In a rapidly shifting digital world, SEO techniques can change on a dime. Google wants to present the best possible results to users and thus constantly fine-tunes search algorithms, pushing quality sites up in the search engine results pages (SERPs). According to recent studies, the vast majority of users does not look past the first page of SERPs, so, if you are not there, it is like you do not even exist for them. Thus, to boost the viability, one has to know the ranking factors and how to make the most of them.
Test the digital waters
The first thing to do is to see how well-optimized your website is. Therefore, test your current ranking based on keyword search and carry out an audit. You can easily find a suitable SEO audit tool and pull it off without fuss. Take into account the SEO health of the pages and compare various SEO metrics for a number of different pages. Do not start analyzing right away because you do not want anything to slip through the cracks.
Harness the power of engagement
Engagement is a metric that plays a pivotal role and has a strong correlation with the search engine ranking. It represents your ability to hold the user’s attention, a measure of time spent on the page. So, you need to minimize bounce rates by formatting your posts for easier reading, using elements such as bucket brigades and quality images, crafting compelling content, and nailing your landing pages.
Satisfy the need for speed
Site speed has been established as a ranking factor back in 2010. Since then, it has only gained in importance. Moreover, users have grown accustomed to pages that load within 3 seconds or less and do not tolerate sluggish websites. Thus, website owners must emphasize performance aspects, especially for mobile pages. Namely, when gauging how mobile-friendly a certain site is, Google uses site speed as a decisive factor.
Mobile optimization
This brings us to the point of mobile optimization. Mobile devices have surpassed desktop PCs and represent the top source of internet traffic. This suggests that you have to grasp the trends in this field, such as Mobile-first indexing (due to come next year) and Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP).The latter is a Google-backed initiative, which serves as a guiding light for publishers who want to create responsive design and mobile-optimized content.
YouTube friendliness
Did you know that 55% of all searches display at least one video ad that 82% of those videos are from the supreme ruler of the video realm, the YouTube? The second most popular search engine reaches more people than any cable network, which is to say that YouTube optimization is an absolute must these days. Of course, you first have to get into video production and craft stunning pieces of content. It may be relatively expensive, but rest assured that this content marketing strategy pays dividends in the long run.
More than words
Nowadays, tactics like shoving dozens of keywords into your posts do not cut it anymore. Google wants to anticipate and meet the intentions and expectations of users and positions only the best results at the top. So, for instance, what separates one great blog that covers extreme sports (easily my favorite niche) from the myriad of bad ones? It is the ability to keep the fingers on the pulse of the audience and offer relevant topics. Like it or not, a user is the king.
Step up the game
The world of SEO never sleeps as Google is constantly evolving and updating its algorithms. To rise above the competition, figure out where you stand and devise the best way to move forward. We have covered the sure-fire techniques to come into the digital spotlight and skyrocket your ranking as well as the number of visitors. Just bear in mind that tactics that bring you front page results today may prove to be futile tomorrow. So, in order to stay on top of the game, you better be prepared to keep up the pace.
Thanks for great tips, Sean. What do you think is the best length for videos. Do they still need to be short or does it matter?
Hello Carol, thank you for your comment. As for the video, it’s better to be longer, but it needs to grab viewers attention that the viewer watches all video. For the YouTube SEO, my favorite is Brian Dean and also all kind SEO. You will find a lot of great tips there for sure!
Thanks for the tips! I’ll check it out.