There are hundreds (nay thousands) of seo strategies you can employ. Sometimes it's hard to separate wheat from chaff (or even know where to start) so here's a list of 12 key steps that you can take straight away.
Hang on - what is seo anyway?
Good question! seo or Search Engine Optimisation is about flagging your website to Google, Yahoo etc, one page at a time, by showing that your website is both relevant and popular:
- Relevance hinges on how you use keywords to give your visitors what they need
- Popularity hinges on inbound links, as a measure of your site's importance
Keywords are crucial
Before you can optimise, you need to know which keywords you're targeting. Try a keyword research tool like Wordtracker or Keyword Discovery to see exactly how your prospects are phrasing their Google searches - then you can select the most appropriate keywords.
The ideal keyword is likely to be:
Relevant...so it matches the content of your web page
Popular...so hundreds (maybe thousands) of people search for it every month
Attainable...meaning it hasn't been fiercely contested by your competitors
Commercially focused...suggesting the searcher is buying and not browsing
Sustainable...make sure it's not seasonal or faddy, so people search for it every month
OK, got your keywords? Good. Now let's see how to get you on page one of Google:
Step 1: the URLYour web address is one of the searchbots' favourite places. In the UK, the DIY chain B&Q were first to recognise this when they bought the domain diy.com - knowing more people would search for 'DIY' than their business name.
If you can't buy a domain that includes your keywords (), try this instead:
Use a sub-domain ()Or use page titles (/keyword)
Step 2: Title tagsThat blue bar at the top of your browser is another seo hotspot. But if you can, keep your keywords to the left. Searchbots are lazy creatures!
Just remember, the line you write here will be pulled into your Google listing - so make sure it's compelling as well as keyword-rich.
Step 3: Header tagsYour headline and sub-headings are especially prominent. Keep them keyword-focused - but remember, you're still talking to human beings. Don't forget the message!
Sub-heads also serve a vital second function - they create a 'dual reader path', helping the reader to scan the text before they wade right into the message. So once again, make sure it's relevant - and even a little enticing...
Step 4: Body copyWork your keywords into the main text, especially the first and last paragraphs. Also include it in prominent areas like highlighted, bold or underlined text, and links to other pages or websites.
Generally, you should be aiming for a keyword density somewhere between 5-7%. Keyword density is the number of times your keyword occurs in the overall text, expressed as a percentage. But remember, keyword placement is far more important than density - and your best competitors on Google are the best measure of your target density.Tip: don't just repeat the phrase. Vary it, use related words, mix the whole thing up.
If your keyword is "Sony DVD recorder", you should also use:- DVD recorder, Sony- Sony recordable DVD- Sony DVD: recordable- DVD recorders from all brands including Sony (etc)
This is easier for readers and gives the searchbots more confidence that you're not just 'playing the game'.
Step 5: Image Alt tagsHover on an image and you'll probably see the alt text - alternative text that's placed there to help Web Readers describe images to visually impaired users. Your alt tag should be a genuine and helpful description of the image - but if you can work in the keyword or phrase, the searchbots will definitely find it.
Step 6: peripheral textYour web template will include all manner of peripheral text, from your menu to opt-in boxes to smallprint and so on. This is probably standard for every page, so you can't target a new phrase each time - but it will help to use variations on your main keywords here and there.
For example, if you're a Plumber, say "Plumber" and "Plumbing" as much as you can in these areas - without clogging up the message!
Step 7: FootersFooters are great for adding a regional focus. If you only work in certain areas, it's a pain to include your town or city umpteen times in the body copy - so include it in a footer, eg:
Ajax PlumbingReliable Plumbing Services in Town 1, Town 2 & Town 3
Reliable Plumbing Services in Town 1, Town 2 & Town 3
Tip: don't stuff the footer with dozens of keywords. It reads like a desperate, scatter-gun approach and dilutes the impact of the most relevant phrases.
Step 8: Meta contentThere are 2 types of meta tags: keyword and description.
Keyword - include up to a dozen keywords, in order of importance. Use different keywords for each page and make sure the keywords actually occur on the page itself.
Description - make it count! This is not about keyword-stuffing, it should read as a meaningful sentence. It will probably join the Title tag in your Google listing, so make sure it describes your customers' problems or aspirations.
Note: meta content won't actually influence your ranking - but it will tell the search engines how to categorise each page. And that makes you a candidate for ranking in the first place.
Think of it as your ticket to enter a race. It 'lets you in', but it doesn't give you a headstart once you hit the track!
Step 9: link-buildingThis is not something to be skirted over! But suffice to say, you need relevant and popular sites linking back to you - and avoid reciprocal links and link farms like the plague.
Get links by syndicating articles to popular sites that will link back to you, or send out press releases to PR and media sites.
Tip: if you're building links to a page that has its own target keyword, try to embed the link inside the keyword - eg "Talk to a UK seo copywriter".
Step 10: AnalysisIf your CMS doesn't come with a system for visitor analysis, Google Analytics will give you every metric you need. Pay particular attention to:
- Referral Keywords: which phrases are sending you visitors?- Bounce Rate: which pages are 'bouncing' visitors back before they take any sort of action?- Exit Pages: where are visitors leaving your site? Is there a trend that highlights an issue with the content of certain pages?
Analytics is a vast subject, but these basic metrics will give you a broad picture of visitor behaviour...
If you're delving further, look at geography, keyword conversion, unique visits, page views and time spent on each page. Then compare and contrast your stats month on month, year on year and set targets for improvement.
Step 11: ResponseObviously there's no point analysing visitors unless you're willing to take some action. If you find that a particular page has an unusually high Bounce Rate, or stands out as an Exit Page, it's time to change the content.Take a look at your referral keywords or internal searches: what do visitors want that they're not getting on this particular page?
Step 12: Fresh contentNo matter how good your site is, you always need fresh content. It's 'food' for the searchbots - so give them a reason to keep coming back for more. Add 1 or 2 new pages every month and you'll quickly find that your site is being indexed every week.
Of course this is only the beginning! We haven't covered how to analyse your competitors' keywords, or how to improve conversion, or how to lay out content on the page so the eye falls in critical areas...but by following these basic steps you'll have a list of useful keywords and a good chance of driving in more traffic through the major search engines.
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