Back to basics: SEO
Are you over complicating your SEO strategy without nailing the basics? We look at some of the foundations of SEO that some people overlook.
We’re always being told that “SEO is ever changing” and whilst it’s true in some regards (Google updates as one example) the basics always remain.
Many feel overwhelmed with the concept of SEO, and feel like they’re struggling to keep up with the “ever changing SEO landscape.” So why not take it back to basics?
The basic principles of SEO
Methodology and technology can evolve and get better over time, but when it comes to SEO, the basic principles always remain the same. If you’re not doing these and checking them off your SEO list there’s no point even trying to do anything else.
Crawlability
Can Google, or any search engine, find and read the content on your website? When a website has now crawlability issues, then web crawlers can access all its content easily by following links between pages. However, broken links or dead ends might result in crawlability issues which can negatively impact your SEO strategy.
Site structure
Have you structured your website in a way that allows the search engine to organise and prioritise your content to get a real idea of what your website is about? If you structure your website well Google can index your URLs better. You should use taxonomies, like categories and tags, but also internal links, your navigation and breadcrumbs to structure your site. Additionally, actual users will benefit from this. A well structured website is easier to navigate and it’s much more straightforward for a customer to complete an action this way.
Keywords
What is your content about? Have you included relevant keywords in a natural and unforced manner that lets the search engines know what your website and its various pages are about?
To create content that ranks well organically and drives visitors to your site, you need to understand the needs of those visitors and that involves understanding what they’re searching for online and how it links to your business. Every industry and business is different and so your approach should be bespoke but usually it’s best to include long tail keywords and make sure your H1 tags are keywords.
Long tail keywords help to drive the right kind of traffic to your website and can help reduce your bounce rate. This is because they have more clearly defined intent.
For example, if someone is searching using the term “cat” it’s hard to understand their intent. They could just be after cute pictures of cats, they could be looking for breeders, places to adopt a cat from, health information, cat toys or anything to do with cats. Basically it’s a very vague search.
However, if someone searches “best cat food for Ragdolls” you’ve got a clear intent. Plus, long-tail keywords usually have less competition!
Backlinks
How does the search engine know that your content provides trustworthy information about this topic? Backlinks are important for your SEO strategy as they show search engines that other resources find your content valuable enough to link to it within their own content. Getting backlinks can be difficult but the more you have, the better your website, or particular pages within it, will rank.
Looking for help with your SEO? We’re a digital marketing agency in Manchester with an outstanding in-house SEO team. We work with a range of clients across various industries helping them drive valuable traffic to their website. For help with your SEO strategy, get in touch today.
