5 tips to start your SEO journey
Introduction
As a business owner, you can’t afford to ignore your SEO. The benefits of having an efficient and strategic approach to SEO are numerous. From making it easier for customers to find your business online to improving conversions and ultimately making more sales, these strategies will help you grow your business in a number of ways.
1. Make a decision not to be overwhelmed
You don't have to be overwhelmed by SEO. It can be a long process and there are many steps to take, but it doesn't have to be difficult. You just need to take things one step at a time.
It's important to remember that SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. The work you put in now could pay dividends for years to come in traffic to your website and eyes on your business.
This article is a general guide on how to get started with SEO. If you want more specific information, check out our list of resources below. This will help you make sure that you're doing everything correctly and getting the most out of SEO for your business.
2. Research keywords and find out what your ideal clients are actually searching for.
The next step is to research keywords and see which ones are being searched for most often. There are many tools out there to help you do this, but start by getting some ideas written down first. Think about your idea clients and the problems you solve for them. What do you think they would type in to Google if they were looking for a solution to their problem.
Use Google Trends to find out what searches are popular. This free tool allows you to track how popular certain search terms have been over time, including which ones have grown in popularity and which have decreased in recent years. You can also compare two search terms to find out which one could potentially generate more traffic to your website.
Use Google Search Console to see what searches are bringing people to your website already and where you are showing up in search results. You can even check which individual pages are performing the best.
3. Start with local
The easiest way to get quick wins with SEO is to start with local. It's easier for smaller businesses to get results locally than trying to compete nationally, or intentionally. It may seem counter-intuitive to localize your website when you can work with anyone, anywhere. But in the long run it can be a good strategy as you can almost guarantee there are plenty of potential customers local to you who are looking for your services. You can also get some quick wins with local SEO by optimizing your business information on your Google Business Profile and ensuring that get in front of potential new customers eyes.
4. Sort out the basics
Improve Website Speed: Ensure that your website loads quickly by optimizing images & reducing large file sizes. A faster website will provide a better user experience and improve your search engine rankings.
Fix Broken Links: Check your website for any broken links and fix them immediately. Broken links can negatively impact your SEO and lead to a poor user experience.
Optimize for Mobile: Ensure that your website is responsive and looks good on mobile devices. With the majority of web traffic coming from mobile, it's crucial to provide a seamless experience for all users.
Use 'Meta Data': Utilize page titles and descriptions (known as 'meta data') to let search engines know what your web pages are about. This information helps search engines index your content and display it in search results.
5. Start with small steps and keep the momentum going as your SEO confidence builds.
When you're just starting your SEO journey, the amount of information available can be overwhelming. There are so many different strategies and tactics that it's easy to get lost in the weeds.
To avoid this, I recommend starting small and breaking down your goals into manageable chunks. Start with something simple -- like improving your page speed or writing some blogs using popular keywords -- and work your way up from there as you learn more about what works best for you and how to measure success along the way.
Conclusion
So in conclusion, the key to successful SEO is to start small and work your way up. Don't try to do everything at once! Take the time to research your keywords and see which ones are being searched for most often.
Then, focus on local searches first before tackling national ones.
Finally, make sure you're using relevant keywords in your title tags, descriptions and headers and improve your page speed where you can.
Once you've done all of these things, be sure to keep an eye on your analytics to see how well each strategy is working for you!
By following these simple on-page SEO tips, you can significantly improve your website's visibility in search engines and enhance the overall user experience.