SEO Agency Tips: 5 Tips for Website Content Optimisation
However complex you thought search engine optimisation (SEO) was, its relationship with website content is even more complex. Content quality and SEO are at constant odds, and they often have to compromise to make way for one another. If you’re building a website, you’ll want to create content that’s not only high-quality but also easily findable. Here are five tips for website content optimisation from a leading digital marketing agency in Australia.
Tip #1: Don’t overstuff keywords
Whenever anyone mentions SEO, the first thing to spring to mind is often keywords. You need to add popular keywords to push your website to the top slot of Google’s results page! The issue is that many people took this strategy as a licence to spam trending keywords to the point of being obnoxious. As a result, Google’s top spots in the late noughties were often occupied by amateurish ‘hacks’ who cheated their way to the top.
Of course, Google’s search ranking method is a lot more complex today. There are a variety of factors that determine search ranking besides keywords alone. In any case, Google caught wind of keyword stuffing and developed an algorithm to penalise websites that ‘overstuffed’. For this reason, overstuffing keywords is no longer considered good practice
Tip #2: Thoroughly research and strategies primary and secondary keywords before you start writing
Before you get into action, you’ll need a plan of attack. Before you start writing, have a list of primary and second keywords at the ready. What do we mean by ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ keywords? Primary keywords are those high-volume search terms that yield thousands and even millions of results. For example, ‘dentist’ is a primary keyword. Secondary keywords, on the other hand, hone into the specifics. ‘Dentist reviews’ and ‘dentist near me’ are great examples.
Before you begin writing, decide which keywords to include in your content. Google Keyword Planner is a free tool that lets you test out keywords for search volume and level of competition. SEMrush, Moz, and Ahrefs are all paid tools you can use for even more detailed insights—if you want to cough up the cash.
Throughout your research, you’ll want to choose high-volume keywords with low competition. Secondary keywords, which correspond to more detailed queries, are your best bet here. The catch is you need to choose your words wisely—no more than five secondary keywords—or else you’ll risk keyword stuffing.
Once you’ve compiled your list of keywords, it’s time to start writing. Mention each keyword at least once, but do so in way that sounds natural. To get the most out of your secondary keywords, put yourself in the shoes of a prospective customer. Which words or synonyms would you type into Google if you were searching for your products or services?
Tip #3: Use headlines properly
When crafting a headline, your key objective is to a) catch your reader’s attention and b) show up on Google’s top results page. And finding the compromise is a classic example of the eternal war between quality content and SEO. It’s important to keep headlines clear, concise, and catchy. Headlines are also a golden opportunity to include those keywords that don’t quite fit in a sentence. How do you resolve this eternal battle? Use your best judgement!
When it comes to grabbing readers’ attention, you don’t need to use large words. In fact, small words that pack a punch—words such as ‘boost’, ‘easy’, or ‘free’—can be very effective. If you’re having trouble finding that perfect headline, why not talk to an SEO agency in Australia that gets it? Call VIS on 1300 777 847 or contact us online after you’re finished with this blog post (or right now!).
Tip #4: Use location-specific keywords
This ties in with tip #2, but it’s such an important point that it deserves its own section. Let’s say you own a chiropractic clinic in Melbourne CBD. An obvious keyword you’ll want to weave into your website copy is ‘chiropractor melbourne’ or similar. Our question is why stop there? As a web design agency in Australia, our advice is to include keywords that mention surrounding suburbs, too. For example, you could include keywords like ‘chiropractor near north melbourne’, ‘chiropractor in east melbourne’, or ‘chiropractor carlton’.
Your clinic may not be located in these surrounding suburbs, but by including them, you’re widening your net. Besides, people don’t always attend healthcare clinics based on location alone. If they live in East Melbourne, they may see your clinic and its raving reviews appear on their search. Who knows? They may be so impressed, they’ll be happy to travel a little further.
Another thing to note is that Melbourne is an all-encompassing metropolis of many different suburbs. So even if your clinic falls in the outer suburbs, it may be worthwhile to include ‘chiropractor melbourne’ in your content, still. The same logic applies to Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and any other major city.
Tip #5: Use internal linking
As a PPC agency in Australia, we say there’s nothing wrong with a little self-endorsement. In fact, we encourage you to be as self-referential as possible. If you can find information in your current content that relates back to your previous content, link back to it! Insert hyperlinks into the text—bonus points if that hyperlink is a keyword. Using internal linking a) drives interest in older content, which can boost your search ranking, and b) proves to Google that your keywords are relevant (provided you used them as hyperlinks). One simple link can boost SEO all ’round!
Leverage our digital marketing services in Australia
Like what you’re reading? There’s plenty more where that came from. For more excellent tips in SEO, digital marketing, web design, and PPC, VIS has you covered. Why not take advantage of an obligation-free consultation with us? For a more detailed discussion, call VIS on 1300 777 847 or contact us online. How can we help optimise your website?
