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Video Summary
Did you know that Google processes more than 3.5 billion searches per day?
So, if your website gets lost in the millions of search results, then, basically, you’ve got an invisible website.
The reason for this problem is that Google uses certain metrics to test the quality of your website, and this algorithm impacts your rankings. This is why it’s important to make a conscious effort to build and improve your website to make sure that people can find your business online.
The goal here is to increase the quality and quantity of your site’s search traffic and give exposure to your business by appearing as close to the top of the search results as possible.
In this video, I will tell you how to optimize your website for search engines, also known as Search Engine Optimization or SEO, and how to rank at the top of Google search results. So, please, keep watching…
Video Transcript
Hello, my name is Jeffrey Kirk. And this is the first video in my new series about how to get seen online…
Did you know that Google processes more than 3.5 billion searches per day? If your business does not appear in those search results, you’re losing a lot of potential sales.
Generally, the top spot in Google search results in a 33% chance of getting clicked and 75% of people won’t even look past the top 10. So, if your website gets lost in the millions of search results, then, basically, you’ve got an invisible website.
The reason for this problem is that Google uses certain metrics to test the quality of your website, and this algorithm impacts your rankings. This is why it’s important to make a conscious effort to build and improve your website to make sure that people can find your business online.
In this video, I will tell you how to optimize your website for search engines, also known as Search Engine Optimization or SEO, and how to rank at the top of Google search results. So, please, keep watching…
I’m going to give you 10 tips to help you get your website to the top of search results. But before I do that, would you please subscribe to my channel and click on the little bell so that you get notified when my next video comes out. Thanks for doing that!
Search Engine Optimization or SEO
Okay, so what exactly is search engine optimization, and how can you use this for your business?
Well, SEO is about analyzing what people are searching for, what questions they have, what words they’re using, and what they want to see. By understanding these things, you can match those who are searching with the services that you have to offer.
The goal here is to increase the quality and quantity of your site’s search traffic and give exposure to your business by appearing as close to the top of the search results as possible. So, let’s dig in to those 10 tips…
#1 Conduct keyword research
It’s important for you to understand what your searchers are looking for so you can easily provide that to them. You can do this by identifying the terms and phrases, often called keywords, that your potential customers are using to find businesses like yours.
To drive more people to your site, you must give them what they’re looking for. And, if your content is tailored to fit what your visitors want, there’s a higher chance they’ll take action or return to your site when they’re ready to do so.
Understanding the intent of your target audience can help you decide which keywords to focus on. Keywords will vary depending on your niche and what your visitors want. So, focusing on your target audience is the key point here.
Start by using a few keywords you want to rank for, things that you’re already thinking of, like your products and services. Enter these into a keyword research tool. And then you’ll discover other related topics and common questions.
And you can use this information to build out quality content. I have several videos that teach how to effectively do keyword research. And I’ll put the links here so you can check them out.
#2 Incorporate keywords into your website’s content and meta tags
Now that you have a small idea about how SEO works and what keywords you would want to target, it’s time to put them to good use and write your content.
Good content helps solve the reader’s problem and it provides valuable solutions that are easy to consume. It’s also content that is optimized for SEO so it helps your website rank in the search results. When incorporating keywords into the body of your content, be sure to write using a natural language style. The content should read as if you’re having a casual conversation.
People often ask me “how many times should I repeat the keywords in the content?”. Well, years ago this used to matter. Today it’s got to be natural. Google knows how to read and they’ll know if you’re just adding keywords for the sake of SEO.
That’s why I say you should write like you talk. When talking to a friend, you don’t repeat keywords in your sentences. That would just sound stupid!
Keywords also belong in your meta tags such as the title tag and the meta description. But not the keywords tag. Ideally, you should also include some kind of action because you want people who read this to do something, such as visit your website, or make this click.
#3 Improve your website’s loading speed and mobile responsiveness
According to Google, people spend 70% of their time online using their mobile phones, so having a mobile-friendly website is an advantage.
In general, your site should adjust to all screen sizes and formats. You should also have touch-friendly buttons and touch-friendly page elements or very visible page elements for small screens. It’s also important to make sure your visitors have a positive experience and that your website doesn’t take too long to load.
If your website doesn’t load fast, you’re going to lose traffic. So try to make it load faster! To improve page speed, you can eliminate large image files from your website. Or you can use a tool to better compress image files.
Faster site speed allows searchers to view more pages on your site and it increases their conversion rate. In short, speed equals revenue.
#4 Build backlinks from other reputable websites to your own
When other websites link to yours it boosts your site’s credibility and improves your rankings. These links also drive more traffic to your business because they provide another way for people to get there.
