Many SEO experts claim to know the secrets to improving your website rankings in the search engines. The truth is, SEO is very complex. It takes a consistent effort, team coordination and a true understanding of your target audience. Search engine optimization also takes patience and a solid understanding of analytics to monitor the progress and the effect of any changes made. However, there are several things which will always create a solid foundation and one best kept secret that will be key for your SEO strategy,
1. Provide the best possible answer to a search query
The trick to ranking is knowing and understanding what you audience is searching for. What are their pain points, what problem are they having, and what solution are you providing to help them solve it. Remember people are searching for an answer to a specific question or problem. If you provide the best possible answer and solution for that problem which is original, high quality, and shows trust and expertise, you will rank with the right audience and drive qualified traffic to your website.
2. Choose Quality Over Quantity
Many times SEO specialists will recommend a certain amount of blog posts per month. It is not how many posts you have, but the quality of them. Each post should provide original and quality content that is useful for the user. You want to provide the best possible answer and one that is most useful for your audience. If there are posts and pages which are not providing value and getting traffic, consider updating or archiving them to avoid dragging your ranking down. Complete a content audit and determine which posts are providing the most value, and which topics you have content around. You might be surprised how much you have written around a specific subject and see gaps in others. Group blog posts into topic clusters and link them together. It will show expertise around a specific subject area and give your rankings a boost.
3. Write For People Not The Search Engines
Each of your pages and posts should have a purpose. What do you want users to take away from them, what action do you want them to take, and how are you measuring success. If you are simply writing for keywords and phrases, the content will not seem natural and make sense. Your users will bounce and you will become frustrated with the results. Keep your content in manageable sections with headers. Use bullet points and short sentences that are easy to read and digest.
4. Have an overall theme
Your website should have an overall theme and consistent voice. What is the general topic? What is the customer journey, what information is most beneficial to help users through the funnel? Provide helpful information and key indicators to move them through to the desired action you are hoping for. Tell your story and don’t try to sell them right from the beginning.
Final Word On The Secret of SEO
Overall, search engine optimization is not rocket science. Put yourself in the mindset of the user. Who are they? What would they be searching for to find your site? What questions might they have? What problem are you helping them solve? If you take this approach, you will provide the best answer to what your target audience is searching for in the search engines. In addition to providing the best content and result that is most helpful to the user. As a result increasing your rankings, and driving qualified traffic to your site that is ready to convert.
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Sal Graci has over 20 years experience helping companies grow their business through SEO. He has worked for agencies, had his own agency and continues to act as a SEO consultant for many businesses in the Delaware County, PA area. He also has published many articles on search engine optimization and is considered an expert in the field.