Increase Traffic with SEO
In most cases “traffic” has negative connotations, but when it comes to attracting visitors to your website, the more people that stop by, the better. Nearly every business has a website nowadays, and it’s unlikely that yours differs all that much from your competitor’s. In order to increase traffic to your website – essential in landing new patients and improving your bottom line – you’ll have to put in a little effort. If you aren’t utilizing SEO to drive people to your site, you’re missing out on the single most important strategy of all!
What is SEO?
SEO, short for Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of improving your website’s visibility in order to rank higher in search engine results. The intention is to enable people interested in your products or services to find your business online.
Utilizing SEO most effectively depends on a few key strategies:
Get Your Business Listed.
Google may be the go-to place for a majority of web users searching for information, but it’s not their only option. Consumers also search on Yelp, YouTube, and map or navigation apps. Be sure to get your business listed in these places in order to increase your likelihood of being found. They are free to sign up for, and help you cover multiple bases. Google My Business is a great tool for getting listed on maps and will improve your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Generate Evergreen Content.
We’ve discussed the importance of producing evergreen content in previous posts. Simply put, evergreen content isn’t only relevant and informative, but also current. Tips for making your content timeless include removing references to specific dates or holidays, and avoiding trending topics or current events, which are likely to go out of date quickly. We were all captivated by the Yanny vs. Laurel debate earlier this year, but stumbling upon a reference to this now might make you question the validity of other information on that particular company’s site.
Utilize Video Marketing.
Posting videos to YouTube is more important than ever nowadays! Consumers love videos, and searches on this site continue to increase. Video marketing is not a flash in the pan; now is the time to get on board.
Focus on Keywords.
Keywords are the most essential part of your SEO strategy, but knowing which words or phrases consumers are searching for can be tricky. Short of having a knowledgeable and dedicated SEO team, you might be left guessing. Luckily, there are tools available to assist you in defining keywords relevant to your business. Google AdWords’ Keyword Planner is an excellent resource for calculating keyword search volume. Other options include Moz, SEMRush, Ahrefs, and the aforementioned Google My Business.