10 SEO TIPS FOR 2016

Search Engine Optimization and digital marketing have changed in 2016. They interlink more closely than ever before. Ensuring that your SEO and marketing teams work collaboratively throughout the duration of the campaign to maximize traffic conversions on your website. My top 10 SEO tips will introduce you to some ways in which your company can make the most out of SEO in 2016.

Google Keyword Planner

No matter what niche you’re in or what keyword research strategies you use, you must be using the Google Keyword Planner. My video walks you through the tool, including how to use it to find low-competition, high-volume keywords that you can use for your SEO campaigns in 2016.

Google Watches your Stats

If your site’s bounce rates are above average,  then Google will think that your site isn’t useful or interesting.  High bounce rates indicate that visitors do not spend a substantial amount of time there, and are most leaving your site as soon as they get there.  High bounce rates and low click-through-rates (CTR) don’t fare well with Google, and will result in penalties and a low SERP.

Video Blogging

Online video has gained popularity over the past few years and is quickly becoming a quick and efficient means for people to satisfy their information and entertainment needs.  Unfortunately, too many businesses do not use this channel to its full potential and fail to include it in their internet marketing strategies. YouTube currently receives over 1 billion (that’s right) unique visitors per month and is considered to be one of the heavy hitters among search engines.  By using video, you increase your chances of showing up in the top results of Google, and in more places, such as images and videos.

Internal Links

Internal links are most useful for establishing site architecture and spreading “link juice” (URLs are also essential). For this reason, building an SEO-friendly site architecture with internal links will direct visitors to more places on your site, increasing click rates as well as build your reputation as an engaging website.

External Links

Many top SEOs agree that finding external links (links directing to your site from another website or blog) is the single most important objective of attaining high rankings. Many people base this belief on the idea that external linking can be difficult to manipulate and heavily relies on third parties that considering your website as relevant or have influence.  A high number of links to your site that show up in a variety of places on the internet is indicative of its popularity. This method was first used by one of the first search engines,  Alta Vista and was later improved Google.

Write Quality Content

Google differentiate between well-written poorly written content and can detect unoriginal text or plagiarism. If you want to see success in 2016, it is essential to create high-quality, original content for your website. Google rewards sites that offer consistent top-notch content, that is current and fresh.  Those rewards come in the form of increased traffic, leading to more business, and more revenue. So, strive for quality over quantity.

Effective Newsletter

It feels like it was yesterday when we looked forward to receiving an email–the excitement that a notification of a ‘ping’ or the classic ‘you’ve got mail’ would elicit was so novel.  Gone are the days when we would read each email in its entirety and forward everything to our family and friends.  Now, our inboxes are overflowing with emails, sometimes with hundreds of unread messages that we will probably ignore.  That doesn’t mean email marketing isn’t necessary–catch the attention of your readers with a great subject line, so they open your message and continue on to your website.

Email newsletters are thought to be one of the most effective marketing strategies out there and reportedly 61% of online consumers made a purchase as a result of an email marketing message. This is because newsletters help to build and maintain relationships, keep your audience engaged whilst interacting with them, as well as drive traffic to your site. A lot of people sign-up to newsletters for things they are interested in or brands that they like. With a newsletter you can provide them with the information that they are searching for and point them in the right direction.

H1 Headers

The header title, or the <h1> tag in HTML, will usually be the title of a page or blog post, or other emphasized text on the page.  It will usually be the largest text  on that page.  There are other header tags in HTML such an h2, h3, h4, etc.  Each can have a lesser degree of importance on the page, but it really depends on how your web developer designed your website layout.  

Submit to Free Online Directories

One way local businesses can get found is through submission to free online directories. It’s like a phonebook for the internet and submitting is easy, but if you only list in a few, you’re really missing a huge opportunity to get found by online searchers.  Every individual directory that you submit to is another chance to get found online, so it’s important to make sure you list yourself in as many as possible.

Social Media

Nowadays, people don’t just go to Google and Bing to look stuff up; they use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to read the news and find out what’s #trending.  Social Media provides so many opportunities for your site to be found by people with similar interests.  So be sure you stay in the loop and create a social media profile for your business. 

These tips will help prepare you for the changes that are affecting SEO in 2016.  Remember, SEO is not something that will make you an overnight sensation–it requires careful monitoring and maintenance to be successful.  To get more advice on Search Engine Optimization or to discuss your next digital marketing campaign, contact us to set up your free SEO consultation today!