It’s easy for business owners to get so wrapped up in keyword research that they forget the big picture of SEO, which is to get results.
But what are the best ways to measure results, know you’re doing things right, and maintaining a positive brand image? Fortunately, there are several techniques that can help any entrepreneur get solid results from SEO efforts. Here are some quick, no-cost, effective ways to make your search engine optimization what it should be.
SEO Audit Yourself
If your SEO work has been successful, your site will not only show up in most rankings but will be easy to open and view. Do regular testing to see whether your company’s pages are quick to load and are mobile friendly. If they’re not, or if they don’t show at all in the first 50 results, consider re-tooling your search engine optimization efforts.
Learn Basic SEO Principles
There’s no need to become an IT guru or SEO expert. If you want to see a boost in ranking, the wisest way to begin is by reviewing a guide on SEO principles for beginners. Once you understand the basics, it’s easy enough to teach yourself a few advanced techniques from there. Another benefit of learning the ABCs of SEO is that you’re adding to your own store of knowledge, which means your skills will improve over time, and each new page or site you build will be that much better.
Track Ranking and Stay Informed
Not everyone can hope for a page one, or number one, ranking. Some fields are so competitive that unless you’re a major corporation, the best you can hope for is the bottom of the first page. Even so, it’s essential to track progress from week to week and stay fully informed of any fallback. If you pay someone to do SEO work for you, expect them to show you regular updates of progress in several areas, including page ranking. There’s no sense in putting time and money into a chore unless you can measure success.
Make an SEO Wish List
Don’t assume that your goals never change. At least once per month, make a search engine optimization wish list. What do you want from the planning, expense, strategizing, and implementation? Many owners write down 10 goals that pertain to page ranking, site visitors, turnover rate, and more. And at least twice per year, revamp the wish list by adding or subtracting items.
Investigate Your Brand’s Search Visibility
At least once per week, spend five minutes investigating your key brand term. For example, if your branded identity is “Jill Smith Widgets,” or “John Jones Piano Movers,” do a deep dive on the search engines and see what comes up when you place the term within quotation marks. Using quote marks is important, because it will tell the search engine to return instances with those exact words in that precise order. This quickie investigation method tells you a lot. It can reveal positive and negative online reviews, mentions on competitors’ sites, whether people are talking about your company on blogs, and much more.
