Optimize Your Website for Local Search
When creating your website, it is crucial that you do not skip the basics and not spend all your time and money on social and fancy stuff. It’s the same as not brushing your teeth but buying white strips instead. It won’t work the way you want it to work if you don’t put the time and effort into the small things.
Website Layers
Your website is like a cake, there are layers that help make it look like a cake. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the sugar which contains your content, info architecture, platform/CMS, and infrastructure. Without this sugar, your website “cake” will be tasteless and boring. The links, SEM, and social are the icing and candles at the top.
To Do and Not To Do
Search engines are looking for content, performance, authority, and user experience. They want to do their jobs as best as possible by referring users to websites and content which are the most relevant. Search engines are not looking for keyword stuffing purchased links, poor user experience. If you are using shady tactics or trying to trick search engines, then chances are you will be getting yourself hurt in the long run.
YES: Content, Performance, Authority, and User Experience
NO: Keyword Stuff, Purchased Inks, and Poor User Experience
Business Model
Aside from the icing and sugar for your website, it’s important to know your business model and remember to focus on what your main goals are. A few questions that you can ask yourself:
- What are your intentions?
- Do you know your assets and liabilities?
- What is conversion to you?
- Multi-Channel
Once you have all the basics, don’t forget to optimize to multi-channel. These would include Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Offline, Email, and Twitter. By using keyword strategy and off-site platforms, you will successfully be optimizing to multi-channels.
Domain Name Consistency
For your overall foundation, domain naming is important and as a best practice you’re better off using sub-directory root domains. Make sure you have a consistent domain while keeping it old school because old domains are better than new ones. Also, be sure to have keywords in the URL if you’re trying to rank your domain.
When building a website, it’s always good to follow the best practices while keeping SEO in the forefront of your mind. Skipping the basics will leave your website a mess and can prevent you from its full potential optimization.
