Hola Amigos:) So another week anther google core update rolled on March 14. SEO gurus are pulling their head to see what to seel you next.
Here my site so far.
How you can avoid beign punished? Glad you asked I have been doing this for 4+ years and never been hit. My super power? SEO best practices, no trick no magic just honest work over a long time. What are those SEO google friendly SEO practices?
SEO best practices are basically those tried-and-true strategies that can totally boost your website's visibility in search results. We're talking about everything from keyword research to optimizing metadata and getting those sweet, sweet backlinks.
When you actually implement these strategies properly, they can help you rank higher on the SERP and drive more traffic to your website. I mean, who doesn't want that, right?
The best part?
Since these strategies are all about the organic search landscape, results don't have to cost a dime . (Unlike those expensive paid ads that drain your wallet!)
15 SEO Best Practices to Follow
1. Perform Keyword Research
Keyword research is like the foundation of your SEO house, you know? It's all about figuring out what words and phrases your target audience is actually typing into search engines.
When you understand what your audience is looking for, you can create content that actually matches what they want! Crazy concept, right? XD
This strategy doesn't just guide your content creation - it literally brings qualified traffic to your website. It's a game-changer for real.
Here's how to approach keyword research effectively:
1. Brainstorm a list of keywords.
Just start by thinking about your products, services, or whatever info your business offers. Write down ANY words that pop into your head. Don't overthink it!
2. Use keyword research tools.
Tools like Ahrefs or Semrush are awesome for analyzing search volumes and finding keyword ideas. I couldn't afford these tools at first, had to buy a month and then pause since money was tight, but they're worth it if you can swing it.
Tools like Ahrefs or SurferSEO is super helpful for small businesses because it helps you find low-competition keywords. These are easy to rank for , meaning you've got a better chance of getting on Google's first page and beating your competition. Who doesn't want that?!
SurferSEO shows weak spots on the SERP for each keyword and personalized feedback to your domains.
Surfer SEO has the best scores I have seen on a tool of this type and it is the one I have been using for a while! I even got certified on it!!! Bragging rights Whooojo! Sry not sorry.
Proctored Certification: https://credsverse.com/credentials/866df4ca-9ad7-45ad-a80e-59acf9c6b91f?preview=1
3. Prioritize keywords based on search intent.
Look at WHY people are searching for these terms and group them as informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional. We'll talk more about this in the next strategy. Focus on the keywords that align with what you're trying to do with your business.
4. Incorporate long-tail keywords.
High-volume keywords are tempting, I get it! But they're extremely competitive and so hard to rank for. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. Instead, focus on long-tail keywords (3+ words) - they're less competitive and can get you faster rankings.
5. Build keyword clusters.
Keyword clusters are like the secret weapon that professional SEOs don't always talk about. This process groups similar-intent keywords together. Then you can target this whole cluster on a single page, maximizing your organic reach. You can also use these to build topic clusters, which is super important for content and internal linking.
Further reading:
- What to Do After Keyword Research
- Best Keyword Research Tools (Free & Paid)
- 14 Common Keyword Research Mistakes to Avoid
2. Decipher Search Intent
Search intent is basically figuring out WHY someone is searching for something.
It's the why behind a search.
Understanding search intent is CRUCIAL if you want to create content that actually makes users happy. I had no clue about this when I started, but it makes so much sense now!
There are 4 types of search intent:
Some keyword tools will tell you the search intent, but the best way to figure it out yourself is to perform a SERP analysis .
A SERP analysis is basically looking at what's already ranking for your keyword. It helps you understand what users want, what Google gives them, and how competitors are handling the topic.
It can be a real time-suck to do this yourself, but SurferSEO makes it super easy.
You'll get a feel for the search intent. You can also check out any result to see how it covers the topic.
3. Align Content With Search Intent
Once you know the search intent behind your keywords, it's time to create content that matches what people are looking for.
This might mean writing blog posts that actually answer questions, creating product pages that show benefits, or making comparison guides that help people decide what to buy.
