SEO is considered to be one of the most valuable aspects of online marketing – it’s the key to digital success. However, it can be difficult knowing where to start.
In this article, we will outline ten SEO tips that every startup should implement to increase website traffic, improve online visibility and skyrocket their business to the top.
1. Research Your Keywords
Before you can optimize your website for search engines, you need to know which keywords to target. Use keyword research tools like Google AdWords Keyword Planner and KWFinder to find high-traffic, low difficulty and relevant keywords for your business.
If you don’t wish to invest in a keyword research tool, you can also do a simple Google search for your target keywords to get an idea of the key terms your competitors are using.
Don’t have the time or energy to DIY your keyword research? You can always hire a reputable company that does SEO for startups to do all the legwork for you and help you with everything from keyword research to link building.
2. Optimize Your Website Content
Once you have your target keywords, it’s time to optimize your website content. Include the keywords from your research in your website’s title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and throughout the body of your content.
However, don’t stuff your keywords into your content – this will not only turn off your readers but also get you penalized by Google. Instead, use them sparingly and naturally throughout your text.
Hiring professional content writers can also help ensure that your website’s content is high-quality, engaging to your readers and optimized for search engines.
3. Build High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks are one of the most important SEO ranking factors. Also known as “external” or “inbound” links, backlinks are links from other websites to your website, and they act as a “vote of confidence” in the eyes of search engines.
To build backlinks, you can start by creating valuable content that other website owners will want to link to, also known as link-worthy content. You can also reach out to other websites in your niche and ask for relevant links yourself or simply use link-building services. Just be sure to avoid low-quality links from spammy websites, as these can actually hurt your ranking.
Also, be sure to diversify your backlink portfolio, as too many links from the same website can look unnatural to search engines.
4. Optimize Your Website for Mobile
With over 50% of web traffic coming from mobile devices, making sure that your website is optimized for mobile is a must. This means having a responsive website design that scales to fit any screen size to provide a seamless user experience across all devices.
You can test your website’s mobile-friendliness with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool. Simply enter your website’s URL, and Google will tell you if any issues need fixing.
Also, don’t forget to check your website’s loading times; if it takes too long to load, users will likely leave before they even have a chance to see your content, leading to a high bounce rate. Use tools like Pingdom and GTmetrix to test your website’s speed and get recommendations for improvement.
5. Implement Schema Markup
Schema markup is a code that you can add to your website to help search engines understand your content better. You can use this for things like articles, products, reviews, and more.
Adding schema markup to your website can help increase your click-through rate from organic search results, as your listing will appear more informative and enticing to users. This naturally translates to more fresh eyes on your website, aka more visibility, more traffic, and more conversions!
6. Use Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool that allows you to monitor your website’s performance in Google search results. It also allows you to submit your website to Google’s search index and submit sitemaps.
If you’re serious about improving your website’s SEO, you need to use Google Search Console. It’s an essential tool that can help you identify and fix any issues that may be holding back your website. After all, it’s completely free, so why not give it a go?
7. Use Social Media
Social media is a great way to increase online visibility and drive traffic to your website. Post links to your website’s content on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
When posting links, be sure to use engaging titles and descriptions so that users will want to click through to your website. Also, be sure to post regularly and interact with other users to build up a following.
Pay attention to which content you will post on what social media. Some social networks, like TikTok, attract younger audiences that are interested in trends, while others, like LinkedIn, are better for attracting adult business professionals. Depending on your business goals and the message you want to share with the worlds, choose your social channels and create content accordingly.
8. Use Local SEO
If you have a physical business location or serve a specific geographic area, be sure to optimize your website for local SEO. You can claim your business listing on Google My Business and other online directories.
When optimizing for local SEO, be sure to include and regularly update your business name, address, and phone number on your website. You should also add location pages for each of your service areas. These pages should include relevant content about your brick and mortar business and location-specific keywords.
9. Optimize Your Images
mages can be a great way to add visual interest to your website and help break up text. However, they can also impact your website’s SEO if they’re not properly optimized.
When adding images to your website, be sure to include relevant keywords in the file name and alt text. This will help search engines understand what the image is about and index it accordingly. You should also ensure that your images are high quality and have a fast loading time.
Avoid large-size images, as this will impact your website’s speed. Use tools like Kraken and ImageOptim to optimize your images for the web.
10. Monitor Your SEO Progress
Once you’ve implemented all of the SEO strategies listed above, monitoring your progress to see if they’re actually working is important. The best way to do this is to track your website’s organic traffic over time.
If you see a consistent increase in organic traffic, that means your SEO efforts are paying off. If you don’t see any change or if there is a decrease in traffic, that means something needs to be tweaked or changed.
Monitoring your SEO progress is essential to ensure that your efforts are actually working and create long term success. Use Google Analytics to track your website’s organic traffic. Look for trends and see if there is a consistent increase over time.
SEO Your Way to the Top
SEO is essential for any startup that wants to increase its online visibility and drive traffic to its website. Following the insider tips and tricks in this article can skyrocket your website’s SEO and help you start seeing results in no time.
Implement these SEO strategies and monitor your progress so that you always know what’s working and what needs to be changed. Good luck!