[Infographic] Improve your website SEO with these...
To thrive in the ever-expanding online marketplace we call the Internet, it takes more than just having a website. Bringing in traffic and website visitors requires you to know about effective SEO practices.
So, let’s get down to business!
The SEO effect
According to marketers, SEO plays a huge role in their marketing strategies. It’s expected that SEO-related spending will reach $80 billion by 2020. Since 72% of marketers rate SEO as an effective method for generating leads and increasing web traffic, it's definitely worth your time.
SEO has considerable influence on small businesses. Consumers tend to research companies and products online before making a purchase. 72% of people who search online visit local stores within five miles, making a case for local SEO.
Turn to Google
Google is the leader when it comes to search engine traffic. They brought in 81% of global desktop search traffic, beating Bing, Baidu, and Yahoo. Their user base shows no signs of slowing down either, as it's up to 2.2 billion per month.
That’s 29% of the world’s population and a whole lot of opportunity. With that many people, competition is expected. So, how can your business stand out with so much competition?
Consider signing up for Google Analytics. Around 30 million active websites use this tool to optimize site traffic. National Geographic’s increase in engagement and CTR is an excellent example of how Google Analytics helped them achieve significant growth.
Don’t lose track of any Google Algorithm updates. A small change to the algorithm can change a lot. Case in point, voice searches increased to 10% of all searches after Google’s latest Algorithm update. The latest Panda update, which focused on low-quality content sites, affected 12% of search results.
Maximize your website’s SEO
Make mobile optimization a top priority. Smartphones are becoming a part of life, with half of the world’s smartphone users spending at least five hours a day interacting with them. 94% of mobile/tablet search traffic comes from Google. By searching on their phones, consumers discover new companies and products.
When users come across sites that aren’t properly optimized, about ⅔ leave immediately. So it’s essential that your website is mobile-friendly and easy to access.
Google considers page speed extremely important, and in 2010 they announced it as a ranking factor for SERP. Reduce your website’s bounce rate by keeping your website’s load time to a minimum.
A 1-second delay could potentially cost you as much as 7% loss in conversion. For massive online businesses such as Amazon, it translates into a $1.6 billion loss.
Content is key to improving your website’s SEO, and it’s also the most difficult SEO tactic, according to 48% of marketers. Long-form content can help improve your rankings. But beware of keyword stuffing. Google's algorithms are smarter than ever and will not promote low-quality content. Always remember to write with the reader in mind.
Finally, pay close attention to link building. 99.2% of all websites found in top search results have at least one external link to their site. More external links from unique websites will result in higher rankings.
Courtesy of: Milkwhale
Andre Oentoro, the author of this article, is one of the co-founders of Milkwhale, an internationally acknowledged infographic production agency. He helps businesses increase visibility on the internet with visual data and well-placed outreach campaigns. Read more on his latest guide to Viral Infographics and learn how to get the most value out of your website’s traffic.
