So, you’ve decided to build a website—awesome! But here’s the kicker: just because it’s built and launched doesn’t mean people will magically find it on Google, or the next biggest search engine, Bing. That’s where SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, comes into play. Think of SEO as the magic wand that helps your website get noticed. And it’s not a simple plugin that you install on your new site, it’s an ongoing project that requires time and know-how to get it right.
Let’s break it down, nice and simple.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, and it’s all about making your website attractive to search engines like Google & Bing. When people search for things related to your business, you want your website to pop up at the top of the list. But SEO isn’t a one-time thing. It’s an ongoing process that involves various strategies to improve your site’s visibility.
Let’s dive into the different types of SEO and what they entail.
Types of SEO
1. Technical SEO
Technical SEO is all about the behind-the-scenes stuff that makes your website tick. It ensures that your site is structured in a way that search engines can easily crawl and index. (Pro tip: all of the sites built at Clare Walter Design address this entire category).
Top 5 Technical SEO Strategies:
- Site Speed: A slow website is a no-go. Fast loading times make Google happy, and users even happier. Site speed is affected by things like the quality of coding, the amount of javascript and the quality of your hosting provider.
- Mobile-Friendliness: So many people are browsing your site on mobile. Your site needs to look good and work well on mobile devices. Google uses mobile-first indexing, which means it primarily looks at the mobile version of your site.
- Secure (HTTPS): Security is a big deal. Having a secure site (HTTPS) makes users feel safe and is a ranking factor for Google. SSL certificates provide this security, some platforms like Squarespace come with an SSL certificate automatically, but others need it added.
- XML Sitemap: This is like a roadmap of your site for search engines. It helps them understand your site’s structure and find all your pages. Google won’t automatically crawl your website and show it to searchers, you need to submit your site map to Google Search Console.
- Clean URLs: Easy-to-read URLs are better for both users and search engines. For example, “yourwebsite.com/awesome-product” is much better than “yourwebsite.com/p=123”.
2. On-Site Optimisation
On-site optimisation, also known as on-page SEO, involves tweaking parts of your website to improve its ranking in search engines. (Pro tip: all Clare Walter Design websites also address the below to give you the best start).
Top 5 On-Site Optimisation Strategies:
- Meta Titles & Descriptions: These are the snippets you see on the Google search results page. Make sure they’re engaging and contain your primary keywords. They help search engines understand what your page is about.
- Header Tags (H1, H2, etc.): Structure your content with headings to make it readable. Use your main keyword in the H1 tag, and use H2 and H3 tags for subheadings. Each page should only have 1 main heading (H1) and the order of headings should be sequential (H1, H2, H3 etc).
- Image Optimisation: Fast-loading images with descriptive filenames and alt text. This helps search engines understand what the images are about and improves load times. Tools like TinyPNG and plugins like ShortPixel can help compress images without losing quality.
- Internal Linking: Link to other pages on your site to keep visitors engaged and help search engines crawl your site. Use descriptive anchor text that includes relevant keywords.
- Keyword Placement: Use relevant keywords naturally in your content. Overloading your content with keywords (keyword stuffing) can hurt your rankings. Instead, aim for a natural flow that enhances readability. Make sure you don’t hide keywords by making them the same colour as the background. This used to work but Google is smarter now and it’‘ll be detrimental to your site to use cowboy tactics!
3. Off-Site SEO
Off-site SEO involves actions taken outside your own website to impact your rankings within search engine results pages (SERPs).
Top 5 Off-Site SEO Strategies:
- Backlinks: Links from other websites to yours. Think of them as votes of confidence. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the better. Aim to get links from reputable sites in your industry. I work with my clients to gain these links in a meaningful way.
- Social Media Sharing: Share your content on social media to drive traffic. This can increase your content’s visibility and lead to more backlinks.
- Guest Blogging: Write articles for other sites with a link back to yours. This not only builds backlinks but also exposes you to a new audience.
