How a website ranks on Google is essential for its business. Good SEO practices make your site visible, increase traffic, and increase opportunities to convert visitors into customers. In addition to that, SEO affects brand awareness and establishes a website’s authority and trustworthiness.

It shouldn’t surprise that well-known brands occupy the top places in search results.

However, that is not set in stone. If you own a small business and want to promote your online presence, this guide is right for you. Find out how tweaking your website to accommodate Google’s algorithm requirements can get you noticed.

Rest assured that the SERPs can be turned in your favor by implementing the best strategies & learn SEO to bring your website the virtual attention it deserves.

1. Find the Right Keywords

Keywords are instrumental for SEO. However, the tides have turned regarding the ways keywords work nowadays. 

Whereas singular keywords used to be the way to go, you need to think outside the box in today's competitive online market. Not only that, but you have to work long and hard to remain on top of your keyword game.

Out with the Short-Tail Keywords

Single keywords are becoming a thing of the past. Not only do they have serious competition, but they are notoriously vague. 

That means that using the term “clothes” as a keyword for your online boutique will lead searchers to well-established brands such as Urban Outfitters or Kohls instead of your online shop. 

Also, when you type “clothes” on Google, the SERP will provide all sorts of results — clothes shops, clothes images, and “clothes” dictionary entry, among others. That is because short-tail keywords are unspecific. 

In with the Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords have an immediate impact on SERPs. Research suggests that 70% of online searches are made using long-tail keywords. Customers are more likely to find you on their results page if your keywords match what they are searching for.

Long-tail keywords are more successful in relating to search intent. Also, they are 2.5 times more efficient in conversion rates. For instance, “second-hand clothes” or “best clothes shops in Atlanta” clearly state what the searcher is looking for and is more likely to purchase. Therefore, the ambiguity of the above “clothes” example is eliminated.

Hone in on the Perfect Keywords

Now you know that implementing long-tail keywords is crucial for your business. But how do you know if you’ve chosen the right ones?

The answer is — research, research, research. 

First and foremost — brainstorm. Write down an extensive list of possible candidates. Put anything that comes to mind and ensure that everything revolves perfectly around what you offer.

Next, use Google to your advantage. Type all of the keywords you’ve come up with within the search engine and see where it brings you. This way, you will be able to gather information on your competition.

Another great idea is to use one of the available keyword research tools. They can help you develop viable keywords and give an overview of how high your chosen keywords rank on the result pages. 

Tools worth mentioning are:

• Keyword Explorer
• Google Keyword Planner
• Ubersuggest

After finishing your research, it’s time to narrow it down. The best tip is to avoid high-ranking keywords on which famous brands have a monopoly in the SERPs. You want to go for those that will help you stand out. So use some that rank slightly lower but not too low — that will hurt your visibility. 

For instance, instead of going for a general term like “divorce,” aim for more specific keywords like “separation,” “annulment,” or “divorce papers.” 

Keyword Visibility

Search engine algorithms inspect the frequency of your keywords on your website, in the title, and in your metadata. Thus, the keyword you want to rank for should appear in all those. However, never stuff your content with keywords. Remember to be moderate.

Also, make sure to include your main keyword in your URL, page title, headings and subheadings, meta description, and the opening paragraph. That will give a clear signal to the search engines about what your page is about. 

2. Quality Content Is Key

It’s needless to say that quality content has no substitute for influencing SERPs. No matter how much you concentrate on the technicalities of SEO, nothing tops excellent content. 

Content is what searchers are looking for. If you can write content that answers their queries, Google will recognize it. That will bring you points for providing a good user experience and enhancing your website’s usability.

In addition, quality content establishes authority, expertise, and relevance — all of which are highly regarded by search engines. If a user bookmarks your website on Chrome, it signals to Google that it is relevant, and your ranking increases.

