Creating a desirable product, finding a necessary service or providing useful knowledge are the cornerstones of starting a business – but what about exposure? How can you expect to grow your business when no one is able to find you? The first place that most people look for necessary items or services is Google, or another reputable search engine. The majority of users don’t scroll further than the first page of Google, and that makes rankings extremely important.
Higher rankings on a search engine means a wider audience, and with that, a greater chance of conversions. In addition to bringing in more visitors, a higher Google ranking can help to add credibility to your site and your brand. If you are curious as to what sets the bar for higher rankings, the experts at Quake Media have broken down some easy to digest features that can make a world of difference to your online visibility.
Increase Your Online Visibility: Content, Code & Coordination
In a competitive environment, every little bit counts. It is important to remember that “ranking higher” is subjective to the foundation that you already have for your site. If you are building a new site, you will have no ranking at all to start off with. Without strong efforts right off the bat, it can take months to even get on the board. If you have already begun building an SEO foundation for an existing site but are finding it difficult to improve rankings, there are additions that can be made to break through that plateau and put you front and centre for customers:
- Keyword Research & Intention
- On-Page Text Content
- Linking
- On Page Media
Keyword Research: As a business owner, you have likely heard the words “keyword research” over and over again, but without technical knowledge, there are just buzz words. When you are trying to rank your site, it is important to understand exactly what you are hoping to rank for. This means understanding your industry competitors, as well as your own goals. Depending on your industry, basic keywords will be difficult to rank and will take long periods of constant updates to get results. Basic keywords will keep your website buried. The main factors to consider when choosing keywords are: volume, competition, domain authority and relevance.
Search Intention: This is also a key factor in choosing the right search criteria and creating engaging on-page content. There are four main types of search intention when it comes to keywords: informational, commercial, transactional, and navigational. Understanding how a target keyword is used is a key component used to boost your website rankings. For example, if you are creating an informational site designed to provide helpful guides or sharing research and ideas, using commercial-geared keywords will not bring the right traffic to your site.
In-Depth Content: If you are building a business, it is important to provide as much information as possible – and one word answers won’t cut it! Engaging content can come in the form of blog posts, landing and service pages, and more. Each feature on your site should be populated with relevant content, and no filler.
On-Page SEO: Content is important when you want to rank higher in Google and other search engines, but that is not the beginning and end of your search engine rankings. Search engine optimization is a great way of drawing in organic traffic but it can take years to fully understand what makes these practices so effective. Something as small as where you place your desired keywords can make a world of difference. In addition to high quality on-page content, other ranking factors use external and internal links and an optimized meta description and title tag to create real results.
Answer Questions: It is common for users to seek out the answer to a question by searching it directly within a Google search console. Research on commonly asked questions within your industry can help site owners identify areas of opportunity to improve search ranking by combining the previously mentioned factors, combined with direct and easily accessible answers to commonly asked questions.
Be Direct in Your Messaging: Users gravitate toward easy to read information. Everything from a clearly labelled graph to a bullet pointed list can help to create meaningful engagement, reduce bounce rates and increase your chance of conversions.
Meaningful Media: While keywords and content are vital aspects of your site, so is the media that you put on it. In addition to choosing appropriate photos and videos to showcase your subject matter, it is important to tag these additions, doubling down on the relevance and contributing to core web vitals.
Cater to All Platforms: The majority of Google searches are done on mobile devices. Without properly optimizing your site for mobile, you can greatly restrict the number of visitors, as well as the possible number of conversions.
Web Development & Search Engine Rankings
As a site owner, there are plenty of opportunities to improve your SEO, and with that, your search engine ranking. Any improvement is great, but when you are aiming for those top spots, it is important to work alongside an experienced and reputable media company. Search engine optimization practices, combined with technical knowledge and coding, can help to create an attractive, informative and engaging site.
From keyword research to implementing effective media, an experienced agency can help to incorporate both subtle and obvious details that create an overall great result. It can take years to improve the ranking of a website without the proper technical knowledge, so trust an expert to create a functional plan of attack that will help to connect your business with a wider audience.
