The metrics for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) that keep your business website up in SERP’s for easy access continue to change. In this way, companies are left to find new ways and methods to adopt this change as fast as the search engine changes it. Setting up a WordPress site is easy and the reason why it is such a popular CMS to build websites. All this won’t mean a thing if you can’t optimize it to give you the results that you expect.
Improving a website for search engines is a gradual process, it takes time. However, what is the basic measure that you can implement for optimizing a website?
Our team at Emanate Solutions have some noteworthy pointers to apply these ever-changing SEO trends and improve performance.
Changeover to HTTP/2
Ever come across a super-fast website and wondered how does it happen? Apart from minifying code, compressing images and the jazz, one of them is the adoption of HTTP/2. Things may get a little technical, so buckle up!
As we know, HTTP/1.1 has been conquering the web since 1991, invented by Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee. Google was the first to investigate issues with HTTP/1.1 and later developed a protocol called SPDY for better security and page speed. SPDY served as a precursor to HTTP/2.
Why the hype over HTTP/2?
Consider you have a few JavaScript files, it would take a connection for each of those files to load. As a result, the page speed increases. HTTP/2 uses a single connection to load all these files, thereby reducing page speed as illustrated in the image above. See the benefit?
Target Fewer Keywords
The key to better SEO isn’t to choose and have all keywords. It lies in proper keyword research and in a smart way. Effective keyword research and implementation is an essential skill for digital marketers. Targeting one keyword doesn’t help unless the search volume is high. Then again, high search volume means high competition to get your rank up above others on the SERP. Targeting a large number of keywords isn’t an option either. What is the magic number then?
According to SEOMark, five target keywords is a good start. In this way, the possibilities for rankings and increasing traffic is high. To choose your keywords wisely, Kissmetrics has come up with a model that will help you do that. The magic number though is variable as Rankbrain keeps changing its algorithm.
Center on User Experience
Thanks to Rankbrain and other such AI’s, interpreting what is the best to go up the ranks on SERPs has become smarter. Traditional keyword research does work, but UX (User Experience) has become an important factor to rank on search engines. As Rankbrain and machine learning advance, search engines will be focused on providing most relevant results, not only through content by UX as well. As a result, with websites focusing on UX, we will get better leverage in organic search performance.
Google is your Baseline
While trying to get your SEO done for your website, how you ever wondered what is the search engine that you should consider as your benchmark? Google. They are the baseline for your SEO efforts and will not change anytime soon. To score brownie points with Google’s search engine, you need to keep up with all of their SEO trends. Their biggest trend so far? Mobile-first content. Websites that are responsive or mobile-friendly take precedence in SERPs.
Only the Basics and nothing more
Google’s motto is to provide the user with the most relevant content for the search phrase entered. If understanding algorithms and technical aspects are not your cups of tea, then forget about it. Focus on what the users would want, rather consumer behavior. If you look close enough, users prefer websites with more images and less content. Refrain from adding too much text to your websites. Take these trends into consideration and watch the search engines do their trick.
Ethical SEO
Why ethical SEO? You get ranked better on search engines. Remember when you would try to buy off keywords and phrases just to get ranks? It doesn’t work anymore. With the advancement in Rankbrain and other AI’s, there’s no escaping. They are programmed to identify patterns and penalizes the ones that attempt to do so. Hence, moral or ethical SEO plays a big part in achieving good organic search performance.
Mobile First, Always
Mobile first or responsive web design is an approach to design a website for a smaller screen. The concept of mobile-first approach was initially set out in 2009. In November 2016, Google took this up as one of its trends. As a result, responsive websites got preference over others and ranked higher. Since then SEO strategies have shifted towards making websites mobile-first. Mobile UX and searches further are considered essential factors for search engine ranking.
Backlink Quality
The concept of backlinks is links that point to your site from other websites. Let’s take an example of this blog post. There are quite a few backlinks to other sites. Previously, search engines were all about the quantity of backlink to get good results on SERPs. However, the trends have changed. Google has quickly recognized the trend and modified the algorithm to identify a quality backlink against an unrecognizable one. Therefore, a website with backlinks from high-quality sources will be given importance on SERPs.
Intent-driven Keywords
SEO doesn’t work with keywords in random. The keywords that you select at the end of the day should be able to give clarity to your audience about what your business is in the real world. The content of the website would then reflect these keywords of intent. So, when users look for your brand, they get relevant information. Intent-driven keywords further play a significant role in paid search or campaigning. Imagine running an online campaign with keywords that don’t match the intent of the user’s search patterns. A campaign launched without understanding a consumer’s search pattern is equivalent to an unsuccessful one. Intent-driven SEO has its perks by driving in more traffic, generating leads and therefore more conversions.
Content is King Evermore
Content Marketing is not a brand new concept. It has been around for quite some time now in the digital marketing realm.
Why is content, king?
It has become one of the most significant factors contributing to SEO. Good quality, unique and up-to-date content impacts your search engine rankings. Let’s say an article of 300-500 words minimum, with relevant internal links and proper keywords will get your rank up organically. Once that works, your brand is exposed to more consumers looking for content in their field. Further, regular updates to the site will create a good profile online and increase the volume of backlink.
These tips are guaranteed to get you up the ranks on Google’s search engine results. With our help, you’ll get even more. Have a project in mind? Call us at 703-635-7115 or email us your query at corporate@emanatesolutions.com and we shall get back to you.