For those who don’t know much about how search engines work, we understand how difficult it can be to see your site isn’t showing up until page 35 of the results.
But, it is important to understand that boosting your website’s position doesn’t happen overnight:
It’s a process that needs attention over time, and you need to be in it for the long game.
Contents
- What is SEO?
- Keyword Research
- Content Structure
- URL Optimisation
- Meta Tags
- Image Optimisation
- Internal and External Linking
- Mobile-Friendly Design
- Conclusion
What is SEO?
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s ‘position’ in search engine results.
When you search for a specific topic or keyword on any search engine, such as Google or Bing, algorithms determine the most trustworthy and relevant sites to display in the results.
The goal is to make your website more appealing and understandable to search engines, which means you rank higher and increase your site’s organic (non-paid) traffic.
The benefits to you:
- Increased visibility means more potential visitors to your site.
- Helps to build credibility as people trust higher-ranking sites.
- Drives organic traffic, reducing the need for costly advertising.
1. Keyword Research
Before creating a new page or post, research what terms and phrases your target audience is searching for.
Using tools like SEMrush can help you discover relevant keywords with decent search volumes and low competition.
Focus on long-tail keywords (3-5 words) that are specific to your content.
The benefits to you:
- Understanding your audience’s search habits helps attract the right visitors.
- Long-tail keywords can give you a competitive edge with less competition.
- Improved keyword targeting can boost relevant traffic, leading to better engagement.
2. Content Structure
Create high-quality and engaging content that aligns with the researched keywords.
Use headings (h1, h2, h3, etc) to structure your content and make it easier for search engines to understand.
Ensure that your main keywords appear naturally in the title, headings, and body text.
The benefits to you:
- Structured content improves readability, making it easier for visitors to find information.
- Using keywords naturally enhances relevance without looking spammy.
- Search engines favour structured content, helping improve your ranking.
3. URL Optimisation
Customise the permalink structure of each page to reflect your target keyword.
Short, descriptive URLs with the primary keyword tend to perform better in search engine rankings.
For example, instead of “yourwebsite.co.uk/page111,” use “yourwebsite.co.uk/target-keyword.”
The benefits to you:
- Descriptive URLs help users and search engines understand page content.
- Short URLs are more memorable, aiding user navigation.
- Improves click-through rates from search engines by showing relevant keywords.
4. Meta Tags
Optimise your page’s meta tags, including the meta title and meta description.
These tags provide a concise summary of the page content and appear in search results.
Include your primary keyword in the meta title and description to draw in clicks.
The benefits to you:
- Optimised meta tags make your pages more enticing in search results.
- Encourages higher click-through rates with compelling descriptions.
- Helps search engines understand the relevance of your content.
5. Image Optimisation
Images can be great for visual appeal, but they also need to be optimised for SEO.
Rename images with relevant keywords before uploading and compress them to reduce file size.
Use alt tags to provide search engines with context about the image content.
The benefits to you:
- Faster-loading images improve user experience and reduce bounce rates.
- Descriptive alt tags can improve accessibility and provide search context.
- Keyword-optimised images can appear in image search results, bringing in additional traffic.
6. Internal and External Linking
Linking is essential in SEO, and there are two significant types: internal and external.
Internal links connect to other relevant pages within your website, improving user navigation and search engine crawlability.
External links provide supporting information from authoritative sources, enhancing credibility and relevance.
The benefits to you:
- Internal links keep visitors on your site longer, increasing engagement.
- External links to credible sources boost your site’s authority and trustworthiness.
- Improves site crawlability, helping search engines better index your content.
7. Mobile-Friendly Design
Phones are, for most people, the main piece of tech used for browsing websites. Ensure your site is mobile-friendly.
Choose a custom responsive theme or plugins that adapt your page layout to different screen sizes.
A mobile-friendly website improves UX (user experience) and can positively impact search engine rankings.
The benefits to you:
- Responsive design increases user satisfaction across devices.
- Helps your site rank higher on mobile searches, attracting mobile users.
- Improves usability, which is rewarded by search engines like Google.
Conclusion
It may not look like much when it’s put in a list, but creating an SEO-friendly site doesn’t need to be super complicated.
Using these guidelines, you can lay a strong foundation for your website’s SEO, and even the smallest improvements can have a huge impact on how your site ranks.
If you’d like to deepen your understanding, check out our guide on site maintenance.
Or better yet, get in touch with us here at Toast, and we’ll handle the technical details, allowing you to focus on producing great content.
