What is SEO? 10 SEO Rules You Should Know
Our Tampa SEO Company Will Explain” What SEO Is”
What is SEO? SEO Rules You Should Know
Many smaller businesses are struggling to generate new leads. A major part of the problem is that their SEO company uses out-of-date strategies. Search engine optimization today is more about delivering valuable content to your audience and showing search engines that you provide the information that people are looking for.
Search engines will evolve in the next few years, but the following rules will probably still apply. Remember these rules and you’ll stand a better chance of ranking higher in search engine results pages:
- Search Engines Value Trust Signals
Buying links or stuffing your pages with too many keywords is no longer an option. Google and other search engines will just penalize your website. Quality inbound links, well-written content, good reviews and testimonials, clear contact information, and social media profiles all help to build your authority.
- Established Sites Have the Advantage
Search engines generally give a higher-ranking value to websites that have been operating for a longer time. Websites that are regularly updated with fresh content and have quality inbound links are also seen as more relevant. This is why it’s crucial to get your website indexed properly now.
- Quality Counts
Don’t use link-generating or article spinning software if you’re serious about getting higher rankings. Engagement with your website counts as a ranking factor, so the trick is to keep visitors on your site for longer with clear navigation and helpful information.
- Useful Content Ranks Higher
Your SEO services company should be developing content that answers the most common questions from your target audience. Search engines want to return the most relevant results, so you need content that is optimized for your users.
- Mobile and Local Search Optimization Are Essential
If your site isn’t mobile friendly, your search rankings will suffer. Make sure your website is mobile responsive so that the design will work on any device. Mobile searches are growing every day, especially local searches, so you should be performing local SEO. This means optimizing your on-page content, directory listings, and social media profiles with location-specific content.
- Speed Hindrances Need to be Removed
Analyze your site closely and observe if there is any element that could be slowing down the loading speed of your web pages. Page load speed is a critical factor in SEO. You should know that a slow-loading site can frustrate a user. As a result, the user may abandon the attempt to look at the site, refusing to wait too long for the content to be available. Ideally, a website should never take longer than 3 seconds to load. So, non-essential elements like extra plugins, a cluttered sidebar, unnecessary widgets etc should be removed immediately.
- Users Value Updated Content, So do Search Engines
It is important to stay active on your website and keep the pages updated with relevant, good quality content that is more likely to generate interest among your target group. It is virtually impossible to expect any improvement in your rankings if your domain is rather inactive.
- Web Analytics are Crucial to have from the Start
Once you have defined your SEO goals for your site, it should be a priority to ensure that there is software in place to keep a track of what is working and what isn’t. There are a number of tools that your SEO experts can have in place for you to analyse all the performance of every element on your site. Ideally, these web analytics should be in place even before you get your first visitor!
- Don’t Underestimate the Power of Meta Data
A well-crafted meta description is one of the most important elements that is neglected by companies and SEO marketers alike. You shouldn’t forget that the meta description is the first thing that a potential lead will come across, when interacting with your site. Using poorly written, duplicate meta descriptions can prove to be more detrimental to your SEO than you would think.
- URLs Should be Readable and Meaningful
You might be surprised but if your URL confuses a user, it can very well confuse search engines too. URLs can be long but they should be easy to understand, for both users and search engines. Using just 2 to 4 words that convey the right message can be a very smart way to create and use URLs so that search engine bots can pick it up and help rank your website better.
Conclusion
If you’re asking: “What is SEO?” remember these five rules to give your website the competitive edge.
Does your Tampa SEO agency follow these guidelines?
If you think you need more advanced SEO services, contact VSF Marketing of Tampa for advice. We also offer free SEO audits, so if you or anyone else you know needs help with search optimization, get in touch.