Search Engine Optimisation Made Easy - DIY SEO

Is "SEO" just one of those "buzz" words of the 21st century?...  It's become one of the most talked about phrases in internet marketing. But I've recently made an alarming discovery... one that terrifies me to the bone. Around 4 out of 5 business owners who I've spoken to recently did not have the slightest clue on what search engine optimisation (SEO) really is let alone implement it. And what's more, while these business owners may not realise it, this could be costing them hundreds and thousands in potential sales!

Understanding SEO In Less Than 67 Seconds

In practice, when we do a search on Google, say for example "white business shirt", the websites that you see located at the very top are ranked there because they are recognised by Google as being relevant and popular. This is a good thing!

A Google search for "white business shirt"

And if you're not convinced that being ranked towards the top is a good thing, here's the approximate distribution of clicks based on position:

1. First Position: gets 40% of clicks
2. Second Position: gets 10% of clicks
3. Third Position: gets 5% of clicks

The short of SEO is that every so often, Google conducts regular scans of all websites on the internet. And based on Google's 'algorithm',  it'll determine the relevance and popularity of a website and then ranks it accordingly.

How To Make Google Fall In Love With Your Website

Here are a few quick things you can do to your website immediately to improve your ranking in Google. If you're expecting your ranking to go from no-where to first position overnight, prepare to be disappointed. SEO is one of those tactics that needs time to get to work so be patient - sometimes taking weeks, and even months to progress to first page. The key is to be persistent. 

So here's 4 super-fast ways to start your romance with Google:

1. Use Relevant Key Words

Writing key-word rich content is among the most important out of the 4 ways for creating a SEO optimised website that'll get Google's attention. In the example above, if we clicked on the website positioned in number one, sure enough, we'll find a number of white business shirts. 

This is what we see after clicking on position #1 - www.rivers.com.au

Now imagine if you arrived on the site and there was every single colour besides 'white'... you'd be out of there in a jiffy! Google rewards key-word rich websites so make sure you target a specific area of your business that you want to stand out. The best way to do this is to determine what the most commonly searched words and phrases are and then integrate these key-words into your website. Google offers a free key-word tool at www.adwords.google.com where you can find out what the most popular words are (see image below).

Basic "white business shirt" search shows most common searches

 
Be warned - do not try to just 'slot' in key-words into your content for the sake of slotting it in. Google will easily recognise this tactic and will penalise you for it! Instead, write different variations of the same key word. For example, instead of repeating "white business shirt" over and over again, you can use variations such as "business wear" or "work shirt". 

2. Relevant Headings

Headings are another commonly overlooked SEO trick. By targeting words that are relevant in your main headings and sub-headings you'll be given bonus points because a visitor to your website can quickly identify whether your website is relevant.

3. Add Links

Creating relevant links will improve your website's SEO because Google rewards any value adding content. In the website example above, having additions such as "black business shirt", "blue business shirt" and "business ties" will assist in your SEO efforts.

4. Tag Images

Tagging your images can assist with improving your website ranking. Rather than using vague file names for images such as "image one.jpg", use relevant descriptions instead such as "white business shirt.jpg". If you're not sure what to name them, refer back to your key words that you're targeting. 

The above tips can definitely get you started on elevating your website's SEO and moving you one-step closer to a better Google ranking and hence, more clicks!

Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question about the above - and remember to hit "Like" if you've found this valuable. Good luck!

How To Profit From Your Website

Last week I caught up with a old-time friend who recently opened up his own restaurant. And within a matter of minutes he was giving me the low-downs of the restaurant industry. One thing in particular that caught my attention was when he mentioned that owners can rave on about whatever they like about their food just to get customers through the door. But the one thing restauranteur's can't do is fake the quality and experience that their restaurant offers because sooner or later, their customers will unravel the truth behind it all!

A Marketing Lesson From A Restauranteur

The chat I had made me think about online marketing, and how it's quite often that you'll click on Ads on Google because it 'looked' like the right match, only to be taken to a page that has nothing to do with what you were after - it's frustrating!… 

While there is no denying that having volumes of people visit your website is important, even more crucial is to ensure that your website gives them what they were after. This means happier visitors that stay longer and are more likely to take action - whether that would be to download a free report, e-book or contact you directly to enquire about your offer.

6 Instant Strategies To Optimise Your Website

Here are 6 quick tips on how you can improve the response rate from your website.

1. Clearly state the benefit of your product/service upfront
No wishy washy business here. Just get straight to the point using relevant headlines that link to your ads because the reality is that the average visitor only stays for 7 seconds!

2. Address your prospect’s emotional pain or desire
Acknowledge your potential customers pain or desire and position your business as the 'go to' people for the solution to their problem.

3. Write content as if you’re talking one on one (conversational language)
People absorb a whole lot more when you write in conversational tone so keep it simple and avoid any complicated words (unless your potential customers use those words)
 

4. Make it look appealing and trustworthy
Avoid having plenty of highlighted words, flashing sections and underlined text. Aim to have your page 'clean' and simple in design so as to not distract your visitor.
 

5. Use testimonials to build credibility fast
The more the merrier!… Go for video testimonials if possible and use pictures if you have them.
 

6. Provide up-front value for FREE
This could be in the form of an e-book, consultation, report etc. This is a great opportunity to also capture the prospect's details which will enable you to keep in touch and connect with your prospect.

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