Imagine you’re a librarian for the biggest library in the world. People depend on your know-how to find whatever book they need. The librarian would need to know the content on every page of every book and how the books relate to each other. Search engines are the librarians of the internet. Data is collected and evaluated from every page on the internet so that visitors can find exactly what they’re looking for. All search engines have a secret recipe called algorithms that turn data into useful search results. Search results that matter for website owners. Higher rankings help people find your website. The secret to higher rankings is ensuring you have the necessary ingredients search engines need for their recipes. Basic ingredients for nearly all search engine recipes would include the words, titles, links, the words used in links, and website reputation. (Source)
SEO Defined
All search engines have a secret recipe called algorithms that turn data into useful search results. Search results that matter for website owners. Higher rankings help people find your website. The secret to higher rankings is ensuring you have the necessary ingredients search engines need for their recipes. Basic ingredients for nearly all search engine recipes would include the words, titles, links, the words used in links, and website reputation. (Source)
- Words – Search engines take into account every word on the web, so words do make a difference.
- Titles – Every page on your website has a title. You may not see it because it’s located in the code. Search engines like titles because they provide a summary of the page. Much like the title of a book.
- Links – Sites that link to other sites act as a recommendation and serve as an impetus for higher search engine ranking. Some website owners purchase links and link them to their website, however, search engines have long been privy to that type of deception. Remember, deceptive practices negatively affect website ranking.
- Reputation – Websites that post updated and engaging content with a growing number of quality inbound links will do well in search engine rankings.
Remember: Algorithm code changes frequently to reflect the ever-changing and growing environment of the internet. Organic search results depend on how well keywords and keyword phrases match to what internet users type or speak into a search engine navigation bar. Search engine optimizers are cognizant of the challenge at stake here. Keyword selection remains a valuable tool for digital marketers, however, now search engines are placing a higher value on customer-centered content.
Many elements make up a workable and successful SEO program. Today we are looking at some of the benefits of website analysis.
Website Analysis
Is it about time to blow the dust off that old website you’ve been relying on since the 90’s? If your website is but a few years old, unless you’ve been updating the SEO, you’re like a ship without a sail, hopelessly adrift in a vast sea of anonymity. A sudden drop in visitors is like the loss of your ship’s anchor and you should find this alarming.
Website analysis measures the quality and quantity of data from yours and your competitor’s website with the emphasis on improving customer experience. Customer-centered content translates into a results-driven campaign.
Google Analytics is considered the most comprehensive user-friendly website analysis tool available. And it’s free. Website analysis provides insights into who is visiting their site, how they got there, how long they were on any page, what they did on that page, and where they went when they were done. With Analytics, you can find out which keywords brought the most visitors to your site during any given period of time. You will also find out how or why you are losing visitors and what you can do to ensure that does not happen.
Crazy Egg is a tool that uses heat maps to show a visual representation of how site visitors are interacting with your website. With the ease and speed of a mouse-click, you can see instantly which areas of any page are receiving viewer attention. By virtue of knowing viewer interaction, you also learn which pages or parts of a page that no interest is shown. Knowing what portions of your website are lacking in response enables you to make appropriate improvements. A one-month trial is available but after that prices begin at $9 per month.
Moz is a multi-faceted tool that tracks yours and your competitor’s search rankings. Track keywords by campaign or location. Take a look at how your website ranks on a desktop and mobile devices. Moz reveals who your top competitors are also. Moz also optimizes websites for local SEO. Moz is considered one of the most comprehensive and inclusive SEO training venues on the internet. Some other notable features of the Moz quorum are the Moz bar, open site explorer, keyword competition analysis, Moz rank, and SERP analysis.
Kissmetrics is a customer web analysis tool that offers real-time data on what users are doing before and after making a purchase on your site. The data funnel feature helps you locate the weaker parts of your website that are costing conversions. But it provides all the data necessary to improve those conversions.
SEMrush analyzes what your competition is doing and without it, you’re just driving in the dark with your headlights turned off. The data SEMrush provides is designed to help you develop a strategy that elevates your page ranking. Items worth noting include reports that show what keywords competitors use, monitoring new competition, analyzing competitors ad strategies and ad copy, helping you find new publishers, and including a backlink analysis tool that shows what sites are linking to your site.
Questions to ask of a good SEO company:
- Ask to see a current customer list
- Does it guarantee accurate website analysis?
- Will website pages consist of faster loading times?
- Does the company use search engine friendly code?
- What type of SEO tracking tools does a company use?
- Can you guarantee better visibility for my website?
- How do you plan to improve my ranking?
- Can you improve my local search ranking?
- Will you share with me all changes that are made to my website?
- In what ways do you measure the success of any SEO campaign?
There are many SEO packages available and may vary from one vendor to another. So it’s wise to shop around before settling in on anyone SEO firm. Before a comprehensive strategy is put into action, a qualified SEO company will need to understand your particular situation, and your website will need to be analyzed.
To learn more about how to improve your marketing strategies, give us a call at 661-702-1310!