Be on your content A-game by:

• regularly updating it
• meeting the audience’s expectations
• avoiding mistakes
• including valuable links
• using keywords

Also, research suggests that content should have around 2000–2500 words to provide enough detail and keep the reader engaged without being too time-consuming.

Suppose you’re too busy to create content. In that case, you can work with a reputable SEO agency such as Sentius Digital, which employs professional content writers with in-depth knowledge and skills in SEO.

Publish diverse web content to capture a broader audience base. For instance, videos appeal to younger generations. On the other hand, you might want to include voice-search compatible content to benefit seniors and disabled people.

Note that dwell time — the time that people spend on your webpage — is also important for ranking. Obviously, the longer a visitor stays on your page, the higher your user satisfaction rating. Unlike click-through rates and traffic, dwell time isn’t a publicly viewable metric you can measure using third-party tools. Only Google and other search engines can access a webpage’s dwell time.

3. The Relevance of Metadata

Think of metadata as a tool for making first impressions. Make sure it is appealing and straightforward. 

Your meta title should be natural, concise, and descriptive enough to provoke interest and accurately portray what you are offering. But bear in mind — although it should contain keywords, it has to be more than just a tedious series of them.

The meta description is, in essence, a window screen for your website. It catches people’s attention and makes it irresistible to click on the page. Make sure to include action words in your meta description. Words like “buy,” “download,” and “subscribe” prompt the reader to do what you want and are handy in increasing the number of conversions on your website.

In addition, pay attention to the length of the meta description. The optimal length is 160 characters, particularly if you are just starting out. However, for high-ranking websites, anything up to 320 characters is acceptable. 

Check the following tips to create relevant metadata:

• Don’t Overlook Metadata: While meta descriptions don’t factor in the algorithm used by search engines, they’re considered nice to have when preparing for a website launch. Writing meta descriptions pays off exponentially by boosting your website’s search engine presence.   
• Make Meta Descriptions Compelling: Make your metadata concise and informative. Avoid spam meta descriptions, like repeating the keyword phrase many times.
• Use Important Keywords: Incorporate target keywords in the title and description of your web page’s metadata, like your location. 
• Create Unique Descriptions: Don’t copy and paste the same meta description for your web pages. Write a completely unique meta description based on the page content by creating a formula to crafting unique descriptions systematically.

4. Focus on Link Building

Both external and internal links have a massive impact on how your website ranks in the SERPs. Not only do links improve your rating, but they also do that for the page you linked to.

Make the most of outbound links to authority sites to boost your rankings. They give the reader relevance, interest, and in-depth knowledge, guaranteeing a positive user experience.

Furthermore, setting a Google Alert can get notifications about when your site is mentioned elsewhere. And in case it is mentioned, but no link is provided, you can contact the owner and ask them to include one.

Backlinks have a significant influence on Google ranking. Incoming links to your website increase traffic and up your search ranking.

Try Not to Get Trapped

As useful as links are, there are particular things to beware of:

1. You should not risk your search engine ranking by purchasing links. Google has made it abundantly clear that being part of a link scheme is considered a violation and will negatively affect your website’s ranking.
2. Having too many spammy backlinks has the potential to hurt your ranking. You do want lots of referral traffic but beware if most of it comes from spammy blog comments, sites with illegal content, so-called “link farms,” or any other trashy website. In that case, the Google Penguin algorithm will take action against you and lower your ranking. You should learn how to find bad backlinks and how to avoid them.
3. Stay on top of broken links — they are detrimental to user satisfaction and SEO ranking. The appearance of a “404 Page Not Found” error leaves the impression of an outdated, neglected site. There are tools to check that — Screaming Frog SEO Spider, Google Webmaster Tool, and W3C Link Checker, among others.

5. Improve Page Load Speed

How fast your page loads also plays a role in the ranking algorithms.

Users will most likely leave your website if they wait too long for a page to load. It is estimated that anything more than three seconds is below par. It would hurt your dwell time, decrease your return visits rate, and reduce the number of clicks, which will diminish your SEO ranking.

