Otto Marx, a renowned psychoanalyst who worked side by side with Sigmund Freud once said: "Never before has there been such an overabundance of truth".
When it comes to how to do SEO, the same is true.
There has never been so much information about how to do it correctly.
The problem is that much of this information can be complex with jargon like "canonicalization" and "latent semantic indexing", or seem to require a degree in computer programming to be able to use the advice given.
In this article, I will cut through all the confusing information that is out there and show you seven things you can do now to do SEO in a much easier way.
You will benefit, because the business brand gets more traffic so you can bring in more leads, prospects and ultimately customers for your online business. Let's begin.
1. Post Content Worth Reading
Over the years, thousands of people have tried to "hack the system" by publishing spun content and posting it on spammy websites to try and get the coveted number one spot on the search engines. The problem for these people is that Google are too smart for this!
Google's algorithm is very complex, but there's a simple piece of advice that allows you to become a friend with Google. That is, to write something worth reading. Content is good, but quality content is ten times better.
The better your content, the more shares and links it will accrue, leading to a higher place on Google, Yahoo and Bing. Your SEO projects will become successful when you keep high-quality content in mind. (Note: You'll still need to get all the technical things right. Check with your webmaster.)
Struggle with writing? Here's a resource on how to write great articles with ease.
2. Post Content Worth Reading Frequently
Posting high-quality content is wonderful, but posting high-quality content frequently is even better. The most important thing here is to choose a publishing frequency (whether it be one, two or three times per week) and then sticking to the schedule religiously.
Struggle with posting consistently? Here's how to unblock your creative mind so you take constant action and won't fall off your posting schedule. (Denise Wakeman on Social Media Examiner)
3. Research Is King
The internet is over saturated. With so many market specific websites out there also competing for the number one spot on Google in your niche, you may doubt it's possible for you to rank on page one.
Doing diligent research is how you will gain an advantage. When you do research on a tool like the (free) Google KW Planner, you will find many long-tail keywords (3-5 words or more). For example, "Health and Wellness Center Los Angeles" is a long tail, geo-based keyword) which can have less competition. This focused time spent on research can be worth thousands of new visitors each month -- all from a few minutes of research.
Here is a video on how to do keyword research with Google keyword planner.
4. Optimize Your Meta-data
Most people drop the ball at 90 percent done with their content. This is costly since that final 10 percent can be the biggest gains in your total effort.
One example of this final 10 percent is optimizing the meta-data. Many people think "This post is excellent. I'm done now". The sloth of your competition is your opportunity. By doing a little extra work and optimizing your meta-data, you give the search engines vital information that they can use to rank you higher for your desired keywords.
If you're unsure about meta-data and how to optimize it, this article from Hubspot will answer your questions.
5. Write Headlines For Both Readers AND Search Engines
80 percent of people will read your headline, and not read the rest of your article. If your headline is bad (and if you write your headline just for Google then it WILL be bad) no one will read the rest of your content. If no one ever reads what you write, that means fewer clicks, shares and links that you will generate. Write your headlines for readers.
To learn more about how to write high-quality headlines, this post will get you started.
6. Focus On High-Quality Links.
Search engines pay close attention to how often your content is linked to from other websites because that is a sign that you are popular. However, when building links focus not on QUANTITY of links, but on the quality of your links. One link from a popular website can be worth 50 low-quality links from small or spammy websites.
Backlinking can be confusing, so here's an article from Brian Dean, the king of backlinking to give you everything you need to know. (Via Pat Flynn, Smart Passive Income)
7. Be Social
Search engines understand that social media is where the attention of the public is at the moment. Get active on social media by choosing one to three platforms best suited for your business and market. Begin to grow your following there and search engines will follow.
Here are some hints from Neil Patel to make you more productive and get better results with social media.
Want to learn more SEO? View this video on Optimizing Pages For Search and further your SEO Training