Search Like a Human, Find Like a Bot
If Search Engine Optimization (SEO) seems daunting to you, you’re not the only one. It can be pretty confusing to connect the dots between what users find and experience, and the backend technology that supports their experience and contributes to discoverability.
To learn more about the connection between technology and human behavior within SEO, I attended an event hosted by Wix, the cloud based web development platform that's allowing you to read this post right now. Detroit Wix Ambassador Natasha Lee-Maxwell talked us through some SEO tips for improving website visibility in search engines. She also brought in Google Digital Coach Katrina Turnbow, who discussed ranking higher specifically on Google by conducting competitive research. For example, if you’re a freelance digital marketer who specializes in a certain vertical, think of the search terms you would use to find someone like you. What and who pops up when you enter those terms in the search bar? From there, you can take a look at the content and adjust accordingly.
Natasha and Katrina discussed many different tips and best practices within SEO. Below are a few highlights.
Choose Smart Keywords
In saturated markets, using specific keywords will help people find exactly what they’re looking for. Picking long-tail keywords (three or more words) will yield fewer searches each month but they’re less competitive, meaning that you have a better chance of sliding into first place for these phrases. For example, “best outdoor rock climbing shoes for beginners” as opposed to “best rock climbing shoes.”
Write Titles and Descriptions
Having unique titles and descriptions for each page of your website will help you get found. These short texts, known as meta tags, are one of the first things search engines look at when indexing and scanning a website. They'll also appear when people search using the keywords included in your titles and descriptions. Humans and bots, unite!
Be Patient
Improving site rankings by way of organic SEO takes time. Bots have to index the site, take note of new links and increased traffic, and start bumping websites up higher on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). With the right search phrases, you just might achieve that elusive first page ranking.
So why does it all matter? Because showing up higher in search engine results means more people can find your website, learn about your business, buy your products, or use your services. The more you strategically leverage SEO, the more you'll be able to cut through the clutter and get found on the internet.