ON-page seo can help you win more business

It can be really tempting when writing about your own business/products/services to talk about all the features and specifications - almost assuming that everyone will understand (as you do) the value of the product. The practice of on-page SEO is quite simple really and highly beneficial for your business and website. There are a number of key ranking factors that will make a supreme difference to your customers being able to find you.

So which factors affect search rankings? Because (let's be honest) we all want to be on the first page and (ideally) at the top. Those all-important top rankings send (potentially) thousands of customers to your website.

What questions should you run through when writing web copy?

• Is your writing and website authentic, reflecting your brand and values?
• Does your website provide obvious value for your customers, or is it full of self-worth?
• What needs does your website help your audience with specifically?
• Does your content differentiate your business and value from the competition?
• Are title tags concise, relevant and the correct length (there are tools to help with this)?
• Have you completed keyword research and are primary keywords, or seed words, organically placed for optimal results?
• Are alternative popular search terms written into your site?
• Does everything sound natural and helpful, or like keyword vomit?
• Is your primary keyword in the URL?
• Are images clear, strong and compelling?
• Are images titled with ALT tags?
• Is your site visually appealing with the appropriate white spaces, content and navigational elements?

Be honest, would searchers opt to ‘go back’ from your page and keep searching? Have a look at the top-ranking sites and do a bit of snooping on the competition (they probably do the same to you and all is fair in love and war). You can see what terms are ranking well and Google will inform you of the ‘related search terms’ further down at the bottom of the page.

It is common for website responsibility to fall to someone within a business who is not an expert – someone with little or no digital content experience. Sometimes a small team is responsible for updates and content. When more than one person writes your web copy, you may find there are issues with its tone of voice and consistency. This can damage branding and recognition.

What else can you do to improve your website?

• Present unique content about your given subject
• Be hyper-relevant to a specific topic (usually a product or single object)
  
• Include the subject in the title tag
  
• Include the subject in the URL
  
• Include the subject in the image alt text
  
• Discuss the subject several times throughout the body copy
• Link back to the appropriate category page
• Link back to its subcategory page (where applicable)
• Link back to its homepage
• Be mobile-friendly

Research is your friend. Research your target audience, their needs, the market, the competition. Conduct market research. Do keyword research. There is plenty of information available, however, it can get confusing.

Importantly, register your site on Google Search Console and claim your spot on Google Maps. Regularly check Google Search Console and make the recommended, necessary changes.

Not sure how to determine your keywords? For further reading and help, please click here.
Best,
Claire