Do These 10 Things For Better SEO Rankings
You’re a business owner with a vision, not an SEO expert.
You probably got into this because you wanted to impact the world and make good money while doing it.
Maybe you spent a few years building someone else’s vision as an employee and then you had enough.
However you landed in the driver’s seat of your business, you’ve probably realized by now that there’s a whole world of online marketing that can make or break you.
One of the most buzzworthy topics in the digital marketing space? SEO or Search Engine Optimization.
It’s also one of the most mysterious and confusing aspects of cultivating an online presence.
When I first started my copywriting career, I would literally turn down work that involved SEO (hello, blogs and web pages) because I was so intimidated.
I realized after a while that I was leaving money on the table. But more importantly, I was limiting the way I could help and serve my clients.
So, I said yes to a client who needed four blogs a month. And we worked together for six months.
They say that the easiest way to get better at something is to practice. And in the work of writing these blogs (over and over again), I began to love the work.
It didn’t take long for SEO to become less mystical. And I actually started to enjoy the process.
Let’s break down what SEO is, how it works, why it’s important for your business, and how to do it.
Even if SEO feels like something you wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole right now, my goal is that by the end of this blog, you’ll feel a little more at ease.
Let’s get to it.
What Is SEO?
SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the practice of orienting your website to rank higher on a search engine results page (SERP) so that you receive more traffic.1
Your goal is to show up on the first page of search results for keywords that are relevant to your audience.
For example, I’m an ethical copywriter. So, with all of my SEO efforts, I’m aiming to show up on the first page of search results when someone types “ethical copywriter” into Google.
I'm also interested in showing up when someone types a related keyword.
Essentially, Google has to have a way to sort all the information on the internet. It then has to decide what’s relevant and trustworthy for the user. And it makes these decisions using SEO.
That’s it. Really.
Sure, implementation can feel overwhelming. But at its root, SEO is as basic as it gets.
Let’s look at how SEO works.
How SEO Works
So, you type a word or phrase into Google and it comes back with thousands of results.
What’s happening behind the scenes?
Whenever you (or any website owner) publish their website or a blog post, search engines crawl the page. It’s looking for a few things, which we’ll explore later, but it takes note of the information it finds. It uses that information to determine whether your website or blog is useful, relevant, and trustworthy.
Once it determines that, it’ll start recommending your content to people who search for it. The more often people choose your content to answer their questions, the more you’re recommended. This cycle is repeated over time and that’s what improves your ranking.
When you SEO optimize your content, you place keywords that your audience will find useful (and search for) in your content. With those keywords there, Google will recommend you when someone performs that search.
From a backend perspective, that’s all there is to it.
How about the front end?
How To SEO Optimize Your Content
Want a big spoiler alert when it comes to SEO? Well, I got you.
All SEO is just a best guess. There are best practices you should follow, which are coming your way next, but it really is just a guessing game.
Which keywords are going to resonate the most with your audience? Use your market research and try a few out.
What content does your audience need to see from you to trust your authority? Come up with a few ideas and test their responsiveness.
How can you get the coveted number-one spot? Trial, error, and time.
I know those answers can be disappointing. And they’re not what you’re likely to hear from other professionals.
But all marketing is about serving your audience. Connecting with them isn’t an exact science. It’s an art. And when it comes to art, sometimes you miss the mark. Other times, you end up with a Picasso.
Try not to get too discouraged.
So, what are those best practices I mentioned? Let’s take a look.
10 Pro Tips To Boost Your SEO
Following these 10 rules will help you rank higher, put out content your audience will find useful, and appease the Google gods. They are:
Ensure your content is over 1,200 words — If your web page or blog is under 1,000 words, Google won’t recommend it to anyone. But nowadays, you want it to be over 1,200 words. Google thinks that pages with more words are more helpful and will recommend them more often.
Make sure your keyword is in the first and last 100 words — Google pays special attention to the first and last 100 words when it’s deciding what your content is about. So, make sure your main keyword can be found there.
Use keyword decorating — Keyword decorating is when you use bold, italics, or underlining to highlight your keyword throughout your content. When decorating, it’s best to decorate the keyword in sentences that will help the reader get the point of the content even if they just want to skim it.
Avoid keyword stuffing — Google penalizes content that has an unnatural amount of keywords. You’re going for a keyword density of 2-3%. And you want your keyword to be used naturally.
Choose 1 main keyword and 3-5 long-tail keywords — Your one main keyword should be on topic and helpful to your audience. Your long-tails are best when they naturally include your main keyword. It’s great to use them in things like H2s and H3s throughout the text.
Consistently update your website — Google prefers websites that are constantly updated. It sees them as current and relevant. And it wants to recommend those most often. Since no one is going to update their web copy every month, regularly posting blogs is the best way to do this.
Don’t forget to optimize the backend — Using your keyword on the backend is crucial to good SEO performance. This includes your meta description, url slug, page title, and alt image description.
Always aim to be helpful — At the end of the day, all of your content should have the goal of helping your audience. Maybe you’re helping them solve a problem, reach a solution, or get more education.
Use the data — Learning how to read the backend analytics is important. This shows you what keywords you’re ranking for and what pieces of content your audience is regularly referring to. You can adjust your strategy based on the analytics.
Be patient — SEO is a long-game strategy. It can bring incredible amounts of organic traffic to your website (and brand). And it can help your brand build real relevance, authority, and trust in your industry. But it takes a while. Patience is key.
Following these guidelines will give your site a great SEO foundation. As your knowledge and business grow, you can add to that foundation.
As a business owner, though, you’re already wearing so many hats. How do you know when to turn over the reins for your brand’s SEO to a professional?
Should You Do SEO Yourself or Hire a Professional?
I’m all for a good DIY, especially if you’ve got limited financial resources. The reality is that it doesn’t make sense for some business owners to hire a professional.
If that’s the case for you, you’re more than capable of cultivating an online, SEO-optimized presence that can get you far.
Follow the best practices I shared with you above and be open to constantly learning.
But for a lot of business owners, SEO is something that makes the most sense to delegate.
The benefit here is dedicated, specialized support.
I’ve chosen to specialize in SEO, copywriting, and marketing strategy. This means that I have the skills and experience to get results. And I can do it in less time.
I like to say that we pay for things with our time or with our money. When you DIY your SEO, you’re paying with your time.
I’ve spent a lot of time learning the skills that allow me to proudly wear one hat for my clients: copywriter. This means that when you hire me, I bring expertise it’s taken me years to gain.
There’s no right or wrong choice here. It depends on what makes sense for your business, in its current season.
If you decide that hiring a seasoned SEO professional makes sense, I got you. I can save you time and energy while getting you the results you’re looking for.
To get started, follow this link. That’s where you can see what it’s like to work with me and book your free 30-minute strategy session.
Resources:
1 Hathaway, Patrick. “What is SEO?” Mailchimp, https://mailchimp.com/marketing-glossary/seo/. Accessed 11 January 2024.
