by Ben Ehlers Design | JANUARY 25, 2023
SEO Tips: Do I Need To Hire and SEO "Expert"?
As a web designer, the main questions I get asked pertain to Search Engine Optimization or SEO. Because of this I am going to be offering some weekly SEO tips.
SEO has been one of the hottest topics in web design and development over the last 20-plus years or so. Make no mistake, SEO is a very important part of any web development project — at least any web development project that is meant to be discovered by the web-surfing public.
Unfortunately, our obsession with SEO has led to the proliferation of what really amounts to SEO snake oil sales representatives.
If you own a business or have a website listed in your name, then no doubt you have been contacted by someone letting you know that your website is not performing as well as it could be in Google searches. This is might be accurate. As with anything in marketing, there are always improvements that could be made. Here is the thing though, even if you are the top ranking site in your business category, those "SEO experts" will still be calling and telling you that your site is underperforming. They are preying on every business's biggest fear, that they are not getting noticed.
SEO has changed significantly since it's origin, but ultimately, the core requirements have stayed the same. SEO as a service has gotten so ridiculous, that some businesses are led to believe that the only way to get noticed is to spend thousands in SEO consultant fees. I always tell people that all the SEO tools they need are right in front of them. The main tool any website administrator needs for SEO... PATIENCE.
Optimizing a website for search engine success is like preparing soil for a garden. It requires a lot of attention, a little bit of luck, and sometimes a bit of trial and error.
Content is KING
The first step on anyone's SEO checklist should be content. Without any significant content, your website will not rank on any search engine. By content I mean an effective mixture of text, images and graphics. Your site might have the most beautiful images on the web, but if there is no text to accompany those images then you will struggle in SEO. Moreover, a static website that has amazing content will struggle to maintain SEO greatness, because static content only works for a limited time. Eventually, it will need a boost from some fresh content. Remember my garden analogy... Your spring blossoms are going to fade away and if you don't have something seeded to follow up, then you will have a dead stagnant garden. This is the same for your web content.
For the record, make sure your content is well-crafted. Meaning it contains keywords that your target clients will be searching for. Good content should contain the following:
- A proper heading
- Effective use of images, bullet lists, and links
- A nice balance of keywords and industry jargon (don't over-do it)
SEO is not a "Set-it-and-forget-it" cactus in a pot, it is a full-on flower garden that will perform best with regular maintenance.
SEO Is Not All About Social Media
We are all guilty of giving our social media (SM) pages more attention than our website. That is a BIG mistake. Although it is good to maintain a strong SM presence, whenever possible, make sure those SM posts are originating from or linking to comparable content on your website. Social media should always play second fiddle to your company website. Afterall, SM is free, but I am guessing that you have some recurring costs associated with your website. Give your website the extra attention it needs, your SM pages wont mind, and ultimately, the two entities will feed each other.
Keep It User-Friendly
Finishing up today's article, I feel like I should also mention your website's user experience. If your site is unattrative or difficult to navigate, then your search engine ranking really does not matter because visitors are not going to stick around long enough to digest your content or purchase your goods or services. This is called "bounce rate". Make sure the core message of your site is easy to find. Obviously, the most important items belong on the home page at the top. The longer you keep visitors on your site, the better you will rank. Do whatever you can to keep visitors around and clicking through to your secondary pages.
That's it for this week's SEO tips. Do you have a website issue you'd like some help with? Just drop Ben Ehlers Design a line.
Take care, have a great rest of the week!
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