The first result on every Google search page gets 32 percent of all the clicks, according to Advanced Web Ranking. For mobile, this rate is at 26 percent. Both statistics clearly convey that your business’ Google ranking can be the deciding factor for how much exposure you receive, and hence, how much growth you experience in the future. If you are just starting out in the world of modern business, some aspects of SEO, such as common SEO jargon, can make it hard to get into. But whatever level of understanding you are operating on, here are three essentials to make SEO work for you.
A high quality and user-friendly website
Content and website quality are two of the biggest considerations that go towards your Google ranking. Content is how you tell your client base that you know what you are doing and can deliver what they need. Thus, it needs to fit your audience’s tastes and be relevant to your industry. Conveying knowledge that your customers want to know is how you transform your brand into an authoritative figure.
Value-rich content is all well and good, but if the website that hosts it is poorly made, it can all go to waste. 40 percent of web users simply click away if a website doesn’t load within three seconds. But loading time isn’t the only thing you would want to optimize. The website itself has to be built from the ground up with the best user experience in mind. Google’s algorithm rates sites based on interactivity, visual quality, and readability, so focus on those traits when revamping your website.
Effective market analytics
Following proven tips and rules of thumb can work for a while. But your mileage can vary depending on circumstances, such as your target demographic and the nature of your business. Every now and again, you might even come upon a roadblock that renders the best-advised moves ineffective. That’s why you need proper analytics to inform your decisions.
To put things into perspective, the US government loses an estimated $3.1 trillion a year due to bad data. On the other hand, management consulting company McKinsey and Co. estimate that proper data analytics could save the US healthcare system up to $450 billion. Employing a marketing study or performance analytics provides valuable insight on what your next move should be.
Laser focused marketing strategies
Aside from snappy websites and comprehensive analytics, you also need to pay a good amount of attention to the focal points of your marketing strategy. The keywords you use need to be highly specific. This usually means predicting the long strings of keywords people are going to use when they’re searching for a service that you offer. Additionally, try to hone in on how people iterate their voice searches regarding your industry. More and more users are leaning towards voice search, so be sure to exploit the patterns they fall into in order to guide them into your site.
The specificity you need to work towards runs deeper. You should also aim to make the so-called SEO 3-pack. This is how experts like to refer to the list of three businesses that appear whenever someone searches for something in a certain locale. Further, you must also find out the specific needs of the people in your area. For example, if you run a pest control business and your region is known to experience locust infestations from time to time, make use of keywords that include the words locust control and your target area.
SEO has changed the way we do business in the digital age. It has been a blessing to some and a frustrating hurdle for others. But as long as you learn to ride the waves of the search engine, it can take you where you need to go.