Simple SEO Tips for Better Rankings on Google

When you’re just starting to learn SEO, it can feel scary or overwhelming, and that’s not good. I want to make SEO easier and more exciting so you learn how to use it to help your business. These are some of my favorite simple SEO tips for better rankings on Google. Follow along and do what I teach you in this blog post, and you’ll start to get results. If you want to learn even more, take my free SEO class. SEO or search engine optimization can help your website rank higher on Google so you get more free, organic traffic.

My #1 Simple SEO tip for ranking higher on Google - use different SEO keywords for each page of your website

I often see people make the mistake of using the same keyword on every page or every blog post on their website, thinking it will help them have a better chance of ranking at the top of Google for the keyword. But the reality is that doing this hurts your website’s chances of ranking high because Google will only show you two times for any keyword. This means if you’ve used the same keyword on 10 pages, you now have the chance to show up 2 times instead of having the chance to show up for 10 different keywords.

Choosing a unique keyword for each page or blog post is super important. 

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Simple SEO tip for ranking higher on Google - choose the right SEO keywords for your website or blog

Choosing the right keyword is critical to your SEO program’s success. If you choose a keyword your website can’t rank for, you won’t get traffic because you won’t rank, and if you choose a keyword your ideal customer doesn’t use, you may rank, but you won’t get traffic because no one is searching that keyword. The right SEO keywords will differ for every website, every page, and every niche. I wish I could give you a list of keywords and say, here, use these, and you'll rank higher on Google, but sadly, it doesn't work that way. You will need to learn how to do SEO keyword research to find the right keywords for your website. I teach my students how to do this in Simple SEO Content. If you'd like me to teach you how to do SEO keyword research in the most efficient and easiest way possible, join me in class. 

You have to find the right keyword, and that’s the one your website has the best chance of ranking for that your ideal customer uses. Choosing anything else won’t lead to traffic or sales. An easy way to do this is to use a keyword research tool to look for a keyword, look for something with lower competition rather than higher competition. Go to Google, open an incognito browser window (so your personal search history doesn’t impact your results), and search the keyword you’re considering. Who shows up on page 1? How similar are they to your website? Are they competitors or similar sites, or are they big sites? If they’re similar to you, you’re likely on the right track, but if they’re big brands, you need to look for another keyword.

Simple SEO tip for ranking higher #3 -write a Title Tag for your page and use your SEO keyword

You want to create a Title Tag for your website page or blog post. Some website builders do this by default and use your page name as your Title Tag; however, this is not ideal for SEO because your Title Tag shows up in the search results and entices searchers to click and come to your website. You want to write your Title Tag for searchers and optimize it for Google. Create a Title Tag that’s 60 characters or less, including spaces, and uses your keyword.

Your Title Tag is the first thing your potential visitor will see in Google's search results. You want it to encourage them to click through and visit your website. You only have 60 characters to work with, so that's not a lot of room. Take your time creating engaging titles, and use the SEO keyword you're targeting for the page you're optimizing. 

Simple SEO tip #4 – write a Meta Description and use your SEO keyword

Like your Title Tag, your Meta Description is for both the searcher and Google. It needs to be less than 160 characters, including spaces, and it should include your SEO keyword. You want to write it in sentence format and use it to help searchers understand what your page is about so they’re more likely to click through to your website or blog to read more.

Your potential visitor will likely decide whether or not your website is worth clicking on by reviewing your Title Tag and Meta Description. Spending time creating optimized ones will help you rank higher over time. Google looks at the click-through rate of websites in the search results and the engagement metrics on your website to determine who to rank where in the search results. Good, strong Title Tags and Meta Descriptions can help encourage more people to click through to your website. Once you get them on your site, it's up to your content to keep them there and engaged. 

Simple SEO tip for better rankings #5 – use your SEO keyword in your picture file names

You will have photos on your website page or blog post, and those photos are one more thing you can optimize for Google. Rather than uploading your images with the file name from your camera, you can optimize them by using your keyword, and – you can even include your business name. Format your image file names this way – keyword-keyword-keyword (if you’re using a keyword that’s long-tail, meaning it’s got several words together), and then you can add your business name, and your photos can show up when people search the keyword or your business name.

An extra quick bonus tip: use your keyword in your image ALT text when uploading your pictures to your site.

These are 5 simple SEO tips for better rankings that will get you started and help you get more traffic to your content. This isn’t everything you want to do for SEO, but it’s enough to get you started. If you’re ready to learn more, request a copy of my Beginner's Guide to SEO, take my free SEO class, and learn what you need to do to get more traffic from Google.