Successfully implementing a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy requires careful planning and a long-term approach. Websites never start at the top of the rankings, and they usually don’t get there overnight either. Whether you’re developing a content plan, building a fast-loading site or designing a user-friendly interface, taking the time to do it right is critical for getting good results from your SEO efforts.
While there are no “get rich quick” schemes for SEO, it doesn’t mean there aren’t some quick wins that you can start implementing right away. With these five search engine optimization tips, you can give your long-term strategy the boost it needs.
Put these proven SEO tips into practice today
Implement these proven practices into your SEO strategy to give yourself the best chance of success on the search engine results pages:
- Know your site’s load time — Site speed is becoming an increasingly important ranking factor in search algorithms. While it may take some time to build a fully functioning site with a fast load time, the first step is to know where you are against the benchmarks. Using a tool to measure your website’s speed is something you can do right away that can be extremely helpful from a diagnostic standpoint.
- Make sure the keyword is in your title tag — It’s important not to overemphasize keywords in your content; simply writing to topic will generally give you all the keyword density you need. However, keywords are still an important ranking factor, particularly in the title tag. If at all possible, you should try to include the targeted keyword into the page’s meta title tag in a natural way.
- Write compelling meta descriptions — Meta descriptions, the snippet that appears under the title in the search results, may not be a direct ranking factor, but they can drive engagement and click-through to the page, which in turn can help drive the page up in the rankings.
- Always be linking — While inbound and outbound external links get most of the attention in SEO, internal links should not be overlooked. Any outbound linking should be relevant and helpful to readers and should take them to a reputable site. Likewise, you should only seek and accept inbound links from trustworthy sites. You should also provide internal links in most pieces of content that take your users to relevant pages on your site.
- Develop content for people, not search engines — Google and other search engines are complex algorithms that are becoming increasingly sophisticated and intelligent every year. This can lead to the temptation to create your content more for the search engine’s benefit than the actual people who come to your site. However, the goal of any search engine is to direct people to the content that best matches their search. If you focus on this instead of “gaming the system,” your content has the best chance of staying evergreen in an always-changing SEO environment.
Long-term SEO growth and everyday expertise with Burg & Co. Marketing
Burg & Co. Marketing has a talented team of seasoned SEO professionals who know what it takes to develop highly personalized strategies for all types of organizations. While we help you build a strategy for long-term success, we’ll also be there to help you optimize with quick tips and practical advice.
Contact us today for more information on our services and an assessment of your marketing needs.
