SEO evolves every day, but the basics remain the same. Follow these eight basic SEO tips to reach the top!
Nowadays, when personalized results are influenced by user behavior, location, and device, standing out in search engine results is harder than ever.
The one thing that hasn't changed is this: your organic traffic is directly related to your search engine rankings (SERPs).
If your keywords rank at or near the top of Google's search results, unlimited traffic will follow.
Conversely, a lack of visibility in the SERPs will make it difficult to attract organic traffic, regardless of the quality of your site's content.
In this Grow Easy article, we'll show you 5 easy methods for Search Engine Optimization(SEO) to use to get ahead of your competitors. The top positions are waiting for you, so let's get started!
How long does it take to improve Google rankings?
All SEO experts have the same opinion: “It depends” We know that's not a concrete answer, but it's the truth when it comes to SEO and Google ranking improvement.
Every site is different, and changes don't happen in a vacuum. Situations vary and there are a huge number of variables.
The skills of the SEO team, the budget and the level of competition are important. The speed and optimization of your site also plays a role in how quickly progress can be made.
John Mueller of Google's SEO team has publicly stated that indexing new or updated content by Google can take "anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks."
However, even with drastic changes, significant ranking impact can take months, even a year.
But don't despair! If you're creating quality content and your site is fast, the results won't be long in coming! Let's move on to the 5 easy steps to improve your Google rankings!
1. Start with a solid technical and UI/UX foundation
Let's start with what UI/UX is and why it's important. UI/UX refers to user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, focusing on how a product or website looks, feels, and functions.
While UI emphasizes visual elements and interactive components, UX focuses on providing a seamless, intuitive, and satisfying user experience.
Poor site structure and lack of optimization will derail even the best SEO campaigns. If your website is difficult for users to navigate and for Google to crawl, your rankings will likely suffer.
Building a solid technical and UI/UX foundation ensures that both search engines and users will find what they're looking for.
Key technical UI/UX priorities for SEO:
- Optimize navigation: Make sure users can find every page on your site in three clicks.
- Secure your site: Use HTTPS to build trust and protect user data.
- Improve load times: Optimize images, use browser caching, and reduce code and JavaScript to ensure your site loads quickly on all devices.
- Troubleshoot: Use tools like Google Search Console to identify crawling issues, broken links and other obstacles that prevent Google from indexing your pages effectively.
By implementing these technical solutions, your site will be more easily crawled by Google bots. SEO changes will be in place faster and you'll climb to the top positions easier!
2. Providing useful, relevant and E-E-A-T oriented content
If you're still wondering „What is SEO“ and what are the basic elements, you're in the right place.
High-quality content that embodies experience, expertise, authority and credibility (E-E-A-T), is a core tenet of modern SEO.
Google rewards content that satisfies user intent and offers value. Prioritize creating material that answers real questions and solves problems.
Google-friendly content tips:
- Write engaging titles (Meta title): Use short, compelling titles between 135-159 characters that resonate with your audience and highlight key benefits.
- Write unique, engaging descriptions with keywords naturally included, avoiding auto-generated alternatives.
- Use expert sources: Enrich your content with authoritative quotes, internal links, case studies or insights from industry leaders to build authority with readers.
Each week, choose your three lowest performing URLs in terms of click-through rate (CTR) or average Google Search Console position. Choose topics based on your overall marketing strategy.
Update each one with a fresh expert quote or new insights aligned with search intent. Add a new section or FAQ to deepen the content. Track CTR and engagement metrics over the next four weeks to measure improvements.
3. Optimize your pages for Google
To make your pages interesting and search engine friendly, you need to optimize both the content and the way it is structured.
This includes creating short, descriptive titles, using meta descriptions, and strategically using internal links to improve user navigation and SEO performance.
Top optimization strategies:
1. Creating unique, engaging titles and meta descriptions
- Titles less than 60 characters in length or approximately 600 pixels in width ensure full SERP display. Prioritize clarity and relevance to attract clicks and match user intent.
- Write meta descriptions that match search intent and include core keywords without cluttering them. Include 1-2 keywords maximum.
- Avoid auto-generated descriptions; create compelling titles and descriptions on your own.
