Basic Keyword Placement Practices for SEO Beginners
October 27th, by carolyn
If you're new to marketing, basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices start with structuring the business around the product or service. SEO is a complicated topic with many intricacies, and we'll focus on a few quick hitters here. While this is not all that is required for an effective SEO strategy, the following serve as a foundation for any and all SEO.
Define keywords that identify your niche. Your keyword usage, phrasing, and modifiers rank you in the search engines and create leads around those keywords.
But for starters, everything about your business presence must state your offer and the benefits clearly and distinctly, starting with the website URL.
Inquiries for your niche will interest serious customers as well as window shoppers. Carefully chosen URLs that contain your services or products bring in more shoppers ready to spend money. Choose a short series of words such as John's Car Repair Service, Your Town Market, or New York Roofing to explain what you do.
As you can see, John does car repairs, and the keywords for his URL say that. It's okay to be creative with the spelling (Kar for Car), especially if the domain belongs to someone else. Your Town Market will rank for local searches because of the name. That's what you need because most of your customers are going to be locally based. New York Roofing does the same but can rank for a larger region, which is ideal for service-oriented businesses.
Once customers start searching for your services, title tags will show up underneath your URL on the search engine result pages (SERPs). A title tag is part of the HTML element that explains the purpose of your business. Use the keywords early in the description to attract attention and create interest.
SERP results are what many marketers target when choosing their title tags. The more attention you receive, the closer you are to being on the first page in the SERPs. This makes sense since most customers stop their search on the first page because they want a quick solution. However, the same keywords also encourage social media displays and sharing while web browsers use them to "hold your spot" during a search. This is extremely helpful when there are multiple tabs open or visitors are comparing information.
Choose keywords to use in the title tags that are appropriate for your business. Use modifiers and phrasing that adds details in an informative, action related style. Treat this as a brick and mortar location because this is the first place customers are introduced to you and your business.
Keyword modifiers increase audience exposure and decrease search time. Prospective customers expect to find answers quickly, and a wide range of search parameters will only make it easier. Local terms, specialties, and new products or services explain more about who you are and what you offer. Phrasing such as car repairs cheap, total car repairs, and best automotive mechanics in New York are eye-catching but also include things that make you distinctive.
Quality and monetary identifiers such as "best" and "cheap" draw the eye because they have meaning to the reader. The same thing works for numbers such as 4 Ways to Improve SEO or 4 Cars You Must Own.
However, the more important takeaway here is that these phrases increase search parameters. Here is where you tackle the brand modifiers. For example: If John wants to specialize in repairs for racecars, he needs to incorporate that specialty into his modifiers (maybe even his URL).
Include the keyword in various headings to expand long-tail and small-tail search results. Not only will the use of these modifiers help rank your site, but it also explains what the following paragraphs are about. This information helps readers locate information quickly. Since many readers want fast answers, using this method can also improve customer retention.
As a newbie, ranking your website can be frustrating, but tackling it blindly is unnecessary with all the information available today. Use the tools, tips, and tricks that others use to begin their online business. Many of the tools and programs that entrepreneurs and freelancers use are free or low-cost. Create a solid action plan by understanding the key locations for keywords and how the SEO works.
Don't forget to include the keyword within the first 150 words of the body of your article. Many browsers will identify the terms and include them in the search parameters.
Define keywords that identify your niche. Your keyword usage, phrasing, and modifiers rank you in the search engines and create leads around those keywords.
But for starters, everything about your business presence must state your offer and the benefits clearly and distinctly, starting with the website URL.
Carefully Chosen URLs Use Keywords
Inquiries for your niche will interest serious customers as well as window shoppers. Carefully chosen URLs that contain your services or products bring in more shoppers ready to spend money. Choose a short series of words such as John's Car Repair Service, Your Town Market, or New York Roofing to explain what you do.
As you can see, John does car repairs, and the keywords for his URL say that. It's okay to be creative with the spelling (Kar for Car), especially if the domain belongs to someone else. Your Town Market will rank for local searches because of the name. That's what you need because most of your customers are going to be locally based. New York Roofing does the same but can rank for a larger region, which is ideal for service-oriented businesses.
Title Tags Are Important in Search Engine Results
Once customers start searching for your services, title tags will show up underneath your URL on the search engine result pages (SERPs). A title tag is part of the HTML element that explains the purpose of your business. Use the keywords early in the description to attract attention and create interest.
SERP results are what many marketers target when choosing their title tags. The more attention you receive, the closer you are to being on the first page in the SERPs. This makes sense since most customers stop their search on the first page because they want a quick solution. However, the same keywords also encourage social media displays and sharing while web browsers use them to "hold your spot" during a search. This is extremely helpful when there are multiple tabs open or visitors are comparing information.
Choose keywords to use in the title tags that are appropriate for your business. Use modifiers and phrasing that adds details in an informative, action related style. Treat this as a brick and mortar location because this is the first place customers are introduced to you and your business.
Use Keyword Modifiers and Phrases
Keyword modifiers increase audience exposure and decrease search time. Prospective customers expect to find answers quickly, and a wide range of search parameters will only make it easier. Local terms, specialties, and new products or services explain more about who you are and what you offer. Phrasing such as car repairs cheap, total car repairs, and best automotive mechanics in New York are eye-catching but also include things that make you distinctive.
Quality and monetary identifiers such as "best" and "cheap" draw the eye because they have meaning to the reader. The same thing works for numbers such as 4 Ways to Improve SEO or 4 Cars You Must Own.
However, the more important takeaway here is that these phrases increase search parameters. Here is where you tackle the brand modifiers. For example: If John wants to specialize in repairs for racecars, he needs to incorporate that specialty into his modifiers (maybe even his URL).
Use the Keyword in Heading and Subheadings
Include the keyword in various headings to expand long-tail and small-tail search results. Not only will the use of these modifiers help rank your site, but it also explains what the following paragraphs are about. This information helps readers locate information quickly. Since many readers want fast answers, using this method can also improve customer retention.
As a newbie, ranking your website can be frustrating, but tackling it blindly is unnecessary with all the information available today. Use the tools, tips, and tricks that others use to begin their online business. Many of the tools and programs that entrepreneurs and freelancers use are free or low-cost. Create a solid action plan by understanding the key locations for keywords and how the SEO works.
P.S.
Don't forget to include the keyword within the first 150 words of the body of your article. Many browsers will identify the terms and include them in the search parameters.