Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of increasing your website visibility by ranking higher on search engine result pages (SERP). Without effective SEO, your website will rank lower on SERPs, which means less traffic and fewer conversions.
Your goal is to improve your website’s visibility by ranking higher on SERPs for relevant keywords to corner a large portion of the market to your website. To do this, you need to apply SEO techniques to your website content. So, the question is, which SEO techniques work best, delivering optimal results for minimal input?
We took the time to compile some of the best SEO tips, so you can start using them today. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!
Source: freepik.com
Get Your Core Web Vitals Right
Google uses a set of metrics called Core Web Vitals to measure the real-world user experience of website visitors. These metrics measure the loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability of your web pages to determine how well customers enjoy being on your website. If you want to rank higher on SERPs, you need good core web vitals.
The three core web vitals metrics include the following:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): LCP calculates the loading performance. If your LCP occurs in the first 2.5 seconds of your page load, it means you have a good score.
- First Input Delay (FID): FID measures interactivity. The ideal FID should be less than 100 milliseconds to give your users a pleasant experience.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): CLS measures visual stability, and you should aim for a score of less than 0.1 for a good user experience.
If your website’s core web vitals are good, Google will send more traffic your way, which means more customers for your online business. To check your core web vitals, you can use tools like PageSpeed Insights and Search Console from Google.
Yet, remember that optimizing these metrics often involves a technical understanding of how web pages are built and served, meaning you might need external support for your server setup – a web developer or managed web hosting provider.
Prioritize “Top-of Funnel” ToFu Keywords
The customer funnel system helps you interact with customers at different stages of the purchase journey. The top-of-funnel (ToFu) is when the customer becomes aware of the product/service and their need for it. By targeting ToFu keywords, you are attracting customers at the beginning of their purchase journey, and you can easily guide them into buying from you.
The goal at this stage is not immediate conversion but building awareness, establishing credibility, and nurturing relationships that could lead to conversions down the line. While ToFu keywords are valuable for generating traffic and awareness, a balanced SEO strategy should also consider MoFu (middle-of-funnel) and BoFu (bottom-of-funnel) keywords.
MoFu keywords can help you target users in the consideration phase, while BoFu keywords aim to capture users ready to purchase. For example, if the keyword is web host, ToFu keyword variations will include ‘Web Hosting Reviews,’ ‘Shared Hosting vs. VPS Hosting,’ and so on.
MoFu keyword variations may include ‘Web Hosting Pricing,’ ‘Best Hosting Plan for Small Blogs,’ and others. BoFu keywords will consist of ‘Buy Shared Hosting Plan’ and ‘Where to Buy White Label Hosting,’ among others.
Source: freepik.com
Improve Your Website Performance
Many factors affect your website performance, and some of them include uptime, server response time, and loading time. First, uptime refers to how consistently your website stays online. Next, server response time is the number of seconds it takes to transfer information from the host’s server to your visitor’s browser. Finally, loading time refers to how quickly your web pages load.
If your website visitors experience unreliable uptime, slow server response time, and extended loading time too often, they will bounce and may not return. A one-second delay in page loading time can result in a 7% reduction in conversions. In turn, high bounce rates can lower your SERP rankings, affecting your overall SEO efforts. So, how can you prevent this from happening?
Your web host is responsible for these metrics on your website. So, the simplest solution is to get a high-quality provider. For instance, at AltusHost, we offer a 99.9% network uptime guarantee on all services, including the cheapest shared hosting plans up to the most powerful dedicated servers. Moreover, you’ll benefit from high-quality hardware for lightning-fast speeds on your site.
Source: https://www.altushost.com
Optimize for Voice Search
Thanks to voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google, customers now search for locations, businesses, products, and other stuff through voice. If your website is not optimized for these searches, you may lose out on potential customers. Voice searches are expected to account for 50% of all online searches by 2024.
One of the ways you can optimize for voice search is by prioritizing local SEO. People using voice search often look for local businesses or services, so try to include landmarks and locations around your business area in your content. Also, adding phrases like ‘near me’ and ‘around [city]’ in your meta description tags can be beneficial.
Voice searches are usually more conversational and often come in the form of complete questions. So, another effective strategy is to add more FAQs to your content. For example, a prospective customer is likelier to say, ‘Hey Alexa, where can I get the best coffee in New York’? than ‘Alexa, best coffee in New York .’People ask questions on voice searches, and your content should be there to answer them. Use your SEO knowledge to find the right FAQs for your online business and optimize for voice search.
Focus on Increasing Your E-E-A-T Score
E-E-A-T stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trust. If you want to run a successful online business, your blog pieces need to meet these quality standards. Websites with high E-A-T scores are more likely to rank higher on Google. In fact, 60% of websites that rank in the top three positions have excellent E-A-T scores.
Customers want to see that you are an expert on the product or service you are selling. They also want to be able to learn from your wealth of experience regarding issues in your industry. Meeting these requirements means they can trust you more, and you begin to stand out as an authority in your business niche.
Your E-E-A-T is a huge part of your page quality. Even though you may not be an expert on every blog topic you publish on your website, ensure you get your ideas and major talking points from professionals.
Google uses a variety of signals to assess these qualities, including search raters’ evaluations, so focusing on these aspects of your content and SEO strategy can potentially improve your visibility in search results.
Explore Multiple Media Content
Using media content across your blog posts can give you a better online presence and lead to increased revenue. Visual and audio content makes your blog posts more appealing and gives readers a break from boring texts. They also help visitors stay longer on your blog piece, which tells Google that your content is valuable. In return, they will give you better SERP rankings and direct more business to your website.
However, multimedia content is not limited to images and infographics. It also includes short-form videos, audio files, GIFs, etc. Visual and audio content gives visitors a memorable user experience, and they are likely to visit your website again and engage with a sales representative.
Conclusion
As we approach the close of 2023 and anticipate the dawn of a new year, the digital landscape remains in a perpetual state of change. In this fiercely competitive realm of online business, the success of your website hinges on two critical pillars: visibility and performance. SEO remains the guiding star of your digital voyage, as crucial as ever. Yet, the bedrock upon which your SEO strategy is built has never been more crucial.
The choice of your web hosting provider forms the very foundation of your SEO success story. Factors such as server response time, uptime, and loading speed are not mere technicalities but the bedrock upon which your SEO strategy is built.
At AltusHost, we offer more than just hosting; we provide the robust infrastructure that propels your SEO endeavors to new heights. As we prepare to embark on the journey into 2024, our commitment to a solid 99.9% network uptime guarantee and lightning-fast speeds across all our service tiers remains unwavering.
In the ever-evolving landscape of SEO, remember that success is not a solitary endeavor. It’s a multi-faceted journey. By integrating AltusHost’s top-tier hosting into your SEO strategy and staying at the forefront of SEO trends, you’re poised to shine brighter, climb the rankings faster, and, ultimately, steer your online business toward unparalleled success in the coming year.
Elevate your SEO game with AltusHost and illuminate your path to online success as we usher in 2024.
