Between Google’s constantly changing algorithms and evolving user behavior, SEO best practices are a moving target. But when you get it right, SEO means more lead generation, more conversions, and more sales. So, without further ado, here are three top SEO strategies for the rest of 2021.
Make your B2B blog more valuable
The internet is crowded. Most businesses have their own blog, and you need something to cut through the noise. Getting — and keeping — more eyes on your blog takes a multi-pronged approach.
Content “clusters” improve your search engine rankings. Begin by selecting an umbrella topic — preferably one those in your industry are likely to search. Create a group of individual posts on your chosen topic. Value driven content is still the number one way to engage customers beyond the click, wo make sure each piece of content solves a problem or provides a helpful resource. Remember, long-form posts get, on average, 3x more traffic than shorter posts. Aim for 2,000 words or more for maximum effect.
Once you’ve got your content dialed in, don’t let it sit on your website’s blog “shelf.” Get it out there! Tease it on your social media channels. Publish it as an article on your LinkedIn business page. Create infographics, videos, or how-to guides based on longer content. Promote, promote, promote, and see your SEO improve!
EAT your content
When it comes to what Google is looking for, it’s all about the EAT principle. EAT refers to the Expertise, Authority, and Trust Google uses to determine how high content ranks. How do you get this illustrious EAT ranking? Produce quality content.
Quality content comes from knowing who your customers are, what they’re looking for, and how they will search. And the best ways to find out? Market research and buyer personas. When you’ve identified your customers, find out how they’ll find you by conducting top keyword research for your industry or field. This isn’t new advice, but it’s becoming more and more critical to ranking well.
To build authority, you’ll want to get your content shared far and wide. But first you need to create content worthy of sharing, meaning content that answers a common customer question or addresses pain point. As for trustworthiness, you earn that from your customers in the form of positive reviews and testimonials on sites like Google, Facebook, Yelp, and TripAdvisor. Be responsive to reviews. That means thanking customers for good reviews and doing damage control on negative reviews. Can you reach out to disgruntled customers to make things right and ask for a better rating? You should, and your SEO will thank you for it.
Add video, and more video
We are in the midst of a video renaissance. Take a look at this report predicting video will be responsible for 82% of online traffic by next year, and note the fact that 43% of people want even more video content. So, capitalizing on this growing trend to boost your SEO is a no-brainer. Maximize engagement by uploading your videos to your YouTube channel, sharing snippets on social, and livestreaming on Facebook Live, LinkedIn Live, Instagram Reels, and other popular platforms. Live videos in particular are having a moment right now, and viewers watch them 10-20x longer than other videos.
What to stream? How about the new product or service you’re launching? Or a quick product tutorial? Why not conduct a live webinar or guest interview? You can also ask your social followers what kind of live videos they want to see. Have them answer through comments and direct messages (DMs).
