SEO is changing constantly faster than ever, but the fundamentals of SEO remain the same. Many SEO experts in Australia have different ways to approach an SEO campaign. And numerous SEO techniques are available and sticking to only a few could be a big risk if you expect to grow your business over time.
We all know by now that there are over 200 ranking factors when it comes to ranking web pages. Here are 16 different features that come up on Google’s SERP features you might not be aware of.
- Ads
- People also ask
- Knowledge cards
- Site links
- Featured snippets
- Image packs
- Shopping results
- Videos
- Local teaser packs
- Tweets
- Top Stories
- Lock packs
- Scholarly Articles
- Reviews
- Carousel Results
- Knowledge panels
These features are a great opportunity to be able to monitor for better SEO performance. Google adds them to the search results page. There is a high chance of increasing click through rate and traffic if content is featured under any of them. Being able to earn a featured snippet is a good win for any business. It would not only get you to the top but Voice searches on home devices like Alexa and Google Home usually come from a featured snippet.
More B2B and B2C businesses understand that organic traffic is more valuable than paid and brings in more leads as well in the long term. So what are those tactics that still work like a charm without thinking too much or trying to reinvent the wheel either.
Clearly the opportunities are endless and increasing regularly but to make it easier we’re going to narrow it down for you.
Here are tips that SEO experts in Australia would recommend for any SEO Campaign.
- Anything that Slows Down Your Site
Google algorithm is changing and previously without optimised Page speed wouldn’t be much of a problem from an SEO perspective. However now Page speed is an important Ranking factor for SEO. A slow page can lead potential customers to leave the website and find other similar solutions to their problem. Looking for ways to improve Page speed with tools like Pingdom and GT Matrix will assist in finding opportunities to improve both mobile and desktop speed.
- Topic Clusters Instead of Keywords
Search engines are becoming increasingly smarter and the evolving algorithm understands user intent for any search query. Being able to know the target audience and understanding the product/service that might be associated with them. Building a buyer persona that includes traits of an ideal customer will help narrow keywords better with topic clusters .
- Write for Humans First, Search Engines Second
Content Writing is one of the most crucial elements for a successful SEO campaign. The ability to write in a way humans can understand and interact with the product/service with the end goal of conversions and improving return on investment. Using Long-tail keywords to boost presence even though the volume might not be as much but competition is also less. Content that solves problems will rank well and search engines can understand it, that should be a goal while creating content on any website.
- Web Analytics in Place at the Start
Before beginning any SEO campaign ensure analytics is set up properly and with measurable goals as well. Google Analytics, Google Search console and other different software’s like Crazy Egg or Hotjar for heatmaps should be set up to be able to measure the progress of the SEO campaign. SEMrush or Ahrefs are also popular tools that will give an in-depth website overview.
- Trustworthy Sites to Link to You
While creating content is very important to understand how the content will help the reader. The more engaging the content is the more likely you are able to get inbound links. A good linking strategy is needed to build organic traffic. Asking for guest posts or even contributing to content for other websites could benefit in building links.
- Simple, Readable URL Structure
Most of the time while adding new content there is little to no thought given to the URL structure. Usually the URL structure is the keyword or something long similar to do with the title of the content. A good way to get noticed by the search engine is to keep it short, simple and readable. For Example : https://digitaltreasury.com.au/seo-service/ – The URL clearly explains what the content you should expect from the URL itself.
- You should avoid using words like an, the, but or in.
- Avoid using capital letters in the URL.
- Block bad URLs with robots.txt
- Always use hyphens.
- Unique and Relevant Meta Description
A well crafted Meta-description is the most important SEO tip that most people forget. Being able to communicate properly what the page is about is key for the search engine to recognise original content and avoiding being penalized for it. Word press users can use plug-ins like Yoast or All in one SEO pack to update Meta tags for web pages.
- Content Consistently to Improve SEO
Adding content on a consistent basis is important to improve SEO over time. Creating engaging content whether it’s around a product, service or tips it needs to be able to grab the reader’s attention. Content that is a good read and long tends to rank better as compared to shorter content.
- Optimise for Voice Search
More people are using voice search to find the answer to even the most basic questions. Smartphones are everywhere, households now have either an Alexa or a Google home device which uses voice commands.
For example over a text the search query might be “Ronaldo diet plan” but in a voice search it would be “what’s Ronaldo’s diet plan”
- Local SEO
Businesses that aren’t investing in Local SEO would be losing alot of business to the ones that do. Updating Google My Business details is crucial for search engines to recognize if the listing should come up for a particular search query.
Brick and mortar businesses shouldn’t avoid local SEO or listings. Adding business details with the local directories is a very good way to further strengthen local area presence. Building local area landing pages and optimising content for keywords specific to certain local areas.
“Bakery near Melbourne CBD” or “Web design in Perth” are examples to understand local area keywords.
- Technical SEO
Technical SEO is something that is very important but given the least amount of time and quite often neglected to some extent. Conducting an in-depth technical analysis is very important to understand the website backend.
- Ensuring the website loads on HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) which is also a ranking factor. Having a secure link makes it difficult for any malicious attack on the website.
- AMP for Mobile – Accelerated Mobile Page is a web framework that creates user experience for the web. A responsive website is important to give the user the same experience on a mobile device as compared to a desktop.
- Crawling software gives good insights on technical health of the website like Screaming Frog, Deep Crawl or Botify.
- Fixing 404 pages and having redirects in place.
- Reporting
Not forgetting SEO Reporting along with analytics are critical elements in any SEO campaign that provide insights to improve the overall website performance. Using tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs are great to strategise and change any tactics during a campaign.
SEO is evolving and every trying to implement too many tips within a short span of time wouldn’t help. Testing what works for your business is key to a successful SEO campaign. Digital Treasury is an SEO expert Australian business needs to consider if their goal is to improve ranking and organic growth. Our SEO services are always tailored according to our clients needs and based on our in-depth research and analysis prior to beginning any SEO Campaign.