In This Article
20 SEO strategies from small business experts. These will help your customers find you, choose you and buy from you.
For as long as there have been search engines, people have been obsessing over SEO strategies at the expense of real, human connection. It’s time we flipped the script.
When I look at my analytics, I always find that the articles where I simply sat down and wrote for my customers consistently drive more traffic, generate more engagement and make me more money over time.
Of course, that doesn’t mean throwing SEO out the window. It’s still crucial. But let’s use it as a tool to help our readers find, choose, and benefit from us, not as the end-all-be-all of content creation.
With that in mind, let’s dive into 20 proven SEO strategies. They’re not magic bullets, but they can enhance your content’s visibility without sacrificing its soul.
20 SEO Strategies from Experts
1. Long-Tail Keywords: Your Niche’s Best Friend
Forget broad, competitive terms. Target specific, long-tail keywords that resonate with your niche audience. They drive qualified traffic and increase conversions. It’s about understanding and catering to user intent.
2. Evergreen Content: The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Update your top-performing evergreen pieces regularly. This keeps them relevant and ranking high, maintaining their status as your content stars.
3. Local SEO: Embrace Your Community
Optimize for local search. Engage with local events and shout-outs to other businesses. It helps in becoming the go-to spot in your community.
4. Mobile-First: Cater to the On-the-Go Audience
With the majority browsing on mobile, optimize for mobile-first indexing. Focus on a responsive design, quick loading times, and local and voice search optimization.
5. E-A-T: Establish Your Authority
Create content that enhances your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness. This improves your reputation in the eyes of both Google and your readers.
6. FAQs: Answer What They’re Asking
Incorporate frequently asked questions into your content. This boosts organic rankings and can lead to enhanced SERP features like Featured Snippets.
7. Crawl Optimization: Make Google’s Job Easier
Ensure your site is easy to crawl and index. This involves managing sitemap files and fixing internal errors, crucial for visibility.
8. Link-Building with Long-Tail Keywords
Combine long-tail keywords with a targeted link-building campaign. This places your content in front of a highly relevant audience.
9. Review Strategy for Local Rankings
Encourage customer reviews. They improve local profile visibility and contribute significantly to local SEO rankings.
10. Featured Snippets: Aim for Position Zero
Optimize content to answer common user queries concisely. This can land you in the coveted ‘position zero’ in search results.
11. Google Trends: Stay Relevant
Monitor Google Trends for trending topics in your niche. Include these in your content to stay timely and attract backlinks.
12. JTBD-Related Keywords: Understand Their Needs
Focus on Job-To-Be-Done related keywords for targeted, needs-based content. This approach enhances conversion rates and drives growth.
13. User Experience: Make Their Visit Pleasant
Optimize your site’s navigation and page structure. A better user experience translates to improved SEO performance.
14. Updating Older Content: Refresh and Rank
Regularly update older content with new target keywords and meta tags. This keeps your content fresh and ranking well.
15. User-Focused Content: They’re the Star
Produce high-quality, user-focused content. This involves thorough keyword research and creating insightful, engaging content.
16. Comprehensive Content: Go Deep
Instead of short pieces, create in-depth guides. This establishes your authority and improves SEO results.
17. Expanding Website Structure: More to Explore
Broaden your website’s structure. This enhances user engagement, which in turn improves search rankings and conversions.
18. Entity-Based Keywords: Connect the Dots
Use entity-based keywords to establish relationships between keywords and categories. This improves search engine rankings and user engagement.
19. BoFU Content: Focus on Conversion
Develop a comprehensive bottom-of-the-funnel content roadmap. This targets potential customers ready to make decisions, increasing conversions.
20. High-Quality Content: The Heart of SEO
Remember, content is king. Focus on creating informative, high-quality content. Good content can rank well even with minimal traditional SEO.
Balancing SEO and Humanity
The bottom line? SEO is a powerful tool, but it’s not the sole focus. By creating content that resonates with your audience first and using SEO strategies to amplify that connection, you create a win-win situation. Your readers get valuable content, and you get the visibility you need. In the end, it’s about striking the right balance between catering to search engines and genuinely serving your audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SEO still matter?
Absolutely! SEO is like the compass of your digital presence. It guides your content to the right audience. Think of it as your online matchmaking friend. It helps people find your content when they need it the most.
How do I choose the right keywords without overthinking it?
Start with what you know. What questions do your clients often ask you? Use these as a starting point. Tools like Google’s Keyword Planner can help, but don’t get lost in the data. Sometimes the best keywords are just the plain language your customers use.
How often should I update my website for SEO?
Think of your website like a garden. It needs regular tending. Update your main pages every few months, and add new blog posts or content regularly. This keeps your site fresh and more attractive to search engines.
What’s the deal with mobile SEO?
Think about how often you use your phone to look something up. That’s what your audience is doing too. Make sure your website looks good and works well on mobile devices. It’s not just about looks; it’s about being accessible where your audience is.