How to Maximise Your SEO
You might be reading this title and wondering what SEO means, and why it’s important. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation and is a digital marketing strategy which focuses on your website's online presence on search engines. So, do you have a blog post idea that you’re ready to write? Now is the time to learn the basics of SEO and maximise your search engine rankings.
Topics vs Phrases
Key Phrases are significant in driving traffic to your website and therefore can help to grow your business. When researching key phrases for your blog it’s important to note whether Google considers these to be different topics or the same. For example:
Key phrase 1: ‘Why do I need PR?
Key phrase 2: ‘How does PR help?’
At a first read these two phrases might sound like similar questions, just reworded. However, when typing both phrases into Google the SEO results are all different but one website, Forbes. This is a strong indication that these two phrases aren’t as similar as you might think.
If there is little overlapping your search results then they are separate topics. Approach these separate topics by writing a page or blog post on each so you can target each phrase separately and enhance your SEO. On the other hand, if there is a lot of overlap in your search results then use both key phrases within the same page or blog.
How does Google decide what key phrases are relevant to which topic?
Depending on the phrases that users have previously searched (user interaction signals), Google's algorithms assume what search results are relevant. For example, if someone searches a phrase, looks at the results, clicks onto a website and stays on the site without immediately clicking off - Google’s algorithms will assume it is relevant to the search. Conversely, Google can also assume a search result isn’t relevant if someone searches for a phrase and doesn’t click on any of the results straight away. Search engines learn from their users to discover whether key phrases are the same topic or not.
How to use Keyword Targeting
What is SEO keyword targeting? Keyword targeting involves using specific words which are relevant to the topic you’re discussing, and searches your audience might be making. Here are some tips on how to increase your search ranking using keyword targeting:
Use a keyword tool or keyword planner to find keywords and search items that are being searched for within that topic
Find long-tail searches currently being searched around that topic. Try using Answer the Public (https://answerthepublic.com)
Write your keywords and questions in a table at the top of your document and cross them off after using them within your copy.
However, make sure to not just overload the piece with the specific keywords, but naturally cover them within your post - search engine algorithms can tell when you’re ‘keyword stuffing’!
Find questions related to your topic and answer them in your content
Backlinks
What are backlinks? A backlink is a link on other websites which bring readers to your page. If a website with a strong domain authority links back to your website then it can help you rank higher in search engines. This is also why using PR is so important, as links from some relevant news sites can help with SEO.