Every modern marketer knows that battles are won and lost in search engine results pages (SERPs). Being at the top of the first page of results will make a big difference to how many people click through to your site, also known as your click-through rate (CTR). A study, published in late 2014, showed that there’s a huge drop in clicks between the first and second result. The chance of getting a user to your site dwindles even more, with pages ranked sixth through tenth getting less than 5% of users to click. Page two and beyond are a marketing wasteland, with just under 4% of users choosing a link from page two, and fewer than 2% finding what they wanted on page 3.
The meaning of this is clear: if you aren’t at the top of page one, you need to boost your site’s search engine optimisation (SEO). While SEO is as old as search engines, it does change with every new search engine algorithm. For this guide, we’ll primarily focus on Google and its current search algorithm, although most of the tips can be applied to getting better rankings on other search engines too, such as Bing and Yahoo.
Repair past SEO mistakes
1. Clean up backlinks
Links are generally a good thing for SEO. However, your search engine ranking depends on these links to your site being relevant. Having a lot of links to your site from less than reputable sites can end up hurting your ranking. Ask site owners to remove the links or, if that isn’t working, use the Google Disavow Tool.
2. Fix broken links
A search engine can only index what its spiders can crawl. Broken links within your site will stop a search engine in its tracks and lower your ranking. Make sure every link on your page works and points to the right place.
3. Eliminate duplication
Duplicate content is a big problem for your SERP ranking. Search engines want to provide users with unique, relevant content; if your copy is repeated exactly on every page, you are going to have problems. Make sure each page is unique, and that you have content that is unique to your site.
4. Set canonical pages
If you have some unavoidable duplication within your site, such as old versions still lingering on your server or different sub-domains with similar landing pages, set the canonical page. This highlights one of the URLs as the ‘master’ version of that content for search engines.
5. Check for flimsy content
Simply having a page full of keywords is not enough to get a good search engine ranking. If your site has been over-optimised, stuffed with keywords, or filled with useless content, this will damage your ranking. Make sure your content is written for humans first and search engines a distant second.
Make your images worth a thousand words
6. Use alt tags to help
The alt tags are a part of your website’s code that can help users who aren’t able to view the images on your website, and they can also help a search engine gather details about the images you use. They should describe the images only, though.
7. Don’t use alt tags to stuff
The misuse of alt tags is something that search engines have cracked down on. Don’t be tempted to use the alt tags to stuff a text-free page with keywords and other content. If the content doesn’t describe the image, leave it out.
8. Bigger isn’t always better
Your camera might take images at a ridiculously high resolution, but when it comes to your website, downsize them. A resolution of 72 pixels per inch will give you an on-screen display that is almost identical to a much higher resolution, but with a much smaller file size. This means a faster loading time.
9. Keep images relevant and unique
Stock photos can be good in a pinch, but unique photos are always better. When a unique image loads quickly on a page, you’ll get a lower click back rate, helping your overall SERP ranking.
10. Give images accurate filenames
In the past, most website users wouldn’t ever see the image file name or know how to see it. Along with avoiding the embarrassment that might come from a badly named image file saved from your site by a savvy user, giving a relevant filename to your site’s images can help boost your SEO.
Choose the right keywords
11. Include long-tail keywords
If you are working on a site selling novelty character chocolate cupcakes in Cambridge, use keywords that focus on your niche. Simply targeting ‘cupcakes’ will leave you as a small fish in a very big pond.
12. Think about more than search volume
The number of people who search for a given keyword isn’t irrelevant, but you want to focus on which keywords will lead to conversions. That is, 100 people searching for a term isn’t as important as the 10 people who will search and become paying customers.
13. Use multiple keywords
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, and don’t put all your effort into a single keyword. Instead, focus on a few related keywords that are relevant and can be used together throughout your site.
14. Don’t include typos
Google will return inexact matches to its users, so there’s no need for your site to include any potential typo or misspelling of your keywords.
15. Fight a battle you can win
Along with single-word keywords, don’t set your small business up against a corporate giant and expect to take over their top ranking spot. Make your keywords match what you do and who you’re trying to attract to your site.
