Few actions impact a website's performance like SEO best practices. Over time, they can help dramatically improve both web traffic and user experience. Sadly, SEO often feels more like an art than an exact science. Google ranks websites based on hundreds of factors, and it can be tough to know which ones are most important. However, SEO is a long game, and it’s critical to get started early to achieve the best results possible. Here are our top recommendations for SEO best practices.
1. Google Business Profile Updates
You probably know by now that Google is the most popular search engine. In fact, it accounts for over 90% of worldwide search volume, and most web traffic can be traced back to it. This is why the first item on our list of SEO best practices involves a Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business).
Simply put, a Google Business Profile (GBP) is like a business social media profile. Companies can create and claim one to display basic contact information like their address, phone number, and hours of operation. This profile can also track phone calls and feature photos, reviews, directions, and links to a website and major social media platforms.
Claiming a GBP is just the first step. For it to significantly affect your website’s SEO, you must update it regularly.
We recommend posting an update at least every week, ideally with a picture, detailed description, and link to a website or social media profile.
2. Local SEO
Local SEO is all about accessibility and covering your bases. Whether consumers choose to use a PC, smartphone, search engine, or mobile map application, a good local SEO strategy can help them find your company more easily. It will allow you to meet them where they already are, regardless of their unique browsing preferences.
An updated GBP is a great place to start. However, consider the fact that Apple devices are the most popular smartphones in the United States. This is why we also recommend creating an Apple Maps listing for your business. Doing this will ensure that local iPhone and iPad users can easily find your company on their Maps applications.
Other factors that may impact local SEO include mobile optimization, keyword research, and high-quality website updates.
3. Keyword Research
Any solid SEO strategy involves careful keyword research. Keywords are what webpages rank for when users search for answers on platforms like Google. Not all keywords are created equal, though, especially when it comes to businesses.
Keywords and keyphrases are the terms search engines consider most relevant to specific topics. They can be as simple as “movies” and “insurance” or as complex as “how to change an oil filter in a riding lawnmower.” Finding the right keywords for SEO takes some strategy and diligence. Try to put yourself in a potential customer’s shoes. What are they searching for, and what words do you want your company to be associated with online?
With a little time and effort, you can create a comprehensive list of keywords to include on your website. Distributing them across page titles, section headings, and within blog posts will signal to Google that your website contains the information its users seek.
4. Website Structure
Now things get a little more complicated. The best websites are easy to navigate, especially for first time users. Ideally, SEO goes hand-in-hand with website design and development. They’re two sides of the same coin, and it’s tough to change one without affecting the other.
Good company websites follow a straightforward structure. They feature a homepage, individual service pages, a contact page, and possibly an about page or gallery of completed projects. That way, an impactful, descriptive keyword or keyphrase can be associated with each page. Not only will this improve user experience, it also helps Google interpret a website’s content and how relevant it is to users’ searches.
Every company website also needs a blog page. That’s because regular content updates are one of the most important SEO best practices. We recommend publishing a minimum of one original blog post each month that features at least one popular keyword-based topic. This will signal to Google that your website is active, up to date, and valuable to users. Consider designing your blogs around pillar and cluster pages that closely relate to each other.
5. Mobile Optimization
Another one of the most important SEO best practices is mobile optimization. That’s why we recommend hiring a professional web developer to design your website with mobile devices in mind. The goal is to deliver a consistent user experience across a wide variety of devices.
Google recently implemented mobile-first indexing. This simply means that it looks at a website’s mobile version before its desktop alternative. Google likely made this shift because over 50% of global website traffic now comes from mobile devices, and many internet users prefer to browse on their smartphones.
When optimizing a website for mobile, consider page load times. Use small file formats like JPEG whenever possible. Also, refrain from excessive popups, widgets, and elements. Try to include most of the same content as your website’s desktop version, as long as it’s clearly organized into tabs, dropdowns, and accordion menus.
Ask Us about SEO Best Practices
If all of this sounds like too much to manage on your own, then don’t worry! We’re here to support all your company’s SEO needs. Feel free to browse our blog for more tips, and contact us today to learn about our SEO service.
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