How To Improve Keyword Rankings
Understanding the ins and outs of improving your keyword ranking might not be as clear-cut as it seems.
Things like keywords and other search engine optimization (SEO) practices don’t carry as much weight with them as they used to.
Add in the fact that Google’s search algorithm updates around 500-600 times a year, and it quickly starts to feel impossible to do anything.
But with an organic integration of user experience and search engine-friendly practices in mind, here’s a quick guide on how to improve your keyword ranking:
Contents
Understand How Keyword Rankings Work
To start climbing the ranks, it’s best to understand how search engines rank you and where your current standing is.
The ranking process is as follows:
- Search engine web crawlers index and scan your webpage.
- Using their algorithms, they proceed to rate your webpage based on its usefulness to users and authority on the topic.
- Websites are then arranged onto search engine result pages (SERP).
While having the best keywords listed or planning an overhaul of your SEO silo structure might seem like the immediate best course of action, it’s important to take a step back and see the bigger picture.
Only by understanding the inner workings of things will you get the most out of the data.
After understanding the process, knowing where you rank is as easy as doing a quick search online.
It’s crucial to take note of this as it is most likely how potential customers find you through their online queries or searches.
With this information in hand, you can measure the effectiveness of current keywords and optimizations you have in place.
Formulating a plan of action should be much more definitive after understanding what doesn’t work and why your ranking is such.
Optimize Your Metadata
The next step to take is making sure your website metadata is optimized for both user and search engine crawlers. Metadata appears as the title and quick summary beneath your website link on SERPs.
After catching a user’s attention with a good title, the meta description can entice them to visit your website.
It also gives search engine crawlers more context as to what your website is about. Some tips for writing website metadata are as follows:
Meta Title
- Make sure every webpage has a meta title with a consistent style.
- Use around 50-60 characters.
- Utilize your focus keywords.
Meta Description
- Include focus keywords as well as variations of them.
- Summarize the contents of the webpage.
- Write naturally.
- Use around 150-160 words.
Post Relevant Content
Search engines prioritize websites that score high on an expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (EAT) metric. Websites that post relevant content offer value by visiting their sites.
By posting content that users engage with, not only do you utilize keywords well, but you also make a compelling case for your website as a source of EAT.
This can be augmented with the proper scheduling and releasing of content on a consistent timetable.
But while it’s tempting to constantly pump out content, bounce rates must also be considered. Bounce is defined as a single-page session or a visit made by a user who quickly exits your website.
A high bounce score lowers your overall keyword ranking, affects your EAT rating, and lowers the likelihood of your site being considered for inbound links.
Design An Intuitive And User-Friendly Website
Good web design can entice visitors to stay longer and explore more of your content.
Making your website easy to navigate grants agency to users while giving search engine crawlers a map to make indexing easier.
Some design choices used to create smooth browsing experiences include implementing SEO silo structures and image optimization.
SEO Silo Structure
The SEO silo structure is a design structure used to arrange your content logically.
This makes it easier for users to understand what your website is comprised of. As for the search engine crawlers, it makes it easier for them to index you.
Because of the nature of the structure, introducing related topics and articles is intuitive and natural. SEO silo structures gather related subcategories under broader categories in order to ease users into different topics. By designing your website in this way, you address both user and search engine concerns.
Images and Alt Tags
Proper placement of images in your web pages creates an engaging experience while scrolling down on content.
One thing to keep in mind is that how you view images is different for artificial intelligence (AI).
Since computers process pictures through related text, the alt tag, and image file name are key factors in improving your rankings.
By using focus keywords on them, you address both user and search engine key points.
Inbound Links
Inbound links or backlinks are defined as links on other websites that lead back to your own. While having a good quantity is promising, acquiring quality inbound links is much preferable.
Different links have different set values to them, which directly affect keyword rankings.
While inbound links are the most labor-intensive properties to strive for, the gains from this investment are extensive.
Acquiring them is a sign of your website’s popularity and tells search engines that you are a trusted source of information.
Conclusion
There are many things to keep in mind when aiming to raise your keyword rankings.
But by understanding how rankings work and what you need to change, creating a roadmap to success is not impossible.
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