It would be extremely difficult to fit a complete guide to Search Engine Optimization into a single blog post, but there are a few main elements that are key to SEO success we can explore. The goal of this article is to explore the fundamental key points that make up SEO and provide tips on how to achieve success with them. Let’s dive right in!
SEO Fundamental #1 – Technical SEO
SEO Strategies typically include a few major milestones. The first is the technical side of things. Consider the technical part of SEO the foundation necessary before you begin to build. If a website is not properly set up for search engines and does not include the behind the scene elements that are crucial to becoming visible, there is no point in moving on to content strategies, backlinks, etc. You must start with a solid foundation first. The technical side of SEO includes things such as ensuring:
-Site redirects to preferred site version
-SSL Certificate properly installed
-Robots.txt exists
-XML & HTML Sitemaps have been created and are accessible and submitted to search engines
-Favicons
-Fixing broken links
-Analytics & search console are set up
-Conversion tracking in place
-etc.
SEO Fundamental #2 People Centric Content Strategy
Search Engine Optimization used to be something you could easily manipulate through code and keyword research and get desired results. This no longer holds true! Search engines quickly evolved and the core of their success is having an audience to search their platforms, thus, their focus is keeping that audience happy. This means your strategies should be focused on the same audience and meeting their needs.
Effective SEO requires a content strategy as you cannot rank if there is no content to rank. Your content must be properly optimized for search engines BUT the core focus should not be written to appease them as in the past. Focusing your content strategy instead on the end user and providing some thing of value to them is key to building an audience which will automatically boost your rankings. When coming up with content, think about what your target market truly wants to know and give it to them. Give them as much valuable information as you possibly can, even if it comes at a short term cost to your business. Doing so will build trust and loyalty which will prove beneficial down the road.
For example, if you are an ENT, producing lots of content that discusses self remedies and things to avoid an ENT’s office may seem counter productive but it shows that searcher that you actually care about having the issue resolved and not just charging them for their time. Positioning yourself as the helpful expert will put you in the top spot when they have exhausted all their at home options and decide it’s time to see a specialist. This type of content also leads to other perks that benefit SEO naturally such as reviews, content sharing over other platforms, and opportunities for lead capture opt in’s for more content.
Keeping the end user at the center of your strategy extends even beyond the content you produce. Keeping your website up to date and user friendly, focusing on keeping page speeds up to par with expectation, etc. are all contributing factors to where your website ranks in search engine results pages.
SEO Fundamental #3 Consistency
SEO is not a set and forget it model. Search engine algorithms change daily so staying on top of current best practices and adjusting your strategy as you go is crucial to success. This does not mean your strategy itself changes, but rather its fluid and adaptable yet consistent in effort. Be consistent in your content production, stay on top of website maintenance, keep keywords refreshed based off of leading data, research your competitors frequently and perform audits to see where you stand and what is needed to get where you desire to be. SEO is not one giant leap to the finish line, focus on doing the next right thing and you will find your momentum and build a solid foundation.
If you are at a brick wall in your SEO efforts, start with our free audit tool. We not only provide this as a valuable freebie to perform yourself but can perform the audit in full detail for you free of charge upon request. The first step in your strategy is having a realistic understanding of where you are and where you want to go. Contact Klout 9 for your free seo audit today!