Everybody loves free stuff. Don’t you?
If someone knocked on your business’ door tomorrow with a bag of money, would you send them away?
After checking there are no cameras behind them (is this a joke?) I think 100% of you would say “yes please”!
And that is why it is a little bit strange that you are ignoring all the FREE traffic from search engines.
Sure, you are getting some traffic from Google and Co., right? A trickle here. And flurry there.
But are you making the most of it?
Probably not.
So, in this post I want to show you 5 simple ways you can get more traffic from search engines, without spending a cent!
Tweak Your Main Pages
People often leave money on the table when it comes to the main pages on their website, and you could be doing it too.If you sell products or services, or even want to be known for one or two main topics in your niche, then this is for you!
1. Fix The Most Visited Page On Your Website
The humble, yet amazingly good looking, home page!I know, you spend hours grooming your home page to look as good as you can get it. But have you thought about the SEO on your home page?
It’s a prime opportunity for you to tell search engines what your website is all about.
After all, it is the most linked to, and therefore most powerful page on your website – so take this opportunity to give yourself a boost.
Let’s take a look at my homepage. Although it is something I am always changing and playing with, this is what my SEO settings look like today (end of May 2016):
I have my main keywords (WordPress, SEO) in all the key places (title and meta description).
Resource:
Need to find some keywords check out this simple guide and find the best ones for your home page (and any other page or post).
You
should also have these words used in a few other places on the page
too. Just to hammer home the point. But don’t go overboard, just 2-3
times at the most.
These SEO signals are the best way you can tell search engines what your website is really all about.
Sure, the content of your other pages and posts contributes too, but there is nothing like a direct signal sent right to the search engines.
Make sure they are optimized in exactly the same way. Mentioning your keywords (or synonyms) in the:
These SEO signals are the best way you can tell search engines what your website is really all about.
Sure, the content of your other pages and posts contributes too, but there is nothing like a direct signal sent right to the search engines.
2. Use Your Other Big Guns
The same thing applies to your main product or service pages. Don’t forget about those bad boys!Make sure they are optimized in exactly the same way. Mentioning your keywords (or synonyms) in the:
- Page Title
- Meta Description
- H1 Heading
Grab The SEO Booster Checklist to make sure you always get this right. It's great for boosting your pages and all your blog posts too!
This
will ensure that those pages have a chance to rank as well. Although
such pages are often hard to get to the top, it is still absolutely
possible.
So don’t leave that free money on the table, or you might just regret it later.
In fact, Google’s algorithm was originally built around links and that fundamental piece is still there today.
So, how can we use those pesky links to our advantage?
Let’s take a peek…
Instead of doing what everyone else is doing (which is hard work, I can tell you) why not do the easy stuff first.
Use the most powerful links you have at your disposal: links from your homepage.
Because your homepage is the most powerful page on your website (yes, I am mentioning it again), you can make use of that power by adding links from there to your other pages/posts.
Have a think about the 5 or so pages or posts you want to give a boost to and make sure they are linked somewhere on the homepage.
You can make use of a sidebar if you have a blog style homepage like Andrew Warner over at Shade Of Info:
or add other links (or buttons) like I do to my main services (see the Learn More buttons below):
This is a common, yet very useful way of getting your home page authority to other pages on your website – via links. And it gets your visitors checking out your services/products too. Win-win!
Your navigation, or menu if you prefer to use that word.
Just think about it. These babies are on every page of your website. As such, they are also one of the best ways to signal to search engines that these pages are important.
You have to really decide what you want in the menu because it should:
So what do they do, they add these links clearly and distinctly in their menu like this:
That way, their main pages (services) are powerfully linked to from all pages on their website. You should do the same!
But stick with me, this is another very useful trick.
Like with your home page and your menu, the links that wind their merry way around your website, between your pages and posts, are very good indicators to search engines.
So, what else can you do with these links to boost a specific page in Google?
Why, link to it from other pages and posts, of course!
