Trends come and go, but what should SEO professionals be focusing on right now? In this installment of Ask an SEO, Tony Wright discusses places to keep a watch on.
Ian from San Juan submitted the following ask an SEO question
“What do you think the most important SEO priority for a brand looking to build its wholesale product business and produce more leads and sales in 2022 should be?”
Every year, SEO experts search for a silver bullet.
Even after 21 years, I’m still looking for a method that can automatically rank a website for whatever query I specify.
I have yet to locate it.
And I have no intention of doing so.
But I continue to look.
The majority of SEO specialists I know still do.
We also discuss the most recent patterns discovered through our hours of reverse engineering.
While there are some “hot” strategies out there, I want readers of this column to know that the fundamentals of SEO haven’t changed in a long time.
I recommend going back to the basics rather than chasing algorithm problems that come and go as quickly as your latest Google rep.
The Basics Are Still the Same
The fundamentals of search engine optimization have stayed the same since the introduction of link-based algorithms like Google’s PageRank.
I can’t promise much in life Because Google warns me against making promises.
But I can assure you that if you execute the following five things right for each query you want to rank for, you will.
Here are the five pillars of search engine optimization, in my opinion:
Code
Your website’s code is the bedrock of your entire marketing approach.
This site’s coding must be built in such a way that search engines can quickly find the fantastic material you’ve developed.
Your website’s code may not help you rank, but if done incorrectly, it can prevent you from doing so.
Content
Words have meaning.
Your website’s material should be comprehensive for your visitors.
You need content that appeals to both visitors who are ready to buy and those who require additional information before making a purchase or completing a lead form.
You should also use the keywords and phrases you want to rank for in your article.
Your material should radiate competence, project authority, and project trust, according to Google. The term EAT is widely used to refer to this.
Connections
This is what distinguishes a decent SEO expert from a great SEO expert, and it’s also known as link building.
The majority of SEO professionals can handle the technical aspects of the job. Many people can also put together a well-thought-out content plan.
However, developing links is more difficult.
It takes a public relations mindset combined with an understanding of SEO.
Purchasing links is risky, and I do not advise it.
Work on developing a self-sustaining connectivity approach. For a warehouse, I’d start by looking for connections among my vendors and partners.
Then I’d try to come up with link-worthy material that my industry’s influencers would enjoy.
Communications
Although social media does not directly aid SEO, it is how we spread and magnify the amazing material we create.
We frequently use social media to interact with the influencers from whom we require links.
Even if social media links won’t help you rank higher on Google, your communication approach is crucial for SEO.
Capture
The information tells you where to go.
Content ideas, UX insights, audience disclosures, and more may all be found in Google Analytics.
Give your data some thought.
If you don’t understand what you’re seeing, hire someone to spend time with your data.
I’ve been doing SEO for 21 years and still have another member of my team look through the data to make sure I’m not missing anything.
If you do these five things better than the other guy, you will always outrank him.
But keep in mind that you must win for each query you wish to rank for.
The majority of us will never win every war.
And that’s one of the reasons SEO isn’t a one-and-done strategy.
Know Your Audience
Although knowing your target is not a new trend for 2022, I believe that many SEO operations are falling short.
Just because the job we do as SEO professionals is sometimes technical doesn’t mean our target audience is.
I see far too many SEO gurus that believe their target audience is similar to them.
In most cases, the target audience is not the same as the person who is optimizing the site.
In our keyword research, UX adjustments, content production, and everything we do, SEO practitioners must practice empathy.
Understand your target audience’s preferences.
If at all possible, learn about their political preferences.
Learn about their median income, age, and gender.
Recognize the best technique to approach your target demographic.
It’s most likely different for B2B Warehouse clients than for tea or mortgage refinance companies.
To better understand your audience, combine the information provided by search engines with information from your website.
The ROI can be significant.
Conclusion
Finally, stop looking for the latest silver bullet.
Focus on the SEO fundamentals that haven’t changed in over 15 years.
Remember that each inquiry is unique, and you must win on each one.
If you follow these steps, you will achieve your ROI objectives.
