If you’re unsure where to start with making sure your site is optimised – try asking yourself these questions…
How are people searching for my website?
Asking yourself how people are finding your site is key. On paper, your site may have what you think is enough well written content, but if it doesn’t contain the right keywords you won’t show up for those in search. Often, you think you know the keywords associated with your business but it’s important to check the data to back this up. Sometimes how an industry insider talks about their business is very different to a customer and it could be impacting your website SEO.
Where in the world are my customers?
If you operate in a specific service area, you need customers from that location and the surrounding areas to find you. It’s no use in this instance trying to rank for generic terms. This is known as local search. Think about your areas of operation and make sure these are incorporated into your text. Search engines recognise addresses and local phone numbers so these need to be visible across your website too.
Am I answering my customers’ questions?
Search engines want to ensure users have a reason to return – EG have they found the information in their search results useful? See how long users are spending on your site – if they find you but aren’t staying on the page for long, this could be an indication they’re not finding the answers they need.
How is off page SEO impacting my search results?
While your website SEO is important when it comes to rankings, there’s also off page SEO to consider. Off page SEO covers the factors taken into consideration by search engines that are not on your website. This includes links back to your site from reputable online sources and directory and business listings.
Have I done a website SEO audit?
If it’s been a while since you gave your website any attention, it’s a good idea to conduct an SEO audit. You can do this by using tools available online. An audit will often show you what could be fixed, and often they can help you prioritise your fixes by order of importance too.
Have I paid attention to detail?
There are several technical factors as well as tags and headings that can impact your website SEO. Simply updating your copy is not enough to guarantee good results – a combination of factors can affect your ranking.
Lastly, am I being realistic?
Improving your search results should be achievable, but no one can guarantee you’ll achieve specific search positions. Many factors affect your site’s search position including algorithm updates made by the search engines. These are not always predictable but keeping on top of what we know to be true about SEO on an ongoing basis can help keep your website visible online.
Am I up-to-date with the latest SEO trends?
If it’s been a while since you’ve evaluated your website SEO you may not be up-to-date on the latest trends. Read our blog here about SEO trends in 2020 and beyond.
