Online searches represent the biggest opportunity for attracting new interest in your business. In fact, the of web traffic begins with a search query. Consequently, search engine optimization (SEO) has become critical to the success of both new and existing companies. But this is old news. To remain ahead of the competition (who are also steadily trying to optimize their own websites) and distinguish yourself in the increasingly crowded online space, it is vital to keep up-to-date with new SEO strategies.
Over the last few years, there has been a shift in how the Google search engine matches user queries to search results. They are persistently trying to grasp the connection between search intent and content. This changes the focus of SEO as there is an increasing need to emphasize quality content rather than only on links, though the links remain important.
Let’s take a closer look at some ways to optimize your pages for search engine rankings while keeping these new developments in the online landscape in mind.
Start With The Fundamentals
To master new SEO strategies you must first consider how they contrast with the old ways. It used to be commonplace to create pages for every conceivable variation of a keyword. The Google algorithm is now sophisticated enough to refer to the same intent behind a search. Make one solid page of content and you can now rank for all possible variations. This is also why pages that are longer seem to rank better; that is, the search engine recognizes that the page is more likely to completely answer the user’s query.
Links are still for ranking pages. This has not changed. However, it is important to point out that ranking is less important than traffic and topics are more important than keywords in this new environment. And again, the best way to increase your metrics for both is to create quality content.
5 Principles Of New SEO Strategies
1. Choose Your Audience And Focus On It
The first step to take in line with new SEO strategies is that you must define your target audience. Choosing a niche and focusing on the customers you want to have will help you narrow down both the keywords you want to focus on and the content you should create. Aim to make users happy and satisfy their search queries. Take user feedback from your particular audience into account when designing new content. You can do this by using Google Analytics, looking at page shares, searching through forums, and scrolling through visitor comments on your page. By listening to what real people are saying you will spend less time focusing on trying to please everyone and be able to narrow it down.
2. Research The Competition
You should save yourself some trouble and research your competition and the keywords they use. By visiting the pages of your competition, you can analyze which keywords they are using and which you are not. There are a number of tools available to help you do this in a methodical way. This approach should help you generate new ideas for your own pages and offer greater opportunities to rank for a variety of keywords. Create new content featuring these keywords and you should see an increase in traffic to your site.
3. Optimize The Content Of Your Pages
One of the most important aspects of these new SEO strategies is publishing quality content. You should always strive to position yourself as an authority in your niche with long-form content that provides real value to the reader. Google is increasingly looking to rank high ranking sites (sites that help answer user problems) sites higher. Most high-ranking pages are approximately 2000 words long, though. Use the keywords that you have gleaned from your research. This will attract customers to your site as they begin to see you as an authority on your specific niche. You should also aim to have a site architecture that flows and keeps visitors’ attention. Good content with a bad presentation will not increase traffic. Re-optimize your existing pages and make sure that indicators of user experience, such as time spent on your page, are positive.
4. Use Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer keyword phrases that are more specific to the actual product or content you are presenting. If selected correctly and intuitively (usually by doing some market research) they are often easier to rank highly for in search engines. These represent an excellent opportunity to focus on your niche and attract new interest.
5. Use Links Effectively
Finally, you should use links to increase your rankings and optimizing in this area is still important. Ensure that the links within your own pages are fixed and working. Include some image links. For some new ideas on how to increase links to your page, you should focus on high-quality links from other authority sites and blogs. One way to cultivate this is to write guest posts on other sites. Do not be afraid to email sites featuring links to your competitors’ pages or who talk about your products without linking to you. Ask them if they can link to your page as well. This will increase access to your site. And, do not give up too soon with link building as it takes time for Google to analyze new links and rank your site.
Take Your SEO Strategy To New Heights
With these straightforward steps, you will likely see positive results in your position in the rankings. Be patient, as it may take some time and your traffic may go up and down but you should see a steady increase over time. Measure the results of these new SEO strategies by using Google Analytics and keyword rank analysis tools. For guidance on how you can better implement these and other SEO strategies get in touch with our team today.
