Everyone is throwing around the phrase “Search Engine Optimization” a lot these days, and everyone wants their website to be on the first page of Google. But what few people realize is that Search Engine Optimization is a constantly evolving, highly complex topic, and unfortunately, there is no magic bullet.
Getting high organic rankings (we’re not talking about the paid Google AdWords here) on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing takes either a significant investment in time or a significant investment of money, and sometimes both, depending on how competitive your particular industry is.
There are dozens of factors involved in search engine rank, and not all of them are the same between different search engines. In this series of articles, we will explore various elements that affect your website search engine ranking. We’ll cover one topic at a time, and tell you what you can to improve your ranking without having to hire a professional.
SEO Tip # 1: Page Content is Key
The number one thing that Google (and other search engines) looks at is site content – the text on your website. The more pages of useful content you have on your site, the better you will fair. A site that has dozens of pages of useful content that people are looking for will rank higher than a 5-page site if all other factors are the same. This is why no one is building “a landing page” or just “a web page” anymore. You need lots of content! The more pages the better.
Keywords in the Content
Here is an example: Let’s say you have a website to sell handmade aprons. You have dozens of cute aprons for sell, and each of them have their own product pages. So you doing well as far as the number of pages go. But that’s not everything. The content must actually contain the keywords that you want to optimize for.
Bad Website Content Example:
[quote] Sicilian Dreams – This saucy little number will add a little Italian flavor to your evening. Treat yourself to a glass of vino while you prep your grandmother’s secret recipe.” [/quote]
While this might seem like creative writing, this is an example of bad content as far as the search engines are concerned. When someone types in “saucy little number” into Google, you can bet they are probably NOT looking to buy an apron. Nowhere on this page does it actually say “apron” much less “handmade apron” or describe what is on the apron fabric. And sadly, Google doesn’t give you any points for being clever.
Good Website Content:
Sicilian Dreams Handmade Apron – This Italian themed hand-sewn apron features basil leaves, tomatoes, olive oil, peppers and pasta. Treat yourself to a glass of vino while you prep your grandmother’s secret recipe in this adorable 100% cotton apron. This checkered Italian apron with pockets and a ruffle makes a great gift for Italian food lovers and cooks.
This would be a better example of good SEO-friendly content (however boring and repetitive). Here you have the word “apron” 4 times. If someone is looking for a checkered apron, you have that in the keywords. Also, if someone types in “gift for cooks,” your page also contains all of those words.
In order to have good SEO page content, sometimes you have to think less like a good writer and more like a robot.