SEO Secrets to Improve Your Marketing Strategy

Search engines are notoriously tight-lipped about what goes on beyond the scenes. This is especially true of Google and its search ranking factors, many of which remain shrouded in mystery.

In order for your business’s search engine optimization (SEO) strategy to be successful, you must meet the criteria set forth by the search engines. The more criteria your website meets, the higher it ranks. And the higher it ranks, the more potential customers will discover your site, and your business.

While search engines might not be forthcoming with their innerworkings, you can improve your rank by using the following principles.

Enhanced Security

Security is one of the many ranking factors Google looks at to determine where to place your site in search engine results. Sites that have secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption technology activated are considered safer overall. While SSL encryption is essential for any e-commerce business that accepts payments remotely and collects sensitive information, even sites without shopping carts will be ranked higher if they enact these security measures.  

Good Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions are snippets of information users see when performing searches. They provide information on a specific page of your website, so users know exactly what to expect before they click. Not only should descriptions be accurate, they must also contain a call-to-action that entices the reader to perform a specific task.

Fast Load Times

User experience is another important aspect in determining search rankings. When sites take too long to load, users become frustrated. Not only does this prevent your business from possibly acquiring a new customer, it also harms your visibility. Load times must be under one second when using a mobile device, and under two seconds on a desktop. Anything longer and the user is likely to leave and seek out a competitor.  

Well-Crafted Title Tags

While they are an HTML element, title tags populate a clickable link in the search results page. They must be concise and accurately describe the information contained on a webpage. They must also be under a certain character count. When title tags are longer than 60 characters, a portion of the title will be cut off. Title tags should contain relevant keywords to ensure your website is visible for the right searches.

Quality Content

While content should be created with SEO best practices in mind, that can’t be the only consideration. Good content informs, entertains, and educates. It keeps readers engaged when visiting your website, as well as presents your business as an authority in your industry or field. Content must also be unique, as information that is too similar to other blog posts or articles will be penalized by search engines.

As your dedicated online marketing team, SonicSEO.com has our eye on the ever-changing world of search engine ranking criteria. That’s why we consistently track and monitor site performance, which enables us to keep up with search engines like Google. We also keep you informed by providing comprehensive reports on a regular basis.