Using Search Engine Optimization (SEO), your goal should be to show up on page 1 of Google’s search results. Not just for your company’s site, but for topics related to your company. Google’s job is to always give the best answer possible to the user’s search. Your goal is to use SEO to become that best answer. Google is very efficient; once they have a page 1, it rarely changes. How do you get to page 1 and stay there? SEO is the key, but you need to know how to use it to find success in 2022.
Tools for SEO
The best tool for SEO is your mind. Think of how you search a topic (product or service, geographical location) and focus on that. Base your search results on how you would search, because other users will search the same way. The searcher wants relevant content, so match that relevancy. When you visit a site, you ask yourself three questions: “Where am I?”, “Can this website solve my problem?”, and “What do I do next?”. Keep those questions in mind and ensure your site answers them for your audience.
While good SEO will help with search results, Google will ignore you if your content becomes too repetitive. Keep creating new content to avoid this. Google needs content to survive, and the more information you give Google, the better it can answer the publics’ questions.
Natural Language
SEO used to be full of keyword stuffing, but that was unnatural to read. Google eventually took notice of this, and now similar words and semantics are an effective way of avoiding repetition and keeping the language natural.
Think of natural language as a cocktail conversation about your business. Don’t just list your business credentials like a resume, ask natural questions like, “What do you do?”, “How do you do it?”. Natural language words can also be used for keywords, semantics and customer reviews.
Topic Clustering
Clustering your topic into various subcategories allows your audience to keep engaging as they move from section to section. This is much more digestible than having your users go through one massive page of content. Few people want to watch an hour long YouTube video, but can easily consume 30 short videos.
Creating subtopics out of your main topic also gives you an opportunity to use new keywords that weren’t on your main page. This display of knowledge on even the most micro and niche aspects of your industry will add authority to your voice. Make your site the Wikipedia of your industry by using subcategories to showcase your value as a vast source of knowledge. Subtopics also allow audiences to engage with your site longer. The longer people stay, the more likely they are to trust you and purchase your products.
Well-structured Content
Well-structured content is uniquely valuable, relevant and authoritative. You can accomplish this by fully understanding what your customers are looking for. When I ask businesses who their audience is, nearly all of them say “everyone”. Not everyone can be your customer. Find one distinct factor that all your customers have in common (based on characteristics and interests, not demographics). Once you know who your customers are, you can communicate with and create unique content for them.
Note: This article was created from a presentation given by Trevor Cherewka, at a LevelUp conference shown on YouTube.
Trevor Cherewka has been helping entrepreneurs and small business owners in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom since 2012. He is currently the president of Smashing Pixels Inc., a web and graphic design agency in Brantford, Ontario.
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