Ever wonder how Google ranks its search results? Or wish that your site popped up on the first page of these results? SEO is the art and science of getting found online and it depends on two main factors: the relevance of your site’s content to a particular search and the authority rating search engines give that content. SEO is complicated, but the three tips below are a great place to get started!
1. Craft Quality Content
To build organic traffic, website content needs to spark the attention of a large body of searchers who might be interested in your offerings. Strategic blogging is a great way to achieve this. Start by asking yourself: “What yoga-related questions do many of my students seem to have?” Create consistent and thoughtful blog posts around these topics, and spice them up with charts, images, or quotes. Use simple, approachable language, short paragraphs, and organize thoughts with lists or bullet points.
2. Build Backlinks To Your Site
Links from other sites to yours signal authority to search engines. The good news is, with quality content, people are more likely to reference your site. You probably have friends or peers whose sites have audiences similar to yours; if someone has already shared your content via social media, and there’s an appropriate space on his/her site for a link to it, don’t be afraid to ask! You can also build backlinks by submitting original content (writing, video, or images) to media outlets that speak to your target audience.
3. Keep It Fresh
In the long term, SEO requires consistent addition of new content, but that doesn’t mean refreshing old content can’t pay big dividends as well. Making a few key changes to popular blog posts at least 6-12 months old can significantly improve your ranking. Consider, for example, adding more sections to make a post more comprehensive (e.g., adding list items to a list post), adding detail within sections, or updating outdated information like statistics or examples.
At the end of the day, SEO is important: according to a 2014 Google study, results on page one of a Google search garner 71% of clicks, while results on pages two and three combined attract just 6%. Use the tips above to get started, and if you really want to dig in, check out this Beginners’ Guide to SEO (moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo) or these 50 Best Practices for SEO (blog.alexa.com/best-practices-for-seo).
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