The only type of SEO content worth investing in is content you can count on. Specifically, the kind of content that is guaranteed to deliver a reliable ROI.
With no shortage of avenues to explore, knowing where to start can be a challenge. That is why we have created a shortlist of seven fool-proof tips for rock-solid SEO. All of which could prove helpful as part of your search marketing strategy.
1. Optimise for the Answer Box
The answer box provides the perfect opportunity to jump right to the top of the SERP listings. Simply by optimising your content for questions of relevance to your niche, you have every opportunity to appear in the most prominent position on page one. This can often be a far more realistic and accessible option than competing for the most competitive search terms.
2. Take Internal Linking More Seriously
Internal links improve the user experience and your SEO score at the same time. They enhance site navigation, make it easier for crawlers to index your pages and generally give Google a clear indication of their purposes. It is therefore essential to make sure your content is populated with plenty of internal links – your most important pages in particular.
3. Beware ‘Orphaned’ Content
This refers to the pages that are not contextually linked to from any other pages. This ‘orphaned’ content is particularly difficult for search engines to read, interpret and index. They also tend to be the pages that get little to no organic traffic, as they are tricky for your visitors to find.
4. Add Alt Text and Captions to Images
Image optimisation is a golden rule for improved Google SEO clout. Adding alt text and captions is absolutely essential, ensuring your most important keywords and phrases are strategically embedded. Ensure you do not cross the line into keyword stuffing under any circumstances. It’s a simple tweak that can make a massive difference.
5. Strategic Use of Keywords
Keywords continue to form the crux of all effective content marketing strategies. Titles and headings are the most important places to embed keywords. Meanwhile, the bulk of your content should include a balanced mix of your primary and secondary keywords, along with any related terms of relevance to the subject.
6. Encourage Comments
Don’t just enable comments – proactively encourage people to leave them. Contrary to popular belief, comments can and do impact SEO in a positive way. As confirmed by Google’s Gary Illyes, who recently put to rest the debate on the SEO value of comments. The more comments your content attracts, the better.
7. Focus on Readability
Last but not least, Google is becoming increasingly adept at analysing the readability of written content. This is where the importance of writing for people (not machines) must be kept in mind. Jargon-free language, short words and a use-friendly structure – all SEO gold. If your copy isn’t attractive for the reader, it’s not attractive to Google, either.