As one of the simplest ways to increase interest in your site and, consequently, business, SEO is no big secret anymore- but it is constantly changing and evolving. The top search result on Google is still more than 30% more likely to be clicked than subsequent results, so it’s hard to deny the value behind improving your ranking.
If you’ve started to work on (and invest in) improving your site’s SEO, it’s important to approach it as an ongoing, developing activity rather than a one-off push. Google rewards sites that it sees are constantly updating with useful content relevant to what their users are searching for, and SEO maintenance is part of that process. These are some of our simple, effective ways to maintain your site in order to continue improvements in your business’ SEO ranking:
Think Locally
You’ve probably noticed, but these days, Google’s algorithm optimises content based on users’ location. This means that top-ranking results will appear differently depending on where you are, which is great for users, but a challenge for business owners.
For your potential customers’ sake, consider adding hyper-localised names, places, and relevant language into your searchable content. This will impart a sense of trust with users searching for a business or service in your area, and potentially set you apart from the direct competitors you appear alongside in search results.
Build Relationships
Build RelationshipsGrowing and promoting both real-world and online links with your local community and service area is also a productive way to build trust with your customers, and improve your SEO results. If you form professional partnerships, sponsor a local football team, or join a local trader’s group, ask them to clearly link to you on their site, and offer to do the same for them.
It’s important to consider SEO as a long exercise in trust-building with Google. Internal and external link-building is one of the most effective ways to improve SEO rankings, and it has positive effects on the ground in your locality as well.
Clean Up Regularly
An outdated, messy website is a fast way to drop down in SEO rankings. Google doesn’t like duplicate or repetitive content, so as counter-intuitive as it may seem in regards to keywords, check your site and remove any double-ups. Some CMSs like WordPress are notorious for archiving and duplicating your content, so consider utilising a tool like Siteliner or SEMRush to thoroughly audit your site.
Another big no-no for rankings is broken or incorrect links- for most sites, you should be able to check this yourself. Just make sure that every link is clearly highlighted, is functional, and goes to the correct location on your site or elsewhere. It’s good practice to check after any updates or changes (considering Google’s mobile-first optimisation) if your site looks good and works well on all types of devices.
With all evidence pointing to the long-lasting significance of SEO to business success, it’s critical to consider the constant maintenance of your online presence. Localised content to appeal to Google’s location-based results, promoting real-world relationships with hyperlinks on your sites and your partners’, and tidying up the content on your site are three simple ways to boost and sustain your SEO ascent.
For more tips on how to maintain your SEO practices, contact Search Marketing Experts on 1300 859 600 today!