SEO or search engine optimization is the practice of improving the visibility of a website. This effect is achieved through increased rates of organic or unpaid website traffic, in part because of higher quality content. Getting the most out of SEO can boost a website to the top of any search query.

Understanding how to top search engine results involves knowing how the process works behind the scenes. For instance, Google uses crawlers to gather information about content across the web and feds the results into an algorithm. The algorithm then matches the data back to a search query.

SEO can be a powerful tool for any small business. Well-executed SEO means higher quality and quantity of traffic as well as more organic results. Here are our seven essential tips to guide your small business through the world of SEO.

Optimize Information on Your Website

Your website is one of the most visible platforms for consumers to engage with your business. That is why all the information on and associated with the site should be strategically written. Something as simple as a domain name that accurately reflects your business type and location can make a world of difference.

Information optimization comes in many forms. This process includes adding specific keywords on page titles to identify your business’ products and services and making contact information easily accessible. Similarly, ensure your website copy mentions your business’ location as much as possible, mainly if you rely heavily on foot traffic for sales.

Encourage Users to Write Reviews

A majority of consumers use product reviews to decide whether or to buy a product. An impressive 68 percent of Americans are more likely to use a business if they read a positive review. Similarly, the Harvard Business School reports that a one-star increase in a company’s Yelp rating can lead to a 5 to 9 percent increase in revenue

Put simply, a wealth of persuasive user reviews can make or break your business. That’s why you should be advocating for reviews, whether it is in a company blog or on a coupon. Whatever strategy you use, make sure you make the testimonial writing process as convenient as possible.

Develop a Strong Social Media Presence

Proper use of social media can elevate a company to a whole new level. Social media is a perfect opportunity to keep an audience up to date with new products, services, and events. It is also a powerful tool to connect with fans and spread your brand message genuinely.

While the list of tips to develop a strong media presence is infinite, the most crucial aspect is to understand your brand voice. Being consistent with your company’s brand mission and identity will make it easier for people to connect with what you are saying. There are also countless excellent examples of branded social media presence, including Wendy’s, Ben and Jerry’s, and Nike.

Find Better Keywords

Before writing new copy, it is essential to know what search terms and phrases users are searching for that might lead them to your site. This insight can inform future decisions on what to write, whether on social media, commercials, or a blog. One of the easiest ways to find these terms is with Google AdWords.

The tool allows you to see how often specific keywords are searched and how it relates to your content. Similarly, you can see what things you should not write. This process, which is especially useful in pay-per-click campaigns, is known as using negative keywords.

Make Use of Hyperlinks

A hyperlink is a clickable link that leads from one webpage to another. These are most commonly seen with text but can be inserted into images or buttons too. Hyperlinks are valuable because they create backlinks.

When Google’s algorithm analyzes website content, it rewards backlinks explicitly. They can lend credibility to your website while increasing page views. They are also a way to add a lot of information to your site without taking up additional space.

Use Internal Links

While hyperlinks connect to webpages outside of your site, internal links say within the existing domain. Conveniently internal links make it easier for visitors to navigate your website and improve bounce rate and conversions. They simultaneously reflect the value and quality of a page.

Internal links are also useful to the Google algorithm PageRank. These links can distribute inbound traffic across your site, and the result is higher rankings for other pages on your website.

Create a Google My Business Listing

When people want to learn more about your company, they use Google My Business. The platform provides information, ratings, and reviews so potential customers can make an informed purchase. It also allows you to reach new customers that you might not have been able to otherwise.

Your listing should include important, accurate information, such as your:

• Business hours
• Website
• Service category

One of the most important features is the locating tool of Google My Business—it’s essential to ensure your address is correct. Customers will be able to see your service area and proximity to their location. Additionally, the platform gives small businesses the chance to advertise their products and services for free.

Utilize Negative Keywords

Figure out what keywords not to use is as important as determining the ones to use. Using negative keywords ensures your ads do not appear on irrelevant search queries. This method also allows you to boost the quality score and reduce the cost per click for each ad.

The best way to find negative keywords is to see what search terms lead to your ad. Here, you can target what are the most and less useful phrases or words when it comes to click-throughs. That way, when people use negative keywords in queries, your ads will not appear.