Use the keywords in the right way
16. Prepare for voice searching
The clunky string of words that used to work as a keyword is on its way out as more people ask questions of search engines. With voice command searching, through the Google app, Siri, and Cortana, it’s even more important to have natural keywords and phrases.
17. Don’t stuff awkward phrases
Your target keywords might be ‘auto repair Hull’ but you don’t need to have the phrase written like that throughout your page. Google will also pick up the keywords from similar, and more flowing, phrases such as ‘auto repair in Hull’ and ‘Hull auto repair’.
18. Use natural synonyms
Remember that your content is targeting real people, so mix in synonyms that people might use. A coffee shop might also be called a cafe, a coffee house, and a restaurant by somebody searching.
19. Place keywords throughout the page
Keywords should appear in your page’s title, URL, header text, and throughout the page content. Don’t drop the keyword in once and expect it to work magic.
20. Get the right density
However, you also don’t want to fill your page with your keyword. Having your keyword repeated naturally throughout your page content is enough, as it will appear with more frequency than the non-keyword phrases in your content.
Make your site go mobile
21. Responsive design helps SEO
Mobile searching is growing faster than desktop searching, with the expectation that it will overtake desktop searching in the next few years. Making your site fully responsive means that mobile search users can easily navigate your site, resulting in a lower bounce rate.
22. Alternate mobile sites can be helpful
If your site isn’t built with a responsive design, it can be helpful to offer a stripped down, smaller format version of your site for mobile users. To get the most out of this, though, ensure that it is properly coded. This can let search engines know to return that version of your site in the SERPs of mobile users.
23. Make sure you aren’t competing with yourself
Mobile versions on subdomains without the right tags can leave you competing against yourself. If you can, switch to a responsive design. If not, make sure your mobile-friendly version is properly linked back to the main site.
24. Think about local SEO for mobile users
With mobile users searching on the go, they are likely to be doing local searches. That is, they’re in a neighbourhood looking for a particular service in that area. With devices like the Apple Watch, local SEO is even more important for mobile versions of sites.
25. Optimise images for mobile
A responsive design will automatically resize images to fit the user’s device. However, huge image files are a nightmare for a mobile user. Keeping images small will help your load time, reduce the amount of their data allowance your site is using, and reduce the likelihood they’ll give up and click back to a different search engine result.
Get a boost from social sharing
26. Encourage sharing in the content
Among your pages’ calls to action, it can be good to overtly ask for your content to be shared on social media sites. Including links to your Facebook page, for instance, can give readers a forum for discussion that will help amplify the reach of your site.
27. Add sharing links
Whether you use text links, icons, or buttons, having sharing links on every page makes it easy for any visitor to share your link on their social media profiles. The less copying and pasting they have to do, the more likely a user is to share your content.
28. Use social media to share your own links
Don’t rely on outside users. Use your site’s Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest profiles to share relevant links. This can also encourage further sharing by the social media audience.
29. Don’t forget about Google+
While it might not have the regular usage of Facebook or Twitter, Google+ is an important tool for SEO purposes. Getting a lot of +1 clicks on your content will give you a boost on Google SERPs.
30. Use social sites to boost local SEO
With the launch of Open Graph search in 2010, Facebook made it clear that its users don’t just share content on the site. They also look for local businesses. Your site’s SEO can be helped by having an accurate, up to date Facebook page and other social media profiles with links back to your main URL.
Good URL’s matter
31. Set a standard for your site
The URL of a website is more than just a bit of technical data. By having a standard format across your website, you can make it easier for both search engines and users to navigate their way around.
32. Include keywords in URL’s
The URL is a great place to include keywords. This can be in the page URL, as well as in elements like categories and your domain name.
33. Limit subdomain use
Subdomains used to be a big part of the internet. However, they can cause problems for your SEO efforts, as they can sometimes be indexed as a separate site. Instead of blog.example.com, use example.com/blog to get the most for your SEO work.
