A key factor in getting found online is optimizing your website to be discovered by search engines like Google. By following best practices for search engine optimization (SEO), you can help search engines understand what your pages are about and improve their ability to match users' queries with relevant content on your site.
Conduct a Site Audit
The first step is to audit your existing site to identify any issues that may be hindering discoverability. Check that your pages have descriptive titles and meta descriptions, images have alt text, and headings, paragraphs and lists are being used appropriately to structure content in a scannable way. Ensure all pages have a unique title and avoid duplicate content across the site.
Focus on Keywords
Identify 2-3 main keywords or phrases that best represent what your pages are about. Optimize page titles, headings, URLs, image alt text and body content around these terms while still writing naturally for users. Use keyword research tools to find related long-tail keywords with good search volume and low competition to target.
Build Internal Links
Linking between related pages on your site helps search engines understand how pages connect to each other and what topics your site covers. Include links from category pages to product/service pages and between similar pages to form an intuitive internal link structure.
Get Backlinks
External backlinks from other high-quality, authoritative sites help search engines determine the importance and relevance of your pages. Participate in industry discussions, publish helpful content on third-party sites and build relationships with influencers and journalists who may link to your site. Monitor links to identify any issues that need fixing.
Optimize for Mobile
As more users access the internet via mobile devices, ensuring your site is optimized for mobile is crucial. Keep page weights low, use responsive design and test across different devices/screensizes. Google gives better rankings to sites with a good mobile experience.
By following these SEO best practices, you can help search engines understand your site structure and content, and improve its discoverability and ranking over time for targeted keywords. With a well-optimized site, you'll be on your way to getting found online.