5 Awesome On-Page SEO Techniques
Valuable SEO Techniques for Online Business
On-Page SEO is one of the most significant ways to promote your online business. This content optimization will help you to achieve top ranking in searches and run effective SEO campaigns. This is all meant to drive customers to your doorstep. The ultimate purpose of On Page optimization is to provide a clear understanding of the context of your website. The process would be to optimize each one of your website’s individual pages parts including content, titles, URLs, and descriptions.
Visualize your website as the pivot point of all SEO practices. For this reason, it is important that you optimize your site to speak the language of Search Engines. Today, there are many techniques you can employ to optimize your site. However, to achieve the best results, it is essential that you implement the latest on page SEO techniques to ensure you are following the ever-changing rulebook. Follow these 5 awesome on page SEO tips.
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Content Optimization
Quality content is essential in SEO On-Page optimization. You can achieve top ranking and increase traffic tremendously to your website by optimizing your site. Content optimization is a process you cannot afford to ignore. Be sure to carry out extensive research about what you want to post on your website. Avoid copying content from relevant competitors as Google penalizes sites with copied content. Focus on every aspect of your page including comments, blogs, and content. Create an easy path with your sitemap to keep clients on your website as long as you can.
What makes up good ON-Page SEO content?
Content that is:
- Published for the first time unless you clearly specify that it is borrowed or give the canonical tag as expected.
- Describes photos and videos well and has correct placement
- Relevant and useful to users and not just used to fill space.
- Highly researched and long in length as they are proven to offer valuable information to web visitors.
- Unbiased, truthful and justifiable. Give insight to both sides of the story at all times.
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Keyword Density
Another factor that Google uses to rank websites is Keyword density. Make the most of high search volume phrases, keywords and ensure they are relevant in your website. Most importantly, avoid the black hat technique of keyword stuffing to prevent spamming and will rank you lower in search engines.
It is highly recommended that you keep your keyword density at 2 percent. Check your keyword density and ensure it adheres to the Latent Semantic Indexing. If you don’t have a way to check, a on page SEO service or companies have the proper measurement tools like an on-page SEO checker to ensure you are at proper optimization levels.
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Optimize Titles and Meta tags
Meta tag and title optimization is another On-Page SEO technique to implement. A title and Meta tag that is well optimized provides a clear picture of what your page entails. Furthermore, it helps search engines to have a better understanding of what is on your landing page. It is usually the first 2 lines of content below the title.
Take time to make your titles applicable and meaningful to your landing page. A good title is about 70 characters or less including space. Note that Google keeps changing its guidelines and a Meta description should be about 320 characters. As a result, ensure that you get a title and a Meta tag that is interesting and catchy. Such a title will give you the best Click through Rate in search engine ranking.
Tips for optimizing your titles
- Write descriptive, short and clear titles.
- Include keywords at the beginning of your titles as it gives a clear picture of what to expect
- Include power words and numbers such as “amazing, actionable, checklist and ultimate” among others that make your titles interesting.
- Provide an accurate description and avoid including domains in your title. However, if you are sure that your brand is well known, you can have your own domain in your title.
Meta description optimization tips
- Avoid the use of auto-generated details in your Meta tags.
- To make your descriptions relevant and worthwhile, add target words.
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Create high-quality backlinks
The other important Google ranking factor that is here to stay is backlinks. These should link you to other relevant pages on your website or other reputable and related sites. Effective links enhance brand visibility and builds trust amongst web visitors. Keep in mind that only the best backlinks offer quality results. Domain host authority only represents 23 percent of Google’s ranking system. Optimize your site for a quick way to gain some ranking visibility in the search results.
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Avoid unnecessary On-Page SEO Updates
As mentioned earlier, only the right SEO techniques can help you achieve top ranking in search engines. When handling site optimization, it is imperative that you only make the necessary updates. Work with an expert or website developers to create a site that is appealing to the target audience and search engines.
An SEO expert will focus more on key points and keep track of your site. What’s more, a website developer can spot certain mistakes before your website goes live. This is in terms of upgrades, maintenance, and other additional features you may want in your site.
