What Are SEO Techniques?
Search engine optimization techniques refer to specific subsets of strategies and implementations that can be employed to enhance the ranking of a website on search engine results pages (SERPs).
There are 2 Categories of SEO Techniques
In general, many techniques can be employed to maximize the search optimization of your website. It is important to comprehend that SEO techniques can be categorized as either good or bad. Once the distinction between good and bad SEO techniques is understood, we can furnish you with a compilation of effective SEO techniques that have proven successful based on our experience and data.
To ensure your website optimization is effective, it is crucial to adhere to the guidelines provided by the search engine. If you are aiming to optimize your website for Google, it is essential to employ white-hat SEO techniques. Familiarizing yourself with these techniques is necessary to attract genuine, valuable, and natural traffic to your website and achieve success in enhancing website traffic.
By not adhering to the guidelines set by the search engine you are optimizing your website for, the implementation of bad SEO techniques is deemed as “black-hat SEO techniques,” which we discuss in our white-hat SEO article to provide a better understanding of the term. The utilization of these black-hat techniques will inevitably result in failure and prompt search engines to take action against your website. As a consequence, your website’s ranking in the SERPs will suffer, necessitating significant effort to rectify the damage incurred.
Instead of comparing these two categories of SEO techniques, our focus will solely be on the good, beneficial, and actionable SEO techniques that you can promptly learn and apply to your website.
1. Keyword Research
The procedure of keyword research involves using various methods and tools to discover and gather data on search terms. This data is then utilized to optimize the website for search engines. It is crucial to understand the specific words that people search for in relation to your website or business before proceeding with SEO. Therefore, keyword research is essential as it is the initial and fundamental step in creating a successful SEO strategy.
Top 3 Recommended Keyword Research Tools
First, you should find a great SEO tool. Once you find it, you can express your gratitude towards us at a later time. Although there are free SEO tools available, they usually lack the necessary data and features required to create a successful keyword list. To assist you further, we have compiled a list of SEO tools ranging from beginner-friendly to expert-level.
LongTailPro – Best for Beginners
For most beginners, we suggest using this tool as it is cost-effective and easy to use. It can assist in finding keywords, evaluating SERP rankings, analyzing website backlinks, studying SERP data, and conducting comprehensive site audits. An impressive feature is its ability to determine the competitiveness of each keyword and provide other relevant data such as search volume and average CPC cost for PPC campaigns. The best part about LongTailPro? It also includes competitor analysis! Simply input your competitor’s website, and the tool will do all the work in identifying the keywords they are using to acquire new customers.
Mangools – Affordable Local SEO
Mangools is particularly beneficial for businesses that have a physical presence, as it offers a reliable local SEO tool for monitoring and improving search engine rankings in the local vicinity. The platform is user-friendly and reasonably priced, with various affordable monthly subscription choices. We suggest capitalizing on their substantial annual discounts. If you want to give it a try, their free keyword research tool is worth exploring.
SERanking – SEO Tracking and Reporting
SERanking is the first keyword research tool in this list that includes monthly reporting with templates, making it easy to track your results over time and better understand the fruits of your labor. Additionally, they have introduced comprehensive competitor analysis and social media management tools. By combining social media posting with website updates, using this tool for your website or business is a valuable and effortless SEO technique. The pricing options are flexible, based on use, and they also provide discount tiers for pre-subscriptions of different durations. Furthermore, they offer free migration from your previous SEO tool if you decide to purchase an annual subscription.
Build Your Keyword List
The main topic of this article is SEO Techniques, hence we aim to minimize the amount of time dedicated to Keyword Research. However, it is crucial and serves as the initial step. Consequently, to simplify matters, we will divide this process into several straightforward and practical steps.
Please create a list of the products, services, and industry name you offer. For instance, as a dentist, you might include dental exams, dental implants, teeth whitening, root canal treatment, dentures, and more.
