People who work on websites know this to be true; Google is always changing their policy, flipping the script on what works and what they consider to be best practice. Whatever did the trick to get your site ranking organically 2 or 3 years ago might not be serving you anymore.
Wondering how you can tell? It’s simple; has the number of leads you’ve been getting through your website drastically declined? If the answer is yes, it’s time to make a change.
Lucky for you, we have the 411 on how to get your website back on track:
Ignore those old school keyword repetition rules. Even today, some free (and even paid) SEO content tools are docking points for not using a targeted keyword frequently enough. In fact, Yoast SEO, the plugin we use here in house, has a readability function we completely ignore because it follows that principle. These days, rule of thumb is to include your targeted term in the title of the page and include it NATURALLY in the body of text; meaning, don’t overuse the term or inject it in places where it just doesn’t make sense.
Focus on searcher intent, rather than the number of times you included the search term. Tune into what searchers are looking for when they type your targeted phrase into Google, or any other search engine, and give them that. Gone are the days of over-stuffing keywords to gain rankings; search engines are now focused on providing the best possible experience for their users. Zoning in on what the searcher wants will get you to the top of the SERPs in no time at all.
Include related topics and keywords in your copy. Don’t just focus in on one specific phrase. Instead, think about what a person who would search for that term might also look for. This shows Google that your content is on-topic and relevant, includes important answers to the searcher’s question, and is credible, accurate, and informative.
Don’t underestimate the power of on-page optimization. In the old days, links reigned supreme in the ranking game. These days, however, Google is more interested in quality content. Properly optimizing that content can take you far, especially when you’re handing Google a well-written, perfectly tagged and optimized piece of content on a silver platter.
Becoming an authority in your field can have a positive impact on rankings. Just like Carfax is synonymous with buying cars and Zillow is with real estate, becoming a dominant voice in your field can positively impact your rankings. If your knowledge of a certain field, for instance piano sales, is widely known and blatantly obvious, Google is more likely to recognize you when a searcher is looking for information on the piano buying process.
While doing this alone may not get you on the first page of search results, it will definitely help. Of course, making sure all of your other SEO ducks are in a row is still important, but make sure you’re not falling behind on the trends. The internet is always changing. Be a chameleon.