Focus on These Features When Upgrading your Website
- Internal and external links
- Head tag optimization
- Use of catchy words especially in the first and last 100 words
- Use HTTPS to build trust amongst web visitors because it comes with a security feature that offers security to confidential information
- Alt tag upgrades
- Make the site mobile and user-friendly
Note that when you are running a business online, On-Page optimization and content marketing is actually all you really need. It is a net that attracts and keeps clients visiting your page. It has a lot to do with UX & Usability as well as traffic generation which can convert to leads. Familiarize yourself with these awesome SEO tips to fully optimize your site. If you want to learn more about SEO, you can look at some Udemy free online courses.
Once you have implemented these valuable SEO techniques, you can work with an SEO expert like Chris from SEOBANK, he will evaluate the On-Page optimization needs of your page and offer the needed services to improve its overall performance. If you need any help from an SEO Windsor company, contact Chatham-Kent SEO specialist and we’ll do the work for you!
The 10 Golden Rules of Website Optimization
Website Optimization for Increased Traffic
Business success today is much due to online performance and website optimization is the key to increased traffic to your site. The world is online waiting to search your business! On average, Canadians spend 4 hours online more than people in any other country in the world. That is a whopping extra 36.7 hours per month!
With so many people browsing the internet, if your website is not optimized, you could be missing out potential clients! You are probably wondering how to optimize your website. The entire SEO process can be very overwhelming so we created a list of the 10 golden rules of website optimization. What is it about these keywords that are so important to site optimization? These rules should help you understand how the SEO process works and teach you website optimization techniques!
Let’s get started!
1. The Importance of Keywords
Unless you’re new to SEO, then you know the importance of keywords to website optimization. Sure, there are many research Tools such as Ad Words by Google that will generate keywords that get the most hits but it will take some time to learn which ones will work best for you and your business. Follow these 3 steps to grow your SEO using keywords.
- Research the right keywords for you.
- Create a list that will generate the most hits for you.
- Use them in well-written, relevant posts without giving the impression you’re just sprinkling them in.
Be sure to stick to the keywords you have selected. It’s the best way to optimize website for search engines and you will rank higher.
According to Mike Zhmudikov from Seologist: “Never fall in love with the keywords you’ve once chosen. Always keep on digging more keyword opportunities, for example, via Google trends or competitors’ analysis. Infinite keyword research must become your weekly or monthly routine”
2. Follow Google’s Webmaster Guidelines
Many web searches are performed through Google. Thankfully, Google wants to help website owners succeed and has created a list of Webmaster Guidelines to follow when you are optimizing your website. The guidelines act as a site optimization tutorial and will help make your website rank higher in SEO.
Add a Sitemap
The best way to help visitors on your website to find their way around is to add a sitemap. These are menus that will lead your visitor to other pages on your website. You will often see these repeated across the top of each webpage so people can get from one place to another easily. Adding a sitemap to your webpage will also win you some SEO points with Google.
Text Links and Text
If you’re going to include links, make sure they come from reputable sources such as a newspaper, journal, or niche magazine. Don’t surpass 100 links per page. This might raise red flags and your site could get flagged as spammy. Check your text links to ensure they’re not broken. If they are, it’s important to replace them.
Check for Technical Issues
When you are building your website, be sure to check for technical issues. Paying attention to the length of your URL’s. These are what appears in the search bar and the golden rule is – the shorter the better. You never know which internet browser visitors will use so you must ensure your website is compatible with all of them. Also, long URLs are very unappealing and difficult to share or type. Website Optimization from the start will put you on top of the charts!
User Testing
If you are an app developer or running any type of SaaS Business, you should have User Acceptance Testing set up to ensure your UX is both intuitive and fluid. If you have not heard about UAT testing before, you can learn about how to set up a walk-through for the end user or the client to verify the workflow of the software by visiting Design Rush in the link.
3. Use Quality Content
Let’s face it, great websites use quality content and website visitors are attracted to it! Bloggers who constantly update blogs, adding quality content, tend to be the most successful ones. Many seasoned business people often wonder how new and young bloggers are able to attract so much business to their sites. This is because their blogs keeps readers engaged and coming back for more. If you want to attract more visitors to your website, ensure you post engaging content on a consistent basis and share it through various social media channels.
