SEO work can be divided into three main areas: Technical SEO, On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO.
Each requires different skills or knowledge of different tools. As you probably guessed, technical SEO is the most difficult and should be implemented by a SEO specialist with experience. (One common misconception is that the SEO specialist must know JavaScript. They only need to know if Google may have issues crawling and indexing content coded in JavaScript.)
To save businesses the time it takes to look for a SEO expert, and the additional costs, I’ve put together a brief list of items that a beginner SEO marketer can handle. Some non-SEO marketers at the company – or a solopreneur – may be able to read up on the guidelines for each task and handle it themselves, too.
On-Page SEO Tasks Beginners Can Handle
A quick way to increase rankings is to improve the on-page SEO of existing content, such as blogs or web pages. You’ll need to know which keywords to insert, and I’ve left keyword research off the list of tasks beginner SEOs can do.
But if you know what people are Googling to find your products or services, feel free to try the following:
Title tags: Optimize your title tags, which are HTML elements that define the title of a webpage. Include your target keyword naturally within the title tag and keep it concise (around 55-60 characters) to ensure it appears properly in search engine results.
Meta descriptions: Craft compelling meta descriptions for your web pages. Although they don’t directly impact rankings, meta descriptions provide a brief summary of the page’s content in search engine results, potentially influencing click-through rates. Include relevant keywords and encourage users to click on your page.
Heading tags: Utilize heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure your content. Use H1 for the main heading and subsequent heading tags for subheadings. Incorporate relevant keywords into these headings to signal their importance to search engines.
URL structure: Create search engine-friendly URLs that are descriptive and contain relevant keywords. Avoid long, convoluted URLs with unnecessary numbers or symbols. Use hyphens to separate words and keep them lowercase.
Internal linking: Implement internal links to connect your web pages. This helps search engines crawl and understand your website’s structure, as well as distributes authority and traffic across pages. Link related content using anchor text that includes relevant keywords.
What about Off-Page SEO?
Improving off-page SEO can be a more challenging task, especially for someone who is new to SEO. Off-page SEO primarily involves building your website’s authority and reputation through external factors.
Here are some steps you can take to enhance your website’s off-page SEO, even without extensive knowledge:
Build quality backlinks: Backlinks from reputable and relevant websites are crucial for off-page SEO. Start by creating valuable content that others would naturally want to link to. Reach out to other website owners, bloggers, or influencers in your niche to introduce your content and request backlinks. Participate in industry forums, guest blogging opportunities, or submit your website to relevant directories to gain backlinks.
Social media engagement: Be active on social media platforms and engage with your audience. Share your content, participate in discussions, and build relationships with influencers and industry leaders. Social signals, such as likes, shares, and comments, can indirectly impact your website’s visibility and authority.
Online reputation management: Monitor and manage your online reputation. Respond to customer reviews, address negative feedback promptly and professionally, and encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. Building a positive online reputation can enhance your website’s credibility and attract more organic traffic.
Influencer marketing: Collaborate with influencers or industry experts who have a strong online presence and a relevant audience. They can help promote your brand, products, or content to their followers, expanding your reach and attracting new visitors to your website.
Content promotion and outreach: Actively promote your content by sharing it on social media, reaching out to relevant websites or bloggers for potential collaborations or guest posting opportunities. Build relationships with other content creators in your industry to increase the chances of getting your content shared and linked to.
If you’re interested in quicker results or have SEO competition that is too challenging, get in touch with me at cort@bayareaseosolutions.com for a free consultation.