5 Essential Practices for SEO

There is a reason why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has turned from a buzzword to an important strategy for brands. The reality now is that a lot of decisions are anchored on what we find out from our online research. Therefore, our brand’s visibility in search engines is foundational to influence your customers’ purchase decisions.

But here’s the truth for many of us – we still struggle with how to maneuver SEO into our current strategies. Is it just creating original content? Is it about riding on the coattails of trends or, dare we say it, going viral? So, how does a brand go about SEO? Here are the top five essential practices when doing SEO.

1. Create relevant content periodically

Producing content regularly signals to Google that your page is active. The content has to be well-thought-out and original in quality in order rank higher in search engines. The length of the content is also considered important. Did you know that Google considers good content to have more than 1500 words?

2. The right position for your keywords

When creating content to aid your SEO strategy, here are two tips to share on where to place the keywords. First, keywords should already appear within the first 100 words of the article. Second, the keywords should be present “above the fold”. When we say “above the fold”, we mean that the keywords are present once a laptop is flipped open – the first few words are easily seen by the user when the page with the article loads.

3. Images and videos play a big part too

Unbeknownst to many, images and videos, just like any content, could affect SEO rankings. When creating content, make sure that all your photos and videos are properly labeled based on popular and relevant keywords for your brand. Many brand owners and marketers are not aware of this fundamental technique in SEO. So, why not start labeling those images and videos now? Use the alt attribute or caption your visual content.

4. Minding the SEO engagement signals

Monitor your content performance if it is actually garnering attention through the engagement and activity that is happening. This could be as simple as the number of unique clicks, the number of comments, and even the number of social shares your content gets. This tip applies for your images and videos engagement as well. Engagement means relevance for Google, so start monitoring those clicks, click-through rate, conversations, and shares!

5. Design using a mobile-first mindset

In 2018, Google changed its algorithm to prioritize mobile-friendly websites to rank higher. So, make sure your website is mobile-friendly to avoid being demoted in the search rankings. Making your site mobile-friendly is a no-brainer. So check it now, if you need to zoom in to view your text or if your web’s videos won’t play on mobile, then your site is not mobile-friendly.

These tips are basic, but ask yourself if you are practicing them. If not, start making those simple changes to progress your SEO strategy today. Once you have the essentials covered, you’ll be working your way to higher visibility in search engines!

At CDM, you can deepen your knowledge and skills on SEO with the help of our SEO Program. In the class, you will learn about the new techniques and technical tools used by SEO experts.