2. Strategic use of internal links
- Add links between relevant pages to guide users and improve their browsing experience.
- Use descriptive text on links and buttons to clarify landing page content. For example, use "compare tools" or "contact an expert" instead of "click here".
- Avoid having too many links on one page to maintain clarity and not overwhelm users. Around 4-5 links are recommended for an 800 - 1000 word article.
3. Focus on content structure and readability
- Use clear headings (H1, H2, H3) to organize content for users and search engines.
- Break up text with bullet points, numbered lists, and visual images to improve readability.
- Include related links for a deeper dive into the topic.
Identify three ineffective pages each week with high impressions and low CTR using Google Search Console. Rewrite their meta descriptions to match the searcher's intent, naturally including the main keywords. It's important that they fit your core marketing strategy.
Add at least one internal link to each of these pages of related, high-traffic content using descriptive link text. Monitor changes in CTR and engagement metrics (e.g., bounce rate) over the next four weeks to evaluate search engine optimization improvements.
Google ADS complements SEO by driving traffic to your website, increasing visibility, and providing valuable keyword and phrase data to hone organic search strategies.
4. Mobile optimization
Google now prioritises the mobile version of a website when indexing and ranking. Providing a mobile-friendly version of your website is no longer optional - it is essential for SEO success.
Key mobile optimization strategies:
- Responsive Design: Use responsive design to make sure your site adapts seamlessly to all devices.
- Page Speed: Optimize load times for mobile users by compressing images, enabling caching, and using a content delivery network (CDN).
- Mobile-friendly navigation: Simplify navigation menus for smaller screens and prioritize key links.
- Clickable elements: Make sure buttons and links are spaced appropriately for touch interaction.
Use Google Search Console's Mobile Usability Report to identify pages with issues like "Text is too small to read" or "Clickable elements are too close together".
Focus on fixing three key issues per week, such as adjusting text size, improving button spacing, or optimizing navigation. Improve performance further by compressing images and enabling lazy loading.
Monitor bounce rates and mobile impressions in Google Analytics over the next four weeks, aiming to reduce bounce rates by 5% and improve engagement. This search engine optimization strategy will bring you a large number of mobile users.
5. Building high-quality backlinks
A backlink, also known as an inbound link or link building, is a link created when one website links to another. Most often this happens with links from one website's pages to those of another website.
Backlinks are still crucial to SEO, but the focus should be on quality, not quantity. Links from authoritative websites signal to Google that your site provides credible and valuable content.
However, building backlinks is not a sprint but a marathon that requires patience and consistent effort.
Strategies for qualitative feedback
- Guest Blogger: Write interesting, high-quality guest posts for well-known websites in your niche.
- Content Coverage: Share your top-performing guides, research or resources with influencers or blogs in your industry. They'll promote them and post backlinks to your site.
- Build broken links: Find broken links on authoritative websites and offer your content as a replacement.
- Digital PR Campaigns: Generate buzz around your brand or products to gain backlinks naturally from authoritative publications.
Identify three high authority websites in your niche using tools like Ahrefs or Semrush.
Develop a targeted outreach plan for websites to offer high-value content, such as a guest post or a link to an existing guide or resource on your site.
Focus on offering real value to their audience. Track new backlinks acquired over the next three months using Google Search Console or a backlink monitoring tool, and measure their impact on referral traffic and rankings.
Conclusion
SEO and reaching the top positions should not feel like an impossible goal. Start by implementing one or two steps this week, such as refreshing content, updating meta data, or optimizing a page with new H1, H2, and H3 headings.
Use tools like Google Analytics, Google Display Network and Search Console to track your progress over the next month and adjust as needed.
SEO is evolving every day, but the basics remain the same.
By focusing on key strategies like providing excellent content, optimizing for mobile, and building high-quality backlinks, you'll position your site for long-term success.
Make incremental improvements, track your metrics, and adapt based on what works. With a consistent approach, you'll see your rankings, traffic, and engagement improve over time.
If you're not sure you can achieve the results you want on your own, turn to SEO specialists. With their expertise in digital marketing, SEO strategy building, and SEO copywriting, they'll help you reach the top in no time.
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