The type of content depends on your business and the keyword's search intent.
For example, let's say you found commercial intent for "best hiking boots." You'd probably want to create a buyer's guide comparing different hiking boots, their features, and prices.
This kind of content is more likely to rank well and attract people who are almost ready to buy something.
Remember, the goal is to give your audience the most relevant and valuable information .
Fulfilling search intent is super important for creating high-quality content that ranks and helps users . I didn't get this at first, and my content was all over the place, but once I figured it out, things started to improve!
4. Leverage Your Primary Keyword
Your primary keyword (or target keyword) should be used strategically throughout your page. You want to make it obvious to users and search engines what your page is about.
Using your primary keyword effectively helps you achieve this.
Here's where to include your target keyword in your content:
- Page Title: This is the blue, clickable headline that shows up in search results. Some people call this a meta title or title tag.
- Meta Description: This text appears below the title tag and gives a brief summary of your content on the SERP.
In the example above we see the primary keyword SEO secrets in both the page title and meta description
- Headings (H1, H2, H3): Put your primary keyword in your main heading (H1) and relevant subheadings (H2, H3) to structure your content.
- Body Copy: Use your primary keyword naturally throughout your content. Don't do keyword stuffing though - that can actually hurt your rankings! (I learned that one the hard way!)
You should also use your primary keyword in your URL and image optimizations , but we'll get to those soon.
5. Add Related Keywords
While your primary keyword is the main focus, adding related keywords can really improve your visibility. These keywords should have the same search intent as your primary one.
Using related keywords also makes sure you write a comprehensive article that meets all the user's needs .
It's similar to those keyword clusters we talked about earlier.
As for finding them, SurferSEO clusters keywords automatically for you. So convenient!
This tool is super easy to use and makes finding related keywords a breeze. I'm not a tech genius or anything, but even I figured it out pretty quickly!
Now, you just have to add them to your content.
6. Craft Compelling Page Titles and Meta Descriptions
Page titles and meta descriptions are SUPER important for SEO. They directly impact click-through rates (CTR) and organic traffic .
Here are some SEO tips for optimizing each:
Title Tag:
- Keep your title tag under 60 characters so it doesn't get cut off in search results.
- Include your primary keyword near the beginning of the page title.
- Write a compelling, unique title that accurately reflects the content of the page. Don't be boring!
Meta Description:
- Limit your meta description to around 155 characters .
- Include your primary keyword, but avoid keyword stuffing .
- Craft a compelling, informative description that encourages users to click through to your website.
Remember, your title tag and meta description are often the first things users see in the search results .
It's important to make a strong first impression and entice them to visit your website. Think of them as your website's handshake - make it count!
WordPress
Tool: WordPress users, I highly recommend the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin for on-page SEO. They have a ton of powerful tools, and one of my favorites is the embedded SERP snippet tool.
When you're working on a post or page, you can see the SERP preview right in the WordPress editor. This lets you see how your metadata will look before publishing. It's nuts how helpful this is!
7. Make Your URLs SEO-Friendly
Your website's URLs can also play a role in your SEO efforts.
Follow these SEO best practices to create search-friendly URLs:
8. Optimize Your Images
Images can be awesome for enhancing your website's content and improving SEO performance.
But it's important to optimize them properly since search engines can't see images like you and me.
Image SEO is all about optimizing your images in a way search engines can understand.
Let's look at an example.
Imagine we want to optimize the image below for the keyword "mixed berry pie."
Here's how to do image SEO (with examples for our image) :
- Use relevant file names. Name your image files with descriptive, keyword-rich file names (e.g., "mixed-berry-pie. jpg" instead of "IMG_1234. jpg").
- Write descriptive alt text. Provide accurate and concise alt text descriptions for your images, which helps search engines understand the content of the image. (Example: "Mixed berry pie on plate surrounded by apples.")
- Include your keyword in the title tag. Image titles appear when users click or hover over an image. (Example: "Mixed Berry Pie.")
