If you have a business then you have a website. There is no way around it these days. What is the one thing every business wants more of? Website traffic, because that eventually leads to more store visitors, more sales, etc.
What is one of the easiest ways to increase your website traffic? Improving your on-site SEO. While it’s not a top secret formula, it does take some time and that is the main reason many ignore this factor.
If you would like to make some on-site improvements that will benefit your search engine optimization then consider the tips below.
1. Optimize Your Page Titles
Your page titles need to be optimized for both your target keyword and your audience. You want to work your keyword into the title as naturally as possible, placing it as close to the beginning as possible.
Don’t just throw it in there if it doesn’t make sense or if it’s grammatically incorrect. You need a good balance of creativity and SEO-focused optimization.
2. Write Conversion-Based Meta Descriptions
The description that shows up under your pages in the search results don’t play into Google’s algorithm directly, but they do indirectly.
“While not a direct ranking signal, well written description help you improve your click-through rate, which does play a role in the organic results,” says Chris Dziak of Pure Nootropics.
So, write descriptions that grab attention and entice the person to click on your website rather than the others. You can also increase your traffic from a lower position if you write more compelling descriptions than the results above you.
3. Interlink Your Blog Content
Linking to and from other blog posts on your website is great for SEO. It keeps your visitors on your website longer. Increased session time tells Google that your content is well liked and helpful.
Over time this data helps to improve the trust and authority of your website. If someone lands on a blog post and bounces off right away without engaging with any other content it can have a negative impact on your search results position.
4. Optimize Your Page Speed & Load Time
Google loves websites that load fast. It’s that simple. So, you want o make sure to audit your website and make the suggested changes to speed it up. If you would like to see an example of a fast loading blog you can learn more here.
Use Google’s own SpeedTest tool. One thing many don’t consider is their website hosting. If you use a cheap $1/month hosting your speed performance is going to be poor. Go with a solid web host package and then run it through the test and make the suggested changes for a faster loading website.
5. Install a 404 Error Redirect Plugin
If someone lands on an older page that may have been deleted they will see a 404 error. If you have a lot of these Google will see your website as one that isn’t technically sound.
“Making sure your site doesn’t receive 404 error messages keeps your Google Search Console free of errors,” says the owner of National Pool Fences. “If they think your site isn’t technically sound it could result in a drop in rankings and traffic.”
There are many plugins for those running a WordPress site that will just direct the user to your homepage and prevent the error.