To rephrase the text while maintaining the same meaning, you can follow the steps below: 1. Begin by performing a Google search using the keywords “Dentist (name of your city)”. 2. Take note of the recommended search terms provided by Google as they can inspire you to expand your search list. 3. Incorporate additional search terms such as “root canal cost”, “root canal pain”, “dental implant procedure”, etc., to enhance your list of searches. 4. Ensure that you abstain from introducing new information or removing any existing information from the text.
To maintain the same meaning, the text could be rephrased as follows: Utilize your keyword tool by inputting your list into it. We suggest consulting the tools we mentioned earlier. These tools will generate more similar keywords for each keyword in your list, based on popular search queries. Your keyword tool is an extremely valuable resource for conducting keyword research.
In order to rank for the most competitive keywords in their industry, websites that currently do not rank will encounter difficulties, as based on our experience. Additionally, we are aware that by successfully ranking a website for keywords with low competition, the likelihood of ranking for more competitive keywords significantly increases. It is important to note that keywords with low competition are still valuable to a business and, in certain cases, can be extremely lucrative.
2. Competitor Analysis
Competitor research, which involves analyzing your competitors’ websites to examine their SEO performance, is a highly valuable SEO technique that should be conducted in conjunction with keyword research. We perform this step after conducting initial keyword research to prioritize discovering primary industry and product-related keywords. Essentially, competitor research entails conducting an audit on the websites of your top competitors to determine the specific keywords they rank for and which pages are ranked for each keyword. This process can uncover a treasure trove of high-volume keywords with low competition that may not have been discovered through typical keyword research. Frequently, upon completing this SEO technique, we identify numerous valuable keywords that can be added to our clients’ keyword list.
Most SEO tools will allow you to perform a keyword audit on any website. The tool you are using will probably be labeled as one of the following: “keyword audit,” “domain audit,” or “domain overview.”
If you do not possess an SEO tool, you can skim through the competitor’s blog (if available) to identify the topics they are writing about. However, this method may not be as effective since you may be unaware of the specific blog posts that are attracting traffic to their website.
18 Tactics for a Top-Notch Content Creation Strategy
Part I: Performing Content Research
To begin with, it is crucial to conduct thorough research in order to create a successful content strategy. This includes identifying your target audience and selecting high-volume keywords that are relevant. Here are some tips to assist you in getting started.
1. Use Online Surveys
If you already have a large mailing list, you have the option to carry out an online survey in order to gain a deeper understanding of your audience.
2. Leverage Audience Polls on Social Media
Social media polls serve as a valuable tool in gaining insight into the pain points and aspirations of your audience.
3. Monitor Blog Comments
When you think step by step, you can rephrase the text below without adding or removing any information. This exercise helps you understand your readers’ expectations, problems, and needs, which is valuable for developing or refining your content creation strategy.
4. Focus on Social Listening
Ensure to monitor branded hashtags and mentions of your brand name across multiple social media platforms, while also being vigilant about the comments section of your social media posts.
5. Use Analytics Tools
To gain a deeper understanding of your current audience’s demographic details, consider exploring both Google Analytics and social media analytics.
6. Don’t Ignore Keyword Research
Keywords will be useful at every stage of your content creation strategy, including blog posts, social media captions, YouTube video descriptions, and Instagram hashtags. To find meaningful and trending keywords in your niche, utilize keyword research tools such as:
- SEMrush
- Google Keyword Planner
- Keywords Explorer by Ahrefs
- Google Trends
- Google Search Console
- Moz’s Keyword Explorer
7. Define Clear Goals
To rephrase the text while maintaining the same meaning, I would say: Define goals using the SMART methodology, which ensures that they are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Time-bound
Part 2: Developing your Content Creation Strategy
Before diving into the creation and distribution of high-quality content, it is necessary to develop a strong strategy for content creation. Here are some useful tips to consider during this initial phase.
