If you are a business owner or a marketer, you may already know what SEO is and its importance. You may have also heard about the ever-changing Google algorithms - which you need to keep up with. To be successful, you need to follow the latest search guidelines and implement best practices. If you are not sure where to begin, do not worry.
We have got you covered.
In this blog, we will guide you on effective SEO marketing techniques in 2024 that work.
What is SEO?
Before learning about SEO marketing, let us first discuss what SEO exactly is. Acronym for search engine optimisation, SEO is an organic marketing method to increase a website's visibility on search engine rankings pages (SERP).
Billions of people globally use search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing to search for information, products, and services. When they enter a search phrase, they get a list of relevant websites for their search query. If your business shows up on Google's first page, there is a high possibility that the searcher will buy from your company.
Getting to Google's first page is critical for every business that wants its audience to see and engage with its business online. A good SEO strategy will ensure higher visibility for your business.
How to do SEO in 2024?
1. Do Comprehensive Keyword Research
Keywords are phrases that your prospective customers are using to search for businesses similar to yours. Incorporating relevant keywords in website content is the standard practice to improve ranking on search engines and make it easier for your audience to find your online.
The established practice targeted keywords with high search volume and relevance with low competition. Today, Google wants you to think in the searcher’s shoes. Thus, the fourth and most important element of keyword research is to filter phrases with high search intent.
Consider the keywords that people use to seek information for your business. For instance, if you are a bakery in Lucknow, you would target terms like ‘best bakery in Lucknow’, ‘best cake shop in Lucknow’, and other searches related to the products or services you sell.
It is imperative to know the difference between the search phrases above and something like ‘how to open a bakery business in Lucknow’. The user intent here is to acquire information on how to start and manage a bakery, in contrast to the above keywords where the searcher is most likely looking to order from or visit the best bakery in Lucknow.
You can use keyword research tools to find commonly searched phrases relevant to your business. If you have no prior experience, try Google Keyword Planner, which is simple and free to use.
2. Use Keywords Properly
Now that you have found the most relevant keywords, you must know how and where to use them. Here is the list of places where you should include your keywords:
Meta Title:Adding keywords in the page title helps search engines understand what your content on the page is about. The title is displayed as a clickable link on SERP and informs the user whether your page content is relevant to their search.
Meta Description:Meta descriptions are the detailed versions of page titles. The character limit for meta descriptions is 150-160, which allows you to provide a brief description of your web page’s content.
URLs:Like page titles, Google also analyses the content on your web page URL to understand what the page is about.
3. Create Keyword-optimised Content
The foundation of your SEO campaign will be built on the quality of content you create. Make sure to create dedicated pages for all your focus keywords. Use the focus and related keywords naturally in your content without sounding forced or repetitive.
As a beginner, you can search keywords relevant to your business and analyse the top-ranking websites. Devise a unique content strategy to rank higher than your competitors. Remember that Google prioritises quality content that informs the user and resolves their query comprehensively.
Keyword-rich content should be the focal point of on-page SEO. You can also create blogs and articles around your keywords to boost SEO efforts. Be it blog posts or website content - do not overuse your keywords to avoid being penalised by Google for keyword stuffing.
4. Optimise Technical Elements of your Website
While content plays a major role in the digital scape, it is not everything in SEO. Your website's backend must be optimised to gain first-page rankings. Consider the following elements:
Mobile Responsiveness:
With more than half of all searches made from mobile devices, the importance of a mobile-friendly website cannot be overstated. A mobile-friendly web design is considered an essential aspect by Google for ranking purposes.
Make sure your website adapts to all devices available in the market - including desktops, smartphones, and tablets. Regardless of screen size, your website should provide a consistent user experience to reach the summit of SERPs.
Page Speed
Page speed is another vital element in SEO. Your website has 3-5 seconds to load, beyond which visitors will leave your site. This would increase the bounce rate of your website and negatively affect SEO rankings.
Optimise your backend by removing unnecessary codes, and redirects, and adjusting image size. Engaging visitors through content and technicalities should be your topmost priority.
Site Security
Data privacy is a global topic of concern. Users want their information protected when visiting your website. Obtain an SSL certificate to increase the security of your website. This certification is reflected as ‘HTTPS’ in the URL instead of ‘HTTP’. An ‘HTTPS website indicates an added layer of security that protects user data. Without this security, knowledgeable users would be reluctant to share personal information leading to a loss of customers.
Create Internal Links
Internal linking is the practice of linking one or several pages in a web page via anchor texts. The anchor text consists of a hyperlink to another page within the same website. Internal linking is crucial for Google to discover and rank your web page.
Follow the practice of linking new pages you are creating with other relevant website pages. For instance, if you are writing a web page on how to plan a birthday party, you may link it to a previous web page discussing the best gifts for birthdays.
Build Credible Backlinks
Backlinks are links obtained from other websites that point to yours. But linking any website will not do - you must earn credible backlinks from reputable websites.
Google and other search engines consider the backlink profile to evaluate your website's authority. Having the right backlinks will always be more beneficial than dozens of links from irrelevant or spammy sources.
Here is how you can build quality backlinks:
Write Quality Content:Creating quality and informative content that provides valuable input to users is the best way to aid SEO efforts. When you create content that satisfies user's search intent, other websites will want to link their site to yours.
Guest Blogging:Guest blogging is a tactic to earn links from third-party websites by writing blogs. It is a kind of barter arrangement where you create blog posts for another website and they let you include backlinks in the post. This leads to greater content exposure and brand visibility to a broader audience segment and increased referral traffic to your website.
Build SEO Success with VicDigit Technologies
SEO is a highly effective digital marketing strategy for maximizing business exposure, increasing traffic, and keeping your sales team busy with continuous lead generation. When done right, it can help you reach and acquire more customers. If you do not have poor experience in SEO, we can help.
As the best SEO company in Lucknow, VicDigit Technologies has years of experience in successful SEO campaigns that help you reach the summit of search results. Our holistic strategies can bring new leads and help your business grow.
Ready to grow with data-driven SEO? Discuss your project with our passionate marketers and we will deliver.