34. Keep them short and sweet
If your website’s URLs include long strings of numbers and punctuation marks, you have a problem. Short, understandable URLs are a way to get keywords included and can serve as their own anchor text when used as a link. As an added bonus, they can be conveyed better in word of mouth marketing.
35. Use hyphens, but use them sparingly
Hyphens are the preferred choice for separating words in a URL, something that can be helpful with your on-page SEO. However, overusing them can give the look of spam. Use them only when needed, and when it will help with the clarity of the address.
Get your blog active
36. Post regularly
A regularly updated blog will give you fresh content for search engines. It also serves as a way for users to know that your site – and your business – is still active.
37. Use varied anchor text for links
Don’t fall into the ‘give us a call today!’ trap. Your SEO can be hurt if the anchor text of your links is always the same word or phrase. Instead, use a mix of phrases and keywords for your link anchor text.
38. Keep post topics varied, but on point
It should go without saying, but make sure your blog posts are related to what your site offers. Don’t blog about ice cream shops on a site that sells luxury wallets, and vice versa. At the same time, don’t make every post about vanilla ice cream or brown leather wallets. Stay within your field, but be creative. This will also give you the chance to use a wider variety of related keywords.
39. Use headings and subheadings
A blog post without subheadings can look daunting. The use of subheadings gives readers an easy way to skim, whilst headings mark certain parts of text as more important for search engine indexing.
40. Write compelling content
Write every blog post for humans, not for search engines. Make sure the content you’re adding is interesting and worth reading. If you are struggling with content creation, don’t be afraid to outsource.
Reduce click backs
41. Improve your load time
One of the big reasons for a search engine user clicking back to their search results is that a page is taking too long to load. Use a speed check tool to find out what is slowing your site’s load time and make moves to correct those problems.
42. Make pages relevant to their keywords
Using the right keywords will reduce the number of users who click through to your site and then hit the back button. Search engines want to provide users with relevant results, so using irrelevant keywords will quickly lower your ranking.
43. Encourage click-throughs within your site
Just as search engines need to be able to crawl from page to page on your site, users also need to be able to go from page to page. Make sure navigation is clear, and encourage further page browsing with concrete calls to action on every page.
44. Analyse your current bounce rate
Knowing you have a problem isn’t enough. You need to take a concrete look at which pages have high bounce rates and take steps to correct problems on those pages.
45. Ditch the pop ups
Pop ups, whether they’re helpful chat boxes or spam ads, can be a quick turn off for many users. This is especially true for mobile users, who might not be able to easily minimise a pop up. The best option is to get rid of them.
Earn quality links
46. Build relationships and not links
Establish your website’s authority by building relationships with bloggers, writers, journalists and editors who write about your industry each and every day. Start adding great compelling content to your website and the links will naturally start to flow.
47. Guest blog for exposure and the links will follow
Guest blogging is no longer the panacea for link building that it was just a year ago. The practice got overrun with spam, leaving search engines with no choice other than reducing the importance of guest blog links. This is not to say that you should stop guest blogging altogether. Establishing yourself as a regular contributor on one of your industries top websites or blogs will generate the kind of exposure you can only dream about.
48. Focus on relevant authority sites
Not all links are created equally. A link from a local tourism association will be more beneficial to your hotel’s website than a link from an industrial supply company located 300 miles away. When link building, think local and think about your industry.
49. Avoid spam links at all cost
Spamming links such as automated blog comments is never a good way to boost your long-term search engine rankings. Make sure you regularly check that your site isn’t being used as spam by somebody else, too. It’s not common, but it does happen and can be a big problem.
50. Use pre-digital techniques
Link building is often a matter of networking. Get out and meet other website owners, shake some hands, and make a personal request for a link.
Think local!
51. Target local keywords
The addition of a place name can have a big impact on your ranking. It also helps local customers find you.
52. Think about on-the-go searching
Mobile searching is important for local SEO. Target beyond the city name, including keywords that integrate your neighbourhood name or even your street name.
