WordPress SEO Tips: 19 Keys to Success

Learning SEO can be a bit daunting. With all the jargon and statistics many websites avoid it completely. But with the internet growing and more people using Google, SEO is essential as ever.

To improve your SEO impact follow the tips below and you’ll be well on your way to SEO success.

1. Do keyword research! SEO starts here. Keyword research dictates your title tags and plays a great role in prioritizing your new content.
2. Sign up for Google Search Console. Search Console allows you to track keyword rankings. You can also view link data and submit an XML sitemap.
3. Write title tags with keywords. Get valuable keywords towards the front of your title tag. In particular your homepage title tag which is a big SEO factor. Each page on your site should be targeting a different keyword or topic.
4. Create organic search content! In broad terms, content does two things:
   1. Provides opportunity to rank for keywords
   2. Boosts domain authority which boosts your rankings overall
5. Submit your sitemap in Google Search Console. Sitemaps introduce your website to search engines. Consider it a meet and greet. Before Google recommends your site to its users, it needs to have a firm understanding of what your site is all about.
6. Get an SEO plugin: Yoast or All in One SEO. Standing alone, these plugins don’t make you rank. They help lay your SEO foundations and they provide insight for improvements.
7. Set up Google Analytics; it’s the best, plain and simple. Even if you don’t like data allows you to make smarter decisions. But be careful! Data can be misleading.
8. Analyze keyword rankings. Dig into Google Search Console and find out how people search to find your site. Find keyword opportunities for new content or modify title tags to reflect keywords and search.
9. Write shorter paragraphs. People are impatient online. They don’t want to read essays or even long paragraphs. They want to extract information. People browse the web at a frantic pace. Keep paragraphs short.
10. Set up conversions in Google Analytics. For most websites, tracking conversions is the benchmark for success. Doing so brings incredibly valuable information. For example, “10 people contacted you via searching Google” or “3 people signed up for your newsletter after visiting your Facebook page.”
11. Improve site design and user experience. People expect quality websites. As expectations improve, patience wanes. Work out design kinks to keep people engaged with your content.
12. Set up Ecommerce tracking. If you sell products on your website, this is your conversion tracking. Ecommerce tracks online customer purchases and can help improve conversion rates and sales.
13. Prioritize your keywords and content. When deciding which keywords to target, look at 3 things: search volume, competition, and relevancy. How often is your keyword searched? What’s the competition/can you rank for it? If you rank for this keyword, how relevant is it to your brand? Keywords that check off all 3 points should be prioritized; create content for them.
14. Design content for the detail-oriented folks and the frantic browsers. With concise language and links to deeper pages, you can satisfy both groups.
15. Start a blog. If you’re wondering where you create content, this is where. A blog allows you to diversify your content by creating new web pages that target different keywords — keywords you wouldn’t target on a services page or an about page.
16. Create a content schedule or to-do list that works for you. Content is a huge part of SEO. The more you create, the better, but don’t burn yourself out! Use a schedule or or someone to hold you accountable to help keep content as a priority.
17. Build links. Approach friends or business associates with a variety of link approaches. Links build domain trust and authority. Look around for local directories. Ask webmasters or acquaintances if they’ll link to your site. Just don’t buy spammy links!
18. Sign up for local directories. These are extremely valuable for local companies, in particular Google My Business. Consider signing up for Facebook, Yelp, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and any other directories pertinent to your industry. Fill these profiles out as best you can.
19. Hire an SEO consultant or company. If SEO is too much to handle and you’ve got the resources, why not? An expert consultant will save time and should bring positive return on investment. If you go this route, hire someone that you trust. There are shady SEOs out there. Don’t hire a shady one.