8 Ways To Improve Your Site's SEO, and Rank Higher In Google
SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is vitally important to ensure that customers can find your website when they search for your business, using Google or another search engine. This means you need to work on, or “optimise” if we are being techy, your SEO.
I have gathered together my top 8 best SEO techniques and will show you how you can do your own DIY SEO. These are the steps I follow for each of my clients when I build them a website, or coach them in how to increase their visibility on Google.
Why am I focusing on Google? Because Google accounts for over 85% of the search engine market. Bing is the second best with 18% - so it makes sense to focus on Google rankings primarily. However whatever you do on Google will help on the other search engines too.
If you follow these tips they WILL help to improve your Google ranking and that will help customers to find you.
1. Hyperlinks - you need them!
You need to add hyperlinks or backlinks, on your website and in your blog, that lead a viewer to other pages within your website. So, if on one of your pages on your website you mention your pricing, link back to your pricing page. The same on your blog. In fact, also make sure you add external links (that open in another window) to other relevant and pertinent companies or websites. The more links to and from your website the more “votes” that page gets on Google and therefore, increases the chance of this page being ranked higher by Google.
2. Set up Google Analytics
You probably already have a Google account (ever set up a Gmail account? Then you have a Google Account). Google has a whole range of incredible FREE resources that you can use and I recommend getting to grips with as many as you can manage but if nothing else, register your website for Google Analytics . Very simply, there is little point setting up a website if you do not know whether your potential customers are viewing the web pages, if the information on them is correct or if they are being ranked by Google.
If nothing else on Google Analytics, look at New sessions, New users, Time spent on the website and Bounce rate. If your bounce rate on a page is 60%+, then you are doing something wrong on that page!
If you need some help getting started have a look at this Ultimate Beginner’s Guide which guides you through all the basic steps and you’ll learn to install Google Analytics on your website, monitor your traffic, and much more.
3. Set up Google Search Console
Another vital bit of free software from Google – without this set up, you are in trouble. Google Search Console helps you monitor and maintain your website’s presence in Google Search results.
Google effectively “ranks” your website by visiting it occasionally and giving it its own “score”. No one except for the top-secret developers at Google will be able to 100% tell you how this score or algorithm is worked out, but there are things you can do that will definitely help. The MAIN one is to be set up with Google Search Console.
Now I will warn you, it is a bit scary for the novice, but give it a go.
The other wonder of Google Search Console is that you can learn a lot about your website and how people use it.
4. Set up your business on Google My Business
This is the number one place to get a FREE listing for your business on Google Maps and for Google Search in your local community. It was formerly known as Google Places and as the most popular Internet search engine in the UK you must get yourself listed here. It takes a few days to get verified but it is SO important to do this for your SEO.
It is also vital to make sure that you get as many reviews as possible as this helps you to rank higher and means people are more likely to trust you! On the dashboard they give you a personalised link that you can give to customers so they can leave you a review.
Once you are set up you can add posts to this page which keeps your page relevant and updated.
5. Set up with Yelp and Applemaps
While of course Google is the biggest player, you also need to think about the other search engines and the way that customers look for businesses. For instance, with the increasing popularity of iPhone and Apple products, and the growth of voice assisted technology, you need to make sure your business is visible to Apple users as well.
It turns out that Apple obtain their business information from Yelp and Applemaps. So you need to register your business with the Yelp for business app and then update your business information on there. You also need to register with applemapsconnect .
6. Set up on Bing
Whilst Google is the biggest player, you should also verify yourself on Bing, as Microsoft use Bing, and any SEO helps! Just go to Bing Webmaster Tools and sign up. You can also then sign up for Bing Places for Business, which is the same thing as Google My Business. In fact, you can set on Bong but just “pulling through” your Google listing so you do not need to re submit all your information.
7. List your business on Business Directories
To improve your Google Page Rank, it's important to get good quality links to your website. A simple and very cheap way (free, except your time) is to add your site to various business directories. There are hundreds to choose from and you need to make sure you don’t end up on any dodgy ones, as you will be penalized by Google if they are not relevant. There are also some important basic rules to follow, such as using identical names, telephone numbers and emails on each listing.
8. Write a blog.
I know, I know, its painful and no one ever reads them anyway – so why bother? Google, that’s why. Google needs to be offered freshness, and once you have your website as you like it, it is hard to keep adding new content. So instead provide freshness through your blog. In my downloads I can give you my top tips for blog writing.
So, there you have it, my top 8 tips for do it yourself SEO. For my more in-depth guide on how to increase your SEO, Google rankings and visibility, click on the button below for my DOWNLOAD, and if it all still seems a bit like a nightmare, give me a call and I can do it for you!
