What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Search engine optimization is simply the process of preparing a website to rank high in the search engines in order to increase organic traffic, which is your websites visitors that are coming to your site for free through search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. This is the most popular method of traffic generation because it is completely free. Several factors are involved in making a website search engine friendly including the design and content of the site, meta tags and link popularity. This article will focus on covering both on and off page search engine optimization strategies.
Search Engine Optimization Core Ranking Methods
On Page Search Engine Optimization Strategies
1. Use your keyword in the meta title, meta description and alt tags on every page.
This is the first SERP (Search Engine Results Pages) impression. Not only does it help with your SEO, but it’s a good place to capture your visitor’s attention. Just think of your title as the attention grabber. As long as you write interesting keyword rich titles in the articles of every article on your website, you can use that as your meta title. The meta description is like the “desire” or body of an ad to entice people to click to your site where your keyword should be placed preferably somewhere in the beginning. The “All In One SEO” plugin allows you to quickly do this.
2. Use related keywords for your headings and use H3 and H4 tags.
H1 Tags are automatically set for you in WordPress for titles. Use H3 and H4 tags for subheadings using LSI keywords in order. LSI, which is short for Latent Semantic Indexing are related keywords that can be a great way to rank your article for different keywords.
3. Create Content That Ranks.
Google may update its algorithms with its Google Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird and other wildlife creatures, but one thing is for sure. Creating high quality content is always in style and it’s a long term strategy to keep your rankings. Just write naturally and don’t worry too much about keyword density in which doing so can lead to awkward content that doesn’t make sense. This will also lead you to becoming an authority in your niche and other sites linking to you, giving you a boost in the search engines and increasing visitor loyalty.
As long as you include a “SEO ready” keyword somewhere in the first sentence of your first paragraph, sprinkled throughout your content like your title, subheadings, somewhere in the first beginning of your first paragraph and mention it somewhere in your last paragraph, you should be fine. The WA Keyword Tool and Jaaxy are excellent paid tools to find 20-30 related keywords in under a minute. After you finish writing your content, socially share your content to Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and Digg to speed up your rankings. You can be ranking in as little as 30 seconds of doing this.
4. Internal link your content.
Internal linking related keywords within your content from one page to another can help you rank better in the search engines because it lets Google know that your content is valuable enough to refer people to other pages other than a raw affiliate link. To avoid using too many affiliate links, simply create content related to that service or offer and add about two affiliate links there.
5. External links.
Linking to authority sites within your niche like Wikipedia can help your rankings because the search engines will see that you’re helping your visitors to your website.
6. Use embedded videos within your content.
This can be your own or someone else’s video. Whichever videos you choose to use, they have to be optimized just how you would optimize an article for your website by having your keywords in the title, tags, and within a short description of the video. Put the video somewhere in the middle of your content. This is not only great to optimize your pages, but a good trick for people to stay longer on your pages.
7. Use Schema-Creator.org and/or Google Authorship.
Schema is a collection of HTML tags that webmasters use to markup their pages in ways recognized by Google, Bing, and Yahoo. They realize that by displaying schema such as authorship (when your picture comes up in the SERP’s, rating stars for reviews and recipes, and map associations for local searches makes it easier for people to find what they’re searching for and giving them a better user experience. This can also help in people clicking through to your site because it stands out.
8. Install Google Analytics.
Google Analytics is a very powerful free tool that you should constantly use to track the behavior of your visitors and optimize the pages that have a high bounce rate. Google Analytics can easily be installed within the “All in One SEO” plugin.
9. Don’t overuse affiliate links.
Google and your visitors don’t like this. Always try to centralize your content to one to three pages.
Off Page SEO Tips
10. Submit articles to high page rank (PR) article directories with proper anchor text.
To find articles, Google “high PR article directories” without the quotes. These articles don’t have to be that long. Just make sure they’re high quality and enticing enough for people to click to your site.
11. Put your full websites URL in the first line of the description when you’re using videos.
12. Submit press releases to press release directories.
Write these articles in a third person format as if you’re writing as a news reporter talking about a site you found or a product you’re promoting. You will be able to create anchor text most of the time. The great thing about press releases is that they can get syndicated and other press releases will post your article on their website greatly benefiting you. Press Releases are immune to duplicate content. To find press releases, Google “free press release directories” without the quotes.
13. Social Bookmark your site to sites like Reddit and Digg.
To do this, just go to Reddit and click on “Submit a new link” on the top right hand corner of the page. Then I like to insert my URL and click on “Suggest Title.” Then choose a subreddit, enter the captcha code and click on submit.
On the next page, click on formatting help on the bottom right hand side of the box.
Copy and paste the third line on the left in the box. Replace the first part with the title of your article and the second part with the link to your article. Click on Save.
You can then Digg your Reddit link.
SEO is important and one of the most lucrative ways to generate unlimited free traffic to your website, but you shouldn’t solely rely on this technique alone as Google is constantly updating its algorithms and it can negatively affect your online business and it also takes time for your site to rank. That’s why is so import to implement other ways to market your site such as submitting articles to high PR article directories, sharing every post to your social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, social bookmarking your site to Reddit and Digg, implementing video marketing and other creative ways.
I hope this article helped you out. If you need more help or want to become an internet marketing expert, I recommend you check out my Wealthy Affiliate review.
If you have any questions or comments, please state them below and I will make sure to get back to you within 24 hours.
To Your Success,
Related Posts
- 25 Best Inspirational Quotes Of All Time For Internet And Affiliate Marketers
- What is Keyword Research? – How to do Keyword Research Without Banging Your Head On a Wall
- What is a Niche? – 5 Ways to Find a Profitable HOT Niche
- The Eight Deadly Sins of Internet Marketing
- The Core Fundamentals of Starting a Successful Business Online