The Six-Step SEO Checklist You’ll Need To Dominate 2019
With the holiday season rush coming to a close, it’s time for business owners around the world to revamp their digital marketing strategies. The first order of business? Optimizing your SEO.
Let’s face facts: If Google doesn’t know who you are, no one does. Every business owner wants their business to be an online authority in their industry. But the key to making sure your business is leading the pack is to make sure Google can quickly and efficiently communicate with your website.
That’s why I’ve put together a definitive SEO checklist for 2019. By the time we’re done here, you’ll be well on your way to having a truly optimized digital marketing strategy.
1. Start with top-notch keyword research.
If you’re a marketing veteran, there’s a good chance you’re already doing this regularly. But if you’re a novice, you probably don’t spend much time doing keyword research. This might not seem like a big deal, but make no mistake: An SEO strategy without keyword research is doomed to struggle.
Why? Because keywords are the difference between “what I think my audience wants” and “what I know my audience needs.”
You always want to be sure that you’re targeting the right keyword. A good rule of thumb is to be sure that every page on your website is targeting at least one specific keyword or topic. If you’re completely at a loss, you can use Google’s free Keyword Planner tool to determine what consumers in your industry care about.
2. Remember that content is still king.
For whatever reason, some business owners seem to think that content is simply a means to an end. But this “content is content” mentality isn’t just dangerous — it’s also wrong.
The short-term growth that brands receive by tricking Google’s algorithm for a while is never worth it. Why? Well, let’s ignore the fact that Google will inevitably fix this mistake, sooner or later. The real issue here is that, eventually, a potential customer is going to read your content. And if it’s a mess, you can be sure that they won’t be coming back anytime soon.
Never let your desire to optimize your content for search engines get in the way of creating high-quality, valuable content. Keep in mind that Google has made these kinds of black-hat SEO tactics basically obsolete. If you want to stay competitive in 2019, make sure that your approach to content is changing with the times.
3. Double down on long-tail keywords.
This one’s simple, but so important that it deserves its own section. For those of you who struggle with SEO and getting the attention you deserve on search engine results pages (SERPs), this is the key to cracking the SEO code.
In case you aren’t familiar, long-tail keywords are made up of three to four specific keyword phrases that your audience tends to fixate on. Understanding the importance of long-tail keywords is crucial to understanding how consumers actually behave on search engines. Most people don’t just type “backpack” into Google these days. They want a “budget stylish backpack under $50.” See the difference?
When you know how to target your audience through SEO, the world opens up to you. Prioritize specific long-tail keywords and you’ll be on your way to that coveted “Page 1” ranking in no time.
4. Prioritize mobile.
You’ve heard it a million times by now: “Mobile is the future.” Well, guess what? The future is now. And if your website isn’t mobile friendly in 2019, you’re going to be at a serious disadvantage.
Consumers search and shop on mobile devices now more than ever. And when over 50% of your audience is experiencing your website through their iPhone, you’d better be sure they’re having a fantastic user experience.
Plus, let’s not forget that Google has gone on record saying that mobile rankings are the new status quo. If you’re not fixated on improving your mobile experience this year, you’re in for a frustrating 2019. If you’re wondering whether or not your website is actually mobile friendly, check out Google’s mobile-friendly test tool.
5. UX can (and will) make or break you.
When people think of SEO, they tend to think of it in terms of what algorithms care about. Big mistake. SEO isn’t just about outsmarting Google’s algorithms. Why? Because what those algorithms are really after is the ideal user experience. Instead of asking “will the algorithms like this?” business owners should be asking themselves “will users like this?”
Create a flawless UX by optimizing your images, ensuring that your headings are well-structured and that your website is easy to navigate. When your website is top-notch, it’s only a matter of time before Google takes notice.
6. Choose who you link to carefully.
All links are not created equal. If you want to be sure that you end up on Google’s good side, you need to be sure that every link to external sites you have is high-quality.
What does a high-quality link look like? Well, you can usually tell just by looking at the website. But there are a few quick and easy tricks that you can keep in mind. Try to avoid using any links that are more than a year old (unless they’re from an absolutely massive brand, like Google). Make sure the page you’re linking to is rich with links themselves, and avoid anything that even remotely seems like spam.
Listen, I understand that creating an SEO strategy from scratch can be intimidating, even for the most seasoned business owner. But when you prioritize the customer and their experience on your website, everything starts to fall into place.
