You may have build a beautiful, functional website full of compelling content, but all that effort will be wasted if you can’t get views to your site. The best SEO tips will help you draw the traffic you deserve to your site and start getting the word out about your business or brand.
1. Know Your Keywords
Search engine optimization works on a system of keywords. When individuals input something in the search bar, search engine algorithms decide what websites best fit that search item. If you are not focusing on your keywords, you will never be able to build traffic. Try using Google’s free keyword tool for Adwords. This will allow you to see the popularity of different searches, the level of competition from other sites competing for these keywords, and the Cost Per Click if you are interested in using adsense on your site.
Once you find the keywords that make sense for your website, try to focus your articles around those keywords. Make sure they are included verbatim in your article at least twice. When you start linking to the article from other sites, be sure to use the keyword as your anchor text at least some of the time. Using it every time looks suspicious to search engines and may lower your ranking.
It is often easier to rank high in the search engines for long-tail keywords, keywords that include three or more words. The lower competition in this area makes it easier for sites that are just getting started to rank highly. Once you establish a place on the front page for keywords that are easier to achieve, you will have a boost going after those with higher competition.
You can also use a free keyword tracker to see what searches are already bringing views to your site. If they make sense for your area of expertise, try to focus a little more on those keywords in your content. This will help push you up in the rankings in an area where you are already succeeding.
2. Build Authority
Links from authoritative sites in turn build the authority of your site. If trusted websites in your niche use you as a resource, Google will begin to trust you authority as well and will rank your site higher in searches. In the old days it was easy to farm out a high number of links to a variety of low-end sites to boost your rankings, but now Google’s algorithm is built to weed out this type of behavior.
Some of the best links you can get are through guest blogging. Take some time to research the big players in your niche and see which ones have contact information and may accept guest blogs. Craft a polite pitch, possibly including a sample of the article you would offer them, and send it out to a number of different sites. This is often a numbers game, as some with undoubtedly turn you down. Be persistent, as this is one of the best ways to build authority, both for Google, and in the online community.
You can also offer to exchange links with a variety of sites. You must be careful how you often you use this technique, however, since too many outward links may lower your ranking.
3. Invest in Forums
For almost any field, there are forums handling questions from both novices and more advanced individuals. Take some time to explore these forums and build a presence there. Take your time to offer carefully researched and accessibly worded responses. Don’t just add a short, spammy comment with your link; make sure you are adding real value to the conversation. The more you can establish yourself as an authority, the more traffic it will drive to your site.
4. Make Your Content Readable
No one wants to wade through a huge block of text online. Keep your readers interested by writing in an accessible but authoritative voice, split up your content with easy to digest sub-headers, and make use of pictures and diagrams where it is appropriate.
Making your website reader-friendly will increase the amount of time people stay on it, making them more likely to link back to you naturally. If you are using your site to sell a product, this will also make it more likely that people will stay to explore more of your content and consider purchasing from you.
5. Use Social Media
Whether you are building an online store for an existing company or simply trying to propel your personal blog into greater popularity, using social media can give you a substantial boost in visibility and popularity, thus improving your rankings in search engines. Create a Facebook page and a Twitter account. You should also consider using YouTube and Reddit and sources of more traffic.
You can’t simply set and forget these social media platforms. You will have to keep using them. Encourage people to like or subscribe, depending on the platform. Communicate with your customers or readers and make sure you always respond to comments in a timely fashion. When you are about to add new content to your website, be sure to announce it on each social media platform you use and encourage people to check it out.
Social media is a great way to connect to your readers and customers, get to know the other big players in your field, and create more organic links to your content. Social media helps build trust and may even grease the wheels when you are offering to do guest posts.
A strong presence in the search engines is the best way to drive traffic to your site, and the best SEO tips will help you get there faster. Keep in mind that search engines are always tweaking their algorithms to reward high quality content and weed out people who are trying to game the system. The best SEO strategy starts with useful and authoritative content that will keep people coming back and linking to your work.