SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is changing daily, and it has no exact science to outrank your webpage. In general, you can follow some SEO Strategy in 2018, and it has good and bad practices as well. So, when you want to get the higher ranking, you need to go on the right approaches. On the other hand, you will get the same results on every time with the same strategy. For this reason, you have to learn the pinpoint and the algorithm to implement different techniques according to the niche and industry.
Recently, the uses of Rankbrain or Artificial Intelligence have changed the previous thinking, and now Google can understand the user’s mentality. In this case, you need to become more creative for implementing Inbound Marketing with quality content. At the same time, you have to take care of the future of SEO. It will be right decisions to neglect the traditional ways of affecting the ranking algorithm. Instead, it will be better to follow the proper methods of keeping yourself alive according to the Google Rankbrian.
SEO Strategy 2018
I will discuss the complete SEO Strategy in this post, and I will share the tactics with Good and Bad Practices. It will surely help you to access and implement the right methods from indexing to getting the first-page rank. Let’s take a look at the complete concept.
- Search Engine Friendly Structure – Be Findable
- Master Panda With Quality Content
- Backlinks Strategy to leverage Penguin
- Improve User Experience to Happy Rankbrain
- Be Mobile-Friendly or AMP Ready
- Earn Social Signals
- Master the Local SEO
1. Search Engine Indexing – Be Findable
If Search Engine fails to crawl your website, how people will get you? For this reason, you have to ensure your website is indexable. When Search Engine can crawl the web page from your website, you can think about rest of the things. Let’s see some methods of indexing the website.
i. Keep Structure Search Engine Friendly:
You have to ensure you can reach all the important page from the homepage. The structure will be logical, and you need to do internal linking with the relevant pages and try to do the inner link of all the pages among the website. Use breadcrumb to complete navigation and add the search box to make the content is discoverable. Ensure the visitors can go next (rel=next) and the previous page (rel=prev) with infinite navigation. At last, ensure the URLs of the page, post or categories are clean and related to the keywords. On the other hand, if you break the above rules and the visitors are unable to reach all the pages, it will affect the overall on-page SEO of your sites.
ii. Using XML Sitemaps or RSS Feeds
For informing the new updates for your website depends on submitting the XML sitemaps or RSS Feeds. XML sitemaps help the search bots to know and discover the post and pages. On the other hand, RSS Feeds inform the search engine the latest work or updates on your website. For this reason, you need to use both the XML sitemaps and RSS Feeds. Important to realize, if you forbid the search engine to crawl any webpage you need to define it on the sitemaps, and you can also do it on the robots.txt file. At the same time, add the canonical versions of URLs and avoid non-canonical URLs. Check if your sitemap is working on crawling the website.
iii. Engage with Schema Markup
Schema Markup is used to improve the search results (SERPs), and it is the collection of vocabulary or tags. You can represent more information with this tag and search engine can show it when searching the visitors. It works in all the search engine including Google, or Bing. Though editing the Schema Markup on the HTML code is not so easy so that you can take the help of Structured Data Markup Helper. On the other hand, you can check the Structured Data Testing Tool to show if it is working actually. For knowing more about Schema Markup and using it on your website, you can take the help of SEO service of ByteCode, and you will get more info here of MOZ.
iv. Apply Featured Snippets
A Featured Snippets is the rich data, and it is known as 0 (Zero) position on the SERPs. Generally, it is shown on the first of the searching area. When you can give the deep answer and use questions type keyword, there have the major chances of getting the Featured Snippets. It can increase the CTR and page view, and it is good for improving overall trust on the website. You can learn more Featured Snippets and then how does it actually works from here. It helps to get the ranking in voice search. To get the ranking with Featured Snippets, you should use the video, images or infographic. It helps to go on the 0 position of Google.
2. Master Panda With Quality Content
Early in 2016, Google launches a new algorithm named Panda and the main point is giving priority to the quality content and disranking the thin and non-authentic content. Gary Illyes, a webmaster trends analyst, ensure it to impact on the search ranking. In this case, if you want to stay on the ranking you need to generate quality content and some others task. Let’s see how can you stay on the safe side and master the panda with quality content.
i. Update Content
The first method of escaping yourself from Panda attack is updating the existing content. On the other hand, you need to generate high-quality and authentic content which will add value and the users will get their desired answer. If you can publish expert level content then surely you can lead the search engine, and you will get quality leads. It is the best way to write the lengthy content, and you have to ensure it is free from spin or scraped. The content needs to write as like the users generated and it would not seem as robotic. When Google will see the content is valuable and spam free you will get the highest value in the eyes of Google. Admittedly, it will give you maximum output for ranking the page and generating leads with SEO Strategy.
ii. Using Canonicalization
Canonicalization is the ways of telling the search engine which content is essential in the similar topics or content. That means saying the search engine this is the Standardized version of several pages on your website. It helps to avoid duplicate content on the internal pages. It is not a significant factor but undoubtedly benefits, and professional SEO optimizer follows it to impact the search ranking. The tag is used in the <head> section of the page to mark the canonical page with rel=”canonical” attribute. Do not use multiple times of canonical for one page and avoid <body> section for implementing it.
