Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is an integral part of any successful marketing strategy. It aims to move your business up the rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs), so you get seen by as many potential customers as possible.
It’s worth mentioning here that although Google is the market leader and the obvious choice for many people, focusing on getting results with other search engines, like Bing and Yahoo! can also pay off. While some information in this article is Google-specific, lots of it applies to other popular search engines, too.
At Zesty Digital, we constantly test and review SEO practices to keep up with ever-changing search engine algorithms, so that we can deliver the very best service to our clients.
We love to pass on our findings to you, so here are our 7 best SEO tips for 2021:
1. Write for the reader
This one makes the top spot in our list because it’s a common mistake that businesses make – writing for the algorithms rather than the reader.
Google and other search engines are way smarter than you think, and the days of keyword stuffing are long gone. Now, Google uses the amount of time users stay on your website (along with other factors) as an indication of how valuable your content is. If your content doesn’t read well, the bounce rate will be high, and Google will rank you lower, which is why you always make sure content is scannable, readable, and valuable for your audience.
2. Focus on killer meta descriptions
Although this isn’t strictly an SEO strategy (Google says that meta descriptions don’t actually contribute to ranking level), meta descriptions still play an important role in bringing visitors to your site, which is the ultimate goal. Good meta descriptions draw in the user and get them clicking through to find out more.
So, what does a good meta description look like? It should clearly explain what the web page can offer so users know what they’re going to get.
Here’s our very own Zesty Digital meta description as an example:
When users click through and stay on your site because they see content they expected, it sends a positive message to search engine algorithms, improving your chances of climbing the rankings.
3. List on Google My Business
Google My Business is a fantastic free way of boosting your SEO. You simply register your business and create a company profile with details like address, website address, phone number and opening hours. Google uses this to locate you on Google maps and display your details when users search for your type of business in your area – perfect for retail and hospitality businesses with physical premises. If you’re not already on Google My Business, you can register here.
4. Set up FAQ page schema
If you have a FAQ page on your website, you can set up a Google feature that means your questions and answers display in your Google result. Users are much more likely to click on your page if they already know you can provide answers to the exact question they’re asking (and related questions).
This powerful feature can have a big impact on your results, so it’s definitely worth implementing. However, setting it up can be quite technical, so we’d recommend getting help from a professional.
5. Repurpose high-performing content
Search engine algorithms look out for sites that publish fresh content regularly – and that can be partly achieved by updating and repurposing existing content. Look at your KPIs to determine which pieces of content generated the most clicks or actions, and find ways to reuse them. Perhaps an old blog post needs bringing up to date, adapting to a new format, or rewriting to reflect your current business model.
6. Internal links
While you’re updating your old content, think about whether you could insert more internal links (the answer’s almost certainly yes!). You have probably published more content since that old blog post that you can now link to. Periodically revisit every page of your website to check for missed opportunities to insert internal links. But remember the important rule to always write for the reader – so make sure the links are relevant, and not spammy. Well-placed internal links can help give visitors more of what they’re looking for and keep them on your website for longer – a good way to please the algorithms.
7. Core Web Vitals
Our final tip is to consider Core Web Vitals. You might not have heard of them before, but Google considers them extremely important and announced that as of this year, 2021, they will use them as SEO signals to rank your site.
So, what are Core Web Vitals? They’re the factors that create a great user experience on your website. Specifically, they focus on your website’s loading speed and responsiveness, including how it displays on mobile and other devices, and how quickly a user can start to interact with your content.
How do you know if your Core Web Vitals are up to scratch? You can check for yourself on Google’s support page or hire a digital marketing agency to create a report and make changes in line with your SEO strategy to improve your search engine ranking.
If you’d like help reviewing and improving your SEO strategy, we can help. Contact us for more information.
