Use SEO The Right Way: Establish Your Expertise, Generate Leads, and Win Customers for Life

Although the rise of the internet has paved the way for major technological advancements and has improved the lives of many, it’s posed an interesting challenge for marketers. The widespread availability of information means that customers are more informed than ever, but this has given marketing less influence than in previous generations.

Enter inbound marketing. Instead of telling prospective customers that they have a problem and we just so happen to have the perfect solution, marketers now aim to solve the problems their clients already face. And by providing a product or service of value, they’ll become customers on their terms. But that leaves another challenge – how do we show our future customers that we have exactly what they need? Well, when you have a problem, what’s the first thing you do? That’s right, you Google it.

So before you can get your company in front of qualified buyers, you need to first prove to Google that you’re worth showing. You need to demonstrate your expertise through relevant content, and that content needs to be optimized for search engines. So if you’re looking to learn SEO step by step, you’re in the right place.

The Importance of Search Engine Optimization

When marketers create content, they’re looking to provide value to their target audience and establish credibility in the industry. But even if you’re producing high-quality content with the exact information your customers are looking for, none of that matters if nobody can find it.

As your future customers search for solutions to their problems, Google is going to show them the content their algorithm has identified as relevant, high-quality, and credible. And while you shouldn’t write content for the sole purpose of ranking on Google, incorporating these basic SEO marketing principles into your copy will make it much easier for your target audience to find you.

And, of course, once your audience has landed on your content, there are numerous ways to keep them on your site, show them what your business is all about, and end up with a high-quality lead getting ready to make a purchase.

Search engine optimization isn’t complicated, but knowing key SEO best practices is key. So now that our SEO has brought you to this page, here’s everything you need to know about SEO for beginners.

5 Ways to Optimize Your Copy for Search Engines

Use Relevant Keywords

One of the most important tools in SEO is keywords. After all, if you’re searching for a specific topic, Google is going to look for pages that use those same or related keywords, since they’ll be more likely to give you the information you want.

So as you’re putting together your content, think of 3-4 keywords that relate to your topic and that your audience is searching for. This could mean conducting keyword research to figure out what keywords have volume and what search queries your content would be relevant to. Once you have your keywords, incorporate them into your writing – just make sure you’re doing it organically and that the quality of the writing comes first.

Incorporate Backlinks

Even if you have a piece of content full of keywords and great information, search engines don’t know that the information is correct. That’s where backlinks come in. Throughout your content, link back to websites Google knows is reputable. By showing search engines that your content was created using information from other sites that they’ve already identified as credible, your content will start to be considered credible as well. Try linking to other sites when you talk about industry terms or data points. You can also include a few internal backlinks to other pieces of content you’ve already published on your site. The more (high-quality) backlinks, the better your search engine optimization.

Consider Domain Authority and Reputation

As you use other sites’ reputations to authenticate your content, you should consider the impact your content will have on your domain authority – one of the other basic SEO factors. If you write strong, industry-forward content, you may get the attention of similar businesses or thought leaders. And if they like what you’re saying, they may start backlinking to you! This shows search engines that other experts in your industry stand by your information and see you as credible enough to direct their audience.

But quality backlinks aren’t the only way to increase your domain authority – you’ll also want to conduct regular spring cleaning of your site. This means updating content, removing broken or low-quality links, and auditing the overall health of your website periodically. By keeping your website clean, Google recognizes that your pages are as up-to-date as possible, increasing your overall SEO score.

Prioritize Mobile Optimization

In the same way domain, authority can help your SEO marketing, a positive user experience will make Google even more likely to point your audience in your site’s direction. And with more than half of all internet traffic coming from mobile devices, it’s no wonder search engines prioritize mobile-friendly sites.

Whether you’re building an e-commerce store, detailing your services, writing blog posts, or whatever else your website was created for, be sure you’re designing with phone and tablet users in mind. Considering the size of the text, the organization of the page, and even the placement of buttons or text links can cause mobile users to become frequent flyers or just bounce immediately.

Write Quality Content

Our final SEO best practice may seem obvious, but it’s important to remember nonetheless. Although these SEO marketing strategies can help you get eyes on your site, you should never prioritize search engine optimization over creating quality content. Because even if you’re ranking at the top of the SERPs and new people are finding your content every day, customers can tell when a copy is written for the sole purpose of SEO. The messaging suddenly feels artificial, and the information isn’t even that helpful. And if they no longer trust you, how can they trust your product? So write with the algorithm in mind, but focus first on creating relevant, timely, and beneficial content for your audience.

If this SEO for beginners guide still feels a bit overwhelming to you, we can help. At WriterArmy, we have a team of writers who specialize in different subjects and industries. And with our ever-growing knowledge of SEO, we incorporate best practices into everything we write. If you’re looking for high-quality, search-engine-optimized content without the stress, contact us today or check out our content packages to get started.