The growth of internet over the past decades has made it possible for anyone with a computer and WIFI access to launch a website, create social media accounts, and easily interact with like-minded followers. However, now that so many individuals are able to establish an online presence, your work can often get lost in a sea of related content. Making your website standout amongst your other competitors is a key component in increasing web traffic and attracting new audience members. Most content creators might be wondering- what is the best way to do this?
The answer is SEO.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. This is the process of enhancing your website’s organic traffic and ranking on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Safari, Bing, etc. In order to optimize your online status to internet users, you need to persuade these search engines to rank you highly when a user searches for something you could potentially offer them.
Search engines follow specific protocols before deciding which sites to rank on a search engine results page (SERP). For example, they send “bots” to comb through web pages and gather useful information. An index of this data is then created. Based on the bot’s findings, search engines will recommend websites that will most effectively satisfy the searcher’s inquiry by listing them at the top of the results page. The farther down your website link is on the results page, the less likely a user is to see it.
Why is SEO important?
SEO not only brings a plethora of new users to your website, but it also does it for free. If a search engine bot decides that your content is the highest quality of its kind, it will be listed at the top of the SERP. This is at no cost to the website creator, unlike search engine advertisements. Other websites may also show up at the top of SERP with a distinctive “Ad” marker or icon. This means that a website creator paid the search engine company money to be listed at the top of the SERP. While both methods of gaining a coveted top spot on a SERP are effective in increased website traffic, doing so organically is cost effective and ensures users that your content is authentic.
How do I effectively navigate SEO?
All of this useful information can help you attain a highly ranked position on a SERP, but the following tips can keep your content engaging and entice new users to visit your site. SEO must be upkept. Once you gain a coveted spot on a search engine’s page, it does not stay there forever. If a bot comes across your website and finds that your content is dwindling and out of date, you will quickly get booted to a low-ranking spot. However, this can be easily avoided if you keep your “keywords” or “search queries” consistently updated.
“Search queries” are words or phrases that are most frequently searched by your demographic audience. Google Ads offers a keywords tool that helps creators discover what their audience is searching for the most. To access these amenities that Google offers, create a Google Ads account on behalf of your company to strengthen your SEO. While search queries may be one of the most effective ways to bolster your online presence, search engines such as Google account for many other factors when evaluating a website.
Mobile friendliness is now Google’s top priority on its informational index. With most users searching the web on their mobile device, it is important to prioritize your content’s mobile compatibility. Google also wants to ensure its users are visiting speedy platforms. Making sure content loads quickly is a great way to showcase your website’s best features. Have an enticing website title by familiarizing yourself with your audience’s most common keywords. Try to incorporate them into your main title. Finally, consistently produce multimedia content onto your website. Photos, videos, and even audio can help engage your audience and keep them coming back for more.
Did you find these tips helpful? Make sure to stay tuned here for more information on how to optimize your digital marketing presence.