Blogging

A Small Business Content SEO Checklist

Contrary to popular opinion, search engine optimization (SEO) is alive, kicking and relevant. But that doesn’t mean the rules remain the same as they were a few years ago. Gone are the days of article spinning and keyword stuffing — today’s search engines are smarter, speedier and trained against nefarious tricks.

So how does a small business climb the search rankings in a world where Google is smarter than ever? Adapt, of course!

Here’s what you need to do to improve your content SEO and be seen:

Remember: Content SEO Is More Than Keywords

Imagine you’re a pool cleaning service that also sells cheap pool filters. “Cheap pool filters” is your primary keyword. So you throw it in every chance you get. Yet you get nowhere. You don’t climb the rankings. You don’t get any new hits.

Why? It could be because you’re flooding the market with a specific keyword, but no value. And the search engines have already caught on!

A keyword sprinkled here or there is good. In fact, you want to make sure you’re going after a few keywords, and make sure they appear in things such as headlines, in-text subheadlines and, of course, text.

But an article or blog post that is nothing but “cheap pool filters” with some filler along the way? That won’t get you there.

Write High-Quality Content

Rumor holds that Google considers 200 factors when it ranks a page. (They’re all available here, if you have the urge to develop a massive headache.) Some may be fact. Some may be fiction. But no one seems to argue that high-quality content ranks high on the “do this!” list.

So what is high-quality content? It’s relevant. It’s fresh. It’s informative. It’s grammatically accurate. And above all, it’s absolutely necessary!

Make Sure Your Content Is Mobile-Optimized

You could have the best content in the free world, but if your site isn’t optimized for mobile, you may as well be dead in the water.

In April 2015, Google started ranking sites based on their mobile-friendliness. (Don’t know how you stack up? Click here.) No matter how good your site, if you fail this one test, it can be disastrous for your small business SEO!

Utilize Various Mediums

Content is still king — but the definition of “content” has changed in the last few years. A blog is great, but do you also employ video, GIFs and photos? If so, you’ll be ranked higher than those who don’t.

If not, you should!

Regularly Track Your Progress

Just like a toddler, your content SEO strategy can’t be left unattended for long periods of time. You need to track your progress (or lack thereof) regularly throughout your campaign. Are you on par with your goals or are you stuck in the rough? Google Analytics can help! Make sure you’re watching your direction as you go along.

SEO isn’t dead — it has just been reincarnated into a whole new being. Although it can be difficult (and frustrating) to learn the new rules of the game, the rewards are definitely worth the struggle!

Do you need content SEO guidance? Shoot Mischa Communications an email! We keep up with the recent trends and transformations so you don’t have to!