SEO is a mysterious black box that is constantly moving and changing…
Much to the chagrin of all the self-professed SEO experts out there that have the magic formula to get your site/pages to “rank #1 in Google”. We’ve all heard that claim right?! So, that being said, yes, we do provide SEO services to our clients – but without spammy, unrealistic expectations or questionable tactics that will either get your site blacklisted or drop from its high rank faster than a scandalized politician falls out of favor once outed.
This article is from webtexttool, a WordPress plugin that we use and like very much. We’ve just excerpted the article here but if you want to read the whole thing, just hit the “take me there” button below the content.
9 lesser-known tips to improve your ranking in search results
You probably know a thing or two about search engine optimization (SEO). You’ve also surely read quite a few blog posts right here about the basics of SEO.
For example, how to use keyword research to identify relevant search terms or how your blog’s readability can help you achieve a higher ranking.
It’s very likely that your competition has also mastered those SEO basics. That means it’s time to step up your game! In this article, you’ll discover some lesser-known SEO tips that will help you make a notable difference.
We’ll share both direct remedies to improve your search ranking, as well as tips to increase reading time or click-through rates (CTR), which will both affect your Google ranking.
#1 DON’T FORCE YOUR SEO – THE RISE OF RANKBRAIN
SEO has evolved a lot over the past years. In the early days you could simply get away with the strategic placement of keywords, whereas now, Google’s machine-learning artificial intelligence algorithms (like RankBrain) will look at your website the same way a human would.
What does that mean, concretely?
A solid article is always the best place to start. Write your content in a way that’s enjoyable to read. Don’t make any concessions, like oddly structured sentences or unnecessary keyword additions that would make your blog post or product page harder to read.
Tip: Reasons to improve the readability of your SEO content
#2 INFOGRAPHICS WILL HELP WITH BACKLINKS
The internet is becoming more and more visual. Google takes that into account in search results. That means that a blog with lots of (relevant) images, videos, and infographics will score higher in search rankings.
Infographics come with an additional advantage: they are often shared by other websites. That leads to valuable inbound links, which will help with your ranking. Tools like Canva and Design Pickle provide easy and user-friendly ways to create your own infographics.
#3 MAKE SURE YOU CREATE QUALITATIVE OUTBOUND LINKS
Outbound links can also help you earn a higher ranking in search results, although that process is far from perfect.
The goal is to find a balance between being of service to your visitors and extending their session duration on your site.
That’s why it’s best to link to qualitative sources with a high page authority and/or domain authority. Both Google and your visitors will appreciate it.
To do:
- link to a particular tax form;
- link to an official government service page.
To avoid:
- linking to a blog that covers the same topic as yours, but with more valuable content;
- simply linking to a company’s general homepage.
