It is now more evident than ever, that we live in a time where having a commanding online presence is key to the success of any business. This is especially because consumers of different products and services are increasingly relying on the internet to find stuff they need. It only takes a few seconds of Google search for a consumer to find your business, make an order, request a quote, make inquiries, or set an appointment, all from the comfort of their homes or office places. Just for a refresher, this is called organic search, and unfortunately (or fortunately), most consumers only click on links displayed on the first one or two pages on Google search results.
This means that if the giant search engine finds your website’s pages resourceful enough to be included in the first few results; you are on the fortunate side. On the other hand, business websites that rank beneath the first few pages of search engine result pages (SERPS) tend to lose out on a lot of business from online target consumers. This is why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – optimizing a website so that it becomes more visible online by ranking high on search engines – has been an essential tool in internet marketing over the past few years.
However, SEO, as we know it, has evolved a lot over the past few years. Some of the techniques that used to work in the past are no longer reliable and as a matter of fact, some of them have been illegalized. Additionally, technology has evolved a lot and most consumers prefer things that make their lives easier, especially by saving time and money while adding convenience. But if there’s one thing that hasn’t changed, it’s the importance of ranking high on search engines. To keep up the pace and stay abreast of the various trends and advancements happening in the online marketing world, it’s important to think ahead about your SEO strategies and techniques.
This having been pointed out, here are some forward-thinking SEO strategies to rank top in search engine results.
- Hire an SEO Specialist
While there are plenty of tasks you can carry out on your own to improve your online visibility, some aspects of SEO can be a bit technical, tedious, and time-consuming to the novice online entrepreneur. Not everyone may find the time and energy to conduct keyword research, track competitors, perform metrics analysis, and perform SEO audits, for instance. Additionally, web design and development is not everyone’s regular cup of tea. Hiring an SEO expert takes a lot of the work and strain from you so you can concentrate on other more important tasks for your business.
Nonetheless, the best web design and effective SEO approach for you may also vary depending on the kind of business you’re running. If you’re setting up and optimizing a website for your law firm, for instance, it’s best to hire a web marketing expert that specializes in law firm web design and SEO. Charles Bennett from Consultwebs.com believes that the best SEO approach to rank your website high should be based on comprehensive data, keyword, and competitor analysis. With an experienced team of specialists continuously handling your SEO campaigns, you can easily achieve high ranks on Google and stay on top despite the gradual changes in the world of SEO.
- Make Room for Voice Search Optimization
With the use of virtual assistants such as Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant, and Amazon’s Echo on the rise, voice search is increasingly gaining root in people’s lives. It is possible that soon, everyone will prefer conducting internet searches by simply talking to the smart device. For this reason, it is important to consider optimizing your website for voice search; for instance, by including long string keywords and phrases that someone would naturally use when they need information.
- Understand and Utilize Schema Markup
Schema Markup is a tool that gathers data from your website and creates a “rich snippet” or a more detailed description of your website. In addition to helping search engines and web browsers understand your site better; this description is also displayed on search engine result pages for internet users to get a brief overview of what the site is all about. By understanding the use of Schema data, you’re preparing your website for ranking success and more success in the future.
- Don’t Ignore the Basics
As you seek to stay informed and up to speed with emerging trends and technologies such as AI, it can be catastrophic to ignore the basics of search engine optimization. By maintaining your focus on them, you’re thinking forward and committed to maintaining top search engine ranks. Here are some things you should never ignore:
- Always use white hat SEO tactics
- Provide quality, engaging, and resourceful content… and update it regularly
- Research your market extensively
- Maintain a strong presence on social media
- Keep your website mobile-friendly
- Invest in link building
- Utilize local directories
As a topic, SEO encompasses information that deserves not just a single page, but a site of its own. However, what matters most is what you do with the little information you get from time to time. The above few strategies can go a long way in getting your site to Google’s top pages and keeping it there.