SEO is an ever-changing, ever-growing topic that can make it difficult to keep up with. So if you’re finding yourself overwhelmed by your SEO endeavors, fear not! Small, practical changes can go a long way in helping you turn the ship.
So many people and companies feel overwhelmed when it comes to their SEO and online marketing. You definitely aren’t alone if you’re trying to find out where to even start. Our goal is to help you use your SEO strategies in a powerful way that will increase customer acquisition and sales.
Today, we’ll be sharing 3 simple strategies that make a big impact on your overall SEO success. We like to say that micro-changes can have macro results. So if you take all 3 of these steps to heart and apply them, it will make a difference.
Optimize for Speed
“Patience may be a virtue, but it’s no longer a reality…” -Maria Veltr
It’s a true statement. But, unfortunately, with the age of the internet and instant gratification comes less patience. It’s important that you consider this when working on your SEO. Page speed is a critical factor in your user experience.
According to a study conducted by Google in 2017, as page load time goes from 1 second to 3 seconds, the probability of a bounce increases by 32%. This means that you could be losing potential customers for every second it takes your website to load. If you’ve never tested to see how long your page speed is, head over to the free Google tool Google Page Speed.
Pages that load faster get priority on search engines. Because people expect faster load times, the lower your numbers can be, the higher your page can rank.
Forget Exact Keywords, Focus on Intent
Yes, you read that right. Exact keywords no longer matter as much as matching user intent does. Back in the day, search engines looked for exact keyword matches. So, if you wanted to rank for “Birmingham Bug Exterminator,” you would sneak that phrase onto your website every chance you got. Now, search engines are holding websites to a higher standard.
Search engines want you to think about the customer. What is it they really want? So instead of just putting bug exterminators, put in the types of bugs/critters you handle, special deals, how they can contact you, and other relevant information. This also gives customers more of an opportunity to find what they are looking for on your website.
Consistently Refresh Your Information
Search engines are also taking into account how accurate, timely, and relevant websites are. They place a huge priority on sites that stay up to date. This means it’s so important to refresh your content regularly. Doing so shows them that you offer reliable and current information, which will help you rank higher in searches
A bonus tip here is to let Google know when you’ve made changes. Google Search Console is the perfect tool to do so. All you have to do is request a crawl on that page so Google can spot those changes faster.
We hope these tips will help you take your SEO strategies to the next level. However, if you need more help or want to learn more, check out our SEO section on our website here.