Foolproof Ways to Improve Your Business Website’s SEO

No matter what anyone tells you, SEO is not going anywhere. While the various Google updates like the ancient (in EO terms) Penguin update that was used to combat spam to the more recent so-called “helpful content update,” which was designed to [insert reason if one is available!], have invariably changed the landscape, the fundamentals remain the same. This post will cover some of the tried and tested techniques used by all successful webmasters that have been proven to move the needle.

As we alluded to in the introduction, Google has a bit of a shifting sands methodology when it comes to SEO. While this can be an utterly frustrating experience to deal with, you have to move with the times. As this Austin, TX SEO Consultant states, Google has a habit of making dozens of algorithmic tweaks each day. Some will be so small as to be imperceptible, while others can cause enormous shock to the industry. Nonetheless, as long as you make a concerted effort to keep informed of the changes and how they could affect your site/s, you will already be ahead of most webmasters. Although this can often appear easier said than done, particularly with the advent of things like SGE, the more information you have, the better able you are to deal with the various fluctuations by updating the things that need updating.

At the end of the day, regardless of the reason for your site’s existence (business, affiliate, ads, etc), it should be entirely geared towards the end user. Too many site owners will focus far too heavily on creating a website that only a robot mother could love and then wonder why they don’t convert as well as they hoped. While it’s certainly vital to make your site appeal to the search engines you want to rank on, this shouldn’t be at the expense of your users. Instead, you must ensure that your designs are user-friendly, fast, and easy to navigate. Moreover, if the site relies on customer conversion, you must constantly test to see which combination of features produces the best results.

Regarding search optimization, it’s easy to get hung up on individual tactics and techniques. But the truth is that search engines consider hundreds of diverse factors when evaluating pages and ranking them in their results. The most effective SEO strategies take a holistic view that considers site speed, content quality, user experience, backlink profile, and social sharing. Rather than obsess over specific elements, focus on creating an excellent overall user experience.

While the promise of advanced SEO tactics can seem alluring, business owners must walk before they can run. When starting your search engine optimization efforts, focus first on getting the fundamentals right. Take care of on-page elements like keywords, metadata, headings, and internal linking. Be sure your foundation is solid by checking for and fixing any issues with these basic building blocks, and only once the nuts and bolts are tightened should you consider more sophisticated strategies. Jumping straight to link building or content marketing without addressing on-page factors puts the cart before the horse. Get the basic SEO hygiene in order to build from a position of strength. This cautious, methodical approach sets you up for sustainable success down the road.

SEO has undoubtedly become more complex over the years, but the fundamentals tend to remain the same. To create a successful website, it is crucial to keep your end user in mind. You need to understand their preferences, needs, and pain points and design your website accordingly.