Digital Engage is a full-service digital marketing agency, get in touch today.

Organic searches are a cornerstone to any company’s online success. Search engine optimization (SEO) can boost the quantity and quality of organic visitors to a website while establishing trust between potential consumers and the brand. Effective SEO will also help a company rank higher in search engine queries, which boosts visibility.

Consider this. Search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing, report that the number one listed website sees about 42 percent of traffic from a single search. The second result gets 11 percent while the third gets 8 percent.

Obviously, it pays to be on top. Well-executed SEO can make a world of difference to a company’s digital presence and bottom line. If you want to boost your search engine rankings, here are eight essential SEO factors to know.

Write High-Quality Content

Undoubtedly, SEO is now essential for getting top rank on search engines. The content on each website page should be relevant and useful to users. For complete optimization, a site needs to have more high-quality content than its competitors. Typically, Google rewards relatively long SEO content backed with facts and statistics and should be unique.

There are several methods to improve the content on your website, but one of the easiest ways is to write a blog. Companies can demonstrate their experience and credibility to readers with informative and entertaining posts that will have visitors coming back time and again. According to research, companies who blog receive 97 percent more links to their website than non-blogging competitors.

Update Your Content Regularly

Fresh content is king. In today’s digital ecosystem, it is not good enough to create a stunning website and leave it. Search engines reward companies that continuously prove themselves to be relevant to visitors.

Generating new content is an opportunity to share upcoming events, product launches, or changes at your company. It is also a chance to optimize specific keywords you have not used in the past. The key is to set a schedule for what and when to publish new material and to make sure it appeals to readers, not just search engines.

Maximize Links

Links come in three types: inbound, hyperlinks, and internal links. Google uses these to discover new pages and figure out how to rank each page. There is a strong correlation between the number of domains linking to a page and the page’s search engine ranking.

Inbound links are tremendously valuable because they drive traffic from other sites to yours. The inbound link signals to Google that the content on your website is relevant to users. Additionally, hyperlinks help connect you with other companies, while internal links distribute incoming search traffic.

Boost Your Page Speed

Speed, or the lack thereof, kills. People expect things immediately these days, and website uploads are no exception. An impressive 47 percent of users will leave a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load.

Slow loading speeds lead to poor user experiences, which can negatively impact page rank. Slowness may be a result of one or many factors, including among others:

• Host issues
• Too many ads

You can get an idea of how fast your website is by using Google’s PageSpeed Tool or get in touch with our team for a website evaluation.

Web Design Matters

Don’t take the physical appearance of a website for granted. Well-designed websites should be easy to use and make pertinent information highly accessible to visitors. The more enjoyable a site is to use, the more likely people will revisit it in the future and recommend it to friends.

Make sure your content is readable, so your audience understands and makes use of the information you have to offer. When possible, condense information into bulleted lists or infographics that are more digestible than paragraphs of text. Website creators can also improve the design through the strategic use of bold type and colors, subheadings, and distinctive typography.

Upgrade Your Visuals

What users see in images can be as important as what they read. That’s why 55 percent of content marketers are focusing on creating more visual-oriented content. Sleek and eye-catching visuals can streamline information to readers while increasing the likelihood that they spend more time on your site.

Visuals can come in the form of images, infographics, or videos. More importantly, they distill essential information to the reader in a compelling manner.

Get the Most Out of Mobile

Roughly half of the Internet traffic comes from a mobile device. To account for this shift in the media landscape, Google has rolled out its first mobile-first index. The indexing will utilize a mobile-friendly test for the website to see how well they perform on smartphones.

The most important part of the user mobile experience has a website that is responsive and easy to navigate. Visitors should be able to have all the same content and information on their device displayed intuitively. This mobile design often incorporates larger fonts, compressed images, and autocorrect for forms.

Digital Engage is a digital marketing and web design company based in Tennessee. Our professional team has expertise in services like website design and development, Magento Web Design, Squarespace Design Services, BigCommerce and others. You should choose us because we provide professional consultation, value our clients, have a track record of success, and are always available to provide you with the most professional services. Call us today to learn more about our services.