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What you can do to rank better in search engines
Today, almost all internet users start their search on Google. That’s why it's important to get your website as high as possible in the search results.
Luckily, you can take some steps yourself to optimize your website. This is called 'Search Engine Optimization' or SEO. Here are 8 practical tips that you can apply yourself.
Choose the right keywords
Start by finding the right search terms. These are keywords in a user's search query that you want to lead to your website.
Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience and research which words they would use to land on your website. It's best to use those search terms in the text on your website.
Don't hesitate to be specific in that research. Terms like 'lawyer' are general and appear very often. Better would be 'family law lawyer' or, even more specific, 'family law lawyer Ghent'. Users who search such queries will find a relevant answer on your website. This way, you build a relevant and quality audience.
Tip! Include good keywords in:
News articles or informative texts
Titles and subheadings
The menu bar
The page title
The meta description
Consider mobile internet users
More and more people are surfing the internet via their smartphones or tablets. A responsive website – one that works well on a computer, tablet, and smartphone – is therefore an important factor for search engines. Make sure your website is user-friendly for mobile internet users.
Strong content
Content is king. Regularly add interesting news articles that are relevant to your target audience. Search engines see how long a visitor stays on your website, whether they visit multiple pages, and how many pages they view.
Strong, sufficient content is important. These texts should also be long enough. While there are no minimum requirements, it's best to ensure that texts are at least 350 words. Include important keywords in those texts and maintain a pleasant layout with short paragraphs and subheadings. Keep visitors engaged with a good story or concrete tips that showcase your expertise.
Tip! Present content in an original way, such as through a video or infographic. Visitors love to share such content on social media, which significantly increases your reach without extra effort.
Google My Business
Register your business information with Google My Business to enhance your visibility on Google. You can add images, general information, or contact details and even post announcements like a new promotion or open house.
The registration only takes a few minutes but yields great benefits.
Get links
The number of quality links referring to your website is also an important factor. It's often the hardest, because you don't fully control who and how often a link is added to a website or news article.
If you're active on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, you can add the link to your website there. When you participate in discussions on forums or blogs, you can also refer to your website if it's relevant.
Keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity. Ten valuable links are better than hundreds of irrelevant ones.
Help search engines with a sitemap
A website is the perfect way to create and strengthen your digital presence. If you want to take it a step further, you can also create your own email address based on your domain name. This way, you leave a professional and credible impression on your visitors.
Go for https
An https connection is a secure connection between the visitor and your website. When users enter personal information on your website, it is encrypted and sent securely. An https connection is indicated by the green lock in the address bar.
Google and other search engines place great importance on such a secure connection. You can add a free Let's Encrypt certificate to a domain name or opt for a paid SSL certificate.
Speed matters too
The speed at which your website loads plays a role in where you rank in search results. If it takes too long for your website to fully load, visitors often leave.
Using the PageSpeed tool by Google, you can check how your website performs and see suggestions on how to optimize its loading speed.
Conclusion
Ranking high in Google and other search engine results is no easy task. However, you can take various steps to improve your website's position. Sometimes, it only takes a few minutes to make an improvement.
By applying the tips above, you will start seeing a difference in a few weeks or months.
Need help?
Don't hesitate to contact us.