- Local SEO: Get listed on Google My Business if you have a local presence. This helps you show up in local search results and Google Maps. Treat your GMB like your social media accounts and update it regularly!
- Influencer Outreach: Connect with influencers to promote your site. Influencers can help you reach a larger audience and build backlinks.
4. Content & Keyword Research
Content is king, and keyword research is the strategy to find the words and phrases your potential customers are searching for.
Top 5 Content & Keyword Research Strategies:
- Relevant Topics: Write about what your audience cares about. Use tools like BuzzSumo to find trending topics in your industry.
- Keyword Tools: Use tools like Answer The Public to find what people are searching for. Look for keywords with a good balance of search volume and competition.
- Quality Content: Create valuable, engaging content that solves problems. This keeps visitors on your site longer and reduces bounce rates.
- Content Updates: Regularly update your content to keep it fresh. Google loves fresh content, and so do users. Make sure to update old posts with new information and relevant keywords.
- Long-Tail Keywords: Target specific phrases that are less competitive, as opposed to 1 word (e.g. ‘psychologist ADHD assessments Sydney’ as opposed to ‘psychologist’. These often have lower search volumes but higher conversion rates because they’re more specific.
What I Do When Building Your Site
When you choose me to build your website, I don’t just make it look pretty. I ensure it’s primed for SEO success right from the start. I use high quality hosting, combined with lean code and implementation of known SEO best-practice. Here’s what I do:
- Optimised Images: Your site’s images will be fast-loading and tagged correctly. This means compressing images for faster load times and adding alt text for better search engine understanding.
- Keyword-Rich Meta Titles & Descriptions: These help search engines understand your content and improve click-through rates from search results.
- SEO Plugin: For WordPress sites I use SEO Press to give your site an SEO boost. This plugin helps with meta tags, sitemaps, and more.
- Google Search Console: I’ll submit your site to Google for indexing. This helps Google find your site faster and start ranking your pages.
- Top-Notch Performance: Expect an A-grade site speed. I use various tools to test and optimize your site’s performance, ensuring it loads quickly for users.
- Secure Hosting: I use hosting that’s both fast and secure. This includes SSL certificates for HTTPS and reliable, high-performance servers.
- Content Delivery Network (CDN): This speeds up content delivery to users globally. A CDN stores copies of your site on servers around the world, reducing load times for international visitors.
Ongoing SEO: It’s always a work in progress
Launching your site is just the first step. To keep climbing the Google ranks, you need ongoing SEO. Here’s why it’s essential and what it involves:
- Regular Content Updates: Blogging or adding new content weekly keeps your site fresh and relevant. Search engines prefer websites that regularly update their content.
- Keyword Research: Continual analysis to keep up with search trends. This helps you stay ahead of the competition by targeting new keywords as they become popular.
- Ongoing analysis: Engaging in a monthly SEO package to keep everything in check. This includes regular audits, backlink building, and performance tracking to ensure your site maintains its rankings.
Why You Should Choose Me for Your SEO Needs
Ready to get started? Whether you need a new website or want to boost your current site’s ranking, I’ve got you covered. Here’s why you should commission me to do your SEO:
- Experience and Expertise: I have years of experience in web design and SEO, specifically for allied health professionals. I know what works and what doesn’t. I take care of the on-site technical SEO and I work with a trusted SEO expert for keyword research and more advanced analysis. You get the best of both worlds – great design & expert SEO.
- Customised Strategies: I tailor my SEO strategies to meet the unique needs of your business. This ensures you get the best possible results.
- Comprehensive Services: From technical SEO to content creation, I cover all aspects of SEO with the help of a trusted SEO expert. This means you don’t have to juggle multiple service providers.
- Personalised Support: I’m always available to answer your questions and provide support. You won’t be dealing with automated systems or support tickets.
Let’s Get Started!
Whether you’re looking to build a new website or improve your current one, I’m here to help. Let’s make your website shine & rank. Contact me today to get started!
And there you have it—SEO made simple. Reach out, and let’s get your site to the top!
