SEO Basics Don’t Change – See How

Search engine optimization (SEO) is all about optimizing your website, but what does that mean?  Well, it can be overwhelming to most so don’t let it get you down. I like to break things down in bite-sized pieces.  Plus, I’ve gone into detail in various past posts (which you can check out) but simply speaking:

SEO Basics

• you have keyword rich content on your website (but not over stuffed)
  • this is considered “value” to your consumers, customers or readers
• you have updated (aka “optimized”) your SEO title and meta description
• you have images on your pages and blogs to help explain your point
• you have a quality website that is up to date, loads quickly and mobile responsive
  • and your website is easy to navigate (read: can they find what they want on your site)
• you have links (internal and external)

Generally speaking, those are your basics.  Then something changes…

Google and their algorithm

Google, like everyone and everything else, likes to constantly change things. Annoying, right? Well, this particular tech giant is super private and doesn’t want anyone to know their secret. That way, businesses will continue to pay to show up in their ad space. Also, since they only have 10 “spots” to show up organically on page 1, it kind of gives everyone equal opportunity to get there.  You know – do the work! Nothing is free, you don’t climb to the top merely because you are the biggest company, you do so because your company has done the work to show up on page 1 in the top ranking organic spots.

Back to my point, these changes (Penguin 4.0, mobile first indexing, SSL and etc) sends many of us SEOs into a whirlwind trying to be sure we understand the changed and see where we need to zig or zag for our clients. Business owners, it just gives them more things to get lost in trying to understand. But know, you aren’t alone, us folks IN the industry, we wonder what the heck Google is doing too.

Where to keep your SEO focus

However, the good news.. a few things remain clear and constant over the years and are still quality SEO best practices and THAT is what I wanted to share. Yay for good news right? While Google keeps changing things up, it still sends the same message over the last 5+ ish years and that is:

• mobile responsiveness or usability
• user experience or satisfaction

Mobile responsive

Keep in mind that mobile responsiveness doesn’t mean that you can pull up ANY device and just see your content, it means that you can see it well (without having to pinch and make large and scroll side to side to read something) and it adjusts (responds) to each device to make your content work best on that screen. And does it work just as well as the desktop version?  Remember that more and more people are spending a greater amount of time on mobile than they are desktop. (I am not one of those people – I like my 3 screen desktop set up! lol)

User satisfaction

Then user experience component isn’t just that the user likes your website. There are various factors to consider here and those are:

• they can navigate your website easily
• do they find what they are looking for when they get there
• do you have relevant and valuable content
• do it look good and easy to read/skim – a hideous website can turn off even the best customers
• if it easy to buy, if you sell something

I’ve always said that the EASIER we make it for our customers and readers the better. They want it now and they don’t want to work for it.. so make sure that they can navigate your website, find other things that may be of value to them, etc.

Bottom Line

So at the end of the day.. the main things you need to focus on ensuring that your website looks good, is truly mobile responsive and provides valuable content.  That’s it? I know, easy peasy right? lol  I get it, it is a loaded statement, but you’ve got this.

Just remember, with the hellacious year we have all had (2020), it should be even more obvious at how you need to be found online.  Folks were searching for what you offer, but were they finding you?  If not this is your first step.

If you need help with your SEO, your website or just some good old fashion swift kicks in the pants – I’m your girl. Contact me.

Please leave a comment below on what you learned or found most valuable, I’d appreciate it.

~Kristen

Kristen Day

CEO/Founder of A Visual Business

Kristen is a small business owner and thus dedicated to other small business owners by helping them improve their online presence with search engine optimization, social media marketing, email marketing and pay per click advertising all of which are necessary 'evils' in the digital marketing sphere but enables small business owners the opportunity to compete with larger companies. When not in the digital arena, you can find her riding her Honda VTX1300 or drinking a margarita.