3. Backlinks Strategy to leverage Penguin
We all know the crucial ranking factor for a webpage is using the backlinks, but if you use it for impacting the ranking and if Google sees it as unnatural, you can be affected by Penguin. The work of Penguin is forbidding the artificial links and giving priority to the authorship and natural backlinks. In the previous days, Google removes the whole website from ranking. Now Google can understand which page is the culprit and get huge links from unverified sources. For this reason, it removes the page from the SERPs. To leverage Penguin, you need to use editorial backlinks as well as keep the diverse anchor text.
If you see any bad links, remove it or use it as disavowed. It will surely help you to keep the ranking of your page without any major harm of Penguin. Always avoid Link Networks and do not use keywords on the Anchor Text.
4. Improve User Experience to Happy Rankbrain
User Experience will increase the engagement on the website, and it is one of the ways to rank according to the Google Rankbrain algorithm. As Google is using AI for ranking the content, it knows the user experience, and it justifies the content by observing it. For this reason, you need to focus on user experience. On the other hand, you need to improve the site speed to get positive feedback and reducing bounce rate. At the same time, you need to secure your website with the HTTPS, and it gives the green signal which improves the user-satisfaction and Google loves it. Let’s see the issues on UX on your site.
i. Boost SiteSpeed
Site Speed is a good way to improve the search ranking. It helps to reduce the bounce rate. On the other hand, it keeps the users engaged when they go one page to another. That means it will increase the Dwell time. Researchers show that if a website takes time more than 5 seconds 50% of users quit to visit the page. Surely, it will impact ranking, especially with the Rankbrain algorithm. So ensuring a good site speed is a must. You need to optimize the image and using the good host and reducing HTTP request can increase the page speed. You can check the speed of the page with Google Page Speed Insights.
ii. Increase CTR and Engagement
I have told in the Google Rankbrain post that Google is giving importance for increasing CTR and engagement. CTR (Click Through Rate) depends on eye-catching headlines and Meta Descriptions. For this reason, you need to take care here. On the other hand, when you want to increase engagement you have to format the content uniquely. The fond and use of visual content impact on engagement. At the same time, writing a good introduction can reflect on engagement. If you want your readers should read the full content, and you will lead it to sales you need to build good content. When the users get the helpful information, they will surely trust you, and they will come back again.
iii. Transferring into HTTPS
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol for secure) which allows showing the webpage in the encryption mode. In 2018, it will be the time of HTTPS. If you are using the new business, you should use it must. At the same time, if you are leading your business website after a long time, you can come back as early as possible with perfect redirection and configuration. Notably, Google Chrome and other trusted browser show a green signal on the left side of the web address which tells the secure website, and it helps to encourage the visitors to keep using or reading.
iv. Preparation with HTTP/2
HTTP 2.0 is the newest and most updated version or HTTP protocol. It is faster, and you should think using it. It will give the extra boost to your website. You can check the guideline for more information about HTTP/2.0 from here. Recently, a tweet from Google Webmaster Team inspires to use the modern web. You can check full discussion to understand it more deeply.
5. Be Mobile-Friendly or AMP Ready
Now 50% of total users come from the mobile device. For this reason, search engine including Google is giving more priority to the mobile-friendly websites. Even in the recent years, Google is giving AMP ready webpage more importance on the SERPs.
i. Make Mobile-Friendly
As the mobile users are increasing rapidly than the desktop users, it is the time to implement the mobile-friendly website. You have to ensure Responsive webpage for ranking fastly on the SERPs. You can check it by Zoom-out of the page if it is getting fit on the small device. At the same time, you can check mobile-friendliness of the website from the built-in tools of Google. You have to ensure no data or information is missing in the mobile version. On the other hand, if it has lacks on metadata, schema markup or quality of the content.
ii. Ensure AMP
Accelerated Mobile Pages project (AMP) is the alternative ways of the mobile responsive website. It helps to show the website on the mobile completely with mobile design. You can show the webpage differently than the desktop version. At the same time, it makes the mobile webpage on the standard format. important to realize, mobile pages are faster than the desktop or responsive version of the webpage. It gets higher CTR, and the page can be load within 1 second. For this reason, it surely increases the visibility of the websites. You can check the complete AMP Tutorial from here to implement it on your website.
