SEO is not something that you can jump straight into. Yes, you might know that you have to create new content regularly or that you have to build backlinks. But, if you do not do the groundwork first, you can end up wasting your time. For example, you can create content that is not relevant to your audience and build backlinks that are low quality. In other words, you will not achieve the desired results and will not improve your Google ranking.
So, how do you build a solid foundation to succeed with SEO? Here are five things you can do before you start creating a strategy that will help you boost your rankings.
5 Steps to Start Creating a Strategy to Boost Your Rankings
Understand Your Platform
First of all, consider the platform you have built your website on. This is something that is important for an SEO strategy since it might have to be adapted to suit that eCommerce platform. Some of them are coded differently, which means that certain elements of optimisation will be different too. For example, if you are an eCommerce business, you may choose Magento, which requires you to approach SEO from a different angle compared to someone working on WordPress.
So, the first step to succeed and build a solid foundation for SEO is to understand your platform. If you are not someone that is tech-savvy or knowledgeable about optimisation, you might consider getting a website SEO audit. This allows you to understand more about your site and what its current help looks like on the platform. Then, you have some information to work with when building your strategy.
Carry Out Keyword Research
Most website owners will have an idea of what they need to do when it comes to SEO. For example, you are going to know that you have to include keywords. But, do you really know what the best keywords are for your business to use? You need to understand the answer to this question if you want to build a successful SEO strategy. You cannot guess keywords or the first ones that spring up on the internet.
Instead, you have to prioritise proper keyword research. This means investigating words and phrases that your customers are using. In particular, you want low-competition keywords that you are going to be able to rank for.
Know the Competition
Every business has competition on the internet. That is the reality of any industry, and you are always going to have to battle for customers. In order to compete and appear before your competition on Google, you have to create a powerful SEO strategy that will get you there. The only way you can do this is if you understand who your competition is and what they are doing to rank.
Therefore, another element you need to deal with is competition. Building a solid foundation requires you to know what they are up to. For example, you can use SEO tools to find out the keywords they are using, which can be helpful in your strategy. So, always pay attention to what your rivals are doing, as this information can be useful.
Check Domain Ratings
A necessary element of any good SEO strategy is building quality backlinks. Link building has to be something you are constantly working on, and in particular, you need to ensure you are connecting with authoritative websites. Something you will have to do before you are able to build links is to check domain ratings. You want to make sure that websites have good ones before you associate them with your own website.
Checking domain ratings is something that is very important. If you are linking with a website that has a low domain rating, it is unlikely that this is going to assist you in any way. So, you could be wasting your time. Doing your research to start with ensures results with your strategy.
Commit Time to a Strategy
Before you even create your SEO strategy, you need to understand the commitment you are getting yourself into. If you want to deal with optimisation yourself, you have to realise that this is a full-time job in itself. You have to be committed in order to achieve results and improve your ranking.
So, make sure you are able to commit time to your strategy. Set aside time in your schedule that you can dedicate to SEO and following your strategy for success. Always try to be organised in your approach and remember that time management is crucial. This means working on things like the content on a regular basis, as well as fixing technical errors, and working on backlinks.