Search Engine Optimization (SEO), like all parts of digital marketing, continues to evolve, and it can be difficult to stay up-to-date. While many SEO strategies have grown outdated or obsolete, the following areas of focus represent 3 essential aspects of an effective SEO strategy in 2018.
1. Write For Your Audience
SEO helps your website win the organic click by optimizing the content on your [website] pages to appear as high as possible on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERP’s) on Google and Bing. This may seem obvious, but many copywriters make the mistake of overlooking the audience’s perspective while writing content.
Focusing on relevant topics, categories, and keywords, will improve the user experience and in-return build a strong SEO strategy. In order to write effective copy, writers must put themselves in the shoes of their audience and let that inform the way they craft their content.
What does your audience want and need to learn? How can you relate this information to their everyday lives? What problems do they face that your product or service can help alleviate?
Furthermore, if your readers aren’t familiar with industry jargon, don’t inundate them with acronyms and technical terms. Instead, clarify and simplify your topics to ensure that someone outside the industry can understand your message enough to be engaged.
Knowledge of your audience should not only influence the content of your copy but also its structure. For example, if your target audience is busy parents of young children, you may decide to keep articles brief, with clear section headers and easy-to-read bullet points. You may also want to pair your text with an infographic that the audience can save and refer back to when they get a spare moment.
2. Maximize Relevance
A huge factor in improving your search ranking is aligning your website with what Google deems as relevant—in other words, Google ranks web pages based on how aptly they provide the specific information consumers have searched for.
Figuring out exactly what makes one page more relevant over another typically requires some research. Try typing various keywords and phrases into Google. Study the sites that come up highest—what type of content do they have? How do they answer the consumers’ questions? What actions do they prompt the searcher to take? Can you tailor your site to do the same, or do it better?
3. Write Enticing Meta Descriptions
In addition to writing for the audience and maximizing relevance, marketers must also focus on writing a captivating meta description.
Entice the user to click on your page through a balance of keywords, clarity, and calls to action. Craft a unique description that holds relevance to the search terms, uses active voice, and motivates the user to click on the link. Furthermore, to maximize ROI, ensure the content on your page supports and builds upon this description.
Consider conducting a quick SEO audit by opening a private browser and searching for your brand/company name and the core services your business offers. Based on the organic results, you’ll have an initial idea where your brand/company name and services rank for organic search results, and which pages need an SEO revamp.
Summary
These 3 areas of focus can work in consort with additional tactics, such as keyword research and writing engaging headlines, to generate an effective overall SEO strategy.
By writing for the target audience, maximizing relevance, and creating captivating meta descriptions, marketers can help improve their company’s search rankings and drive more consumers to their site.
To learn more about enhancing your digital strategy, contact Creative Website Marketing here.
Creative Website Marketing is a digital marketing agency in Nashville, TN, helping businesses throughout the country execute strategic brand awareness + lead generation efforts.
