Ranking your website on search engines requires strong SEO. Aside from being user-friendly, a website must have optimized content to survive in this digital marketing era. You can incorporate content SEO best practices in your marketing strategy.
Relying solely on quality content and repetitive use of old hacks is not enough to rank your website on Google now. Google accounts for more than 80% market share in the world’s search market. If your website fails to rank on this search engine, you’ll miss plenty of marketing opportunities.
What Are the Best Practices for Content SEO?
Creating quality content will only be worthwhile if the website appears in the search results. SEO practices can help you improve your website’s rankings by using the right keywords, on-site optimization, and building backlinks.
If you are looking for a basic guide to content SEO best practices, you have come to the right place. This blog will explore how to rank your website using content optimization.
Keyword Research and Placement
Keyword research is the initial step in creating any SEO-friendly content. Google’s search algorithm works on keywords. It scans the web pages and their contents to analyze and rank them based on keyword density and relevancy.
The location of your keywords also makes a difference. Place your primary keyword at the beginning of your blog post, article, or any other type of content to help Google identify it easily. Google weighs more on content where the searched keyword is the first thing on the webpage.
Do thorough research to find the right search terms that match your topic in dominating the search results. Find related keywords using Google’s autocomplete or monitor your competitor’s ranking content to see what keywords they use. People often type long-tail keywords when they are looking for specific information. Since they have low search volume and more chances to appear on the SERPs, using them in your content can boost visibility.
Your Content Must Match Users’ Search Intent
Users’ search Intent is the main reason behind every query made on the internet. Fulfilling and satisfying these intents is also the main objective of search engines. The search results on Google first pass the search intent test to rank on the first page.
For example, if you search “How to bake a cake?” you’ll see recipes, YouTube videos, and blogs in the search results rather than an e-commerce website. Why is that? It’s because Google understands your search intent and knows you are looking for a tutorial rather than a place to order a cake. If you were to order a cake, the search query would have looked like “where to buy a cake?” or “best cake shops near me.”
When crafting the content marketing strategy for your website, take great care of the search intent of the keywords. There are four types of user intents, according to Google:
- Informational: When a user is only looking for related information and guidelines
- Transactional: When a user wants to fulfill a transaction or make a purchase
- Navigational: When a user is looking for a specific term, brand, place, or website
- Commercial: When a user is looking for guidelines to make a purchase
Analyze your content. Whether you can write it in a guide or a listicle format, assess your competitor’s intent and craft your content from a perspective that aligns with the nature of your topic.
Write Attractive and Unique Titles
One of the most basic yet important SEO practices is to make a catchy title for your content. It is the primary information about your content that you give to the user and Google. Go for medium-length titles that contain your target keyword.
Avoid duplicating a competitor’s title or using the same old ways to write them. Your title length should be manageable; the optimum title length is between 50-60 characters. A small blogging website can easily follow this rule. However, it can be tedious for an e-commerce website to develop a unique title, description, and meta details for every blog.
Use your target keywords along with mind-grabbers that bank on emotions like joy and grief. Conclude it with your brand name to add uniqueness. You can also edit it and update years to add to give it an up-to-date and fresh look.
Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
After titles, meta descriptions, and tags attract readers to read more. Meta descriptions give a summarized snippet of your content, video, or blog posts. Adding related keywords and targeted search terms can help boost your content ranking on Google. Adding a concise CTA word such as discover, buy, or learn, among others, can enhance the overall SEO of your webpage.
Title tags are visible as clickable headlines on the SERPs. Include title tags that contain your target keyword to inform Google and users that your webpage is relevant to the search query. Searchers must click on pages that show the exact title tags they’re searching for.
For example, when users type “kitchen appliances” in the Google search bar, IKEA may appear in their search results. It is because IKEA has used “kitchen appliances” as one of its title tags.
Image Optimization
You can also improve your site’s SEO by image optimization, filling in adequate meta details and alt texts, and using the appropriate file size. Use different file formats for different types of images. JPEG format is suitable for photographs, whereas PNG format is better suited for infographics and vector images. Visuals often slow down the loading speed of web pages. You must then use compressed pictures to increase the loading time. Add alt text that includes your target keywords in the caption. Alt text is translated into an HTML code to help the screen readers help understand the image.
Use CTAs That Entice Readers
The number of times a buyer sees messages encouraging them to purchase is overwhelming. You need to be careful with the frequency of your own. In the present era, when digital marketing has become so competitive, CTAs are often overlooked. However, they can be a potential way to boost your site’s SEO and conversions.
An attractive call to action option relevant to your content’s topic encourages the reader to take the next step in their quest to find information. It can be a newsletter subscription or an invitation to read more content.
Reduce the Page Loading Time
One of the major reasons for high bounce rates on websites is the long page loading time. It is a performance metric to assess user engagement and a site’s bottom line on the web. This load time is affected by content-related factors like the number of elements included on a page or the image specifications and web layout. You can analyze your site’s loading speed by using Google’s page speed insight tool. You can obtain a complete report on your website’s overall health and speed and how you can improve it.
Offer a Smooth User Experience
Aside from loading speed, Google also analyzes the user experience of the websites people visit frequently. You can improve your site’s SEO and UX by using these tips:
Make your website visually appealing. Use attractive color schemes, pictures, and videos to convey your point. You can also make your text more comprehensive by using headings and subheadings. H1, H2, and H3s make your website more accessible to the user.
Around 60% of users access the internet through their mobile devices. Therefore, make sure your website is optimized for mobile UX.
Content SEO is a Surefire Way to Thrive Your Website
Overall, content SEO is about creating user-friendly content that ranks on search engines. Your SEO game should have keywords, backlinks, visuals, and meta details to reach your potential customers. A responsive website and an attractive CTA will be the cherry on top.
Contact us now if you’re looking for a trustworthy team to apply these practices and rank your website. Lincoln SEO is ready to serve.