Six SEO Basics you didn’t Know About – Keywords Dont Rule Alone Any More

 

 

 

 

SEO Basics

Used to be that Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) meant only focussing on the right keywords, and stuffing your content with those terms.


Times have changed, and search engines such as Google are getting smarter in terms of understanding what searchers want. Digital Marketers now need to understand what these engines want so that they can make websites more search engine friendly and be more visible in results.


Therefore, making a website search-engine-friendly needs more than just focussing on keywords. Here are a few tips on how to optimise your website better for search engines:


1. Attract search from mobile devices

According to SEO expert Neil Patel, searches through mobile devices are growing at the rate of 43% every year. With mobile search increasing at such a fast pace, there’s no way Digital Marketers can ignore this trend.

  • Don’t use flash as mobiles don’t load it
     
  • Configure viewport meta tag that helps browsers scale pages to suit devices, and avoid a fixed viewport
     
  • Ensure that the size of page content scales up to viewable on mobile devices
     
  • Space page elements adequately for users to be able to click each element comfortably
     
  • Avoid full-screen pop-ups at any cost as they are annoying for mobile users. Google will crack down on these pop-ups in 2017


2. Focus on User intent

Study and use long-tail keywords (phrases) – for example ‘Men’s Shoes Online UAE’ will perform. Research for relevant topics on which you can build your content, instead of searching for just mere keywords.


3. Use more local keywords

Use the Google keywords tool to find out which words and phrases are being most searched for in your region, and develop content around topics. Make sure you enter your company’s name in local online listing services; don’t forget to include your address and phone number.


4. Keep it long, search engines love it

Used to be that marketers used keyword enriched content that was short (200-250 words) on web pages. Search engines now prefer more content pages (2000-2500 words).


We understand that generating so much content can be a tough job. Follow these tips to write long-form content.


5. Make your site more secure

When you visit online banking websites, you must have seen that their URLs start with ‘HTTPS’ instead of ‘HTTP’. This ‘S’ stands for security. Make your website an HTTPS domain to attract search engines. Google prefers HTTPS sites as they are more secure than HTTP ones.