SEO is an ever-changing field, and search engines like Google constantly update their algorithms. This means that what works today may not work tomorrow, so if you’re a small business tackling SEO on your own, you need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and changes.
There’s no gatekeeping here. These are three secrets the pros don’t want you to know.
Secret #1: You didn’t plan a good UX (User Experience)
While technical SEO factors such as keywords and backlinks are crucial, the user experience is equally important. Google prioritizes websites that provide your website visitors with a positive User Experience (UX). As you can probably guess, the user is the most important thing to consider when planning a website’s UX (User Experience).
The UX should be designed with the user in mind, considering their needs, expectations, and behaviors. To create a great UX, it’s important to understand your target audience, what they’re looking for, and how they interact with your website. You should consider factors such as the site’s navigation, ease of use, accessibility, page speed, visual design, and content organization.
It’s also important to ensure the website is optimized for various devices and platforms, including desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. This involves ensuring that the website is responsive and accessible on all devices and that the user experience is consistent across all platforms.
Secret #2: You’re Focusing on the Wrong Keywords
High-competition keywords for your industry may not be the best approach when just starting out. You might be making the mistake on focusing on the short-tail keywords. Consider building your SEO strategy toward long-tail keywords: Many people focus on short-tail keywords when optimizing their website for SEO, but long-tail keywords can be just as effective. These phrases are more specific and targeted, making ranking higher on search engine results pages (SERPs) easier.
Let’s break it down further:
- Short-tail keywords are usually one or two words and are broad in scope. They tend to be more competitive and have higher search volumes. For example, “shoes” or “marketing”.
- Long-tail keywords are more specific and usually contain three or more words. They tend to have lower search volumes but higher intent and conversion rates. For example, “blue running shoes for women” or “digital marketing agency in New York City”.
The main difference between the two is their level of specificity and the volume of searches they receive. Short-tail keywords are more general and therefore more difficult to rank for, while long-tail keywords are more specific and easier to target.
Secret #3: You’re focusing on Quantity over Quality
Quality content is crucial for SEO success. Google prioritizes websites with high-quality, relevant, and engaging content. It’s not just about the quantity of content, but also the quality, so it’s important to focus on creating informative and valuable content that resonates with your target audience.
Improve the Quality of your Content by:
- Ensure your content is informative, well-researched, and relevant to your target audience. Use reliable sources and include data, statistics, and other supporting evidence to support your claims.
- Use relevant keywords and phrases throughout your content to help search engines understand what your content is about. However, it’s important to optimize for user intent as well. Focus on creating content that addresses your audience’s needs and interests, rather than just stuffing keywords into your content.
- Proper formatting and structure can make a big difference in the quality of your content. Use headings and subheadings to break up your content and make it easier to read. Use bullet points and numbered lists to highlight important information. Make sure your content is visually appealing, with images and other media to break up long blocks of text.
