Keywords & How They Improve Search Engine Ranking
Search engine optimization is tricky to say the least. In the past, optimizing your website was as simple as stuffing as many relevant keywords into your content as possible. But with Google now updating their search algorithms anywhere from 500–600 times in a single year, SEO is now a long-term, never ending game.
With the goal of SEO being an enhanced search experience, improving the online visibility of a web page in Google search’s unpaid organic results now involves the continuous struggle to craft killer content for your target audience.
By delivering engaging content, you increase the likelihood that said content is liked, shared, commented on, tagged, or linked back to your website by other sites (link building)—all signals that help improve your search engine ranking. These days this is often achieved through the vastness of media, that includes everything from videos and presentations, to infographics and podcasts.
However, just because unique and valuable web content is king, doesn’t mean the written word and the keywords you choose to write with no longer matter.
Optimizing your website for industry specific relevant keywords will still increase the likelihood that you appear at the top of Google the next time a potential customer searches for your product. The only difference is that it’s now less about quantity and more about quality.
Finding the Right Keywords
Writing relevant content for your target audience, means writing in their language and using terminology they understand.
Thankfully, finding keywords that are not only relevant to your product or service, but are searched, easily rankable, and convertible, isn’t too hard when a tool like Google Ads Keyword Planner is easily accessible.
A keyword like ‘graphic design windsor ontario’ is less competitive than ‘online graphic designer’, meaning it will be easier to rank. These highly specific niche search terms that usually consist of three or four keyword phrases are known as long tail keywords.
Long tail keywords are very specific to whatever you are selling, the least competitive, and since customers tend to Google for exactly what they are looking for, usually make up the vast majority of searches.
When doing keyword research, don’t forget to derive keyword alternatives to use in your content, as having variety means that if one keyword does not fit your content, at least you have a handful of others to work with. Remember, content is king here. You don’t want your written piece to come across as if you’re trying to meet some keyword quota (even though technically you are). You want to utilize the right keywords without sacrificing the flow and readability of your blog post.
Furthermore, Google Analytics and the statistics from your WordPress site are great for uncovering the keywords that people used prior to finding your website.
With the right long tail keywords and consistent posting (strive for at least once or twice per week), your WordPress blog is guaranteed to result in a better search engine ranking in as little as two months. Through your WordPress blog, you have a channel where you can regularly deliver unique content optimized for industry specific keywords. All it takes is consistency and a bit of research.
Need help implementing your summer marketing campaign? If so, contact us today!