If you have a page or post that is doing ok (ie. getting traffic) but could be doing better, find ways to link to it.
Don’t link to it from everywhere, just for fun (I know you love linking to stuff). It has to make sense.
Here is a great example from Sarah Santacroce who runs Simplicity Small Biz. Her post on LinkedIn For Business is a mega post on the topic and has lots of links to other useful resources on her site (which you can see in orange below):
What better way to spread the link love around her website from one of her best blog posts.
You don’t have to link “willy nilly” from every post to every other one, that won’t help. Be a little strategic about it.
5 simple ways you can can get more Google Goodness out of your website, without:
Head on over to your website and tackle one of these right now.
In fact, make it a plan to implement all of the above and you will benefit in the long run.
And don’t forget to grab my SEO Power Checklist below. It will help you make the most of every page and post on your site
Source: https://byteofdata.com/seo-website-simple-tips-tricks/
So don’t leave that free money on the table, or you might just regret it later.
Sort Out Your Links
As you may have heard, Google loves links.In fact, Google’s algorithm was originally built around links and that fundamental piece is still there today.
So, how can we use those pesky links to our advantage?
Let’s take a peek…
3. Use Those Powerful Links You Have Control Over
Everyone is out there on the inter-webs chasing links like they are $100 bills falling from the sky.Instead of doing what everyone else is doing (which is hard work, I can tell you) why not do the easy stuff first.
Use the most powerful links you have at your disposal: links from your homepage.
Because your homepage is the most powerful page on your website (yes, I am mentioning it again), you can make use of that power by adding links from there to your other pages/posts.
Have a think about the 5 or so pages or posts you want to give a boost to and make sure they are linked somewhere on the homepage.
You can make use of a sidebar if you have a blog style homepage like Andrew Warner over at Shade Of Info:
or add other links (or buttons) like I do to my main services (see the Learn More buttons below):
This is a common, yet very useful way of getting your home page authority to other pages on your website – via links. And it gets your visitors checking out your services/products too. Win-win!
4. Explore Another Long Forgotten Place For Links
There is another very powerful place to have links that many people often do not even think about.Your navigation, or menu if you prefer to use that word.
Just think about it. These babies are on every page of your website. As such, they are also one of the best ways to signal to search engines that these pages are important.
You have to really decide what you want in the menu because it should:
- not be too crowded
- move people to the most important pages on your website (easily and quickly)
- signal search engines of your most link worthy pages
So what do they do, they add these links clearly and distinctly in their menu like this:
That way, their main pages (services) are powerfully linked to from all pages on their website. You should do the same!
5. Enjoy Intertwining Your Links (Yes, Links Can Be Fun)
Still on the topic of links (I know, why are we not talking about Game of Thrones you ask?).But stick with me, this is another very useful trick.
Like with your home page and your menu, the links that wind their merry way around your website, between your pages and posts, are very good indicators to search engines.
So, what else can you do with these links to boost a specific page in Google?
Why, link to it from other pages and posts, of course!
If you have a page or post that is doing ok (ie. getting traffic) but could be doing better, find ways to link to it.
Don’t link to it from everywhere, just for fun (I know you love linking to stuff). It has to make sense.
Here is a great example from Sarah Santacroce who runs Simplicity Small Biz. Her post on LinkedIn For Business is a mega post on the topic and has lots of links to other useful resources on her site (which you can see in orange below):
What better way to spread the link love around her website from one of her best blog posts.
You don’t have to link “willy nilly” from every post to every other one, that won’t help. Be a little strategic about it.
That’s A Wrap
So there you have it.5 simple ways you can can get more Google Goodness out of your website, without:
- spending a cent
- begging for links
- or breaking your back over new content
Head on over to your website and tackle one of these right now.
In fact, make it a plan to implement all of the above and you will benefit in the long run.
And don’t forget to grab my SEO Power Checklist below. It will help you make the most of every page and post on your site
Source: https://byteofdata.com/seo-website-simple-tips-tricks/
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