If you own a website, especially one that represents your business, you’ve likely heard a lot about the importance of SEO. SEO—Search Engine Optimisation—is all about making your website more appealing to search engines, so it ranks higher in search results. This can drive more traffic to your site, which is why it’s such a crucial part of digital marketing.
However, SEO is a constantly evolving field. Techniques that worked wonders just a few years ago can now hurt your rankings. It’s no longer just about cramming keywords into your content—Google and other search engines have become much smarter. As a result, staying on top of SEO trends is critical to maintaining your site’s visibility.
While offsite SEO (like backlinks and social media signals) is important, onsite SEO remains the foundation of a well-optimized website. Onsite SEO strategies have evolved, but many of the core principles remain the same. Here, we’ll cover the essential onsite SEO tactics that will help keep your site competitive in 2024 and beyond.
1. Start with a Professional, Mobile-Friendly Website
A professional-looking, mobile-friendly website is your starting point. Not only should your site look good and reflect your brand, but it should also be easy to navigate. Here’s what to focus on:
• Mobile-First Design: Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily crawls the mobile version of your site. If your website isn’t optimised for mobile, you’re likely missing out on traffic.
• Core Web Vitals: These metrics—loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability—are critical ranking factors. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s performance and make improvements where needed.
• User Experience (UX): Design your site so it’s easy to use and provides value. Fast loading times, intuitive navigation, and minimal clutter all contribute to a better user experience.
2. Use Keywords Intelligently
Keyword optimisation is still a key part of SEO, but it’s not as simple as it once was. Search engines are now more focused on understanding user intent. Here’s how to use keywords effectively:
• Focus on Intent: Instead of just targeting keywords, consider what users are really searching for. For example, if someone searches for “best SEO tools,” they’re likely looking for reviews or comparisons. Tailor your content to meet that intent.
• Long-Tail Keywords: These are longer, more specific phrases that are easier to rank for. They also tend to attract more qualified traffic. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs can help you find the right long-tail keywords for your content.
• Avoid Keyword Stuffing: Search engines will penalise your site if you overuse keywords. Instead, write naturally and ensure your keywords fit seamlessly into the content. Always remember, you’re writing for humans, not robots.
3. Leverage Structured Data (Schema Markup)
Structured data, or schema markup, helps search engines understand your content better. It can also make your website eligible for rich snippets, which are more prominent in search results. For example, if you have a recipe site, structured data can help your recipes appear with images, ratings, and cooking times in search results.
Adding structured data to your site is easy with tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or plugins for WordPress.
4. Optimise Your URLs for SEO
URLs should be clear and descriptive. Not only do they help search engines understand what a page is about, but they’re also important for user experience. Here are a few best practices:
• Descriptive URLs: Instead of having a dynamic URL like example.com/page?id=123, use something like example.com/seo-best-practices.
• Use Hyphens: Separate words in URLs with hyphens, not underscores. Search engines recognise hyphens as word dividers, while underscores are ignored.
• Consistency: Keep your URLs short and consistent throughout the site. Avoid unnecessary characters or numbers.
5. Optimise Your Images
Images can improve your website’s user experience and engagement, but they also present an SEO opportunity if optimised properly.
• ALT Text: Always include descriptive ALT text for your images. Not only does this help with accessibility, but it also allows search engines to index your images, potentially driving more traffic to your site.
• File Size and Format: Large image files can slow down your website. Compress images and use modern formats like WebP to ensure faster loading times.
• Image SEO: Include keywords in the image file name and ALT text, but make sure they are relevant and natural. For example, seo-strategies-2024.jpg is much more informative than IMG_001.jpg.
6. Create Engaging, Shareable Content
One of the best ways to boost your onsite SEO is by creating high-quality content that people want to share. While comments and likes are still useful, today’s engagement strategies include:
• Social Proof: Testimonials, reviews, or user-generated content can increase your website’s trustworthiness and encourage more shares.
• Visual Content: Incorporate infographics, videos, and interactive elements to make your content more engaging and shareable. People are more likely to share visually compelling content.
• Calls to Action: Encourage readers to engage with your content by including clear CTAs. Whether it’s sharing on social media or signing up for a newsletter, a well-placed CTA can increase engagement.
7. Track Your SEO Progress
Monitoring your SEO efforts is crucial to understanding what’s working and where you can improve. Use these tools to stay on top of your SEO game:
• Google Analytics 4 (GA4): This is Google’s latest version of Analytics, designed to give you deeper insights into user behaviour across platforms. It’s a must-have for tracking traffic, user engagement, and conversions.
• Google Search Console: This free tool helps you monitor your site’s performance in Google search results. It provides valuable insights into how search engines see your site, including issues with mobile usability or Core Web Vitals.
• Core Web Vitals Reports: Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to keep an eye on your Core Web Vitals, which are now a significant part of Google’s ranking algorithm.
By following these updated SEO best practices, you’ll be well on your way to improving your site’s visibility and driving more traffic. Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay on top of industry changes, and your efforts will pay off over time.