These links often drive quality traffic. Imagine if you’re on a website of a business or an organization that you already trust and they have a link to another site. You will naturally trust that site more because of the link on the trusted site than if you did a Google search and found them in a list of search results.
Using links from relevant publications in your industry also helps. These sources show your business as a subject matter authority. At the same time, these sites give clues to the search engines that you provide relevant information on that industry topic.
#5 Create a sitemap and submit to search engines
An XML sitemap helps search engines crawl the existing pages in your website. It’s like a roadmap that lists all of your important web pages so Google can easily find them.
So instead of search engine bots having to go through each page and look for all the links trying to find all your content, an XML sitemap makes it easier and faster for crawlers to index your site.
Sitemaps show search engines which URLs are important so they can crawl and index them right away. The faster they do that, the faster your website appears in the search results!
In a previous video, I talked about why XML sitemaps are important and how to submit yours to Google’s Search Console. I’ll include the link here in case you’re interested in that.
#6 Make sure your website is technically sound and free from errors
According to Google, a key consideration to how well your website shows up in the search results is user experience and how your website functions on the internet relative to other sites.
To avoid having an invisible website, make sure your website provides the kind of user experience that satisfies Google and its users. Check your site to make sure it’s easy to use. Can potential customers navigate to where they want to go, and can they quickly access all of the information that they need?
Are all the links working? How’s the loading speed? Test the links from time to time to make sure they still work properly. And if you find one that goes to a dead page or to the wrong page, you can replace it or remove it. Also watch out for typographical errors, poor grammar, and misspelled words. These things erode trust.
By providing a great user experience, visitors will stay longer and that’s a key to starting a good business relationship.
#7 Create and optimize your Google Business Profile
If your business serves people physically in your local community, then having a Google business profile will help you boost your listings and get a better spot in the search results.
Google recommends creating or claiming your business profile. This is a free service they offer that lets you maintain your business information online. It’s important to have a complete profile so that local searchers can easily find your business.
I have separate videos explaining how to get and optimize your profile if you still need to do these things. You can find the links here for easy access.
Once you have your profile set up, it’s easier for your new clients to find you.
#8 Optimize images and videos with appropriate tags and file names
Images and videos play a big role in attracting visitors to your site. Using the appropriate media type helps users understand your business more and provides additional value to your content. But as I mentioned earlier, if images and videos slow down your site’s load time, that negatively impacts the user experience and might hurt your search results. So be sure to pay attention to this.
As for tagging, use alt text and appropriate file names for all of your media. The alt text, image title, and file names all contribute in two important ways…
First, this is great information for visually impaired users using words to describe what they would be seeing. And, second, this information helps explain the images and videos to the search engines as well.
By adding accurate descriptions of your images and your videos, you’re helping your SEO by connecting the dots between what the media contains and how it fits within the content of your site.
#9 Create a clear and easy-to-use navigation structure on your website
Your visitors went to your site or they clicked on a link within your site to view some content because they have a purpose in mind. They are looking for something they expect to find in your site. So, make it easy for them to do that.
Pay attention to your layout, images, typography, and consistency. Make sure your design is appropriate to your site’s purpose and what you offer. A good site structure influences your SEO. If Google can easily find your content and understand what your business is about and what your products and services are, that gives you an advantage.
Google will be able to determine which pages are most valuable matches to other people’s searches. If your pages are those best ones, they’ll rank higher in the search results.
#10 Update your website regularly with fresh and relevant content
Regularly updating content shows that your site is active and up-to-date. And this contributes to your business credibility and builds trust. Up-to-date content also makes your website appear relevant and authoritative. It also gives users a reason to keep coming back.
It’s easier to keep your content updated if you put the task on a schedule. Maybe once each quarter, you want to audit your site content, at least on the most important pages.
And do you have a blog? If not, you should start one! Blogs are a great way to provide relevant content on an ongoing basis. Each new post gives Google something else to index. And each post shows that your site is still alive and it’s growing. Plus, a good collection of posts can help keep visitors on your site longer. And that builds more trust.
Well, that’s it. By following these 10 tips, your website is more likely to appear at the top of the search results when people search for keywords related to your business. And this gives you more traffic and potential new clients.
Now, how would you like an unfair advantage in the search results? How would you like to practically force Google to send new clients your way?
That’s tip #11, the most important of all, which I’ll share with you on an upcoming training. You can register at upatdawn.biz/webinar. I hope to see you there soon!
Your business deserves to be seen online, and I will help you get there.
Thanks for watching and have a great day!
