Search engine optimization, or SEO, isn’t rocket science — in fact, it’s quite simple when you break it down to its core components.
In this article, we will outline the top 10 best SEO practices you can implement on your website to improve SEO and get more people seeing your site from Google search results.
Create Great Content
Search engine optimization (SEO) is all about providing valuable, relevant content for your target audience. This means that you’ll need to spend time crafting unique, engaging text.
You don’t want your visitors coming back because of flashy buttons or eye-catching images; you want them coming back because they can’t get enough of your amazing content. Producing great content takes time and patience but it will pay off tenfold in search rankings.
Be sure you’re using keywords that people actually search for. An easy way to see which words are popular is to use Google’s AdWords Keyword Planner.
Make it Easy for Users to Share
If you want your content to go viral, it needs to be easy for people to share. At a minimum, your content should include clickable social sharing buttons in prominent places.
Create a like button that links directly to your Facebook page or a tweet button that links directly to your Twitter account.
Also include sharing buttons on your content in places where users are most likely to encounter them. If you share images, for example, include share buttons that are located right below or beside each image. This way, when people are browsing through your posts, they can easily tweet or post your images with just a few clicks.
Consider Mobile-Friendly Design
Responsive website design is an industry best practice and a Google ranking factor. For those of you who don’t know, responsive web design or RWD refers to using CSS media queries and fluid grids that adapt a web page’s layout for viewing on devices with different screen resolutions such as phones, tablets, and desktops.
The result is a single site that serves every visitor consistently regardless of which device they’re using.
Optimize Page Speed
The average internet user expects a website to load in 2 seconds or less. According to studies, users will abandon your website if it takes longer than 3 seconds.
Consider using minified codes, compressed images, and CDN for improving your website speed.
Another good tip is that you can host your website with a faster hosting service like Bluehost or Hostgator.
These hosting companies provide high-speed services at low prices. If you are not comfortable handling technical details then hire someone to take care of it for you.
If you’re using WordPress then use plugins like W3 Total Cache which can improve your site speed significantly. Other essential tips include reducing image size and optimizing code.
Keep Navigation Simple
People don’t need a navigation bar from Mars to get around your website. Be sure your links aren’t too long and make sense. Short, single-purpose links are best, along with a nice mix of anchor text (that is, text that actually describes what will happen when someone clicks).
Interactive Design and content
If you can engage your readers, they’ll be more likely to share your content with others. This means that social shares are also likely to increase. If done well, interactive content can help you build trust in your brand by encouraging users to participate in conversations. Look for ways in which people can interact with each other in addition to sharing your content on social media channels.
Encourage User Interaction
It’s a good idea to encourage interaction with your website by making it as easy as possible for visitors to share information on social media sites. This increases brand awareness and encourages repeat visits from new users.
For example, you could set up a forum where people can discuss topics relevant to your industry or product line.
Update Regularly
It’s not enough to simply get people visiting your website; you need them coming back on a regular basis. Make sure that your content is updated regularly and that you share fresh new insights into your industry. This will help convince visitors that they can’t get these answers anywhere else and entice them to come back again and again.
Backlinks from Third Party Sites
One of the best ways to improve your rankings is by improving your backlinks. That includes earning more backlinks from other websites, as well as finding opportunities for other sites to link back to you. If you have a healthy set of links coming into your site, Google will view that favorably and you’ll see an improvement in your rankings over time.
Here are some examples of links that can help improve your search engine rankings
Being Featured on Top 10′′ Lists
Sites like New York Times and Mashable often offer users lists of top places or things.
For example, Mashable recently listed Top 50 Places to Find Jobs Online – if you were featured on that list it would be a great way to earn more exposure and possibly boost your traffic flow.
Guest Posts
Sites like Huffington Post are always looking for people who are knowledgeable about certain topics. For example, if you run a restaurant they might be interested in publishing an article about recipes under one of their food columns.
Provide a Contact Address and Form
Make sure your website offers visitors an easy way to contact you. Include your address, phone number, and email in a very visible location on every page of your site. If you plan on doing business with international clients or customers, also include localized contact information (i.e., addresses) in addition to English-only addresses. Offer visitors a way to get in touch with you through an online form or email address, rather than forcing them to call or write.
Want to start your career in SEO, read this guide on How to become an SEO consultant.