Last week’s blog focused on the building blocks of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  We discussed some basic concepts like relevance via keywords, proper labeling using metadata, and the importance of site security, speedy load times, and good site organization.  All of these topics deal with on-page SEO, and you have direct control over them.  However, there are other components of SEO over which you don’t have direct control. Things like your perceived authority and trustworthiness in your industry, how much time visitors spend on your site, backlinks, and even social media activity impact your website’s search ranking.   As you already know, smart marketing shouldn’t leave this much to chance.  So let’s take a look at these influential items and discuss how each can be harnessed for better SEO.
 
My husband frequently says, “control the controllable.”  I’m not sure if wiser words have ever been spoken, at least when it comes to SEO. As I’ve mentioned before, your on-page SEO has an impact on the rest of the SEO equation.  A quality website goes a long way in establishing trust and authority, and is also vital to providing a good experience for your visitors, thus impacting how long they hang around.  It will even help with backlinks; reputable organizations and individuals will be far more willing to link to your site if it’s high quality.  But, if you want to make sure that you are doing all you can to better your search engine results, here are a few suggestions that can help you control what you can.
 
Establishing Trust and Authority
Trust is earned and authority is established over time.  Below are some basics for building both.

• Make sure that you are listed in directories like the White Pages, Yellow Pages, BBB, and Yelp.  Fill out a business listing at these sites and others like them.  Always include a link back to your site.
• Publish a weekly blog on your site, with original content, informing your visitors about a topic in which your organization has expertise.
• A monthly newsletter informing customers and potential customers about goings on at your company and within your industry is also helpful, and can be easily incorporated into your website.
• If someone within your organization publishes a white paper, speaks at an industry event, or receives an award, include this information on your website.  You’ll get bonus points for including a picture and mega bonus points if you include a video.  As we discussed last week, make sure you label all photos and videos.
• Ask your customers to write testimonials about your products, customer service, etc. Happy customers talking about you are the best advertising, and if you can include their kind words on your site, it can be an SEO boon.

 
Give Your Visitors a Reason to Spend Time on Your Site, and to Come Back
Getting people to click through to your site is good, keeping them there is better, and getting them to come back is best.

• Engaging, useful content is the best way to ensure your visitors spend time on your site. Instructional videos and interesting photos are effective ways of keeping your visitors’ interest piqued. Changing them frequently will give customers and potential customers a reason to come back.
• As mentioned in the Establishing Trust and Authoritysection above, blogs and newsletters are valuable.  In addition to establishing your organization as an industry leader, reading them will keep your visitors on your site and will encourage them to come back for the next installments.

 
Use Social Media Effectively
Social media isn’t just social anymore.  Your organization’s activity on social media affects your search ranking, so you want to make sure that you are using it well.

• Post to Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter on a regular schedule, using videos and photos whenever possible. 
• Use social media to drive visitors to your website by posting or tweeting when you publish a new blog or newsletter.  In fact, anytime you make a change to your website, use social media to spread the word. As always, provide your URL and make the post easy to share.
• Make sure you have links to your social media sites on your website.
• Make a planned, conscious effort to grow your social media networks, friends, and followers. 

 
Cultivate Backlinks to Your Site
Backlinks will drive traffic to your site and will also establish trust and authority.

• List your organization in on-line directories that align with your industry.
• Guest blog on an associate’s or industry partner’s website about a topic in which you have expertise.   Although it is polite to ask before including your URL at the bottom of the blog, most businesses will be just fine with it.  If not, you’re still establishing yourself and your organization as thought leaders.
• Post videos on You Tube that link back to your website.  Instructional videos or footage of company events can be easily made using a cell phone and they will boost your SEO.

 
There are many more ways that you can boost your SEO, but these are some of the tried and true tactics for achieving better search ranking.  SEO is a marathon, so unless you want to pay for advertising on Google, don’t expect quick changes.  You should track your results though, just to make sure that things are going in the right direction.  Google Analytics is a great tool to keep track of how well your SEO strategies are working.  If you don’t have an account, get one.  It’s the best way to measure results and make sure you’re on track.

Unlocking the Secrets of How Your Website Content Can Help Your Search Rankings

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an important topic for any business owner who has a website.  If you rely on your website for leads and sales (and who doesn’t?), good SEO is vital.  At first glance, SEO might seem complicated.  Terms like keywords and metadata sound like a secret language used by digital marketing gurus and website developers to confound everyone else. And although there is a science and a required skill set necessary for implementing good SEO, it isn’t as complicated as you might think.  Even if you choose to contract for SEO, which in many cases is a smart business decision, you still need to understand what SEO is and why it’s important.  Read on to unlock the secrets of search engine optimization.
 
When I was in 5th grade, I had two teachers who insisted that we as students label everything, write clearly and concisely, and above all, stay organized.  Little did I know that Sr. Paul and Mrs. Butler were teaching us the basics of search engine optimization long before the Internet was even imagined.   Honestly, if you have these basic skills, you are 50% of way to driving traffic to your website.  SEO experts agree that good website content is one of the most important building blocks in ranking on the first page of a Google search.  There are obviously many other factors that contribute to high search rankings; things like click-through-rate, time visitors spend on your site, and backlinks are all important.  But, you have control over your content, and one could argue that if your content is great, the other factors will automatically trend in your favor.
 
So what is good content? Below is a list of things that Google uses to assess the quality of your content:
 

• It is relevant, meaning that the words on your website match the words in a Google search.  The best way to make sure that you have this covered is to research keywords for your product or service and then use these words in your content.  Keywords should describe what a page on your website is all about.  However, Google isn’t easily fooled.  If you “stuff” your content with too many keywords, Google will figure that out and rank your site lower than other sites that use key words more appropriately.  In other words, use language that clearly and concisely describes what you have to offer.  Provide enough detail so that you answer your visitors’ questions, but don’t overwhelm them with information that they don’t need.  Keep your content germane to what your customers are actually looking for. 

 

• It has images like graphics, photos, and graphs to back up and further illustrate what the text on your website states.  We are a visual society and our collective attention span seems to be getting shorter.  It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that certainly rings true in the digital world.  Just make sure that you label any images on your website.  Google doesn’t “see” images, so using words to describe your images (metadata), will allow Google to recognize them.  This is also a great way to appropriately use keywords.

 

• Your website is organized, loads quickly, and can be easily navigated by your visitors. There is no limit to ways in which you can present your website, and although you want it to be interesting and attractive, you mostly want it to be useful and inviting.  A user-friendly website is both.  Make sure that your menu options are easy to see and accurate. They are the visitors’ map to your website.  If there is a specific call to action that you want to direct your visitors to, place a button for it on your home page and on relevant pages throughout your website. It’s also important to make sure that your pages load quickly.  This is something that you should frequently test.  If your pages aren’t loading efficiently, talk to your developer.  We expect speed in the digital world, and if your site isn’t fast enough, your visitors will leave and go elsewhere.

 

• Your domain name has a simple URL and it is secure.  Google will find your website much more quickly if your website address is clean, so keep your domain name short and descriptive (relevant) for best results. Make sure that your website has a security certificate installed on site.  If your address begins with https, you’re all set.  If it begins with http, have a chat with your developer.

In summary, quality never goes out of style.  Good writing, organization, and efficiency are at least half of SEO success.  Of course, there are other factors that contribute to search rankings, and we’ll talk about them next week.  However, having a quality website will help with the other factors that impact your search ranking.