Ranking on the first page of Google is a daily uphill battle for many businesses. Digital marketers are always looking for new ways to increase their visibility and attract traffic to their websites. The only difficulty is that, with the rising complexity and disinformation surrounding SEO and the frequent changes in search engines, staying on top of the current trends and best practises can be tough. We’ll go over the top five things every non-technical marketer should know about SEO in this article.
#1: You will rank where you deserve to rank
It’s a prevalent misperception that when Google rolls out a new update, such as Panda or Penguin, SEO gets more difficult. In reality, the goal of these changes is to eliminate the “tricks” and make SEO more accessible to everyone.
As a result, one of the first things you need to know about SEO as a digital marketer is that you will rank where you deserve to rank. If you’ve tried almost every method in the book and your site still doesn’t appear on Google’s first page, it’s most likely because there’s still room for improvement.
Take a look at the sites that are now at the top of the search results. It’s plain to see that if your content isn’t objectively superior for the keywords you’re seeking to rank for, you don’t deserve to be at the top. Examine the content pieces that are outranking yours and consider how you may improve your own.
#2: Not all keywords are created equal
The most critical aspect to consider if you’re seeking to rank for a specific keyword query is searcher intent. There are four different sorts of search intent to consider:
- Informational: When users have a specific inquiry or want to learn more about a particular issue. “How to make slime,” for example, or “why are dolphins so smart.”
- Navigational: Users who have navigational purpose are looking for a specific website or page. Consider YouTube or Reddit.
- Transactional: These are search phrases indicating that the user is looking to buy something. For example, “order iphone xs” or “purchase selfie ring light.”
- Commercial: When users are in the decision phase, they will conduct commercial intent searches, indicating that they are looking for information on products. “Best hair dryers for curly hair,” for example, or “best saas project management tools.”
Your goal should be to design landing pages that match the search intent of your target audience. Consider this: If someone is looking for more information about your items, you don’t want to direct them to your product page. Instead, you’d like the product-related articles and blog entries you’ve produced to appear in search results.
On the other hand, attempting to rank for a keyword that does not fit the searcher’s purpose is a recipe for disaster. Keep in mind that the most general or high-volume keyword in your niche isn’t usually the most profitable. To put it another way, developing content that converts effectively (and consequently ranks well) necessitates learning what your target audience is looking for.
#3: The Field of Dreams approach doesn’t work
Many individuals appear to believe that if they generate fantastic content, their target audience would flock to read it. This could be the situation if your website is a well-known, well-established online magazine or blog. In actuality, however, this is far from the case.
The “build it and they will come” concept from Field of Dreams doesn’t work on its own. You can’t just generate high-quality content and hope that your target audience discovers it; you need a strategy for promoting each piece of content you publish.
To put it another way, you’ll need a user-friendly website, high-quality content, and a well-thought-out traffic-driving strategy. Make sure you’re sharing your content on social media, sending out email newsletters, and participating in forums to engage with your target audience.
#4: Mobile is critical today
If your company’s website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’ll have a hard time getting found on Google. The number of mobile phone users is predicted to reach 4.78 billion in 2020, according to Statista. Google also revealed in March 2018 that it would index websites depending on their mobile versions (not their desktop version).
Given Google’s mobile-first index, having a mobile-friendly website is a must if you want to be found in search results pages (SERPs). This entails using text that can be read without zooming in, auto-adjusting information to fit the user’s screen, and ensuring sure links and buttons are easy to click.
And that’s only the beginning. To get a better sense of what measures you need to take to boost your site’s ranking in SERPs, we recommend utilising the Mobile-Friendly Test to assess the mobile-friendliness of your site’s page.
#5: Site speed is also critical
You’re probably aware that improving your site’s page loading times is critical for providing a positive user experience and preventing visitors from clicking the Back button. Did you realise, however, that slow-loading pages have a detrimental impact on your site’s SEO, specifically indexation?
If search engines are unable to crawl your site for several days, your search engine rankings will begin to decline. The good news is that there are numerous methods for speeding up and optimising your website’s performance. Finding a solid web host is a fantastic place to start. If your server is reliable, you may want to investigate compressing pictures, minifying JavaScript, and using a content delivery network (CDN). You can analyse page loading times and detect issues that affect site performance with tools like Load Impact and GTMetrix.
Conclusion
SEO is crucial for establishing reputation and promoting your company as an industry leader. You should have a fundamental awareness of basic SEO tactics and what you can do to rank in SERPs, even if you aren’t extremely technical. Rather of running after the latest SEO buzzwords, consider how search engines might assist you in providing additional value to your target audience.
Need help with getting your business found online? Stridec is a top SEO agency in Singapore that can help you achieve your objectives with a structured and effective SEO programme that will get your more customers and sales. Contact us for a discussion now.