A big reason why SEO has changed over the years is because the search engine algorithms have become more sophisticated. The goal of the search engines is to deliver the best content to improve the user experience. Rather than digging through pages of weak content, users can find the information they need in a single click. As wonderful as this is for users, the constant changes can get frustrating for marketers.
To help you succeed in your SEO strategy, here are the dos and don’ts of modern-day SEO.
The DOs
- DO focus your content around keywords. Keywords are words and phrases that searchers use to find specific information. You should include these search terms naturally in your content as well as in the meta title and title.
- DO use keyword variations. To avoid using the same keywords over and over again, use variations of them. Keyword variations are similar to your keywords but not the same. They include long-tail keywords and keyword expansions.
- DO include relevant links. Quality always trumps quantity when it comes to link building. To benefit SEO, include a few links to your internal pages and a few to external sources. External links should open to a new tab to keep people from leaving your site.
- DO make your pages mobile responsive. With Google’s mobile-first indexing, it’s more important than ever to make your pages responsive. Not only does Google prefer mobile-friendly websites but also so do users. Focus on a “thumb-friendly” design with intuitive buttons and navigation.
- DO optimize images for SEO. The search engines can’t “see” your images, so it’s important to optimize them. Label, tag or add alt-text to your images so that the search engines can trace them.
The DON’TS
- DON’T copy content. There’s more to copying content than plagiarism. The search engines won’t find your content valuable if a large amount is copied from another source, so it will get pushed down in the search engines. Avoid duplicate content and write original pieces.
- DON’T overuse keywords. Even though keywords are an important part of SEO, you want to limit them in your content. If you find that the keyword is being used a lot, try synonyms instead.
- DON’T cheat. It can be tempting to take a few shortcuts, but avoid doing so. Link schemes, such as buying links and participating in link networks, can land you on the bad side of Google. If your site is penalized, it’s hard to bounce back.
SEO is a process and it takes time, so it’s important to be patient. The good news is that SEO will continue to work in your favor and push your content to the top of the search results as long as you follow the best practices. As your content becomes more visible, you can earn high quality traffic and leads. For help reaching your SEO goals, contact Magna Technology today.
