Are you looking to improve your website's visibility on search engines? You've come to the right place! SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), is crucial for driving organic traffic to your site. This guide will walk you through the essentials of SEO, from keyword research to implementation and tracking your progress. Let’s dive in!
Step 1: SEO keyword research
Why keywords matter
Keywords are the phrases people type into search engines when looking for information. By targeting the right keywords, you can attract visitors who are interested in what you offer.
How to find the best keywords
Brainstorm: Start by making a list of words and phrases related to your business. Put yourself in your customers shoes and think about what those potential customers might search for, in which your product or service is the solution. For example, for a website design agency, potential customers aren't searching for 'website design agency'. They're likely supporting for terms more like 'Wix website designer for small businesses.
Use tools: Several tools can help you find relevant keywords:
Google Keyword Planner: This tool helps you find keywords related to your business and see how often they’re searched.
Ubersuggest: Offers keyword suggestions and competition data.
Ahrefs: Provides detailed keyword analysis and competitor insights.
Chrome extensions: Chrome extensions like Keywords Everywhere and Keyword Surfer can help you find keyword data directly in your browser. I personally recommend the extension Keyword Surfer as the free version of this tool is sufficient for if you're just starting off.
Analyse your competitors: Look at the keywords your competitors are ranking for. Paid tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush can help with this, but if you're new to the SEO world and looking for cheaper alternatives, manually scanning your competitors websites (ideally the ones who are ranking highly) will often give you a good idea of the sort of terms they're using. Check things like page titles, descriptions and category names.
Keyword surfer results for 'improving website SEO'
Selecting the right keywords
There's endless variations of keywords you could select, but we would recommend picking out your top 5 keywords to focus on. This helps to keep it manageable, and stops you becoming victim to 'keyword stuffing' where you just add endless keywords to every page. To narrow it down, focus on keywords that have:
High search volume: Many people are searching for them (extensions like Keyword Surfer will tell you the volume of searches each term is getting)
Low competition: This makes it easier to rank for. For example, if you're selling printed t-shirts, the term 'printed t-shirts' will have a lot of competition, especially amongst big companies who can pay for the top spots. But a more specific term like 'Netball themed printed t-shirts' will have much less competition.
Relevance: Directly related to your business. Again, a generic term like 'printed t-shirts' (if you were to rank highly) will bring in anyone searching for that. The variety of what design they may want to be printed could vary massively, and unless you have a broad remit you likely won't cover a lot of their needs, resulting in a lower conversion rate. 'Netball themed printed t-shirts' however is much more relevant to a website selling netball themed clothing and gifts, and will be targeted towards visitors specifically looking for those products.
Step 2: Implementing SEO keywords on your website
On-Page SEO
Implementing keywords effectively on your website can significantly improve your rankings. Here’s how:
Page Titles: Include your main keyword in the title of each page. Make it catchy and relevant.
Headings: Use headings (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content. Include keywords naturally in your headings. Your H1 title should be what best describes your page- usually your page title at the very top.
Content: Write high-quality, informative content. Use your keywords naturally throughout the text but avoid 'keyword stuffing' (overusing keywords).
URLs: Include keywords in your page URLs. Keep them short and descriptive.
Metadata
Metadata is information about your web page that helps search engines understand your content. This includes:
Meta titles: The title that appears in search engine results. Make sure it’s compelling and includes your main keyword.
Meta descriptions: A brief summary of your page. Although it doesn't directly impact rankings, it can influence click-through rates, as potential visitors will see a preview of your description under the page link on Google. Include your keyword and make it enticing.
Including meta titles and meta descriptions will help search engines to rank your content correctly. Note however that the 'bots' which support with this ranking do scan your actual page information too. This means if you put keywords in your metadata that doesn't accurately reflect what is included in your page, they will know and this will not help you to rank for that term.
Preview of Elevating Ecoms Service page metadata (set up in Wix)
Benefits of on-page vs. metadata keywords
On-page: Helps search engines understand the context of your content. Improves the user experience by making your content clear and relevant.
Metadata: Enhances how your pages appear in search results, potentially increasing click-through rates.
Both help with SEO rankings, and whilst there's some differing opinions about what helps most, if you're serious about your SEO then it's best practice to include your keywords both on-page and in your page metadata.
Step 3: Tracking your SEO improvements
Why tracking matters
To know if your efforts are paying off, you need to track your progress. This helps you see what’s working and what needs improvement.
Tools you could use
Google Analytics: Tracks your website traffic, showing you how visitors find your site and what they do once they’re there.
Google Search Console: Provides insights into how your site performs in search results. You can see which keywords are driving traffic and identify any issues.
Ahrefs: Offers comprehensive SEO tracking, including keyword rankings, backlinks, and competitor analysis.
Wix SEO Wiz/ Squarespace SEO tool: Both Wix and Squarespace come with built-in tools that provides personalised SEO recommendations for your site. These are useful and are an easy and quick way to improve your SEO by implementing their advice.
Key metrics to monitor
Organic traffic: The number of visitors coming to your site from search engines.
Bounce rate: The percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page.
Keyword rankings: How your site ranks for your target keywords.
Backlinks: Links from other websites to your site, which can improve your authority and rankings.
Conversion rates: How many visitors complete a desired action, like making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
Putting it all together: Your strategy to improve your websites SEO
Forming your strategy
Set clear goals: What do you want to achieve with your SEO? More traffic, higher rankings, increased sales? Make sure you record the current performance of all these metrics so you can measure improvements.
Research and select keywords: Use the tools and techniques mentioned to find the best keywords. Try to limit your selection to the 5 keywords most relevant to your business, that are optimal for you to target, so you don't go too overboard.
Optimise your site: Implement your keywords in page titles, headings, content, URLs, and metadata.
Create high-quality content: Regularly publish content that’s valuable to your audience and optimised for your keywords. Blog posts are a great way to implement your keywords and show both potential customers and search engines that you're an expert in your field.
Monitor and adjust: Use tracking tools to monitor your progress and adjust your strategy as needed. Remember that SEO changes don't make a difference overnight, so you will need to leave it at least a week or two before you should expect to see any changes and avoid changing your strategy every week.
So what next?
Improving SEO on your website might seem daunting, but by following these steps, you can make significant strides in boosting your site’s visibility. Start with thorough keyword research, implement those keywords effectively, and continuously track your progress. Remember, SEO is an ongoing process, but with persistence, your efforts will pay off. And if you want help with anything, contact us and we can help set-up your website for SEO success. Happy optimising!