6. Earn Social Signals
Social Signals will not rank a content directly, but Search Engine takes it as ranking signals. If you can engage your post via social media including Twitter, Google Plus or Facebook, it can drive a lot of traffic. At the same time, it can increase trust in the eyes of search engine. For this reason, if you can bring social signals, it will add value. So, your duty is ensuring social sharing buttons to increase sharing and Erich content quality when posting on the social media. Avoid buying followers or likes, rather try to earn social signals.
7. Master the Local SEO
If your primary target is selling products locally, you have to take care of local SEO. It will help you to rank the website in your area. For increasing local SEO, you have to ensure Citation Building, Google My Business, Directories and Reviews, Competition Analysis on your local customer. You will get more information about Local SEO from here. Adding the business name, address, phone (NAP) and optimizing on-page SEO and reviews can help you to drive leads from your locality. Avoid wrong information and provide quality service. It is necessary when trying to sell the product in your locality.
8. Do…Don’t
Here I will recommend doing some works from today as well as I will forbid not to do from today. It will help you to lead the future SEO trends.
- SEO means keeping the footprint in every quality place: Yes! The number of places you will keep the footprint of your business it will give you output. For this reason, you have to try to spread your brand everywhere you can. Just think about quality. If it takes the time, you will get the results forever. You have to contribute to the Directory, Forum, Social Media or Blog, just need the quality work. You can just keep the links of your sites only, or you can help others in your niche, and sometimes you can place the links of you where necessary. That means you have to discover the beauty of blogging and you have the mentality to help others. It will surely give you fruits forever according to your work. If you input quality, it will give quality value. Otherwise, it will impact your sites for wrong placement of a link. So, the last word is- add value and spread your business.
- Know the Google Rankbrain (Artificial Intelligence): Day By day, Search Engine will take the help of Artifical Intelligence to give necessary information to the users. For this reason, if you know the algorithm you can overcome all others. You can bring your business to the top place of the SERPs. So, generate quality content, follow the right metrics of the latest trends and bring quality backlinks to your sites. On the other hand, add the visual content where necessary. It will surely give your long time output for your business.
- Forget Quick Results: It takes time to see the results on the first page of Google. On the other hand, if you take the paid promotion, it may bring traffic in your blogs, but it is true to transfer it into leads will take time. On the other hand, Google considers ranking websites with minimum 6 months. So, if you want to get appropriate results it needs time to show on the SERPs. For this reason, I will tell to remember don’t run for results and follow no quick results and no quick SEO.
- Quality Matters than Quantity: Everything needs to become quality according to the Rankbrain metrics. You can easily outrank a page with a few links, page or social signal. But it needs the quality. So never rush for quantity, do all the works with quality. If you publish one article in a week, it will give you the best results if you can do it carefully and great research. Always try to do well and add more words than your competitors. At the same time, give importance to quality links than quantity. Surely, you will lead the future SEO and Digital Marketing World.
12 Common Mistakes in SEO Strategy
You have planned to start blogging or doing digital business, you have started to publish the content. After some days or months, you are not getting any hope of traffic. Yes! If you fail to generate the conversion, your hard work will be Zero. No leads means, no revenue. So, what is the fault? Let’s check some SEO mistakes which can vanish your dream.
1. Failing to choose the right Keywords
When you are writing the content for publishing it with targeted keywords, you need to do more research. If you fail to choose the right keywords, your all the works or time will be the waste. For this reason, if you want to make the content the assets, you need to research it. Even the main time killing process is keyword researching. With this in mind, you need to take care. If it is necessary to the readers as well as if it will add any value to your brand. Afterwards, can you rank the content on the first page of Google? Then choose the right keywords and invest time, hard work and money.
2. Keyword Stuffing on the Content
Google does not like Keyword Stuffing on the content. You need to use the keyword, and it needs to become in the natural process. If you use the keywords among the content more times, it will be treated as keyword stuffing, and you are trying to rank on the keyword which is not natural. For this reason, you need to avoid this. You have to try to write the content naturally.
3. Ignoring Meta Descriptions and Titles
Meta Descriptions and Titles are not direct ranking factors, but why it is necessary? In general, it increases the CTR (Click Through Rate). When Google searchers find the results from the first page with eye-catching titles and meta descriptions it inspires to read the content. For this reason, you need to optimize it carefully. On the other hand, you need to use the keywords here on the titles and meta descriptions.
