With the speed with which the world of digital marketing changes, it can be hard to keep up. If you’re not already acquainted with search engine optimization (SEO), SEO refers to the techniques that improve your website’s rank on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Let’s forget the acronyms for a second. Imagine that a potential customer Googles keywords associated with your business. The best case scenario is that your website will be on the first page of the search results (or even better the very first result). That’s the power of SEO.
But how do you get there?
Whether you’re an SEO newbie or optimization aficionado, we’ve lifted seven tips from our marketing experts to help you revamp your web design and boost your traffic.
#1 Minimize Load Time
If you hate waiting for websites to load, you’re not alone. According to one analysis, each additional second of load time causes conversion rates to decrease by 4.42%. Another report found that even a one-second delay could decrease conversion rates by 7%.
A good rule of thumb is to keep load times at three seconds or less. To reduce your loading speed:
- Look for web hosts with faster servers
- Choose a mobile-friendly, lightweight site theme
- Embed videos from Youtube
- Reduce plugins
- Compress large files, including images
- Decrease the number of visible comments per page
#2 Prioritize User Experience
Loading speed is just one aspect of your overall user experience. Another is your web design. The easier it is for your potential customers to navigate your website, the more likely they are to stay and return later.
Users should be able to access the most important pages on your website within three clicks. Otherwise, your design may be too complex.
If you constantly struggle to optimize your web design, it might be time to consider website redesign services that can professionally address any shortcomings.
#3 Make It Mobile Friendly
Mobile-friendly design is a must in 2022. Would you stay on a website that you couldn’t easily use on your phone?
Your website should automatically adapt to different screen sizes so that the content is always easy to read. Additionally, any links and buttons should be clickable without your users having to repeatedly zoom into the page.
#4 Correct Your URLs
There are two different types of URLs:
- Static URLs
- Dynamic URLs
Dynamic URLs are auto-generated and changeable while static URLs stay the same. We prefer static URLs and search engines do too because you can include keywords. When you create a static URL, keep it short and separate words with hyphens. This will also help users remember your most important URLs for the future.
#5 Make the Most of Your Meta Descriptions
When you search for something online, the meta description is the short descriptive paragraph that informs you of the content of each web page. On the backend, you edit the meta description for each page directly in the HTML code or by using a tool like Yoast on WordPress.
Meta descriptions should be short—around 150 characters or else they’ll be cut off. They should also be informative to expand on the content of the web page’s title and also persuasive so that users have a reason to click on your page.
#6 Craft a Content Strategy
The content on your website includes everything from product descriptions to blog articles. When you create content, there are four considerations you must always return to:
- Length – For blog posts and articles, longer content performs better. A 2021 Hubspot study found the ideal length is 2,100-2,400 words.
- Quality – If users find low-quality content on your website, they’re not likely to stay or return. Make sure your content is well-researched, in-depth, and answers whatever questions are posed.
- Originality – A user might not be able to tell if the content on your website is original, but search engines can. Plagiarized content will seriously harm your website’s ranking.
- Specificity – Focusing on specific, relevant topics signals to search engines that you’re an authority in your subject area, making them more likely to rank your web pages higher.
#7 Lean into Links
A strong linking strategy is another powerful SEO tool. Consider the two primary types of links:
- Backlinking – When other sites link externally to you, search engines see your website as more reliable. To encourage backlinking, you should always strive to create the highest quality content.
- Internal linking – With internal linking, you link to other relevant blogs or pages within your website to maintain users’ attention.
Potential strategies to build your backlinks include:
- Listing your website in directories
- Engaging in online forums
- Collaborating with other businesses in your industry.
For any linking strategy, avoid overuse, as search engines can perceive that as spam. Also, ensure that the links are placed on relevant anchor text to improve your click-through rate. Finally, regularly check your links. Broken links can cause search engines to dismiss your site.
Leverage Your SEO Strategy with Semgeeks
There are countless SEO strategies available. Unfortunately, many websites lose traffic because they misunderstand the optimization process and assume professional services are unnecessary or too expensive. That’s where a white label digital marketing agency comes in.
Let us do the heavy lifting. Semgeeks can help you build and maintain an affordable custom SEO strategy so you can focus on what you do best. Let’s chat today.
Sources:
Hubspot. The Definition of SEO in 100 Words or Less [FAQs]. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-seo
Forbes. How To Improve Your SEO Campaign In 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2022/01/24/how-to-improve-your-seo-campaign-in-2022/?sh=474c5deb5d9b
Entrepreneur. 10 Essential SEO Strategies For Entrepreneurs to Increase Their Traffic. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/428615
Entrepreneur. 7 Simple Ways to Make Your Website Faster and More Responsive. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/402253
PCMag. 10 Easy But Powerful SEO Tips to Boost Traffic to Your Website. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/easy-but-powerful-seo-tips-to-boost-traffic-to-your-website
Forbes. Local SEO: 7 Tips To Boost Your Google Rankings. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2022/07/15/local-seo-7-tips-to-boost-your-google-rankings/?sh=79ec27c9a1ee
Hubspot. How Long Should Blog Posts Be in 2021? [New Data]. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-long-should-your-blog-posts-be-faq
