As of this writing when searching the query “SEO tips” in Google, 285,000,000 (Two hundred and eighty five million!) results are returned. Of the top 10 spots in the SERPS for this query, all ten are populated by well-known SEO media companies with how-to guides, lists, and best practices articles. So why read this article? Simple. We vetted, compiled, and wrote an easy-to-understand list of the 6 best basic SEO tips from these expert resources. Let’s go! (image by Jason Dent unsplash)
Basic SEO Tips Start with a Website SEO Plugin
Hubspot (Hbspt): 15 Best WordPress SEO Plugins for Boosting Website Traffic
What the hell are plugins? Technically speaking they are “extension modules for Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress, browsers, and software solutions.” In plain English, a plugin is an easily downloadable piece of software that provides added functionality to your website.
SEO plugins are designed to help you with on-page website SEO and blog article SEO strategies.
Yoast
There are many SEO plugins available like Rank Math, SEOPress, and Hubspot that are very effective. We happen to prefer Yoast, a free plugin that provides a step-by-step guide to what you need to increase your page or article’s SEO. Yoast provides a score for SEO and one for readability. The scores are based on traffic lights with green (passing), yellow (needs work), and red (do not publish).
As you write your content, Yoast checks to see if you’ve included:
- Focus key phrase.
- SEO title
- Meta description
- SEO analysis with tasks to raise your SEO score for a green light.
The great concept behind Yoast is the fact that you begin to learn more about SEO every time you are ready to publish content on your site. It’s a guide to better SEO practices and an instructor.
Publish a Blog
ReadWrite (RWW): 8 SEO Tips for Digital Marketers
Having established a personal blog in 2007 and then the Inner Architect blog two years later we can vouch for the fact that blogging has increased our SEO presence while generating new leads and new business. ReadWrite.com sums it up best.
“Another one of our SEO tips is you can’t really have strong SEO without a blog. SEO hinges on quality content, and for most businesses, the best way to get content is through publishing articles on a regular basis.”
Publishing articles allows you to do two things. First, you can answer the most relevant search questions asked by your best prospective clients. By providing answers and information you give your content the opportunity to rank highly in Google while increasing your brand awareness.
Second, you have the opportunity to tell your story, your company’s story, and provide examples of how you have gained experience and helped people solve their problems.
The Key to Building Organic Backlinks
Search Engine Journal (SEJ): 7 Powerful On-Page SEO Tips For Small Teams In 2023
Links remain a necessary and powerful force in establishing a solid SEO strategy. The three keys to creating content that generates powerful back links:
- Unique content
- Up-to-date fresh content
- Accurate content that is even more accurate than your competitors
Best Types of Content to Build Organic Back Links
Infographics or anything visual, like images or video, are the most effective types of content.
How to Find Content Ideas
Quick Sprout (QS): The Top 15 Ways to Come up with New Content Ideas for People Also Asked
Backlinko (BL): 17 Untapped Ways to Find New Content Ideas for Searches Related To
There are literally hundreds of ways to come up with content ideas so there are no necessarily right ways. The way you do it should depend upon what and how you like to build your content. But if you want to answer the questions people ask in Google, something that Google highly values in determining SEO rankings, then there are two very important idea generators.
People Also Ask: If you’ve got a general topic idea but you really are looking for something additional, checking out other queries people type into Google that are closely related to your search query is a great way to find a nuance you may have missed.
Searches Related To: According to one of my favorite experts Brian Dean
“This is a great way to find low-competition long tail keywords. All you need to do is search for a broad topic that you want to write about.”
Look at the bottom of what was previously page one, and you will see a list of ideas directly from Google.
Target Less Competitive Keywords
Search Engine Journal (SEJ): Why You Should Target Zero Search Volume Keywords
Low competition keywords are often “long-tail” keywords, keyword phrases with more than four words, that are more specific and narrower than more expensive shorter keywords. Zero competition keywords, keywords with minimal search volume, are often much easier to rank for in Google. If you’re in a saturated market with highly competitive keywords, then this is an alternative strategy.
But why bother ranking for keyword phrases that don’t get much attention? Although it seems counterintuitive, there is value to dominating these long tail keyword phrases.
SEJ provides an example. “The query “link building for beauty salon” has zero search volume – but it’s a question that an SEO or marketing professional who needs links built for a beauty salon might ask when looking for link building services. . . “
“Like the above example, users who need to build links for a beauty salon client can search the same question with different variations, like “how to do link building for beauty salon,” or “build links for beauty salon.”
Here’s the value. These queries are different versions of the same question each of which may have almost zero search volume on its own. But when combined, they may have a significant search volume. Optimize for your target prospect’s search intent and then combine those long tail, low volume keywords.
Sitemap Basic SEO Tips
Search Engine Journal (SEJ): What Is A Sitemap? Do I Need One?
According to Google, “A sitemap is a file where you provide information about the pages, videos, and other files on your site, and the relationships between them. Search engines like Google read this file to crawl your site more efficiently.”
Think of it this way. You are trying to explain to someone what your business is about, how it can help people, where those people can access information about your business, and why that information is important to prospective clients.
In this scenario, Google and your prospective client(s) are the people you are trying to explain your business to. Google sends bots to crawl your website and uses the sitemap information to understand how to index (rank) your pages for the keywords that are most appropriate. For the human reader, your prospective clients, the sitemap can help them find information as if they are reviewing an index for your site information.
There are two types of sitemaps: XML and HTML.
XML Sitemap
The XML sitemap has the “information needed for Google to crawl, index, and learn other important information about your website pages.” But do you need this type of sitemap?
If your website is relatively new, if it is a large site where Google bots could miss important content, if your site is content heavy with videos, images, fresh new content, or if your website needs to be better organized then you should have an XML sitemap.
HTML Sitemap
According to SEJ, an HTML sitemap is not necessary, but it is considered best practice to build one as well as the XML sitemap. There are two additional reasons to include a HTML sitemap. First, the purpose is for human users. And second, an XML sitemap does not show hierarchy like an HTML sitemap.
6 Basic SEO Tips from the Experts
That’s it. Our take on basic SEO tips you can begin to implement immediately. Plugins, blogging, link building, content ideas, less competitive keywords, and sitemaps. Do you need help navigating and setting up your SEO program? Give us a call (415) 485-6961, engage with one of our live chat agents, fill out a contact form, or email me at dean@innerarchitect.com.
Dean Guadagni, Principal, Inner Architect Media LLC
Dean has been blogging and writing professionally since 2007, representing corporate clients to solo entrepreneurs with assignments ranging from blog articles, ad copy, and landing pages to website content. He is a contributor to legal publications Plaintiff and Advocate magazines. Learn more about Dean Guadagni.
AI Transparency Statement
This article is 100% human created by Dean Guadagni. No artificial intelligence (AI) or AI powered writing assistants were utilized in the compilation or writing of this piece.
