We get it — SEO is one of those terms that can sound crazy intimidating upfront. The earliest mention that can be found of SEO traces roughly back to 1997. This was the same year that Titanic smashed the box office, Hanson released their debut album, and Biggie Smalls was shot. The point? It’s been around a long time (it’s technically old enough to have a drink), and there’s no reason for any person with half a brain to still shy away from the very basics of SEO. Once you look under the bed, this monster is really no monster at all. You can tackle it with ease, we promise. Let’s take a look at three simple ways to do just that.
1. Start a Blog (And Post Weekly)
Hosting a blog is one of the easiest ways to make the most out of SEO, and you don’t have to be Hemingway to write one for your business. Blog writing offers a multitude of ways to beef up your SEO.
First, by posting weekly, the new content on your blog keeps your website nice and fresh, which SEO spiders (the digital doo-dads that run around the internet ecosystem and rank good and bad content) really like. Having a blog also means that visitors are apt to stay on your site longer, which tells Google you have valuable content, increasing your favorability.
Next, a blog allows you to incorporate the good practice of internal linking. This is when you link a word or phrase from your blog back to another page on your site. Maybe you'll link to a product you're talking about, your contact page, or even another blog post.
Lastly, a blog allows you more keyword opportunities than your less content-heavy web pages. You can weave different types of keywords into your posts to increase your ranking for those search terms. This brings us to number two because to do this well, you absolutely must…
2. Research Your Keywords
OK, let’s first define this term to squash any ambiguity. A keyword is an idea or topic that defines your content. In human speak, it’s what people type into search engines. There are a few different types of keywords, and we’re going to look at each of them with examples to make sure we’re extra clear. While some are more valuable than others, you’ll want to weave them all into your content for an SEO strategy that’s too legit to quit.
generic keywords
Generic keywords are just as they sound — broad terms that describe your business. We promised examples, so let’s dive in. Let’s say we own a boutique and just got our fall line in. An example of a generic keyword might be “jacket.” Now, that’s a very common, generic word, which means there will be lots of folks searching for the term, and lots of other websites that include the word jacket. We’ll have more competition, but the word will also have a large search volume.
Broad Keywords
Broad keywords are the bread and butter of SEO. Broad keywords still get you a good amount of traffic, but their added specificity lowers the risk of oversaturated competition. While “jacket” is well and good, there are a zillion different kinds of jackets, varying in color, fabric, style, etc. That’s why a broad keyword looks more like, “green jacket” or “green military jacket.” With broad keywords, you’re beginning to zone in on the potential customers who are searching more specifically for your product, without getting so specific that you lose your mass audience. This is why broad keywords should make up the bulk of your website’s SEO content.
Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are the sentences users type into Google when they’re really on the hunt. While their specificity may lower your overall traffic, the likelihood of conversion increases as the user making this search is looking for exactly what it is you’re offering. Following our example, long-tail keywords would look something like, “Free People green military jacket,” or “Free People women’s small military jacket.” These long-tail keywords may lose some of the masses simply searching for a jacket or a green jacket, but they are reaching a highly targeted group with increased buying potential.
It’s worth reiterating that none of these SEO keyword forms will do the trick on their own, and a good SEO strategy includes some of each, with broad keywords doing most of the legwork.
3. Write Guest Blogs
Once you have a handle on your own blog by following all the good tidbits we laid out for you in step one, you can turn some of your focus on guest blogging. Guest blogging is done by reaching out to other similar blogs in your industry and writing posts as a guest for that company. This gives you the opportunity to earn links to your own content on a new platform, often with a larger audience. These links – called backlinks – to your site boost your content’s worth and up your SEO rankings. Bonus: not only does guest blogging open the door to landing more eyes on your content, but it also carries the added bonus of establishing you as a thought leader within your niche.
Are you ready to tackle SEO? Leave the unnecessary fear behind and start improving with these simple tips.
If you found this information helpful, dive deeper and download our PRIME guide:
If you enjoyed this edition of PRIME Pulse, take a look at some of our other related articles:
- 5 Common SEO Myths
- Blogging: The Super Powered Secret to SEO
- How to Write Blogs That Actually Reach Your Audience