53. Get local links
Speak to other local businesses to create a base of links to your site. Having links from local organisations can also help establish you as an authority site in your area.
54. Include your place in prime locations
Adding your city within your body text might not be enough. Include it in important parts of your website, such as page titles and headers.
55. Tie in to social media
Social media is great for local searching, particularly since Facebook began offering it’s Open Graph searching. Having a Facebook page is essential for local businesses, giving users another way to visit your website.
Review SEO after redesigns
56. Make SEO part of the redesign
It’s always better to keep SEO in mind when a site is built than to try to optimise a site after it already exists.
57. Crawl the new site before launch
Before you make a new site live, look at it through the eyes of a search engine. Correct any errors before they are live and noticed by a search engine.
58. Check for missing links
The error you’re most likely to find is missing links, particularly if your site is using a new URL structure. Luckily, these are generally easy for you to fix.
59. Don’t leave the old site live
A search engine won’t see that you’ve revamped the look of your site. It will just see duplicate content.
60. Keep an eye on analytics
When your new site launches, keep a close eye on your site’s metrics using analytics tools. This can highlight any growing pains your site may have.
Make your content great
61. Flimsy content is not enough
Content is king for SEO. Having thin content that is unnaturally stuffed with keywords will damage your reputation, both for search engines and for human users. While any content is better than no content, flimsy content is no longer sufficient to get you the top ranking you need.
62. Focus on quality…
When it comes to your content, the quality matters. Search engines aim to return relevant results, and good quality content will fit that bill.
63.But don’t forget quantity
However, while quality is the most important factor, the quantity isn’t irrelevant. In general, search engines will give preference to text content that is 600 words or more, and studies have shown user engagement is best when content is 1,000 words or more.
64. Keep content relevant
The content on your site has to be related to what your site offers. If your business is in one industry, make sure the content matches. Save unrelated content for a different site.
65. Set the right tone
Appeal to the right audience by writing in the correct tone. Some sites call for very formal wording, whilst others are better with a more conversational tone. Knowing your audience will help you decide what tone is right for your site.
Go beyond text with multimedia
66. Videos draw user attention
Videos are a great way to draw users in to your site. They can be used for product demonstrations, explainer content, or just a welcome.
67. YouTube can boost Google ranking
Since Google purchased YouTube, having content on the video sharing site has become an influencing factor in Google SERP placement. Uploading your videos to YouTube can make an impact on your site’s ranking.
68. Don’t forget alt tags
Like images, multimedia files aren’t seen by search engine crawlers in the same way as they are seen by users. Make sure you use alt tags to correctly describe and identify any multimedia file.
69. Include a call to action
A video is most effective when it has a call to action, just like text content. This can be verbal, visual, and via links.
70. Create the right links
Make sure your YouTube video links to your page’s URL, and that your website has a link to your YouTube video or profile. This will give authority and ease navigation.
Analyse and improve
71. Use Webmaster Tools
Google offers a lot of information through its Webmaster Tools. This can help you keep on top of what your site is doing right and what it’s doing wrong.
72. Keep track of algorithm updates
If your website’s traffic has a sudden drop, it is always worth checking to see if there has been an update to the search engine’s algorithm. You might need to adjust your website to meet new guidelines.
73. Keep an eye on the competition
Part of any SEO project is knowing what the competition is doing. Check what keywords they’re using, how they rank, and what they’re doing right and wrong.
74. Regularly assess your target audience
Your ideal website visitor might change seasonally, or it might stay the same. Knowing who you want to reach will help you choose the right keywords, content, and more.
75. Run an A/B test for new content
Split testing can let you try out new content, new looks, and other changes before you fully launch them. You might be surprised how even a small change can impact the number of clicks you get.
Other website basics
76. Use 404, 301, 503 code pages and include an xml sitemap
Search engines hate broken links and dead ends. You can help the spiders and your site’s human users by including redirection pages, site maintenance notices, and sitemaps.
77. Know when (and how) to use robots.txt
The robots.txt file gives instructions to a search engine crawler about how to index your site. It can request that certain directories are not indexed. If you want your entire site indexed, you don’t need to include a robots.txt file.
