You’ve considered keywords, cranked up content production, and pursued pay-per-click. When it comes to SEO (search engine optimization), it’s easy to just throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks. But the only thing that really works is a long-term strategy.
To help steer your SEO efforts on a successful path, here are four steps you can take to rethink your approach and start seeing results.
Rethinking SEO
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Give it time
SEO is not something you address once and move on. It’s a serious undertaking that takes significant time and some financial investment. Your digital marketing budget should include a chunk allocated specifically to SEO—and even with that, you’ll still need a sizeable amount of patience to see real results. Plus, Google’s algorithm is constantly evolving, so its important to stay abreast of best practices to keep your website on the map.
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Don’t take shortcuts
The SEO game has strict rules. Sure, there are quick and dirty ways to get ahead—but no matter what anyone tells you, none of these tactics will produce lasting results. In fact, many can even inflict penalties. From keyword stuffing to hidden text and bait-and-switch pages, these “black-hat” SEO techniques will only get you penalized. Sooner or later, the search engine will catch on, and any gains you once experienced will be stripped away in a flash.
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Consider human behavior
Keywords are still relevant, but they’re losing emphasis in the search world. These days, Google values how users seek, prioritize, and process content, which it then incorporates into its incredibly complex search algorithm. That means relevant content is king: Google sees and rewards you handsomely for consistency and topic breadth. Plus, writing that flows logically and delivers valuable information is more likely to encourage a reader to stay on the site, rather than a spammy page filled with fluff.
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Metrics matter
To make the most of your digital marketing and SEO efforts, do yourself a favor and map out your metrics. But rather than focusing on keyword ranking and keyword search volume, focus on your overall strategy. For example, a given keyword might have a search volume of 200,000 per month, but only contribute to 12 conversions a month. Another keyword might have a volume of only 400 a month but contribute to 20 conversions. When you know where every dollar and conversion come from, you can focus on the metrics that make revenue, instead of useless vanity SEO metrics.
Liqui-Site can help take you to the top
Think it’s a pipe dream to stay on page one of the search results? With Liqui-Site’s SEO techniques, it can be your reality. We can help your brand can reach and maintain a top spot—without cutting corners or paying per click. To learn more, contact us today.
