If the digital landscape is a battlefield, consider SEO [Search Engine Optimization] the “front lines.” It’s gritty, fierce, competitive, and necessary to advance your brand.
First of all, understand that Search Engine Optimization is complicated. The good news is, as a business owner you don’t have to know it all, you just have to understand the general importance of SEO and partner with a company that can help you through the process.
Wherever you are in the evolution of your SEO strategy, here are some tips that may help you round out your battle plan.
Search Engine Optimization is a slow, strategic march, not a bayonet charge
This is simple, but important. SEO is a process, and you will not likely make it to number one in the search results overnight. You should think of it as a continuous march, wherein you gain ground progressively as you improve your overall digital presence. Approaching SEO this way will win you the battle in the long run, and will maintain you among the premium ranked sites long term.
Search engine technology is your ally, not your enemy… but you don’t need to fully understand it.
SEO is complicated. If you really want to dig into it, you need to understand complicated concepts like Rankbrain, keywords, and other metrics search engines use to rank you. You can look these things up, but you’ll likely be cursing at your computer within seconds. Fortunately, you don’t have to fully understand SEO, and frankly, it’s best to leave the technical elements to the professionals.
If you really want to contribute to your SEO strategy, know how to answer the following question: from a client’s perspective, what does your site “DO” for them? The highest ranking sites often answer consumer questions, solve problems, and generally shift their focus from “what is my business trying to communicate” to “what is my client looking for?” Try to improve your site from this point of view, and you’re on the right track.
Don’t get desperate- black hat tactics are web-based war crimes
We’re not going to go into a lot of detail about black hat SEO practices, other than they’re unethical, and can get you in big trouble in the digital world. Black hat tactics are often associated with spam, viruses, and other bad web practices you do not want associated with your business. Getting caught utilizing them can mean getting your website temporarily or permanently kicked off search engine results altogether. If anyone tells you they can get you to the first page of Google rapidly, without any work or adjustments to your website or content, it is best to remember the old adage: If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