- Incorporate captions when applicable. Captions can provide additional context for an image. While our example doesn't need one, captions can be particularly helpful for explaining charts, tools, or infographics.
- Compress image files. Reduce the file size of your images without compromising quality to improve your website's loading speed.
9. Include Internal Links
Internal linking is where you link from one page of your website to another.
It's a super important SEO strategy for both users and search engines.
For users, it boosts content discoverability , helping them find related content that might interest them.
And for search engines, internal linking helps them understand your site structure and how pages are interconnected .
Here's how to do it:
- Link to relevant content. Make sure the pages you link to are relevant and provide additional value. There is such a thing as too many links, so don't go crazy with them. Keep it natural and genuinely helpful.
- Write descriptive anchor text. Use keyword-rich anchor text that accurately describes the linked content. You can also use some natural variation over different instances. For example, if I were linking to this current article, I wouldn't always use "SEO best practices." This can look suspicious. I may also use "best practices for SEO" or "SEO tips."
- Create a logical site structure. Organize your website's content in a way that makes it easy for users and search engines to navigate.
- Use links strategically across your site. Spread your internal links across your website to distribute the link equity and improve the overall authority of your pages.
WordPress Tool: In the AIOSEO plugin I mentioned earlier, you can also use their Link Assistant to streamline internal linking. This tool shows linking suggestions right in the WordPress editor.
10. Implement Schema Markup
Schema markup is a form of structured data. It's basically code that you add to your website to help search engines better understand your page.
Here's an example of what it looks like in HTML code:
Schema markup can lead to enhanced search engine visibility and promote rich snippets in search results.
Some common types of schema markup include:
- Product Schema: Provides detailed information about your products, such as prices, reviews, and availability.
- FAQ Schema: Structures your frequently asked questions and answers in a way that can be displayed directly in search results.
- Review Schema: Allows you to showcase customer reviews and ratings for your products or services.
- Event Schema: Helps search engines understand the details of an upcoming event, such as the date, time, and location.
- And more
Schema markup is a technical SEO best practice that belongs on every website.
If you're not comfortable coding (I'm definitely not!) , there are plenty of tools you can use to generate the code for you. Here are two favorites:
- Google Structured Data Markup Helper
- JSON-LD Playground
11. Optimize Your Site's Loading Speed
Site speed is super critical for user experience and search engine optimization.
Slow-loading websites can hurt your rankings and lower user engagement.
This can lead to higher bounce rates and less time spent on page.
To optimize your site's loading speed, try these SEO best practices:
- Compress and optimize images. Reduce the file size of your images without losing quality.
- Minimize HTTP requests. Combine and minify your CSS, JavaScript, and other assets to reduce the number of requests made by the browser.
- Enable browser caching. Configure your server to cache static assets, reducing the need to download them on subsequent visits.
- Use a content delivery network (CDN). A CDN can help deliver your website's content from a server closer to the user, reducing latency.
- Implement lazy loading. Only load content and assets when they're needed, rather than loading everything upfront.
By optimizing your website's loading speed, you provide a better user experience and show search engines that your site is responsive.
Want to check your site speed?
Pingdom offers a free site speed test tool that's easy to use.
And if you're a WordPress user, IsItWP has a free website speed test, too.
12. Build Authoritative Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites to your own. They're a crucial ranking factor and remain a top strategy for SEOs and digital marketers.
However, not all backlinks are created equal.
It's important to focus on high-quality backlinks over spammy links .
A high-quality backlink is a link from an authoritative source relevant to your niche.
Conversely, a spammy one may come from a link farm or a low-authority site.
To build a strong backlink profile, consider these link-building strategies:
- Create linkable assets. Develop valuable, informative content that other websites would want to link to, such as in-depth guides, industry research, or interactive tools.
- Leverage guest posting. Contribute guest articles to relevant, high-authority websites in your industry, which can earn you valuable backlinks.
- Participate in industry directories and listings. Get your business listed in relevant online directories, industry associations, or local business listings.
