Five SEO Secrets You Need to Know

If you’re here, it may just be because you know that it’s incredibly important to prioritize your Google rankings and search engine optimization, but you’re not exactly sure how you can do that. There’s a lot that goes into SEO, and while some of it is complicated, there are other little changes you can make to dramatically improve your website without hiring outside of your company.

If you’re new to the world of SEO or just want to improve your rankings even a little bit in the days and weeks ahead, here are five SEO tips for any online business that are sure to help you improve!

1) A little update can go a long way.
Updating your website is important to make sure your content is fresh and relevant, but did you know it helps your SEO as well? Regularly making changes - even small ones! - signals to Google that your website is active and that you are ensuring a good customer experience when someone lands on your page. This gives you a more favorable ranking in the algorithm, so it’s a win-win!

2) Google and Facebook can actually help each other…if you know how to use them correctly!
First step: install Google Analytics (here’s how)
Next step: install the Facebook pixel (here’s how)
Now, let the magic happen! The good news about your website is that it becomes your business’ home base. Any traffic you drive from Facebook can be tracked by Google, and vise versa. This means that, with both powers combined, you can really hone in on your target audience, no matter how they find you online. It’s a huge advantage most people don’t realize they have!

3) You can link Google Adwords and Analytics so your ad campaign results are more precise.
This used to not be a possibility, but it can be a tremendous help! Google Adwords only goes so far in its analytics, so pairing it with the power of Google Analytics is a no-brainer. That way, you can see the exact path your paid traffic took (versus your organic traffic) and how people are responding to your ads when they land on your site. Observe, test, and change as necessary! (click here to find out how)

4) Promotional pop-ups are usually a bad idea.
I know that pop-ups can be a great email newsletter list-builder, but they’re falling out of Google’s good graces more and more by the day. In the last big update they were frowned upon, but the next change in Google will give you even more reason to steer clear of these. Thankfully, you have a few months to work out the kinks and make your newsletter signup prominent without harming your SEO.

5) Great content trumps great design…but not by much.
The pendulum swings from one end to the other with each update, but good content still trumps anything SEO-wise. That said, Google has made it clear with the next update that design will be important. This does not mean you have to spend thousands to hire a top-tier designer, but it does mean that user experience is important. If your website loads slowly or is difficult to navigate, this can hurt you unnecessarily in the Google algorithm.

If you have any questions about these SEO secrets, comment below or send me an email! I’m always thrilled to help you on your journey to better rankings - and a growing business - online.