SEO improvement is still possible even with Google making updates almost on a monthly basis. The strategies for improving your SEO are always changing. Once it was quite possible to rank for a term by having tons of keyword rich links pointing to your site. Today, that practice will get your site dropped to the abyss of the Search Engine Result Pages(SERPS).
Do visitors trust your site?
So what are some SEO Improvement tips that can help your site today?
- Content curation is very important. You still want to add good content to your website on a regular basis. More often is better.
- Link building is still important. If done properly, it will take you a lot of time, as you need to be really careful were you get your links and what you use as your link text.
- Niche Directory Links are not bad, but do be choosy about which directories you submit your site, and be sure to practice the next tip with your submissions.
- Use more branded keywords in your link building and much less keyword rich links. You can still occasionally get a keyword in there, but be cautious.
- Guest Blogging – Do guest blog posts on related websites. In the title of your post, use one of your target keywords when possible, and try to make sure the keyword is mentioned at least 1 time in the post.
- Do write for people, and not the Search Engines. People are much more likely to share content that is written for people not search engines.
- Sharing of your content on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+ increases your social media footprint. Social media mentions are even more important than links.
- Make it easy for people to share your content. If you are using a blogging CMS(Content Management System)utilize one of the many social bookmarking pluggins. If you are not using a blogging software as your CMS, you should include social bookmarking badges on every page, and with every product.
The wise practice due diligence when link building!
- Do focus your content on your niche. Your website’s purpose is to provide content or products to people that are looking for your niche. Provide what they are looking for, not what they are not looking for. Meaning make sure that your site maintains its focus. If you sell trash cans, don’t try to sell wedding dresses on your site because you found an unbelievable wedding dress designer. If that’s the case, start a new wedding dress website. Selling trash bags would be acceptable though. The tighter you can keep your site’s focus the better.
- Invest in your online authority. Don’t look at improving your SEO as a way of scamming the search engines. Look at it as a method of developing your online authority. People in your niche are far more likely to link to you, buy from you, become a client if you are perceived to be an expert. With my clients, my goal is always to build their online authority in the respective niche and geographic location.
Those are my top ten tips for SEO improvement after(and before) the Penguin update.
Do have any tips about improving SEO that you would like to share?
About the author
Adam is the Social Media Director at Baldy Dog Search Strategies, and is also the lead on all local SEO at BaldyDog.