You’ve likely heard the buzz about SEO and how important it is for your new website. You might be wondering, “So what’s the big deal about SEO anyways, and why does it matter?” Let’s chat about it. Search Engine Optimization is a powerful tool to help you get your business in front of more eyes – and even more important, the eyes of your ideal customer.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO), put simply, is making sure that search engines like Google will see your website and recommend it to others as they search. There are certain practices and tools you can use to help this process. You’ve heard of the Instagram algorithm or Tik Tok algorithm; think of this as something similar. These practices help Google know what you’re offering, understand you are a reliable source, and that people find your content valuable.
Why Should I Care?
Now that you know what SEO is, let’s talk about what it’s important for YOU and your business. You may be thinking, “Yeah, yeah, Katie, I know it’s important, but I just don’t have time for that right now. I’ll deal with it later.” I hear you – I’ve been there myself. And let me tell you, I wish I would’ve understood and worked on my SEO as soon as I started my business.
You see, SEO is a long-term game. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Starting today in getting your SEO together will make a huge difference a year from now, even if it’s something small. OR… you could do nothing and be in the exact same place a year from now. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the thought of that. So let’s talk about things you can do today to get started or improve your SEO rankings.
Actionable Steps
1.Start a blog and use Yoast
Blogging is a fantastic way to connect with your customers and offer them valuable information. It’s a place where you can teach, show your expertise, and let your viewers get to know you better. It’s also a great way to up your SEO rankings. Each blog post is an opportunity to get found on Google. And unlike a social media post, this is content that YOU OWN.
When starting or using a blog, I recommend WordPress. (If we design your website with ShowIt, a WordPress blog comes free! Another reason why I LOVE ShowIt.) WordPress has a huge library of plugins to help you find success in blogging. My favorite plugin is Yoast SEO. It’s an SEO helper that guides you through optimizing each and every post – no need to hire an SEO expert! It’s a lifesaver and I love having it in my blogging toolbelt.
2. Use Keywords
Be aware of what people are searching for when they find you. It could be “elopement photographer” or “interior design business coach” or “Boston graphic designer”. Include some of these phrases in your website copy. This helps Google match you with people who are searching that same phrase. Just be careful not to overdo it – always write for your customers first, SEO second.
You can also include keywords in your images. Instead of naming an image “interiordesign4”, name it “Salt Lake City Interior Designer”. This is a subtle way to add more keywords to your website.
3. Increase Your Load Speed
Believe it or not, if your website doesn’t load within 3 seconds, most customers will leave and not come back. When this happens, Google recognizes that people are coming to your website and leaving quickly, and they’ll penalize you for it. You can check your load speed with tools like Pingdom. If your load speed to too slow, try decreasing the size of your image files.
4. Mobile Optimize Your Website
Nowadays, consumers are browsing on their mobile devices even more than on desktop. This means that if someone comes onto your website, they’re likely on their phone. If your website isn’t mobile-optimized, this could cause the viewer to leave your website prematurely, and as said above, this will harm your SEO rankings.
This is why I love designing my client’s websites on ShowIt. Most website hosts have you design on desktop and then try to guess how you’d like the mobile version to look. This could mean cropping images incorrectly, displaying text incorrectly, etc. Conversely, ShowIt provides you with the tools to design your mobile website independently of your desktop website, so that you can ensure that your mobile website functions properly and looks amazing – exactly the way you want it to. (If this sounds like something you’re interested in, contact me here!)
5. Create Quality Content
When it comes down to it, make sure you’re providing your viewers with quality content. Google keeps track of how much time consumers spend on your website, so create quality, engaging content that keeps the viewers with you. Keep adding content to your website that is recent, relevant, and high-quality.
I hope this helps you understand a little bit more about SEO, why it’s important, and what you can do to rank higher in search results. It may sound daunting, but working a little bit each day or each week on this will pay off in the future.
If you’re getting ready to design or re-design your website and want someone else to take care of your SEO for you, take advantage of me SEO Package! This package takes the initial SEO work off your plate. I’ll make sure your website is optimized for search engines from the time you launch. Get more results from Google and search results from day one! Chat with me today about adding this to your web design package!
Have questions? Shoot me an email!
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