Tips to improve your website’s SEO

24th November 2017

The list of tips and tricks across the internet claiming to increase your position in the search engine results is endless, but many should be approached with caution.

The factors surrounding positive Search Engine Optimisation(SEO) are constantly updating, meaning there are always new requirements and techniques needed in order to achieve the number one spot organically. Some practices are highly-recommended by top search engines, such as Google, whilst others should be avoided as they can result in your website plummeting down the rankings overnight.

SEO Agency Norwich

As an SEO agency, we will guide you through your online marketing strategy step by step and can of course manage your SEO from top to tail. As the craft of  SEO is an ever changing market, our expert team will continually monitor your Google rankings and carefully tailor your website to ensure that it stays ahead of your competitors. That said, we know many businesses like to dabble in SEO for themselves, if that is the case be sure to only follow trusted advice, as the wrong move can have a devastating impact on the position of your website. Building your online presence takes careful planning and time, so don’t expect huge advances overnight.

Our insider SEO tips are a great starting point to give your online marketing a strong foundation and to prevent drops in your current rankings;

1. Avoid duplicating copy

Duplicate content is a big no-no from both search engines and site owners. When duplicate content arises, search engines are unsure which one is the original, making it difficult to decide where to place each version in the search engines rankings. Due to this, search engines must choose the one they believe produces the best answer for the user, if this is not yours, it will decrease the likelihood of your version ever being seen. In the worst case, all site showing duplicated sections of copy will be dropped. And before you consider trying to dupe Google by switching sentences and elements around, it is smarter than you think. Don’t take the risk, stay original.

2. New content is vital

All existing content on your website should be regularly updated to ensure all your information is current. The world is ever-changing, meaning the information on your website can quickly become invalid; if you’ve optimised your page well, the more traffic you’ll have coming to your site and they’ll expect relevant information to what they’re searching for. Your homepage is the landing page for most of your traffic, make this a priority for regular updates.

3. Google detests purchased backlinks

If you’re wanting to impress Google and rise in their search engine rankings, then avert from buying your backlinks. Google is cracking down on anyone who has bought spammy directory listings and backlinks for their website and is handing out penalties. Most purchased backlinks end up on sites that have no relevance to your website at all, guaranteeing that potential users are not being driven to your website. If you are trying to gain a link back to your own website, be sure that it is as a result of high-quality content or a newsworthy story, meaning most credible sources will want to link to your site as it may enrich their user’s search experience.

4. Strive for fresh and engaging content

This is one of the most important factors to entice customers onto your site and maintain the interest of existing customers. Plus, you’re trying to differentiate from your competitors, the best way to do this is to create content that stands out from everything else that is already out there – provide the users with an answer they haven’t already found. It is hard to consistently create fresh content, but persist with it as it will help to generate more traffic to your site if users can expect to read something unique.

5. Avoid keyword stuffing

Understandably, keyword optimisation is one of the main roles in SEO to boost any website in the search engine rankings. However, there’s a difference between helping search engines identify your site to have relevance to the user’s search, and optimising a keyword so much that users become overwhelmed. Again, if you’re trying to impress Google, they penalise sites that over-stuff on keywords, either by dropping them in the rankings or removing the site entirely.

6. Online directories – be selective

Some online directories are selective with what websites they link to, because of this, your website should be selective in choosing which online directory to list on; carefully research them and check their credentials. Search engines tend to ignore online directories that do not have editorial policies, deeming them as spam. If search engines notice you are listed on a lot of dodgy directories, they may flag your website.

7. Invest time in making it to page one

You will know from your own browsing and searching experience, not many of us trail further than the first page of any search engine to find an answer to what we’re searching for. It should always be a goal for any website owner to have their site appear on the first page of the search engine results, otherwise you’re missing out on a huge amount of potential customers and clicks

Reaching page one of Google doesn’t happen overnight, or by using the above tips alone. It takes time and expert tailoring to ensure your website reaches the top spot, but with the right techniques and dedication, SEO offers a great return on investment.

If you are currently taking the time to evaluate your websites rankings, we can offer you a free in depth SEO report to provide an insight into your website and how your users are currently interacting with it. Contact us today at hello@nuimagedesign.co.uk or call on 01603 859007.