Because the requirements for SEO are always changing, understanding what works and what doesn’t can be incredibly challenging. Following are 10 tips that can help you sort things out and nail down a solid online marketing strategy.
1. Timely, Relevant, and Unique Content Still Reigns Supreme
At its simplest, the web is just content that has been organized and posted at different addresses. Moreover, the top search engines are merely massive databanks that organize this content and make it easier to sort through. Thus, if content hasn’t been or isn’t your first priority with SEO, then you aren’t playing the game to win.
2. Mobile Accessibility Matters
The notion of creating websites for laptop and PC users is archaic. More people are searching for companies on the go than ever before. Google, Bing, and Yahoo know this, which means having a mobile site design is critical for ranking well on any one of these platforms.
3. Pages Must Load Fast, and Uptime Must Be Guaranteed
Consumer expectations are becoming increasingly high. They want what they want, when they want it. If you’re web hosting service isn’t living up to its uptime guarantee or can’t deliver ultra-fast loading speeds, it may be time to upgrade your plan or seek a new provider.
4. Your Bounce Rate Does and Doesn’t Matter
Bounce rates are among some of the many factors Google considers when ranking your site. With a high bounce rate, many visitors are bouncing right back to search results as soon as they hit your pages. On one hand, this likely means people aren’t finding what they’re expecting on your pages. On the other hand, it could mean your landing pages are giving them exactly what they need in the quickest, clearest, and most straightforward fashion. SEO aside, most companies don’t want people to take a quick look at their info and dash off. Even if it isn’t affecting your ranking, a higher than average bounce rate could merit a few onsite tweaks.
5. RankBrain Is Just One of the Top 3 Factors That Determine page Rank
Google’s brainchild, RankBrain has been causing a lot of stress on the SEO scene since 2015. Because it’s a learning technology, it’s difficult to pin down everything it’s capable of doing. The most important thing to note about RankBrain is that it’s incredibly adept at recognizing duplicate content, even if the content has been carefully reworded. RankBrain is also working to eliminate all black hat SEO. San Diego SEO experts believe that, in addition to tightening up your content, curtailing unsavory automated practices, and striving for originality, you shouldn’t let RankBrain scare you off from traditional and consistently effective SEO tactics.
6. First Page Placement Doesn’t Mean What It Used To
At one time, fewer than 3 percent of web users were traveling beyond the first page of search engine results. However, now more people are moving to page 2 and even page 3 of SERPs. Ever since Google removed sponsored listings from the right-hand side of the first page, all organic listings have been pushed below the fold. Not only does this mean people have to scroll down to see these listings, but they’re also more likely to keep looking because there are fewer organic results on the first page to choose from.
7. You Need a Robust and Organic Link Profile
The need for a solid link profile hasn’t changed. You still need to clean up old, dead links, and it’s still important to build new, organic ones at a reasonable pace. This means you shouldn’t attempt to register with every web or niche directory at once. Moreover, even though guest blogging for links was recently frowned upon, submitting guest posts to reputable sites that relate to your business remains one of the best and safest ways to build links.
8. Local Businesses Need Strong “Google My Business” Profiles
Having a complete Google My Business profile is absolutely essential for garnering attention for your small local business. Rather than 7 local listings at the top of the page, Google is only offering 3. In addition to filling out complete and accurate company information, you should also be diligently watching and responding to customer ratings and reviews.
9. Mapping Your Location Is Critical
If you haven’t done so already, be sure to embed a Google map on your website. This helps the search engine giant pinpoint the exact location of your business so you can be included in geo-specific search results.
10. Hyper-Local Keywords Are Essential for Ranking Well
Because Google is increasingly committed to catering to web users on the go, this search engine is working to provide hyper-local results, rather than results that are merely local. This makes it important to mention local landmarks in your content and to fill your articles, blog posts, and other online content out with neighborhood-specific details.
To learn more about the key steps you need to take in regards to SEO, get in touch with Saba SEO, a trusted provider of San Diego SEO services. We can help you come up with a strategy that gets your site more clicks and views. Call 858-951-1717 to set up an appointment.
