Ultimately, if your website’s user experience is not seamless and user-friendly, it will be challenging for visitors to accomplish anything significant. It’s important to note that more than 50% of online traffic comes from mobile devices, emphasizing the significance of technical aspects like user experience.
When it comes to securing higher rankings, technical SEO tips such as optimizing site speeds, eliminating ‘toxic’ backlinks, and creating a clear XML sitemap with a clean URL structure can play a significant role. It is important to ensure that nothing hinders SEO from allowing people to find your website organically.
5. SEO metrics
In order to measure, analyze, and improve your SEO strategy, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of SEO metrics. Effective SEO cannot be achieved without knowing the meaning of “effective”.