8. Brainstorm Content Ideas
First, gather your team and brainstorm ideas, themes, and subjects that you believe will appeal to your audience. Additionally, consider using a tool such as AnswerThePublic to identify the questions your audience is likely to ask about a specific topic. Once you have a multitude of ideas, record them in an Excel spreadsheet and commence researching each topic.
9. Audit Your Existing Content
By identifying the topics, formats, and distribution channels that are generating the most engagement, you can determine your most successful and least successful content assets across different channels. This process will enable you to find the content assets that are driving the highest level of interest and interaction.
By following a step-by-step thought process, rephrase the given text while retaining the original meaning. Avoid adding new information and omitting any existing information. Within the StoryChief platform, several filters and search options are available to locate content requiring updates. An effortless method is to identify posts with low SEO and readability scores. Our built-in SEO and readability optimizer assigns a score to each post, along with helpful tips for enhancement.
10. Outline a Content Calendar
To maintain consistency and stay organized, a content calendar is created to outline your content creation strategy and distribution schedule. Online, there are numerous content calendar templates available that can assist you with your content creation strategy.
With StoryChief, you have the ability to handle your content calendar, generate content, publish it, and advertise it within a single platform.
11. Create a Content Marketing Playbook
A content marketing playbook (CMP) is a reference guide that outlines the best practices for content marketing in your organization. It aids in team collaboration and coordination, as well as simplifying the training process for new employees.
12. Leverage a Content Marketing Platform
If you have enough money, it’s a good idea to consider getting StoryChief, an easy-to-use and dependable content marketing platform. It offers a comprehensive solution for creating, publishing, tracking, and managing different content assets. Take the time to assess the available choices and choose a CMP that is most suitable for your requirements.
Part 3: Creating the content
If you have established a strong content creation strategy, this step should be straightforward. This step is highly anticipated in content marketing. Additionally, here are a few more effective tips.
13. Set Up Your Blog
If you haven’t started setting up your blog, it’s time to begin. By utilizing content management systems like WordPress or HubSpot, you can easily create a beautiful blog. Additionally, you can also make use of StoryChief in conjunction with WordPress.
14. Publish Keyword-Rich Content
When writing blog posts, it is essential to optimize them by utilizing appropriate keywords. Nonetheless, it is important to refrain from excessively incorporating irrelevant keywords into your content. Instead, focus on strategically placing your keywords within the following sections.
- Page title
- Meta title
- Meta description
- Introduction
- Heading (H1) and subheadings (H2, H3)
- Image alt text
- Conclusion
By utilizing StoryChief, you can also receive assistance with including keywords in your blog posts. Simply input the focus keyword on the platform and it will provide guidance on the necessary steps to take.
15. Optimize Your Content Structure
Long chunks of text are unpopular to read. Although long-form content is more effective, you must ensure it is both easily readable and scannable. Incorporate short sentences and paragraphs, and organize your content into specific sections with meaningful subheadings.
By adhering to specific instructions tailored to your content, StoryChief allows you to enhance both the readability and SEO of your blog.
16. Write Compelling Headlines
“Improve Your Productivity with This Simple Technique that Will Change Your Life Forever!”
17. Use New Content Formats
Besides blog posts, you should also take into consideration utilizing other content formats, such as:
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Infographics
- Memes
- Social media posts (tweets, jokes, one-liners, captions)
- Animations
The choice of content formats in the end relies on factors including your target audience, marketing goals, and budget, as well as the distribution channels you intend to employ for reaching your audience. For instance, you can generate blog posts featuring various forms of content, like podcasts and videos, and subsequently promote them from your blog to consequently attract traffic to your primary website.
18. Use Awesome Images
Enhance the value and enrichment of your blog posts by incorporating appropriate, top-notch visuals such as images, illustrations, and infographics. Our extensive media library allows you to access all your previously utilized content, enabling you to add images from older blog posts. Additionally, we seamlessly integrate with Unsplash, granting you complimentary access to premium stock images of exceptional quality.
