5 Ways to improve your SEO immediately
If you're like most entrepreneurs or leaders, you know that good SEO is essential to the success of your business. But with all the different changes and updates happening in the world of SEO, it can be tough to keep up.
Never fear! In this blog post, we'll share 5 simple but effective ways that you can improve your SEO immediately. By following these tips, you'll be able to make sure your website is always ranking high in search results. So let's get started!
What is SEO and why is it important
Simply put, SEO (search engine optimization) is optimizing your site to perform well when people are searching on the internet. I love how Mike from Stupid Simple SEO puts it when he explains SEO at it's core. "When people go to a search engine, it's because they have a question. SEO is ensuring that your site has the answer to the question they're asking.
SEO sounds daunting though. It feels like you either need to spend hours researching or spend thousands of dollars hiring an expert to help you. But there are a handful of simple things that you can do on your own. Here are five.
1) Do a little bit of keyword research
The key term is a little bit. You can buy software, hire experts, or take hours to learn the complexities of finding the right keyword. Is it worth it? Maybe. But you also don't have to completely wing it.
Keyword research is doing some digging to find out which keywords you want to try and rank well when they're searched. Just think to yourself, "what would people be searching when they find my website?" Or to adopt the Stupid Simple SEO thought, "what question does my site hold the answer to?"
When you come up with a couple answers, use a free tool like the Google Keyword Planner, to see if it's a good one to go after. A simple way to look at it is finding one with a high enough search volume that people actually care, but low enough competition that you have a fighting chance against the other people who pop up on there.
Google even gives you a handful of ideas on possible keywords you could use. You don't need to spend hours or thousands on this, just do a little digging and find one or two that work.
2) Add keywords to your site where it feels natural
You've found a keyword that you feel at least pretty good about. Now what? Add it to your site in a way that feels natural.
Don't stuff it into the middle of your sentence where it doesn't fit just to try and rank for that term. Not only is it annoying to read, but Google usually flags that as spam. Instead, find a way to naturally work it into the content you're creating. This could be in the form of titles, subtitles, headings, or even just sprinkled throughout the text.
The idea is to make it easy for both search engines and people to find your content. And remember, it doesn't have to be perfect. As long as it's in there and it makes sense, you're in better shape than you were when you started.
3) Add links to your site whenever possible
Links are still one of the most important factors when it comes to SEO. The more links you have from reputable sources and to reputable sources, the better your site will rank.
The easiest way is to add links to your site whenever it makes sense. First to pages within your site, but also to others. If you're talking about another company or product in your blog post, link to their website. Or if you're interviewing somebody for a blog post, link to their website in the interview. When you're linking to reputable sites, it's like being seen at a party with an influential person.
It's helpful to add links from your site, but what's even more helpful for your SEO is having links that go to your site. This however, is a tougher feat. Here are a couple ideas.
You could try guest blogging for other sites in your industry, HARO (Help a Reporter Out) or even just reach out to other bloggers (If that's the field you're in.) If you have a great piece of content, they may be happy to include a link back to your site.
Links aren't only beneficial for SEO either. They're also a great way to show your audience that you're an authority on the topic you're writing about.
4) Optimize your images
Are you uploading SEO-friendly images? Chances are, probably not.
SEO-friendly images are ones that have a keyword-rich filename and are properly tagged. This makes it easy for search engines to find your images, which can help improve your site's SEO.
You can also add a little bit of text to your image, called an "alt tag." This is what gets displayed if the image can't be loaded for some reason. You can use this to add in a couple of keywords for your image.
5) Use social media to your advantage
Social media is another great way to improve your SEO. Not only can you share your content on social media, but you can also use it to build links back to your site. That goes with tip #3!
The best way to do this is by using social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook to share your content and link to it. But it's not a bad idea to share other people's content too. And when you do, make sure to include a link back to their website. You can also reach out to them and ask if they'd be willing to share your content as well.
Bonus tip: Start a blog
A blog is a great way to add fresh content to your site on a regular basis. And when it comes to SEO, fresh content is king. Not only will a blog help improve your SEO, but it's also a great way for you to build relationships with other bloggers and establish yourself as an authority in your field.
A blog also adds more total words to your website which means more opportunities to tuck your keywords into the content on your site.
Does having a blog sound like too big of an endeavor? Finding someone to help you create content and manage your blog is a huge help to keeping up with it. There are blog ghostwriters like me out there that would be happy to jump on board to help you out!
Final thoughts
So there you have it! 5 ways to improve your SEO immediately. SEO can be a little tricky to understand, but these tips will help you get started. And remember, SEO is a process. It takes time and patience to see results. But if you're willing to put in the work, you will start seeing improvements! I promise.
Have questions? Reach out! Let's chat about getting your SEO to a new level!
