SEO for your small business is not really something where you can just wing it or dabble in it. I mean, you can, but you won’t be able to get the results that you need to stay ahead of your competitors. As a content creator, I get the same argument from many of our small business owners: “I can write blogs myself.” My answer to that is yes, you absolutely can. But just because you can do something doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. And just because you can, that doesn’t mean you will. There are six main pillars to a successful SEO campaign. If you are going to manage your SEO on your own, you have to take into consideration these six “must-haves.”

Technical SEO

Your website can be as pretty as you can imagine, but it won’t make a difference if you can’t drive anyone to it. For SEO, you have to focus on the backend of the website, meaning you have to frequently watch that your overall HTML and architecture are in tune. What does that mean? It is important to pay attention to the following areas for SEO optimization:

HTML

  • Page Titles – Your title tags are extremely important to guide Google’s ranking. Make sure they contain the right keywords to lead an organic search to your site and also that they are formatted properly (primary keyword, secondary keyword, brand name).
  • Descriptions – Each of your web pages should have a unique meta description that encourages people to click on your site from the SERPs.
  • Headings – Your content should be formatted with headings that structure the flow of your text so that it breaks it down into more “digestible” information for the reader.

Architecture

  • Mobile-Friendliness – Your website should perform equally well on all types of mobile devices as it does on a desktop.
  • Crawl – How easily can search engines crawl the pages of your site?
  • URLs – Your URLSs should be correctly structured for search engines to read with ease.
  • Speed/Performance – Slow loading speeds will hurt your SEO rankings.
  • HTTPs – How secure is your site for visitors?

Content is the Key to a Successful SEO Campaign!

The phrase “content is king” might have been a thing pre-SEO, but it definitely applies here too. The best way to rank for top listings with SERPs is to have high-quality content on your site. Even if you have stellar writing and content, if it doesn’t match the user’s intent when searching organically for products and services you deliver, then you will not be able to create traction to get to the coveted number one position. 

Google’s algorithms are changing more quickly than most can keep up with; they need to maintain their relevance to stay ahead of other search engines. Google has always been the best at organizing and categorizing data so users can find what they want. 

If they don’t set parameters to ensure their users’ experience, they aren’t doing their job. If you don’t give them what they need, then you aren’t doing yours as an SEO specialist. It is critical to understand the top search inquiries you want to capture so you can create content to drive the right audience to your site and keep them there.

Backlinks

Link building is how the world wide web really forms its web. Backlinks are super critical for SEO optimization, but they are not easy to come by. Anyone can create an inbound or outbound link of their choice, but backlinks are links that another site has to provide to you. If you get a backlink from another website, it lends you credibility in the eyes of Google’s ranking algorithm. 

But that’s only if the backlink is from a reputable source. A backlink gives your site incredible authority and credibility because it has to be earned. When you do get a backlink from an authority voice in your field or industry, it reinforces that your business is credible and that you provide expertise in your field.

User Metrics 

One of the biggest impacts on users’ experience is how easy your website is to navigate once you get them there. If you don’t have what a user needs upon landing, they will bounce to another site, which is just as bad as not getting to your site in the first place. The best way to gauge your user metrics is to pay attention to your Google Analytics. 

When you log in to your Google Analytics, go to “Behavior > Site Content > All Pages.” From there, you can see the individual URLs and what Google calls the “exit percentage.” By looking at the page data, you can track the users’ experience. In doing so, you can find ways to improve the time they stay, repeat visits, and other metrics that impact your Google rankings.

Traffic 

Traffic is kind of a no-brainer. Google looks at how many people you can drive to your site and uses it as your popularity indicator. If your website is not getting much traffic, then by using PPC ads and other engagements like social media ads, you can increase the number of people landing on your site. Google sees an increase in traffic as a positive thing for your rankings.

Online Reputation

Lastly, if you want to increase your SEO rankings, it takes more than the other five pillars; it also takes having a good reputation. Most internet users will review your ratings and reviews before they reach out to contact you. Poor ratings can hurt you, but so can not have any ratings or reviews at all. It is important that you maintain a positive reputation online and that you work hard to build one. 

It’s great if you have a five-star review, but not so much if you only have one review. People not only look for the star rating; they want to see that you have many people reviewing you. And Google is a stickler for consistency, so keeping your information and your brand voice the same across all mediums and sites is essential.

Conclusion

As you can see, SEO isn’t just about writing blogs and stuffing your website with content. Yes, it is critical that you have authoritative content that adheres to Google’s EAT, but there are many other pieces that you can’t let fall by the wayside. If you aren’t tackling your SEO from all sides, it will topple over.

There is no one who is more knowledgeable about your brand and your company than you. Building a successful SEO campaign, however, is a full-time job and it is about more than just writing and posting content. If you are going to put the time into creating content and having a beautiful website, it could all be for nothing if you aren’t managing your SEO effectively. You already have a full-time job, so let your successful SEO campaign strategy and maintenance be ours. Contact us today to get started so that you can get seen and start increasing your customer base and revenue!