How organic SEO can make your site more attractive to search engines
The smart way to ‘go organic’ doesn’t have to do with lunch — though that’s great, too — but rather with SEO, or search engine optimization. SEO is a process that works to increase traffic to your web site by improving your search engine rankings through unpaid and unsponsored methods. You can add a lot of value to your brand and your bottom line by implementing organic SEO measures into your web site. So, let’s get started!
While there are many factors that influence your company’s rank on a search engine results page, the most influential driving factor is content. To start things off, ask yourself these questions about what’s on your web site: Is it relevant to your target audience? Is it unique, meaning not copied from another web site? Is it current? Is it linked to a social media outlet? If you’re uncertain of your answers, or these questions are giving you a sad face, then read on:
Be relevant.
In order to reach your target market, you have to think like your target market. Think of the keywords and phrases they would type into a search engine field to find you. If those keywords are sprinkled throughout the content of your web site, you’re golden. If not, start now — but remember to avoid stuffing your site with too many keywords, as search engines penalize such actions.
- Use keywords in your URL, if possible.
- Use keywords in your headers and your sub-headers (as long as they’re HTML).
- Use keywords in your title tags.
- Use keywords in your meta tags.
- Use keywords in the alt tags.
- Use keywords in your links to other web sites you’ve listed as affiliates and / or resources.
Be unique.
Sure, the old adage says there’s nothing new under the sun — but when it comes to blatant copying and duplicating, search engines seriously frown upon that. Just like in school, plagiarizing results in undesired consequences. Only unlike in school, you won’t just get suspended from the classroom, you’ll get expelled to obscurity.
Be fresh.
In our digital age, content is a perishable item. Don’t let your content get stale, or worse, go bad. Constant updates and maintenance of your web site is critical. Do you have a news or announcements page that lists some event from 2009 as your most recent happening? Do you have a product that’s out of stock or discontinued but is still listed as new? Search engines reward sites with content that is updated often. Not only that, visitors to your web site want to see up-to-date, refreshing information or they consider your site, and even your brand, out of touch and irrelevant.
Be social.
It’s no coincidence that search engines are showing preference to web sites that incorporate social media. It’s partly due to the fact that the majority of internet users are showing a preference, and habit, for social media. Integrating social media links on your web site will drive users to your site — whether it’s professionals on LinkedIn, fans on Facebook, followers on Twitter, pinners on Pinterest, or one of the other hundreds of platforms. Adding a blog is another great way to add a social component, and fresh content, to your site. Your rank will go higher if more people are buzzing about your site on a social media platform or commenting on your latest blog post. So go ahead, let your brand’s social butterfly soar and see your search engine rankings, and sales, soar right along with it.
And most importantly, be patient.
Improving your search engine results takes time. Even if you’ve implemented all of these suggestions and more, you’re not going to go from landing on page 12 to page 1 overnight. Just like with your own health, getting in shape requires commitment, hard work, and patience.