- Leverage influencer outreach. Collaborate with industry influencers or thought leaders who can mention or link to your content.
- Monitor and respond to unlinked mentions. Identify instances where your brand or website is mentioned without a link, and reach out to request a backlink.
Remember, the quality and relevance of your backlinks are more important than the sheer quantity.
Prioritize building relationships with high-authority, industry-relevant websites to earn backlinks that will truly benefit your SEO efforts.
13. Study Your Competitors
Analyzing your competitors can provide valuable insights for your own growth strategies.
By understanding what's working for them, you can identify opportunities to outrank them and improve your SEO.
Here are some SEO tips for performing competitor research:
- Identify top-ranking competitors. Use tools to find competitors that are ranking for your target keywords. SurferSEOcan help you identify these competitors using the Domain Explorer tool.
This tool shows websites ranking for your target keyword and allows you to extract all their ranking keywords . This feature gives you a huge competitive advantage, allowing you to "steal" competitors' keywords.
- Analyze their content strategy. Examine the types of content, topics, and formats your competitors use to attract and engage their audience.
- Assess their backlink profile. Understand the quality and quantity of backlinks that your competitors have earned, and explore ways to build a stronger backlink profile.
By monitoring your competitors, you can better understand what you need to do to outrank them.
This ultimately leads to more clicks , traffic , and revenue for your business.
14. Align Your Site With Mobile-First Indexing
In today's mobile-minded world, it's crucial to ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices.
Google's mobile-first indexing refers to how they primarily use the mobile version of a website for indexing and ranking.
This means it's imperative for your website to have a mobile-friendly design .
Here are some mobile SEO best practices:
- Implement responsive design. Ensure that your website's layout and content adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices.
- Optimize for mobile navigation. Make it easy for users to navigate your website on a mobile device with clear, thumb-friendly menus and buttons.
- Minimize page load times. Optimize your mobile site's loading speed by compressing images, minifying code, and using a mobile-friendly content delivery network.
- Avoid mobile-specific issues. Steer clear of common mobile-related problems, such as small text, crowded layouts, and unplayable media.
- Test and iterate. Regularly test your mobile site's performance and user experience. Then, make improvements based on user feedback and analytics data.
Google offers two tools to make sure your site is mobile-friendly:
- The Mobile-Friendly Test (Lighthouse) is good for testing a few pages.
- If you want to test your full website, you can use the Mobile Usability Report in your Google Webmaster Tools account. This will give you a list of mobile usability issues across your site. You can find this in Google Webmaster Tools by going to Search Traffic > Mobile Usability.
15. Track Your SEO Performance
Last but not least, it's crucial to monitor your SEO performance.
This SEO best practice will help you identify what's working, what needs improvement, and where to focus your efforts.
Some key metrics to track include:
- Organic Traffic: Monitor the number of users who find your website through organic search. You'll also want to track the channels driving that traffic.
- Keyword Rankings: Track your website's rankings for your target keywords and monitor position changes over time. The SurfeSEO Rank Tracker makes this process easy.
You can add your keywords, tell the tool how often you want to fetch rankings, and it will track your rankings automatically. You'll get these metrics in a user-friendly dashboard for your reference.
- Bounce Rate and Time on Page: Analyze user engagement metrics, such as bounce rate and average time on page, to identify areas for improvement.
- Conversion Rate: Monitor the percentage of users who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form, after visiting your website.
Additionally, you should monitor your site's technical health by tracking metrics like site speed, crawl errors, and indexation. Tools like Google Search Console can allow you to quickly identify and address any issues.
Final Thoughts
Implementing SEO best practices is an ongoing process, but the results can be transformative for your business. By following the 15 SEO tips outlined in this guide, you'll be well on your way to achieving higher rankings and more organic traffic .
Look, I'm no SEO scientist or link-building machine, but I do know that these strategies WORK. You might not see results right away - that's ok! P.U.S.H. through it (Persist Until Something Happens). The key is to be relentless and keep going even when you don't see immediate results.