4. Follow Keyword Rules
It is imperative that you follow keyword rules when building your website. It’s not as simple as picking the right ones and placing them in your text. These generate more visitors and traffic to your website but it’s easy to get a bit carried away with your keyword placement.
One of the web page optimization best practices is not to exceed 40% keywords in your content. If Google Crawlers catch you using keywords in more than 40% of the text per page, they will most likely flag your website as spammy and it won’t show up on organic searches.
A way to ensure you don’t over do it with the keywords is by adding them after you’re done writing the blog post. Some bloggers use a technique to add 1 keyword for every 2 or 3 paragraphs depending on the length of your post.
5. Add Optimized Images
The best London ON SEO expert encourage adding optimized images to your website. A picture says a thousand words! If you are going to add high-resolution images, make sure you size the images properly to reduce their loading times. The higher the resolution, the longer they may take to load. The longer the load, the more likely they will leave your site. Optimized images load faster and keep your website traffic longer.
6. W3C Accessibility Checklists
Similar to the Google Webmaster Checklist, the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) has developed a list of standards. This checklist focuses primarily on the user experience. Following these guidelines will ensure that people with disabilities will be able to easily use your website.
7. HTML
Not many people know how to write HTML and today’s do it yourself websites may not require the knowledge but this doesn’t mean it’s not important. For example, if you copy and paste text from a word processor into your website, it could complicate the HTML.
The text may appear correct but the code could have security holes, causes memory leaks, leak customer credit card information or contain a backdoor that gives access to a totally different site that is restricted. Make sure you take the time to understand the basics of HTML or hire someone who is an expert in the language.
8. GZIP Compression
Using a GZIP compression, similar to a ZIP file, helps reduce the total size of the page, so it can load faster. Internet users have less patience to wait for pages to load. For example, users will leave a mobile site if it takes longer than 2 seconds to load. This is crucial to web page optimization.
9. Shorter, Conversational Sentences
Google rewards bloggers that use shorter, conversational sentences. Most people overlook this detail when they’re in the process of website optimization but sentence length is important. The rule is to keep your sentences to no more than 20 words. The longer a sentence is, the better chances it can get flagged as robotic and non-conversational. This will give you a lower SEO rank.
Also, take a look at your paragraphs. Make sure you break paragraphs and sentences to 300 words per subsection. If it’s getting quite long, add a subheader to divide it. Readers like to skim the text for subheaders.
10. Reduce HTTP Requests
The more HTTP requests a website has, the longer it will take to load. Each page on your site is composed of text, images, scripts, stylesheets, and more. Every one of those elements has an HTTP request.
If you want to reduce loading times, figure out how many HTTP requests your site has. You can do this by opening up the browser and inspect each page to figure out the exact number .
Website Optimization: The Bottom Line
Now that you know about the 10 golden rules of website optimization and gathered some search engine optimization tips, it’s time to put your skills to the test. Are you trying to improve your SEO in Canada? Would you like to increase your website traffic and clientelle? Need a website optimization company to do the work for you? Let SEO Bank help you! Contact us fo web marketing Chatham-Kent and one of our SEO Experts will be in touch to offer you the help you need.
International SEO – How to Translate Your Website to Different Languages
Translating your website for international SEO purposes
A company’s global reach is a topic that doesn’t generally come up. Until they find themselves getting inquiries or generating orders from other countries. At this point, business owners naturally begin to consider global marketing strategies. This has led to global SEO creating a real buzz in the e-commerce world.
In this situation, the first thing that often springs to mind is website translation. That’s a great start, but optimizing a site’s content to improve its global reach involves far more than translation alone. If your priority is to establish an international market for your brand or business, you’ll want to secure website translation services that provide maximum results. Let’s talk about three important considerations in creating an international SEO plan.
It’s not just about Google Search
Global SEO goes beyond translation services by targeting customers in a particular region. While this process often begins with hiring a translation company to create content in multiple languages. This is often only the first step. Just as standard SEO requires laser-focused targeting, reaching international customers involves doing the same – through localization. And this doesn’t only apply to Google, but to multiple search engines.
