Do It Yourself- SEO
Until recently I thought SEO ( Search Engine Optimization) was all about keywords and metadata. I was having trouble wrapping my head around why everyone made such a big deal about it. I had signed up for a bunch of courses online and found that I could get an SEO course for a discount. I thought “ why not see what the hype is all about.” The 6 part course, soon explained to me all the things I did not understand.
Firstly, what is the goal of SEO?
It seems simple: be more visible… right? Well kinda- the real goal is the prove that you are the authority on the topic of your site.
During the course, I made an SEO checklist for when I build websites. If you are building yourself a website, you can also use this list to get yourself started.
Some things to note before you use this list:
This is a good starting point for a new website, but if you are looking for more robust results this will not replace a more detailed SEO strategy from an expert. SEO changes also take up to SIX MONTHS to reflect in a search engine. You will need to be patient and think at least 6 months in advance.
Checklist:
Website health
Make sure each page on your site loads quickly. Use this site to test your website & get tips to improve your site: https://tools.pingdom.com/
Ensure that your site is secure, aka using https or http
Avoid pop-ups- or at least a lot of them
Have an active social media presence
Look into Schematics code
Try not to use many redirects
Make sure your 404 Error pages are working
Upload a site map to Google Consol
Make sure a robots.txt file is included in the html of your site
Content
Use keywords in H1’s & H2’s - THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT. But don’t be spammy.
You need content to rank. Write naturally & add keywords that work in the content. Be unique- copying will decrease your rank.
Change up wording/use synonyms.
Add images, downloadables, links, and videos.
Use links to other sites that are relevant to your content- DO NOT USE SPAMMY LINKS.
Connect links & citations from Press & Media, Speaking gigs, Wikipedia pages, and mentions.
Create trust by using clear and accurate contact info, e-com needs to have a clear return policy, shipping, payment terms and conditions listed, and register with the BBB. Google will also look at other reviews.
Make a blog page to put out new content and keep your site relevant.
Keywords
They do not need to be exact. Example Boat = boats.
Use words that support the topic
Do not repeat an un-natural amount
Use Google Keyword Planner if you need help coming up with keywords: https://ads.google.com/intl/en_us/home/tools/keyword-planner/
Title Tags should only use up to two keywords Example: Do it yourself SEO - website building | Delaneyadrian
When writing metadata use keywords but it will not help it rank. People read this- so it needs to read well. no more than 160 characters. Sometimes Google will write this for you and that works too. Add calls to action such as “learn more”. Do not use special characters.
Choose keywords that best match your user’s goal of using your site, have low competition, and generate traffic.
Use long tail Key Words 4-5 words long. Example: Why is SEO so hard, What is SEO, or How to do SEO
Other SEO Tools
Having consistent branding that your clients can recognize will help your SEO ranking.
Find business partners and ask them to link to your site on their own.
Create a Google Business account
If you are looking for more in-depth help with your website SEO, contact me! I can help you find someone to help you!