How to set up your SEO in 5 simple steps
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is part art and part science
With some solid writing skills and a bit of technological know how you can get your set up and figure out how to keep improving it over time. Here are the 5 simple steps to set up your SEO and get you on your way to mastering your own business SEO.
Most SEO companies who harass you use black hat techniques. You know those annoying emails you get in your inbox? Those black hat wizards try to outsmart Google and get around the latest algorithm changes. We use white hat SEO techniques. This means we think about the business and develop content that is genuinely in line with the business's product and service offerings. Content and copy that is on brand and authentic will win every time. Because the truth will always come out!
Gain access to your website
If you can’t update your website, it’s time to change that. Today most website designers and managers are happy to work with clients to give you access and offer some training services. You need to be able to edit text on your website both to improve your SEO but also to make sure you can communicate clearly to your website visitors when changes occur and make improvements when you can. Fresh content makes search engines happy and you can’t work on SEO without access to your website.Figure out your focus SEO keywords
There are tools for this - you can search for free keyword research tools online and get some options. But honestly, I think if you’re a business owner with a few products or services, you’re going to have a good idea of what your potential clients will be typing into their search engine. We want to come up with two to start with. Think about your products and services that customers keep coming back for. Also, think about those that you wish to increase sales of - the ones that you know have potential and could do well if more people knew about them.Place your keywords of choice
To start, figure out which two pages fit most comfortably with your two selected keywords. Identify those pages and then go to those pages and think about what your visitor has just searched for. Then, go through the content and rewrite it thinking about what they want to know about. Just assume they don’t want to pick up the phone and talk to a human so keep on writing until all those major questions have been answered. Make sure those words are scattered naturally through your website copy. And in your website platform, make sure you’ve filled out all your SEO information intentionally to suit this key term. It needs to be in headings, subheadings, and in text. Also, ideally in your URL and your image descriptions. Now, if your website is on WordPress, you’ve got a great plugin option that will help you shape your content for your keyword. Yoast for SEO has been leading the pack for a long time and will give you a list of hints to show you how you can refine your copy to make sure it’s as digestible and search engine friendly as possible.If you’re local, make your location OBVIOUS
If you’re trying to attract customers who are in a specific location or city area, consider which place names are within your website. It’s important to be clear about this. If you’re in Yarraville, for example, you’ll want to note that you service Melbourne through your website so that search engines can understand easily who you offer your services to. It’s helpful to have a list of service areas up too if you’re in a mobile service. Also - for local make sure your Google Business Page is up to date, verified and has some great reviews!Add more relevant, rich content over time and do regular checks
Your website should not be static. The easiest way to start slipping down those search rankings is to let it sit there unchanged and gathering dust. Set aside time and make someone accountable for your website management and updates. Add content and detail that your customers and potential customers will benefit from. A blog is one thing you can create and add to that will enable you to continue to add content in a strategic manner. Think about topics that your audience is interested in and how you can develop content that will be of use to them. Write about something relevant that might give your customers some kind of insight or use. Or, give updates about how your company is changing and growing, how you carry out your service etc. Always assign a keyword to your blog articles and build on your website content every week. And finally, to check how you’re sitting in terms of competitors for your keywords open up a new incognito tab in your browser and type in those key search terms. Do this every couple of weeks and make sure you stay on top. Page 2 is not good enough. You should be aiming for top three for your local area with the right amount of time and dedication.
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Want more reading?
https://yoast.com/complete-guide-seo-copywriting/
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Who’s the author?
Gemma Saltmarsh is a Marketing Strategist based near Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. She works with clients on a budget Australia wide to help them ace their marketing efforts and propel their business forward.
What’s the business?
Salt Brands and Marketing offers marketing with spark on small business budgets to businesses Australia wide. They offer marketing coach and management services as well as websites, graphic design, content creation, copywriting and SEO and social media strategy and training. Mostly they just want small business owners to succeed.