If you’ve only just got used to SEO for Google, you many not relish the prospect of learning another algorithm. However, depending on which countries you want to market to, that might be precisely what you need to do. There are alternative search engines to consider: Yahoo, Bing, Yandex and Baidu are widely used in other countries. Ranking in these engines is a priority if you want to move toward your goal of marketing internationally.
SEO localization is not the same as translation
If you’ve ever traveled to another part of your own country, you know that even a distance of a few hundred miles can change things. The accent that is spoken, the outside temperature and climate, a region’s architectural style, and even its cuisine can vary greatly. Internationally, these differences are even more pronounced. Unless you’re highly familiar with the locale and language, it is likely you will need a translation agency not only to convert your site’s content into the correct language, but to provide website localization as well.
Many big companies have made the mistake of merely converting their web copy into the local language without implementing any localization. You may have heard about such blunders. For example, in China, Pepsi’s original slogan – “Come alive with the Pepsi generation” – translated into a statement that meant, “Pepsi brings your relatives back from the dead.” Hardly the message that Pepsi had in mind to promote its cola.
While mistakes like this are amusing to read about, they underscore the need for having a firm grasp on cultural differences before you attempt to translate web content verbatim.
For website translation to be successful, a solid understanding of the local culture, its geography, and the nuances of the language are required. Regional dialects, slang words, and colloquialisms should be taken into account so that your keyword search will be optimized with the proper phrasing. Additionally, it is vital to know what is appropriate for the culture and what is not. You want to ensure that your prospective customers have a positive experience, not leave your site insulted.
Keyword Research
A third consideration, which goes hand-in-hand with website localization, is keyword research. The interests and needs of your global audience are what will create your keywords. Making sure these keywords translate into relevant search phrases is critical to your success. What is important to your audience is going to vary considerably around the world, so you want to uncover the answers to questions such as:
•What are the emotions and values of my target audience and how are they expressed in the local language?
•Where does my target audience typically shop for products like mine?
•What do they call my product and how is it described?
•How do they perform searches? Are there common phrases used for this?
•Who is typically doing the purchasing in a household or business?
•Are my keywords appropriate for the audience I am targeting?
•Am I displaying the correct time and currency on my site?
Additionally, you will want to research which keywords your competition is using and see how you can improve upon them.
The worldwide marketplace
The statistics regarding Internet use around the world may surprise you. Of the entire population of internet users, North America represents only 8.3%. European users make up 17%, while Asia represents nearly half of all internet users on the planet, at a staggering 48.7%. Clearly, if you aren’t looking at the growth of your business from a global perspective, you are leaving revenue on the table.
Expanding Your Global Reach with International SEO
Considering the preferred search engine of your target market, implementing website localization, and performing thorough and relevant keyword research are critical components of a successful strategy for global e-commerce. Rather than just translating your website into another language, taking the time to create quality content that resonates with your foreign audience is a way to capture your share of the global market and generate
What is Local SEO and Why Do You Need It?
The world of online marketing is constantly evolving.
First, it was enough simply to have a website. Then, you had to learn how to optimize your website.
Now, people have taken it a step further and are talking about local search engine optimization, also known as local SEO and ranking in the local map pack.
Have you found yourself scratching your head and wondering “what is local SEO?”
Are you confused about why it’s important for your business? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Keep reading to learn more about local SEO, why it matters, and the steps you should be taking to enhance your local search engine rankings.
What is Local SEO?
First things first, let’s clarify what local SEO actually is.
Local SEO is all about optimizing your website so that it shows up in search engine results when people are looking for a business in a specific location.
For example, if you run a bakery in Ontario and someone near you is looking for the best bakery in Ontario, you would want your bakery to show up in their search engine results for those keywords.
How do you get your bakery to show up in those results? By utilizing local SEO strategies.
Benefits of Local SEO
Okay, you understand what local SEO is. But, why is it so important?
There are a lot of benefits that come with implementing local SEO strategies into your digital marketing plan, including the following:
Reach More Customers
Perhaps the greatest benefit of utilizing local SEO strategies is the fact that you can reach more people and significantly increase your customer base.
