Being an SEO beginner can be daunting. There is an abundance of conflicting information out there that seems to change daily. True optimisation is only achieved through trial and error and it’s important to remember there is no exact formula out there that will get you results. That said, there are some basic rules you can follow that will allow you to build a solid foundation to start your SEO.
Tip 1: Focus on quality content
Quality content is important not just for ranking, but for user experience and conversion. It may not be the most important ranking factor, but quality content will help you in more ways than one. Poorly written, non-native content will only hinder you as Google’s algorithm gets better.
Tip 2: Not All Links Are Equal
Backlinks (another website linking to your website) is an important part of any SEO process. Many claim they are singlehandedly the most important factor in deciding your ranking. That said it’s very important to remember that not all links are equal. There are good links and then there are bad links. You need to ensure that only relevant sites link to your website. Irrelevant, spammy links can cause your rankings to nosedive.
Tip 3: Quality Over Quantity
Link velocity is becoming increasingly important. You need to make sure you are getting good quality, relevant links gradually. You shouldn’t build all your links at once and then forget about them, before coming back a year down the line to build another bunch of links. That is unnatural and Google knows it. A good quality site will have a consistent steady stream of links trickling in over time.
Tip 4: User Experience Is Key
User experience is important not just for SEO, but for retaining and converting site visitors. Google knows if a user clicks onto your website and then returns to the search 5 seconds later and as such will assume you are offering a poor user experience.. The more this happens, the more likely you are to end up in Google’s bad books!
Tip 5: Don’t Over-Optimise
Stuffing a keyword on the page a hundred times might have worked in 2008, but things are far more sophisticated today. Best practice is to write your content naturally, then scan back through to see if the target keywords are in there. If you write well, you should find that they naturally appear.
If you would like somebody else to work on your SEO, check out our SEO page more information, or get in touch with us on 02921 971 970 and we will be happy to help you.