10 SEO Strategies to Skyrocket Your Website's Ranking

When you begin a new website, developers and marketers will tell you that you need to optimize your site so search engines can find you. This means you want customers to search for a keyword that brings them to your site over your competitors. However, they usually don’t tell business owners how they can optimize and get Google to rank their website’s high. Here are some strategies for business owners. Many of these they can do without the help of marketing companies.

1. Keywords – You want your website content to have the keywords that fit your industry. To find the right keywords, you have to use software and do a keyword audit. This software will tell you how many people search for the term and how many click on sites after searching for a term. You also want to make sure the keywords are placed on your site naturally without being forced. The keywords should not be stuffed on your site. Make sure they are sprinkled throughout your site. Always make the words sound natural and relevant when you add them to the site.
2. Meta Tags – How you title your website matters. Each page should have a meta tag that makes sense to Google’s algorithms. These are not usually seen by the everyday consumer. They are visible to web crawlers that pick the right ones for a search term. If your meta tags are not good, they will not be picked up by web crawlers. Therefore, your ranking will suffer. Your software can tell you if your meta tags are good.
3. Descriptions – Like the meta tags, your descriptions should make sense to Google’s algorithms too. You need to describe your pages correctly if you want to show up in search results. The software you use can tell you if you have to fix your descriptions. Match your descriptions to your tags. They should be similar to help you show the page is what you claim it is.
4. Headlines and Titles – When you begin to write your content for a page, you want to use catchy headlines or titles. These headlines will catch the reader. They also will catch the web crawlers. If you are a leadership coach, you might want a headline like, “What makes a good leader?” Figure out what the headlines should be based on your keywords. If headlines use keywords you have identified, Google is more likely to find them and pick your site over your competitors. You also want headlines that will keep readers on your page. The longer they spend on your site, the more likely they will convert to a purchaser. Catchy headlines will keep people on your site because they will want to find out more.
5. Google Maps – Add directions and a map to your website even if your primary business is service-oriented and national. The map and directions will tell Google that you are legitimate, which will help your rankings. This is especially true for local SEO, but it works for national companies too. People want to know where to find companies even if they speak with them on a Zoom call. Besides Google Maps, you also might want to use Google ads to boost your rankings, but be warned. These rankings will not stay high when you stop the ads unless the organic efforts are continued.
6. Links Back to Your Website – When you are ready to move to off-page search engine optimization, you should think about getting links from places other than your website to bring people back to your website. These are called backlinks. To work the best, you want links that come from authority sites. There are a number of places you can use to start getting backlinks. A few of the next strategies will give you ideas on how to get backlinks.
7. Profiles on Social Media – Your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google Business page will give you links to your website. You have to fill out the profiles completely to get the SEO that you want. You have to list your website, but you also want to post items with your keywords. Social media icons should be on your site with links to those profiles. The links work both ways. Social media will help your rankings significantly.
8. Classified Listings – There are a number of companies that offer businesses free classified listings. These will provide you a place that lists your name, address, phone number and website address. You also can put a link to your website, which gives you a backlink from a high-authority website. These also give people your phone number to call you if they are looking for a company like yours. Some people go right to these listings to find what they need. You want to be visible in those places.
9. Media – Getting a link in a major news site also can help you improve your rankings. There are a few ways of getting a link on a news site. You can send a press release, the news outlet does a story about you and includes your website in the story. You also can fill out a classified ad or take out another ad that runs on banners across the news sites. Having an event will allow you to get on the event sites on news outlets, such as radio station websites. These will build your credibility in the industry as well. Getting free publicity from radio stations, newspapers or online publications can go a long way in helping customers remember who you are and why you do what you do.
10. Scholarships – Offering a scholarship will allow you to find colleges and universities that will be happy to put your link on their site. This is an important SEO strategy because it gives backlinks from high authority sites. It legitimizes your company. It helps students and the universities too. Having several universities linking to your site will tell Google that you are a good company. Google is more likely to rank you higher due to the trust universities give you. In addition to scholarships, you can go to Handshake and fill out a request for interns. Again, you will get links on university sites. You also might be able to win some notable interns. That will help students too. Your ranking will increase too.