4. Irrelevant Internal Linking
Internal Linking helps to pass the juice one page to another, and it is natural. It adds value to the content. At the same time, it reduces bounce rate. For this reason, you have to use it on the relevant content. On the other hand, you need to bring anchor text variations, and it takes Google as natural. With this in mind, you have to take care here.
5. Taking time to load the website
A slow website never gets the rank and in the recent updates of Google and Rankbrain is also giving priority to the fast website on the ranking. It increases the bounce rate on the content. For this reason, it is not good for SEO strategy. In this case, you need to optimize the website for increasing the ranking. Researchers show that you can lose 50% of the traffic if your website takes time to load.
6. Not following the Analytics
Google Analytics shows the performance of the content, and it helps to understand where you should work more. You can understand the behavioral data. For example, which keywords are working better, why increasing the bouncing rate, which keywords are getting more leads. On the other hand, you should use the webmaster tools for indexing and CTR of the content. It will surely help to improve the content and user experience.
7. Neglecting Content Quality
You total SEO strategy is dependable on the content. So if you have a weak point here how will you outrank your page. On the other hand, you can get Panda Attack of Google for low-quality content. At the same time, if you have good backlinks and social signals, you can’t get the rank for content quality. With this in mind, you have to work for updating the content and scheduling to publish it.
8. Never optimizing the Subheadings
Formatting of the content will increase the users’ engagement. So, using the heading tags including H1….H6 on the content is essential. At the same time, you need to use bold, italic and quotes tag for improving the overall UI of the page. Remember, use H1 for titles only and then distribute other headings according to the content styles.
9. Ignoring Good Hosting
A good web host ensures better uptime. On the other hand, it is necessary for security purposes. For this reason, you need to choose a reputed web hosting company. Another Key point, you have to take care of the customer support of them. It is also important if they are tech savvy to solve the issues quickly.
10. Ignoring ALT tags on Images
It is necessary to add the visual content on the page to increase Dwell Time and entertain the readers. It is good for SEO too. Most of the time, we do not use ALT tags or Images on the content which is not good. You can rank the images on the Google Image Search and it provides the boost for ranking of your page. For this reason, use keywords or similar terms on the image titles and ALT Tags.
11. Keeping Broken Links
Broken links on the page will not add any value to the content. Accordingly, it gives 404 page which is not good for SEO. In the SEO strategy, you need to remove broken links or repair with the exact links. It will give you boost and will increase the trust in the eyes of Google. Surely, it will add value to rank the page higher as well as it will make the page clean.
12. Writing Short Content
You have no chances to rank the page with the short content. Now Google like the quality content where the readers will get depth knowledge. If you write the lengthy content it can discuss the similar terms which are good for the readers. It increases the brand value and readers take it as the trusty website. Surely, you can enrich keywords with the Semantics words. So, it is good for SEO.
Take Care the Below Things when taking SEO Strategy
Now it is time to go to work. So, I will share the ways of SEO Strategy and what should you do before the implementation. Here, you need to create the Mind Map, visual presentation and work for the goals.
1. Create Mind Map
Creating the Mind Map is making the guideline of SEO Strategy or full path. For example, I have discussed the methods you need to implement for SEO including writing the content, indexing it, sharing it, getting the traffic and promotion. You have to make the mind map of following the strategy.
2. Build Visual Representation
Now, make the visual and soft copy of the mind map. Explain all the elements and time here. Work hard to make it. Your SEO strategy will depend on it. So, it is essential to building it creatively. You can take the help of the experts to develop the visual presentation of your Mind Map.
3. Know about the Company
You have to consider the needs of your company. Are they hunting for branding or sales? We know brand means sales, but you can bring sales with guest posting and by targeting a keyword. On the other hand, you can use the brand to impact overall results. Though it will also rank the content but will take time to reach the targeted sales. With this in mind, it is best practice to know the overall plan of the company before making SEO Strategy.
4. Know the Audience
Your Audience is the main property of your business. They will buy the products from you. For this reason, you need to know the audience what they want, what they like and what they are accepting from you. Try to represent the product or service according to the audience.
5. Work for the Goals
At last, work for fulfilling the goals or target. You need the combination here. For example, you have to make the similarity of Content Marketing, Inbound Marketing, and Outreaching. On the other hand, you have to satisfy the company. The overall success will depend on it.
Should SEO Strategy Be Different For Every Search Engine?
Is it necessary to follow different SEO Strategy for Google, Bing or other Search Engines? As we know Yahoo shows the search marketing results based on Bing, so don’t need to work differently for Yahoo. On the other hand, the algorithms of Bing and Google are similar in many ways. So while optimizing, we should focus 85-90% for Google algorithm and the rest for Bing. But if you can it will be better.Continue reading