For SEO, it’s not enough to simply say content is king. You must identify your audiences and keep them engaged. Answer their questions and meet their needs. And above all, provide them with unique, shareable experiences.
You can’t stop there, though. Without a solid framework that meets the technical challenges of SEO, people may never find your work – even if you create the most compelling content to ever hit the web. What to do? Help your content reach its full potential by completing a set of achievable tasks.
These steps are brought to you by our Senior Content Writer and Editor, Michael Morton.
7 SEO Tips That Support Your Content
Start simple: Use Google Search Console to make sure the bots can find your pages and crawl them. (You can also tell Google which of your pages, if any, to avoid.)
From there, you may need to invest a little more time. But these 7 key changes can lead to significant dividends:
- Switch to https: Everyone wants a safe site, of course. But Google also has a stick coming to all non-https sites, in the form of “non-secure” messages likely to spook visitors. Best to migrate your site ASAP and to do so properly. One option: Use the site move tool in Search Console.
- Create friendly URLs: Both search engines and humans appreciate URLs they can easily scan and comprehend. Avoid numbers and symbols.
- Improve navigation: Limit your navigation to 7 items – fewer if possible. Slim navigation helps readers quickly understand their options and fits better on mobile screens. Consider using breadcrumb navigation (see “label content”).
- Label content: Schema.org helps you add markup language (codes) to your pages, making it easier for search engines to understand and use your content. You can show breadcrumbs, a search box and a few internal page names in search results, as well as better compete for the top spot (position zero). You also set your site up well for voice searches. Use Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool to check your efforts.
- Transcribe videos: By transcribing your videos, you turn them into content that search engines can index. You also help users who are looking for particular information.
- Adjust images: Image optimization requires a few steps. Limit your resolution to just what you need. Manage your file size with digital tools that avoid compression. Make images responsive, to account for various screen sizes. Add a caption, if appropriate. Use alt tags, with keywords and an accurate description. Finally, choose a clear file name that includes keywords.
- Remove bad links: Remove spammy and other low-quality links that point to your site. If needed, use Google disavow backlinks in Search Console, but proceed cautiously.
While you’re at it, make sure you’re also taking a strong mobile approach. Stay tuned for our upcoming blog post on how to be all that you can be on mobile.
