The Internet is complicated. Google’s Analytics algorithm is just as complicated. Fortunately, for you, you don’t need to learn all the things when it comes to SEO and algorithms. You just need to know how to be resourceful and use what some marketers are calling Modern SEO. It’s simple; and you don’t have to be a programmer to understand.
User Experience is Everything
If the only thing you learned from the updated Google Analytics algorithm update is that your site needs to be mobile-friendly, then you must know your site has to look good for not only desktop but also for mobile. More and more users are using smartphones to visit websites, so they deserve a great looking mobile website that offers a great experience even when navigating a site through a smartphone1.
A great user experience and look of a website begins behind the scenes. Choosing the best CMS (content management system) is the key factor in establishing this. We offer Open Enterprise, a distribution of the popular enterprise Drupal CMS (more on this later). Your website you should be esthetically pleasing, easy to navigate, fast loading, and of course optimized for any device be it desktop, tablet, or smartphone.
These are just the standard best practices for getting started on SEO, and if you follow them, your website will start ranking higher and visitors will return to your site.
Great Content is the Best Content
The saying “content is king,” still holds true, even in this modern Internet era. Part of the inbound marketing methodology incorporates practicing content marketing. Content marketing is an essential element for bringing users into your site and nurturing them to then become leads and then eventual loyal customers.
Writing great content no longer involves adding keyword phrases in every other paragraph of your content. Now, your content has to be worthy of your visitor’s time. Providing them with interesting and relevant topics to your industry will keep them coming for more. The more your blog is visited, the more they will become indexed on Google Search ranking higher above competitors with similar topics. You might not be the best writer, but if you provide your audience with material worth reading, this will bring them in and ultimately improve your SEO.
Social Media Presence is Necessary
Having an online presence besides a website is no longer enough. Social media helps not only build your brand but also helps you distribute your excellent content as discussed above. Engage with influencers in your industry often and remember to share your content often with appropriate hashtags. The site traffic might not be coming from you website directly, but it is still free and organic by referring followers to your site.
Join social media channels appropriate to your line of work. You don’t want to join every channel available to later discover that your niche market is not engaging on that network. Typically having a Twitter, Facebook Page, and LinkedIn Page are most common. After those three, evaluate your site. If you often share great photos on your blog posts, then sign-up for Pinterest. Google+ is said to be “dead”, however creating a page is still a good idea, as it indexes your brand, description, location, and website.
Open Enterprise CMS
Open Enterprise is a responsive-ready content management system that allows you to build a robust website with SEO ready tools. These tools provide a framework for organizing keywords and content, providing your website with the best opportunity to rank well in search engines.
At the end of the day, SEO is important because it helps people find your website. Your website becomes the central hub to connecting with your target market and target audience. It can generate leads and attract new customers.
SEO gets your business, brand, and website found, noticed, and loved.