SEO – Questions We Often Get Asked About Search Engine Optimisation

One of the most frequently asked questions that we hear from potential customers is how can I make my website rank better on Google?

Whilst Google doesn’t divulge exactly how their algorithms work, what we do know is that there are over 200 different ranking signals used now to determine where you sit in the search results pages.

In this article we will delve into what we consider to be some of the major ranking signals and what you can do to further improve your ranking on Google.

Google Algorithm Updates. What are they?

Google continues to update their algorithms and there was a major update during March 2024. Some websites benefited from the core update that Google rolled out and some websites were negatively impacted.

One of the top 10 ranking signals remains quality content. Well written website Content remains one of the most important ranking signals that Google uses and is one of the cornerstones of SEO. Algorithms reward websites that provide valuable and engaging content for people to read. This means that any content uploaded to your website should be well researched, original and interesting to your target audience.

Create High Quality Content

We recommend that you find the time to create at least 2 pieces of good quality content each month and upload these to your website. It’s sometimes a great idea to put together a content calendar in advance, so you have an idea of what content you can create each month. Take into account things such as seasonality, industry awards or any new product launches etc that could be relative to your business.

High quality content that people engage with, encourages longer time on page, and helps to reduce the bounce rate. This is more likely to generate a conversion (enquiry form or telephone call / order) for your business. Ultimately, well written content is going to really help showcase your business as an authority in your industry, that is both knowledgeable and informed.

Make Sure Your Website is Mobile Friendly

Another major ranking signal is Mobile friendliness as around 70% of Internet traffic now comes from mobile devices. Make sure your website is dynamic and that it is designed for every type of device.

This also means that the mobile version of your website should be considered to be the primary version, so ensure your site is fully responsive, fast loading and easy to navigate on mobile.

If your website is more than 5 years old, you may wish to consider a refresh – websites become ‘stale’ overtime and need refreshing with new images, newsworthy content and general updates.

You Don’t Want a Slow Loading Website

The next major ranking signal is load speed, and typically you should aim for a website to load within around one to two seconds for a new user.

Google is much less likely to have a website on page one of the results if the load time is poor. There are many free speed tests online, so take a few minutes to see how quickly (or slowly!) your site loads.

Provide an Excellent User Experience

The fourth major ranking signal would be user experience. Google places a strong focus on user experience so elements such as your site structure and the overall design of the website all play an important role in how people interact with your site.

A well designed website that allows users to find information quickly and easier is likely to get a big thumbs up from Google. This makes complete sense when you think about it. Is your site as well designed as perhaps it should or could be?

Backlinks, & More Quality Backlinks

The fifth major ranking signal is backlinks. Backlinks from reputable and relevant websites will be recognised by Google and seen as an endorsement indicating that your content is trustworthy, authoritative and interesting. However, not all links are created equally! A few years back it was all about the volume of links, but now it is about quality of the links.

It is better to get 10 good quality backlinks to your website than 1,000 poor ones.

Work on Improving Domain Authority

Domain Authority (abbreviated to DA) is a major ranking signal. Domain authority generally indicates a high-quality website that is trusted and recognised; however, building domain authority involves consistently producing high-quality content earning good quality backlinks and maintaining a positive online reputation.

DA is not the be all and end all and we have seen many instances of sites ranking well even with low DA but a strong DA will certainly help you. However, this should be a focus as part of your overall strategy.

Keyword optimisation remains a fundamental aspect of search engine optimisation. You should conduct thorough keyword research to identify keywords that your target audience is using on Google.

Create a Content Strategy & Optimise Your Content

These keywords should then be integrated into your Content Strategy & On Site Optimisations. They should be included in Headings, Meta Descriptions, Page Titles and Anchor Text – it is important to avoid something known as keyword stuffing as this can negatively impact user experience and your rankings. On Site Optimisations are crucial and can make the difference between top of page in the search results, and nowhere to be seen.

Our tech team can review your competitors’ sites too, and see what is helping them to be ahead of you in the search engines results pages, this can then often shape the strategy that we would recommend for your own site.

Get an SSL Certificate

Ensure that you get an SSL certificate added to your website. Make sure you speak to your domain or hosting provider to get an SSL certificate if you don’t already have one. This is an easy win and low cost, it should be less than £50 a year from most hosting providers.

Focus on Local SEO

Local SEO can certainly produce some easy wins so optimise your Google My Business profile (GMB). Your NAP (name address and phone number) should be consistent across all of your online platforms and encourage customers to leave you reviews.

High review ratings can help with conversions and build your brand locally.

You can fix many of these things we have discussed today. However, like many things in life, it’s sometimes much easier to engage the services of a professional, which will save you time, effort and the often steep learning curve associated with learning a new skill set such as search engine optimisation.

How Can We Help You?

As a professional Search Engine Optimisation provider, Altitude Internet can undertake every aspect of the project including link building, Content writing and on-site optimisations. Like baking a good cake, you need all of the ingredients in the right measure for SEO to be as effective as possible.

Want more SEO information or help?

If you would like to find out more about how we could potentially help you get found online, get in touch today and a member of our team will be happy to schedule a 30 minute consultation call with you.

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