Local SEO is especially important now that just about everyone (77 percent of cell phone users, in fact) has a smartphone.
Many mobile searches have local intent, meaning that the user is looking for a particular product or service in their specific area.
If your website is optimized to show up in these people’s search results, you’ll be able to bring in a lot of new customers.
Make More Sales
There’s more good news, though. A whopping 80 percent of those mobile searches end in an actual sale! With those numbers in mind, why wouldn’t you want to make local SEO a priority?
Set Yourself Apart
Utilizing local SEO strategies also helps you set yourself apart from other local businesses that offer products or services that are similar to yours.
If they’re not taking advantage of local SEO tools and strategies, you can fine-tune your approach to gain a competitive edge.
This means you will show up more often for more searches, where your competitors are no where to be found online.
Essential Local SEO Strategies
At this point, you’re probably convinced that your business can benefit from implementing some local SEO strategies. But, what kinds of local SEO strategies and tools should you be using?
Some of the best, most effective approaches are listed below:
Claim Your Google Places for Business Page
The first step you should take is to claim your Google Places for Business page or (Google My Business) now. Every business is able to use this tool for a free listing.
Once you’ve claimed the page, be sure to fill it out completely. Include as much information as you can about your hours of operation, address, and contact details.
The more information you provide, the more likely your business is to show up in people’s search engine results.
Link to all your Social Media Accounts
Once you’ve set up your Google My Business Listing up and running, you’ll need to link your website to powerful social networks like:
Facebook Business Page
Twitter Business Account
LinkedIn Business Profile
Instagram Business Profile
Pinterest Business Profile
These sites focuses on social interaction with current and potential customers. It allows you to feature more reviews of your business, but be careful on social media, they are personal accounts and business profiles! Always make sure you are using the right account type for your business online. You want to provide more information about your services, and share images and videos. These accounts can be a key factor in increasing your brand’s exposure on Facebook and other social platforms.
Use the Right Keywords
It’s also important to use the right keywords, especially for page titles and in blog content.
For example, if you run a plumbing business in Toronto, you might want to use a keyword like “plumber in Toronto.”
By the way, if you are a plumbing company, you can check out this Ultimate Guide to Plumber SEO here.
While using locally optimized keywords is helpful, remember to still use them in a natural way.
Avoid overusing these keywords, too. Search engines will penalize your site if it seems like you’re just stuffing in keywords for the sake of improving your ranking.
Create a Listing for Each Location
If your business has multiple locations, be sure to create a listing for each one. This provides people with the correct details for the location nearest them. It also gives your business more opportunities to improve search engine rankings.
Keep NAP & Citation Information Consistent
When you’re creating NAP citations (name, address, and phone number), it’s important to list them in the same format each time.
Consistency is key when it comes to all forms of search engine optimization, and using consistent NAP citations will help boost your business’s overall visibility.
You can use a local SEO tool like Bright Local to measure your success, The best local SEO tools. Free trial, no card needed.
Ask for Reviews
Reviews can significantly boost your search engine rankings and make it easier for local customers to find your business.
Don’t be afraid to ask your current customers for reviews. You might even want to create an incentive or referral program to encourage reviews and keep new ones coming in.
Create Local Content
When you’re writing content for your website, make sure it’s geared toward your local audience. When you establish yourself as a local authority in a particular field, you’ll boost your credibility and attract a larger local audience.
In addition to focusing on what your business sells, use your website to promote local events, share local news, or teach local customers about a specific topic.
Make Sure Your Site is Mobile-Friendly
Finally, make sure your website is mobile-friendly.
Remember, most local searches occur from a smartphone or tablet. If people can’t access your site from these devices, they’re going to look elsewhere for a particular product or service.
Looking for More Local SEO Help?
You’ve now got a definitive answer to the question, “What is local SEO?”. But, you might still need some help in putting your knowledge into practice.
If you’re not sure how to implement these local SEO strategies or just want someone to guide you through the process, contact us at SEOBANK today.
We offer a variety of local SEO services, as well as other services that will help you optimize your website and grow your business.