That Hannah Jones

Let’s Talk SEO!

Let’s dive right into it, S.E.O., which stands for Search Engine Optimization sounds complicated – but don’t worry I will break it down into simple, fun bits.

SEO is all about making your website pop up higher when people search for stuff on Google. This is one of the main ways to get more eyes on your website and more leads in your funnel. There are a few tricks and strategies to help your site look good to search engines like Google.

First, let’s talk about what SEO actually does. It uses different techniques to boost your website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). Google uses something called algorithms, which are like super-smart robots, to decide which websites show up first. This also drives your Instagram, Tiktok, and Pinterest feeds too! Knowing how these robots think helps you tweak your site to get noticed.

Let’s start with on-page SEO

This is all about making sure each page on your site is set up to be found easily. Start by figuring out what words people type into Google to find sites like yours – these are your keywords. For example, if you run a bakery, your keywords might be “best cupcakes,” “fresh bread,” or “custom cakes.” Sprinkle these keywords naturally into your content.

Creating great content is key. If it’s blogs or just information for your social media, make sure you write content that is interesting and helpful to your readers. For instance, a blog post titled “How to Bake the Best Cupcakes at Home” uses the keyword “best cupcakes” effectively. Make sure your titles and descriptions are catchy and clear, so people want to click on them. An example of a catchy description could be, “Learn our secrets to baking the best cupcakes – from scratch recipes to decorating tips!” Also, link your pages together to make it easy for visitors to navigate your site. For example, within your blog post about cupcakes, you can link to another page on your site about “custom cakes” with a sentence like, “If you love our cupcakes, check out our custom cakes for special occasions.”

Utilizing AI is a great tool if you struggle with your writing, but learning how to use AI well is a skill unto itself that does require some practice to get great content that is engaging. Consistency is by far the biggest key here; regularly updating your blog with new, keyword-rich content keeps your audience engaged and helps improve your search engine rankings.

off-page SEO

Think of this as kind of like your website’s social life. It’s about getting other websites to link back to yours. These backlinks tell Google that your site is trustworthy and worth visiting. Share your content on social media and collaborate with other bloggers to get more links pointing to your site. You can do this without an ounce of additional energy by setting up your blog to automatically share to all of your social media pages as well as the major blog repositories like Medium, WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, Ghost and Weebly.

Technical SEO

This might sound a bit geeky, but it’s super important. This part is about making sure the behind-the-scenes stuff on your site runs smoothly. Your site should load quickly and look good on mobile devices because Google loves fast, mobile-friendly sites. You need to make sure you have a secure web address (HTTPS) and also make sure that all of the images on your page alt text added. Remember that robots don’t see the images you post, they see the name of the file and the alt text you include and rely on that to tell them what the image is about. Use your keywords and make sure these are helping your clients find you. Another trick is to embed invisible text on your page. Your clients will never see this, but the robots will, and it can be a list of every search term and buzz word you know will work and you can put it all over your web pages and help strengthen the associations of your site and those search terms. Also make sure that anything you can name on the page, is titled with a search keyword. Every text box, column, page title, and description is an opportunity for you to use those keywords for your clients to find you.

SEO is never done

Keeping up with SEO best practices is crucial. Update your content regularly to keep it fresh. Every update sends a new volley of robots out to tell the interwebs that you have new content and updates. Use tools like Google Analytics to track how your site is doing. Stay informed about any changes in Google’s algorithms and adjust your strategies as needed. And remember, avoid any sneaky shortcuts like keyword stuffing or buying links – these can get you in trouble.

To make your SEO journey easier, use tools like Google Analytics, Ahrefs, and SEMrush. They offer insights into how your site is performing and suggest areas for improvement. Follow SEO blogs and websites to stay updated, and consider taking some courses to deepen your knowledge.

The landscape of SEO is always evolving. Search engines are getting smarter, and so must your strategies. Voice search is becoming more popular, meaning your content needs to adapt to natural language queries. Also, mobile-first indexing means Google primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking and indexing. So, ensuring your site is mobile-friendly is more important than ever.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are playing bigger roles in how search engines understand and rank content. Tools like Google’s BERT and RankBrain analyze the context of search queries to provide more relevant results. This means your content should focus on user intent and providing valuable, comprehensive answers to questions.

Video content is also on the rise. Platforms like YouTube are essential parts of the SEO mix, as videos often appear in search results. Creating high-quality, engaging video content can significantly boost your SEO efforts.

Another emerging trend is the importance of user experience (UX). Search engines are increasingly prioritizing sites that offer fast, smooth, and enjoyable browsing experiences. Factors like page speed, mobile usability, and interactive content are crucial for keeping visitors engaged and reducing bounce rates.

SEO is an ongoing adventure, but with these tips, you’re on your way to boosting your site’s visibility and driving more traffic. Start optimizing today and watch your business grow! Stay curious, keep learning, and adapt to the changing SEO landscape. The future of SEO is bright, and with the right strategies, your website can shine.

I hope this was helpful! Subscribe to my blog for more content like this or reach out for personalized services. Let’s maximize your results by optimizing your efforts! You can go to Connect.ThatHannahJones.com to connect with me.