Whether it's white hat vs. black hat, the ever-changing Google algorithm, or conflicting strategies about how best to beat the Google algorithm — cutting through the confusion regarding SEO can have tangible results on your web traffic and profitability.
The good news is we're here to help you make sense of the challenges that many small businesses face when implementing a successful digital marketing strategy, whether you're a real estate broker, roofing contractor, property manager, or run another type of small business.
This blog looks at 7 SEO techniques to incorporate into your inbound marketing strategy in 2024. Plus, we look at how you can smash your SEO out of the park by working with a HubSpot Diamond Partner with proven results in SEO performance.
What is SEO?
If your SEO strategy could use a touch-up or you're not quite hitting the markers you were expecting, then it's time to go back to the basics. Whether it's 2024 or not, mastering the basics is where every business should start crafting its strategy to rank higher on the web.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is any number of strategies to make your website more visible to online traffic. With SEO, you attempt to achieve a higher ranking in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
According to Oberlo, Google has over 93% of the search engine results making it the target of most SEO strategies. However, other search engines utilize the same ranking factors. So, if you're doing well on Google search results, you'll likely also do well on other search engines.
Why Is Organic SEO Growth so Important?
The importance of organic SEO growth is based on two critical metrics: quality and quantity of traffic flow (potential customers).
With a successful SEO strategy, you can achieve organic SEO growth:
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Quantity: a higher number of visitors means more chances of conversions, i.e., turning visitors into customers
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Quality: the visitors don't randomly land on your page and instead are in the market for your products or services or primed to go further
Search engine optimization is crucial to driving the traffic you need to find and convert quality leads for your business!
7 SEO Techniques to Incorporate in 2024
So, how can small businesses improve SEO as they get deeper into 2024? Apply these seven techniques as soon as you can to improve organic traffic for your business website.
1. Undertake Keyword Research As a Basis For Quality Content
Relevant keywords help you hone in on your content parameters by giving an idea of what potential customers may be searching for. To get started, exploring a range of keyword tools allows you to brainstorm, create, and optimize content much faster.
Concerning keywords, there's a vast range, with each keyword serving a different purpose. If you're new to the SEO world, focus on four keyword types: primary for the content idea, secondary for the subheadings, support to be dispersed throughout the content, and local keyword research to find potential customers nearby in your market.
For businesses that deliver local services, conducting local keyword research is crucial! Locality helps people find your business over competitors when primary and other keywords are similar between your website and sites for similar businesses.
However, when creating content, make sure to develop helpful content that isn't solely focused on keywords. Too many keywords is not known as "keyword stuffing" and can actually suppress your site in search rankings.
2. Level Up Your Meta Descriptions
A meta description is the little excerpt of text you see below the heading on results pages for search engines. While it does not directly impact the Google algorithm, it does affect your clickthrough rate (CTR), meaning more viewers to your page.
When writing your meta description, include your target keyword and create a call to action that includes what's on the page and why someone should click it.
3. Target Effective Titles for Content
Titles are often the first point of contact potential leads will have with your content, like a blog post or web page. Therefore, you should include your primary keyword and a short, accurate page description when writing titles for published content.
Remember: the title is different from the heading in the code of the page. Instead, it's a tag that Google uses to index your page.
4. Include Internal Links
Internal links are links to pages on your website. Applying an effective link-building strategy is crucial for better SEO!
When linking, ensure the related content is relevant and will add value to the visitor experience. Therefore, link with relevant words in the text (known as "anchor text") rather than calls to action. How many links to include is discretionary and will depend on the content length.
Pro tip: adding hyperlinks to individual words can look spammy. Try to link 2-5 words as your anchor text wherever possible.
5. Optimize Images
Don't treat images as an afterthought!
Images impact everything from page speed to user experience, so ensure you name images descriptively and add alt text in case the picture doesn't load.
Good alt text is descriptive, short, and includes a keyword. However, bad alt text isn't relevant to the content and omits a keyword. For example, simply describing what's in the image can be "bad" alt text if the text doesn't relate to what the blog or page content is about.
Regarding image size, focus on dimensions and angles, as reducing the size of media on the page will boost speed and performance. Remember that in the eyes of Google, slow page speed = lousy ranking.
6. Optimize for Mobile and Desktop
In terms of internet usage, mobile beats desktop every time. This means your page must be scroll-friendly no matter the device used.
Consider the design from both perspectives. Is it easy to navigate? Are the links well-placed? Mobile-friendly sites rank higher in the SERP, according to Google.
7. Analyze Your Page Speed
A faster loading page will help your SEO performance. You can analyze your page speed using a free tool like Lighthouse and gain insights into the elements hindering this process.
What if I Need Help With SEO Performance?
SEO is an ever-changing game, and staying on top of all the latest updates can be exhausting. If you're a business owner wanting to focus on what you do best, growing your business, outsourcing your SEO strategy to a HubSpot Diamond Partner like Geekly Media is the way to go.
SEO performance is vital to securing new leads and building brand awareness and authority. So, put your SEO in the capable hands of a proven agency with the right search engine optimization strategies to get the job done.
The Right SEO Techniques Can Boost Your Business in 2024!
Following the essential SEO strategies above will help you get more eyes on your business and set the foundations to garner new customers. If you're ready to level up your SEO performance and get new customers fast, reach out to Speak to a Geek soon!
Get more insights into SEO with our free resource, "The Business Owner's Guide to SEO."
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