Basic SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of adjusting your website to rank higher in the search engine results. It is extremely complex as the search engines take hundreds of factors into consideration.  Some of these factors relate to the design and functionality of the website, and we take care of that to much of a degree, but there is also a lot that you can do as the business owner to improve your SEO.

Remember, whilst forty40studio maintains your site structure, functionality and administration, the actual site content is your responsibility.

The following list is not exhaustive, but should form the basis of the work you need to undertake to play your part in the success of your own site. The list focusses mainly on Google tasks, as that is where the SEO will have the most impact, but will generally apply to other search engines.

Google

With Google being the most popular search engine, and feeding many other sources, you need to engage with the Google services as much as possible. Start by creating a Google Business Profile https://business.google.com/ - this is the box containing all of your business info when you search on Google, and just having one will help your SEO.

This will then allow you to have a pin in the Google Map, accept Google Reviews, and post Google updates. Make sure that you post updates to your Google profile as you would with social media channels, and reply to all reviews. This more you use Google, the more Google will use you!

Content

The three most important aspects of any website are content, content and content! The more there is, the more Google can index, but this has to be balanced with making the site engaging and readable. Pages and pages of straight text may improve content, but that’s pointless if nobody will read it.

Content should be written in a language that relates to your target audience, and not in the language of the business. Too much jargon or technical language may just confuse the reader and send them away.

The text should be written to be informational and answer real-world questions, with the answers in sufficient detail to inspire confidence.

Your text should also include all key words and phrases that are likely to be used to search for your service. Use tools such as Google Keyword Planner to refine your content.

Background content

Some content isn't there on the website page, but must still be managed by the business owner. For example, page descriptions (that appear in search results) need to be tuned to be effective. See the corresponding helpsheet for more details.

Blog

One powerful tool to help with SEO, engagement and content is a blog. Let us know if you want to add a blog to your site and we'll give you some pointers on how to use one.

Social Media

Managing social media can be a full time job too, but having active social media profiles demonstrates currency and will contribute to SEO, and if based on an achievable strategy, doesnt need to be too onerous.

Competition

If you want to rank higher than your competitors, your site needs to be better than your competitors. Scrutinise your competitors sites, identify areas where their is better than yours, and makes yours better. Let us know if you have a particular competitor that you want to address, and we'll take a look too.

Backlinks

Backlinks are a strong consideration in SEO. A backlink is a link TO your website from another, and demonstrates authority. The bigger the source website, the more authority your backlink will command. Ensure your website is included anywhere where your business is listed - directories, trade bodies, affiliates, social media accounts, etc. When writing content for other businesses, ensure they include a backlink to your website.

However, never be tempted to 'buy' backlinks from link schemes - they may result in your site being blacklisted.

Analytics

SEO isn’t “set and forget”. Track your site performance and activity by asking us for analytics data. Address those aspects that are not working, and double down on what is.

Be Patient

SEO takes time. It can often take 3 to 6 months to see results, so it's important to be patient, publish regularly, keep content updated and stay consistent in your strategy.

We are a team!

Keep us in the loop with your strategy, your thoughts and your plans. We are as committed to making your website a success as you are, but we need to know what you want to achieve to help you get there.