Appearing in the top positions of Google or other search engine is increasingly important, it all depends on the ranking factors for SEO – since the search engine bets more and more on paid results and on the results of the company itself. A scandal that no authority has yet had the courage to stop.

Achieving the first organic result is not an easy job. You need to understand Google and then convince bosses and managers about the best strategy.

Optimized content

Optimized content has long been about not just keywords. Google’s search algorithm tries to understand if the procure words are in the content, but it also tries to understand the intent of the search.

Think about what information the user is waiting to find and provide as much information as possible, in the best possible way. This better form can go through much more than running text. It may refer to:

• Tables
• Videos
• Infographics
• and so on

The amount of information matters, more than the size of the text. Google is interested in and values more quality and extensive content – that fully meets the expectations of users.

Loading speed

With the world moving towards mobile devices, page load speed is one of the main SEO factors. Google is always looking to improve the user experience, so it tends to show first the sites that load the fastest.

Use Page Speed Insights, Google’s free tool, to measure your page speed. If the response time is over 3 seconds, consider making optimizations on your site.

Look at the images on your website. Avoid using png files. Images in Webp format can be an interesting way to optimize your images. Confirm the CSS and JavaScript files. Is it possible to optimize them? Do you have files that are broken or can be deleted?

Responsiveness

But it’s not just the speed that you live on mobile. Having a mobile-friendly website is key to ranking on Google. There are still many sites that are not mobile-ready or that have separate pages. Try to correct this situation whenever possible.

Another common mistake is to hide the mobile version of essential content and code that exists on the desktop. Google analyzes most sites with the mobile bot. If there are parts of the site that do not appear on mobile, Google will hurt your results.

More than half of web traffic originates from mobile devices, followed by desktop (which already only accounts for about 40%) and tablet (10%).

It’s not enough to just have a mobile-friendly website; It is important that the resizing is smart to automatically fit on the screen of the device, that the fonts used are in a size that makes it easier to read, and that the content is not hidden by ads or popups that are difficult to close.

Links

Having links on other sites pointing to yours remains important, especially if your site falls into the YMYL category: finance sites, e-commerce, news, health, etc…

Page authority is a combination of quality content, internal links, and backlinks: also known as E-A-T.

You can use GSC to see the links that point to your site. Or, use SemRush or AHREFS.

Links are crucial factors for ranking on Google. Build content with internal and external links and design a strategy to get backlinks on quality sites.

Featured Snippet

In addition to the paid results, from Google’s own results, the search engine also shoots Featured Snippets. A kind of box with part of the text as a result of a search. It is the so-called “zero position”, usually occupied by lists, recipes, tutorials and tables. To get to that place, you need to answer questions, properly format headings, and make lists or tables.

Betting on this strategy can result in more traffic due to improved CTR.

Branding

Several studies show that the more people search for your brand and enter your site directly, the better your rankings and SEO results.

At the same time, the better people know your brand, the more easily you’ll see your shared pages on social media. That is a good snow of bonus signals for Google.

The search engine constantly scours the web looking to see what people say about your brand. The better your online reputation, the better your rankings will be.

User Experience

Optimize your site for conversion: whether it’s a purchase, reading time, clicking on a certain link or viewing a video. Regardless of your goal, make sure that it makes life easier for the user so that he is able to achieve the final goal.

This SEO technique for blogging has to do with the user experience within the site. This ranking factor is measured by three indexes: page views, bounce rate, and dwell time.

Page views

Number of times a page has been accessed. Each time the same user enters the page, a new view is counted.

Bounce rate

Bounce is when a user enters the page and then leaves without clicking anywhere. The calculation is done by dividing the single-page sessions by all sessions.

Length of stay

It is the average time that users stay on a specific page. This indicator is closely linked to the user experience.

Bonus for you that helps with ranking factors

Implement some Basic SEO Tips given below and see the growth in your site.

Basic On-Page SEO Checklist

• Include Your Keyword In Your URL – Using the main keyword in the URL and breadcrumbs of the page is important for Google and is used to understand which page they are visiting.
• Use Short URLs – Optimize your website’s URLs by keeping them concise and clear, making them more user-friendly and easier to share.
• Front-Load Your Keyword In Your Title Tag – You can boost your SEO by placing your target keyword at the beginning of your title tag, improving visibility and relevance.
• Use Your Keyword Once In The First 150 Words – Enhance keyword optimization by including your target keyword within the initial 150 words of your content, signalling its importance to search engines.
• Use Your Keyword in the Headings – Strengthen keyword visibility by incorporating your target keyword in the headings (H1, H2, or H3 tags) of your content, aiding both users and search engines in understanding your content’s structure and relevance.
• Keyword in the Title – having the keyword as close as possible in the title remains a good practice and one of the ranking factors.
• Optimize Images – Images should have descriptive alt text and keywords.
• Truthful and reliable content – Cite studies, other sites, and other people… Show that what you are saying can be proven. Share as much information as possible with as many sources as possible when you’re writing about a topic.
• Use Internal Links – What is the relationship between the pages of your site? Having a good link structure helps Google and the user to better navigate your site and better understand the relationship between pages and themes.
• Use External Links – What is the role of external links on your website? Incorporating external links can enhance the credibility and relevance of your content, benefiting both your users and search engine rankings.

Basic Website SEO Checklist

• Secure Your Site With HTTPS – The security protocol is an asset for both the user and their rankings on Google.
• XML Sitemaps – Search Engines use XML sitemaps to understand and index all the important pages on your website like a map that helps search engines find and explore your content easily.
• Fix Broken Links – Broken links frustrate users and can make it difficult for search engines to crawl and index your website properly, so fixing them is essential.
• Check Your Site’s Loading Speed – Google wants websites to load faster because users prefer sites that load faster, so optimizing the loading speed of your site helps with user experience and search engine rankings improvements.
• Make it Mobile Friendly – You should make your website mobile-friendly because more and more people are using smartphones to browse the internet, and Google recently posed that mobile-friendly websites have a better chance than non-friendly websites.
• Redirect Old URLs – When you change the URL of a page, redirecting helps search engines understand the new location and prevents users from facing 404, making it easier for users and search engines to navigate your site.
• Use Schema Markup – Schema markup gives search engines additional information about your content, making it easier for them to understand and display relevant information in search results, and helps your site stand out in front of the users
• Delete Dead Pages – Removing dead pages (pages that no longer exist or serve a purpose) from your website helps keep it clean and organized, making it easier for search engines to crawl and users to find valuable content.

And you’re looking for a voice?

Voice searches were on the focus list for 2018 and 2020, but the industry has shown that the value of this segment is still not worth the investment for a ranking factor.

Here is an article from Search Engine Journal that explains in detail the best strategy for Voice Search Optimization.

Pro Tip: Perform A/B tests and know what factors affect your site the most! Learn about A/B Testing with this guide.

Wrap up

Optimizing your website for SEO is essential to improve your ranking on Google and attract more visitors. By following these basic SEO tips, you can make your website more visible and user-friendly.

If you are ready to improve the performance of your website, start using these SEO strategies. And don’t forget to share your thoughts on this in the comments section below! Moreover, if you need expert help, do not hesitate to contact an SEO Agency. They can give you valuable insights and help you optimize your website.

Let’s take your website to the next level and achieve better rankings together!