SEO needn’t be viewed as an arcane form of Black Magic that requires a ‘spell’ to get your web site page/s to a first page organic listing on Google and other Search Engines. All you need to know are the rules of the game which starts with making sure that your page/s are well optimised FIRST. Backlinks and social media promotion demand a different set of skills and rules.
I have attempted to distil my years of learning into 17 essential SEO and Content Writing steps to a front page organic listing on Google and other search engines that you can print and stick to your monitor as a constant reminder.
You need to choose keywords that are relevant to your site and product and then:
- Use those keywords in the title – they must appear in the first 70 characters (including spaces).
- Change the URL to reflect those keywords only (in a natural readable manner in the first 70 characters).
- Use those keywords in the first 175 characters (including spaces) of your article or page.
- Repeat those keywords to achieve a 5% density.
- Use those keywords in the last 175 characters (including spaces) of your article or page.
- In the article or page link to relevant ‘more info’ on your site using those keywords.
- Ensure that any images have relevant Titles, Alt Text and Captions using those keywords.
- Use Headings where appropriate – H1 for the title containing your most important keywords and so on.
- Use spacing and make the article / page easy to read.
- Look at the article / page through the eyes of a first time reader and ensure that you answer the 5W’s and 1H: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.
- Get your facts right.
- Don’t plagiarise.
- Give credit where it is due.
- Cite references.
- Provide supporting URL’s so that your readers can discover more.
- Rather be accurate than first.
- Start with the most important facts first and follow with supporting information.
Contact me for a private SEO consultation or have a look at Axandra – the desktop SEO software that I cut my teeth on and swear by. You could also try the online version called SEOprofiler.
You can also get a comprehensive Search Engine Optimisation report guiding you to to a Front Page Organic Listing on Google here: Search Engine Optimisation Report.
In support of the above have a look at this image of the results for a Google.co.za search for the term “Human Rights Report Card“. You will see that the search term appears in the Title, URL and first paragraph for a FIRST page top listing – the same article appears on the FIRST page in 3rd place for Google.com. Interesting to note is that the FW De Klerk site (which released the report) appears much lower down in position number 5. What cannot be seen in the image is that 3 other sites under my hand ALSO appear in the front page results on Google.co.za.
Now try this search on Google: Steps to a Front Page Organic Listing on Google.
Alan Straton
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