To prevent that, you should carefully choose your hosting provider. Although opting for a  free hosting provider may at first seem like a smart decision, this choice will usually take a toll on the load speed of your website. On the other hand, paying for hosting could bring long-term benefits. For instance, offshore hosting providers like AbeloHost offer exceptional load speeds. 

Don’t forget to do proper research before choosing a hosting provider. It’s vital that you search for available options yourself since you are the only one who can make the right decision for your website. 

Also, don’t forget to optimize image sizes, lower the number of plug-ins, and minimize redirects on your website.

6. Have a Sound Page Architecture

Having an easy-to-navigate website layout goes into play for SERPs. Google keeps track of user engagement — how efficiently they find what they need, how quickly they click away, whether they go to multiple pages, whether they make repeat visits, etc.

Your page must be user-friendly. That means including a well-designed “Contact us” page and a comprehensive FAQ page. The former breeds website visitors' trustworthiness and can lead to business opportunities. The latter shouldn’t be overlooked either, as people usually search for answers to their queries.

What better place for them than an FAQ page? Essentially, both approaches will bring more traffic and longer dwell time to your website, which is relevant to Google. 

Adding a sitemap on your website also pays off to create sensible page architecture. A sitemap is like a digital glossary for your website. It directs your audience to the right page they want to be on. By incorporating an easy-to-use site map, you make a good impression on your site architecture. 

7. Make the Most of Multimedia

Including multimedia on your website is bound to nail it in the algorithms measuring the quality of a website’s content. Not only that but it has also been shown to increase conversion rates.

Images, graphics, audio, slideshows, and especially videos are visually appealing, engaging, and stimulating. They are more likely to inspire visitors to remember your website and take the action you want them to take.

However, remember that these files may affect your page loading speed. Before uploading any multimedia, you can optimize your files using file compression and the optimizer tool.

8. Expand to Social Media

Are you aware that Facebook shares, Tweets, Pinterest pins, and other social media data influence SEO rankings?

If not, make sure to jump on the bandwagon. Install social media sharing buttons on your website. That will help people share your content, which positively affects user experience. In turn, it will help you rank higher on Google.

Social networks are the modern way of word-of-mouth advertising. They raise awareness of your brand by getting people to talk about you and share your page. 

They also affect purchasing behavior — people tend to buy directly through these channels or by being influenced by social media posts.

Here are some social share button plug-ins you can try:

• SumoMe
• Shareaholic
• WP Social Sharing

9. Optimize for Mobile Devices

For some time now, Google has prioritized websites optimized for mobile devices by ranking them higher. Since Google uses the mobile-first index, your website must be mobile-friendly. That is not surprising, as most web searches are done on mobile devices. 

When making a mobile-friendly website, keep the visitors' goals in mind. They should be able to browse through the content effortlessly, and loading time is the main factor to consider. Moreover, the site layout should enable them to find the products and services they need easily.

10. Mind Your Readability

Readability improves user experience and satisfaction. So it is imperative to ensure your online audience can navigate your content easily. 

Formatting your page properly allows visitors to skim it quickly and find what they need instantly. You should use headings, bookmarks, bullet points, and short paragraphs to make the most of your content.

A full-blown wall of text is intimidating and discourages the user from browsing your site further. You can use tools to test your content’s readability, including:

• Readability-Score.com
• The Readability Test Tool
• Readability statistics in MS Word
• Yoast

Bottom Line

To summarize, SEO is a proven strategy that helps you rank your website in the SERPs. In turn, that brings you exposure and promotes your business.

But bear in mind that certain websites demand different SEO strategies. For example, if you own an adult website, it's considerably harder to rank in Google than non-adult businesses. In that case, you’ll need to rely on adult website SEO. 

Hopefully, the tips we shared in this article will help you master SEO and improve your website’s ranking. While you will not see the results instantaneously, rest assured that a positive outcome is indeed guaranteed.