Did you know that 91% of web content does not receive traffic from Google? (Source: ahrefs) While marketing techniques such as paid advertising campaigns, blogging, email marketing, and more can help raise awareness and establish authority, if not properly optimized, they create the risk of losing a large chunk of SEO traffic.
Numbers don’t lie! If you want to get to the top of the search results, then just having well-written and engaging content isn’t enough. You need to focus on creating content with SEO features and having keywords that attract the right kind of web traffic.
Tips For Creating A SEO Friendly Site
Search engine optimized sites are 13 times more likely to see positive ROI. Today, many companies understand the importance of SEO for their website but do not always have a good ranking on search engine results. Listed below are six essential tips on how to build an SEO-optimized site.
Identify Appropriate Keywords
Before you start writing, do simple keyword research on the topic you plan to write about. To overcome the unbridled competition in this industry, choose specific keywords and phrases your customers are looking for. 50% of searches consist of four or more words. Here are some tips for identifying keywords for your articles:
- Access the social network platforms your target audience frequents and discover the trends.
- Check out Google Trends to get an idea of which keywords are most popular at any given time. If searches for a specific keyword show deterioration, it would probably be best to avoid it.
- Follow your competitors for inspiration when you have a few keyword ideas. Tools like SEMrush allow you to see the keywords your competitors are proposing for.
As you try to optimize your blog with long-tail keywords that work, don’t let all the other or short-tail keywords get out of your sight. For consistent, long-term success, balancing both categories can help your business grow and rank on the first page of search results.
Incorporate Keywords Into Your Texts
Once you have the list of keywords required, it’s time to integrate them into your website or blog texts. Remember to keep your target audience in mind. You will need to brainstorm for topics that engage, educate and (perhaps) entertain your audience. When writing, ensure that the relevant keyword is well distributed throughout the post. It should ideally appear in these critical points:
- Title
- Headings
- URL, if possible
- In the alt-text for images (search engines don’t read photos)
- Meta descriptions
- In actual content
However, keep in mind that you are writing for people and not search engines. Create the article in a way that engages the reader and provides value. Avoid excessive keywords (also known as ‘keyword stuffing) in posts. Not only will this sacrifice the quality of the article, but it could also lead to temporarily or permanently penalizing or banning your website from search engine results pages.
Add Links To Relevant Websites
When you write, include links to external content in your article. The association offers blog readers additional reading material to broaden their knowledge and shows Google that you have conducted your research correctly. A blog post that can be described as well done contains complex data from influential websites. There is nothing better than a well-researched blog article based on truthful data. Compelling stats help bolster the blog with concrete arguments and build a persuasive post for readers.
Write Long, In-Depth Texts
Search engines prefer long, in-depth text. The longer your article is, the more likely it appears in the top search engine results. The only challenge here is the reader’s attention. Long texts can scare your readers and lead them to leave the page. One possible solution is to write “easy to digest” messages. Here are some tips:
- Tighten and shorten sentences
- Keep paragraphs to a maximum of 2-3 sentences
- Add images, videos
- Use bullets and meaningful subheadings that grab the user’s attention
Insert Links To Other Pages On Your Site Or Articles On Your Blog
Adding internal links to other valuable content on your site will help increase the length of the reader’s stay, reduce bounce rate and increase conversion potential. A good practice is to use natural language as a reference text. Use more descriptive keywords that give readers a sense of what they will find when clicking on the hyperlink. One of the ways to do this effectively is to use a domain name on a new extension. This way, the keywords in your anchor text will match the keywords in the web address, giving an added SEO boost to your content.
Optimize Images For Fast Loading
Large images require longer loading times. This results in a slowdown of the page. If the inserted photo is too large, the waiting time to view the page will be prolonged with a consequent increase in the bounce rate or loss of interest.
Also Read: Five Reasons To Use A Blog As An Internet Marketing Tool
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