Quick Announcement: Microsoft has announced an official release date for Windows 11, its new operating system--October 5, 2021. Existing Windows users can download the new OS free of charge beginning on this date. For more information, check out our post on the new operating system.
For many businesses today, it's difficult if not impossible to effectively market their services without taking advantage of search engines. Knowing how to use platforms like Google, Yahoo, and Bing to get the attention of potential customers gives you a leg up on companies that have not thought critically about online marketing. Unfortunately, making search engines work for you isn't as simple as having a website. Thankfully, there are a handful of strategies anyone can use to increase the reach of their online presence.
What is Search Engine Optimization?
Search engine optimization, or SEO, refers to any method by which a website moves itself higher up in the rankings of search engine results. The higher the SEO, the more likely a website will be the first--or among the first--to appear when entering a search query.
Search engines use a variety of criteria to determine where a particular website will land on their results page, including the user's geographic location, search history, a website's meta description, as well as the number of links to the website that they can find throughout the internet. Given how search algorithms have become more customized to individual users over the years and how secretive many tech companies are about their inner workings, it's impossible for anyone to completely control when and how they will appear in a particular search. However, there are some reliable tips and tricks you can use to better your odds.
Tips for Improving your SEO
One of the most effective ways for a website to increase its SEO is by producing viable content that people will want to share. A firm needs to produce content that is accurate, engaging, authoritative, and reliable. This increases the likelihood that internet users will visit the site or externally link it to their own websites, both of which signal to search algorithms that the site is a good source of information. Links that lead to one website from another are called backlinks. Firms can grow the number of backlinks to their site by sharing content with other firms from whom they receive referrals or by forming marketing partnerships. Thankfully, there are numerous tools and programs to help you assess and grow the number of backlinks to your site.
Another way to increase a site's SEO is through the effective use of keywords and key phrases. Websites can be tagged with particular keywords and phrases to increase the likelihood they'll appear in someone's search query. For example, a hardware store may tag their site with keywords like hardware, tools and supplies, home improvement, DIY, as well as more specific searches for commonly sold hardware goods. This requires enough marketing know-how to predict how people will enter their queries, so firm sectors will need to coordinate with one another to both ensure the viability of their online content and determine the best keywords and phrases to tag their site with.
There are resources out there for firms who wish to educate themselves and begin overhauling their SEO strategy. However, like many issues relating to IT, making the technology work for you is often time consuming and labor intensive. Moreover, SEO is now so important to online outreach that many marketing consulting firms either specialize in SEO or have dedicated teams who focus only on optimizing search results.
Having a dedicated managed IT specialist like Titan Tech can serve as a guide for increasing your website's SEO. Alternatively, they can refer you to a dedicated SEO marketing team that gets results and will work within your budget if you would prefer to have a team of specialists. To learn more about how Titan Tech can help your business, use their contact page to set up a free consultation.
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