Google Rankings and SEO are things that are hard to keep on top of. Google changes their algorithm so much, and then when you factor in over 200 ranking elements it becomes an even more insurmountable task. Do you have to optimize for all 200? Or are there some elements you should on to get higher search rankings?
Some of the 200 ranking components carry a heavier impact than others. We’ve done the research, and we’ve listed out the 7 most important things you can do for your website in regards to Google rankings. So for now, put the 193 other items out of your mind and focus on this short, actionable list of SEO steps you can take today.
Step 1: Put Your Keyword in the Beginning of Your Title Tag
Your page will rank much higher if the keyword you’re targeting is the first word/phrase of your title. When you’re writing your meta data, be sure to double and triple check that your titles have the keyword first.
Step 2: Keyword Position for Google Rankings
Take the keyword you put in the first position of your title, and now make sure it’s in a bunch of other places, too. Places like the first paragraph of your page, the URL of the page, and in H-tags (either H2 or H3).
Step 3: Use Awesome Links to Boost SEO
Google likes it when there are links going to and from your site. But instead of putting random links or taking the first article that comes up when you google your keyword, include links that are to relevant and authoritative sites.
Step 4: Content is King
Make sure the content on your core pages (the ones you REALLY want Google to rank well) have longer content on them. A few studies show that 1500+ words do the best in search engine rankings, so make sure your important pages have enough content to make the Google bots happy. We’re not recommending you write massive blog posts every week (300-400 words is the sweet spot for blogs), but your main business pages should have longer word counts.
Step 5: Page Loading Speed
Page speed is actually one of the elements of the Google algorithm that Google has actually confirmed. Check your site in Google’s page speed test to find out what your score is (on a scale of 1-10) and what elements your site can work on.
Step 6: Nix Duplicate Content
We work with a lot of companies whose websites have the same content on multiple pages. If that is the case with your site, fix it and fast. This can seriously drag down your Google rankings and search results, as well as make your site more confusing to visitors.
Step 7: Responsive Web Design
About half of the web’s traffic comes from mobile devices- either a tablet or a phone. If your website is older and doesn’t leverage a design that gives your visitors a good, strong brand experience no matter what device they may be on, it’s time to think about a site refresh. Luckily, Zinc can help with that!
