A Guide to Optimizing Your Website for Google Ranking: A Non-Technical Approach for Advertising Executives

Your website is no good without web traffic, and almost all web traffic starts with a search. Over 90% of web traffic comes from search engines, and Google accounts for over 90% of that.

This why SEO has become an indispensable tool for marketing managers and execs everywhere. By optimizing their websites, they can enhance visibility, attract more visitors, and ultimately drive conversions. But just because it is. so commonly required, doesn’t make SEO easy. However, understanding the fundamentals is essential for any advertising executive looking to enhance their digital presence and website’s visibility.

Understanding the Basics of SEO.

Let’s begin with some very basic and current information about what search engine optimization (SEO) is, and is not, and also have a look at how consumers are using search to locate information, products, and services.

SEO is simply the process of making sure search engines (mainly Google due to its market share) understand what your site is about, what you sell and who you sell it to. This is why the first step is to be as clear as possible about this. There can be no great SEO unless you’re clear about these elements first.

Optimizing Website Set-up for Google Ranking

Most website technologies are today seo-able to some extent. Even platforms like Wix and Squarespace have caught up. However, WordPress still holds the lead position in the market due to its flexibility and vast ecosystem of plugins. Let’s look at the most important elements of SEO…

Speed

Speed is paramount for SEO because it directly impacts user experience and search engine rankings. This makes it an important element to comply with the E.E.A.T Google standards that were published in 2021, it is essential to ensure that your website loads within a few seconds to improve user experience and SEO performance. This is especially important if most of your audience comes from mobile.

URLs

URLs also known as web addresses, are also very important for SEO. Most website platforms today can easily customize their URLs to be more SEO-friendly by including relevant keywords and structuring them logically. WordPress also trumps the SEO permalink charts because it offers flexible options for creating custom slugs that enhance visibility in search results.

Usability (UX)

In the past, Google’s search results were based on desktop/laptop web pages. Today, the reverse is true. Google searches are based on mobile web pages. As a result, Google Analytics is now based on mobile web pages.

UX is an essential factor in determining how users interact with a website. Google give UX a lot of weight. This means that having website page layouts that are user-friendly is essential for improving your site’s ranking. Clear navigation, fast loading times, and mobile responsiveness are key factors. 

Leveraging On-Page SEO Techniques

On-page SEO techniques play a crucial role in improving your site’s visibility and enhancing your site’s visibility in search engines. Here are the most important elements to focus on to achieve optimal results:

H tags

Htags are important for structuring your content effectively and improving your SEO. H1 tags should be used for the main title of your page, while H2 and H3 tags can help organize subsections and enhance readability. Htags should respect a hierarchy, This structure not only aids users in navigating your content but also signals search engines about the importance of each section.

Image Alt tags

Image alt tags today are used by search engines to understand the content of images. They are used in SEO by adding the keyword/s behind the images in the alt tag field. This practice helps search engines understand the content of the images, thereby improving the overall visibility of the website, especially in Google’s image search.

Keyword density

Keyword density is the optimal balance of keywords per page needed for effective SEO. It ensures that search engines can identify the main topics of your content without tagging you as spam. This understanding facilitates better indexing and improves your chances of ranking higher in search results. Optimal keyword density is 3 keywords per 500 words, approximately. Maintaining this ratio helps ensure that your content remains relevant without appearing spammy.

Doing it in-house vs hiring an agency

The burning question that most advertising executives have, sooner or later, is whether to do the job in-house or to hire an agency to do it. Usually the decision comes down to factor such as budget, expertise, and time constraints. While having an in-house team allows for greater control and alignment with company goals, outsourcing to an agency can provide access to specialized skills and a fresh perspective.

As a general rule, if you’re new to SEO, it is best to first hire an agency then build your own capacity once you have enough SEO knowledge internally. You don’t want your team to waste useful money and resources on learning these skills, as they take many years to acquire without support.

So hire an agency first to understand how to do it effectively and in a way that benefits your business. Contact us here