78. Use the right top level domain
The correct top level domain will help reinforce that your site is relevant and trustworthy. While the number of top level domains is regularly increasing, it is often best to stick with a local country domain (such as .co.uk) or an established international domain (such as .com).
79. Existing clean domains have more power…
A site’s age can help boost its ranking, as long as it has a clean link history.
80. …But always use a new domain for a new project
At the same time though, you shouldn’t try to cram a new project into a domain you already own, just for the sake of that authority.
Don’t be afraid to get help
81. Help with content
Copywriting services can help you create compelling, dynamic, and relevant content for your website.
82. Help with coding
A web developer will be able to ensure that your website is properly coded, meaning no broken links or misused tags.
83. Help with images
Getting the right images might be a matter of turning to an image library, or hiring a photographer. In either case, relevant and unique images are easy to find.
84. Help with keywords
Keyword tools are readily available online, but you can also work with an SEO professional to come up with different ways of searching for the right terms.
85. Help with SEO planning
Having a strategy and goals in place is key to any SEO effort. An SEO expert can help you determine what you should be working towards in your work.
Get the most from your content
86. Set authorship
Google Authorship came to a close last year, but setting authorship is not a dead concept for SEO. While it might not offer you the byline and image within SERPs, Author Rank can help you establish authority and might influence your site’s ranking.
87. Don’t hide behind logins…
A search engine can’t index that which it cannot access. Logins can limit what a search engine is able to index, so don’t add them unless they are necessary.
88. …Unless there’s a reason to hide
One reason for keeping something hidden behind a login is if you are redeveloping your site. Keeping the new version hidden behind a password is an easy way to keep it out of search engine results.
89. Make sure citations are correct
Regularly check your citations on sites such as directories, Google Maps, and online phone books. An error in these can damage your SERP ranking and misdirect potential customers.
90. Use the meta description to attract clicks
The meta description tag gives you the opportunity to write a concise summary of your page content. This will often be shown below the link in SERPs and can be more compelling than the first few sentences of your page’s content.
Ten quick SEO tips every marketer should follow today
91. Remember that SEO always changes
Search engines update their algorithms, and competitors are always trying to boost their own ranking.
92. Great content for one site is not great content for another
Quality is a fluid concept, and one that is closely tied to relevance.
93. A site needs to be trusted to stay on top
Secure sites (using HTTPS) might have slower load times, but can be more trusted, resulting in a higher rank overall.
94. View like a search engine, but think like a user
Never allow your site to be developed just for search engines, but don’t forget their particular needs.
95. Search engine optimisation is not something that happens overnight
Good SEO takes time, and bad SEO (such as spam links) can cause lasting damage.
96. Mobile searching is a lifestyle change
Users want immediate answers to real questions. Make sure your site is able to answer those questions.
97. Duplicate content can cause damage to your site’s ranking
Running a programme such as Copyscape or even searching for an exact phrase can help you ensure your content is unique.
98. If a site has been blocked from SERPs, you can’t demand that it be reindexed
It’s much easier to avoid a search engine penalty in the first place.
99. SEO is an essential part of any marketing plan
Much of everyday life is conducted online, so getting a top ranking is crucial to any business’s success.
100. A site’s authority comes from authority
The better the pages that link to your site, the higher you will rank. Having ten excellent links is always better than having 10,000 links that aren’t relevant or from authority sites.
SEO is always evolving
While not every marketer will take on every tip here, it’s worth keeping in mind that SEO is an always evolving task. A great marketer should never walk away from a website and assume that what worked when the site was set up will always work. Keeping on top of the biggest ranking factors – quality content, relevance, and authority – is a long-term process, but one that can help you ensure the SERP rankings you want and need.
We welcome any questions
Do you have any questions related to our 100 SEO tips for the modern marketer? Do you have an opinion on any of our tips listed? Do you have any SEO related questions not covered above? Please use the comments section below to submit your views and we will reply to each, even if you do not agree with us.
