UNDERSTANDING SEO with Claire Collins
Hey everyone, I’m Claire from Effra Digital, a small agency based in Impact Brixton, specializing in website design and SEO. SEO, or search engine optimization, focuses on improving website traffic quality and quantity. Today, we’ll cover the basics of SEO, its importance, and the three key strands of SEO: on-page, technical, and offsite SEO.
UNDERSTANDING THE THREE KEY STRANDS OF SEO
- ON-PAGE SEO
On-page SEO involves optimizing metadata and using relevant keywords, avoiding content duplication, and incorporating internal and external links.
NAVIGATING KEYWORD INTEGRATION: CRAFTING ENGAGING CONTENT
You need to make sure your content is unique and relevant. It’s really important to avoid duplicate content, as this gets penalized by Google. It’s crucial to include keywords, as this will improve your website’s visibility in search engine results. To know which keywords to include, use tools like SEMrush and Moz to analyze competitors’ keywords and identity which ones are strategic to include in your content. A useful tool called Answer the Public provides relevant key phrases based on your input, helping you to structure your content. And Google Search Console is a crucial tool for understanding website traffic, top keywords, and trending pages. Integrating Search Console with Google Analytics allows you to track search terms people use to reach your site, which is super useful. Blog posts are a great way to get keywords and subheadings into your content. And don’t forget to add links! Incorporating internal and external links in your content really helps to improve page structure and visibility.
OPTIMIZING TITLE TAGS: CRAFTING CLICK-WORTHY HEADLINES
You also need to consider your title tags, as these will be picked up by Google. It’s a good idea to include essential keywords and consider front-loading them. And remember to keep the title tag’s character count between 55 and 60 for optimal appearance on Google.
- TECHNICAL SEO
Technical SEO ensures a strong website structure, considering page speed, mobile optimization, and SSL certificates for security. Having a sitemap and checking for broken links is essential for better search engine crawling. Google won’t crawl a page if the link is broken!
OPTIMIZING WEBSITE PERFORMANCE: PAGE SPEED AND USER EXPERIENCE
Page speed is really important to ranking – you need to make sure your website loads quickly and efficiently for the optimal user experience. To improve page speed, you can optimize your website by removing unnecessary code and reducing the size of images and videos without compromising resolution. Optimizing your website for mobile is essential, too, especially for local traffic. And, it’s really important to have an SSL certificate – particularly if you have e-commerce – as this ensures a secure website.
- OFF-SITE SEO
Moving on to the third aspect of SEO, off-site optimization focuses on elements outside your website that can boost SEO efforts. It includes local SEO, link building, integrating social media, and optimizing Google business listings.
THE POWER OF LINK BUILDING: STRENGTHENING WEB CONNECTIONS
Let’s delve deeper into link building. There are two types of links: inbound links and outbound links. It’s essential to establish reciprocal links within your local network or industry. For example, we joined the digital agency network, and they provided a listing on their site linking to us, and we reciprocated by linking back to them on our website. This shows search engines that our site is connected with others, making it more important and deserving of a higher ranking.
When linking to external sites, it’s good practice to obtain permission, especially for reciprocal links, which can enhance your website’s visibility. Most website platforms like Shopify, WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix allow you to add keywords, meta descriptions, and titles for better SEO.
LEVERAGING LOCAL SEO: CAPTURING NEARBY AUDIENCES
Local SEO is vital, as 46% of searches have a local intent. 76% of people who conduct a local search on their smartphone visit a website within 24 hours, with 28% resulting in a purchase. Ensuring strong mobile optimization is crucial for engaging potential customers who search on their smartphones. These statistics are usually obtained from sources like Google Search Console, which provides monthly reports and insights into your website’s performance.
For local businesses, leverage connections with other businesses to initiate link building. Reach out to suppliers, contractors, neighboring businesses, distributors, and consider sponsoring events to drive traffic to your site. This is a crucial aspect of ranking well, so take some time in the workbook to brainstorm potential link-building opportunities with associations or accredited sites that could be beneficial.
GOOGLE MY BUSINESS: ELEVATING ONLINE VISIBILITY
Setting up a Google My Business listing is crucial for your business. Make sure you provide your open hours, update photos regularly, and encourage reviews from satisfied customers to boost your ranking. Verifying your business address is essential, and you can use a virtual office like Impact Brixton if needed. Integrating a Google review button on your website and requesting reviews from customers and clients can enhance your digital footprint and build trust.
Following these SEO practices can improve your website’s visibility and search engine rankings. Thank you!