Search engine optimization (SEO) is the crux of digital marketing. It is the only way to achieve visibility for your brand in 2019. Optimizing your website for search engines takes a deep knowledge of what they seek and how they determine search engine results page (SERP) ranking. Rank algorithms, website design, keywords, content creation, and load speed are just some of the factors you need to consider to create a successful SEO strategy.
Build a strong and effective SEO campaign in 2019 with these tips
1. Update Your Website’s Design
Before you dive into the specifics of your content or marketing campaigns, make sure your website design is up to par. Search engines rank based on the look, layout, and capabilities of your website. If it’s been a few years since you redesigned your website, or if a performance audit shows serious issues, you need website optimization. A few updates to your website could enhance load speeds, image quality, navigation, and overall user experience. It could also optimize your site for mobile, which is important for modern SEO.
Audit your website using a tool such as Google PageSpeed Insights to see where you could be performing better. Google will give you a breakdown of which parts of your website are taking too long to load, as well as tips for how to improve. Audit your website regularly to make sure nothing is bogging down your SEO efforts. If you need to invest in total website redesign, do so. The investment will most likely give you great returns in the form of page views, user engagement, and conversions.
2. Keep Up With Algorithm Changes
The point of SEO is to align your marketing efforts with search engine algorithms to improve your spot on the SERP and enjoy optimal visibility to customers. You cannot conquer SEO without understanding the most up-to-date information about search engine rankings. Google uses RankBrain as its algorithm for ranking websites. It is an artificial intelligence algorithm that helps Google understand search queries and sort the results. RankBrain automatically changes the Google algorithm on its own, using data it collects.
RankBrain tweaks the Google algorithm about 500 to 600 times per year. Most of these updates are minor, but a few times a year the search engine tends to rollout a more significant change. The most recent major change happened in August 2018, when Google placed more emphasis on expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (EAT). Although Google keeps quiet about the nature of updates to its algorithms, SEO experts keep up with all the latest changes to try to identify what’s new. Tracking algorithm updates can help you adhere to what search engines want to see.
3. Prioritize EAT
Google EAT is a major component in modern SEO campaign strategies. It is no longer enough to include the correct keywords or post often to conquer SEO. In 2019, Google is rewarding reliable websites customers can trust. The most recent major update appears to penalize sites that give information without citing reputable sources – especially in the Your Money Your Life (YMYL) industry. YMYL websites should give the names and credentials of the person giving the information to show customers they can trust the information. Focus your SEO efforts on making your content reliable, accurate, and trustworthy in 2019 to stay visible.
4. Optimize for Your Customers
One thing Google makes clear is that it wants websites to cater to customers – not to search engines. Although knowing what search engines want is important, your main goal should be to provide a website your customers can use to fulfill their needs. Keeping your focus on your customers can naturally enable you to meet the required standards for search engine optimization. If you want to help customers achieve cleaner carpets, for example, you would organically use keywords relating to carpet cleaning in your copy to send your message.
Search engine algorithms center around how users find information. Business goals such as fulfilling customer needs and boosting engagement can help you conquer SEO without any fancy tricks or secrets. First, identify the audience you are trying to reach. Create specific marketing personas to understand what your customers need. Then, aim to fulfill these needs through your services, website, and content. If you create your website primarily for your customers, and for search engines second, you will already be a step ahead with SEO.
5. Think About Search Intent
Keywords are still integral to a successful SEO strategy. Aside from straightforward keyword research, however, smart marketers are focusing on the concepts behind the keywords, or the search intent. Search intent breaks down the ultimate goal behind a customer using a search engine. It looks at whether the user is trying to learn something, do something, go somewhere, etc. Learn not just the keywords for your industry, but strive to understand the deeper intent behind user searches. Then, optimize your marketing to fulfill the intent.
SEO for search intent takes putting a clear call to action (CTA) in your copy that helps users achieve their main goals for searching. You can optimize for search intent by making website navigation as clear as possible. Create landing pages for your products and services, and use keyword phrases in your title tags and HTML headers on these pages. Answer frequently asked questions about your product or industry. Provide useful information whenever you can. Tailoring your content for search intent can increase your page views and reduce bounce rates.
6. Publish Great Content
Content is the bread and butter of a great SEO campaign. Without content, search engines have nothing to crawl – and no basis on which to rank your website. Creating content for SEO takes keyword research and identifying your goals for the piece. Are you writing a new blog to establish yourself as an authority in your industry? Creating a new landing page to boost product visibility? Posting on social media to increase user engagement? Find out why you’re writing. Then, optimize your content for SEO.
Your brand’s content needs to be in keeping with the tone of the company. Establish a voice and stick with it throughout all types of content. Vary your content for the best SEO. Publish blogs, eBooks, white papers, and other types of content regularly. Cite information and statistics from authoritative and reliable sources. Make sure all content you post is free from grammatical errors and of the highest quality. Most of all make sure it’s readable and geared toward humans, not search engines.
7. Work With Experts
Search engine optimization is something you have to master if you want your brand to succeed in 2019. If you do not have the resources to dedicate to SEO in house, outsource to a team of experts who can help. Trusting digital marketing professionals with your website, content creation, local SEO, and other tasks can keep you at the top of your game. It can make sure you are putting the right content in front of the right people at the right time. You don’t have to expend significant energy on digital marketing to conquer SEO. Contact Master Web Creations to start your effective SEO strategy today.
Great SEO tips for professionals who want to update their knowledge. This post is very helpful to me and I got the know the things which I was not doing properly. Keep sharing such helpful posts.
Thanks for sharing all of your great experiences! it will be very helpful for us.
thanks for the lovely article about seo
Thanks for sharing these awesome tips. I am the big fan of quality content.