SEO: Optimization Strategies For Entrepreneurs

Whether you think you have SEO optimization strategies in action or not, you do.

I was listening to a recent episode of the SEO Rant podcast with Mordy and his guest Ronell Smith.

Their discussion made me realize I had fallen into a common trap that I want to help you avoid:

Getting To The Top Of Search Engine Results Pages

As of July 2024, Google has eliminated infinite scroll, bringing back the prominence of the 10 blue links on search engine results pages.

This change offers entrepreneurs a prime opportunity to revamp their SEO strategies to secure valuable online visibility.

Capitalizing on this shift is essential for standing out amidst competitors and ensuring your content is not just discoverable, but also compelling for users actively seeking your offerings.

It's time to get CHOSEN by the customers searching for what you sell.

Embracing this strategic adjustment can distinguish your brand in the fiercely competitive online arena and drive increased traffic to your website.

Resources From the Simple and Smart SEO Show to Help You With Your Search Engine Optimization Strategy

In the monthly SEO Squad meetings, we regularly take time to reflect on the previous month's activities.

This month, we're enhancing our reflection process by incorporating new questions inspired by Ronell Smith.

These questions will help us go deeper into our branding strategies, simultaneously helping us to refine our marketing efforts for better results.

Among the questions we'll be exploring are:

1. Who are the specific individuals that I am uniquely positioned to assist?

2. What are their primary concerns that I can address effectively?

3. Which individuals consistently engage with our content, and how can we exceed their expectations?

By introspectively asking "Who am I?" and considering "Who are you?"[identifying our customers] we can identify commonalities that can strengthen our connections and value proposition.

This intensified reflection promises to guide us towards more impactful and targeted marketing strategies.

Who do the Search Engines Say You Are?

Let's further explore the alignment between our reflective queries and the insights from our search console data.

Should there be discrepancies, how can we bridge the gap effectively? Aligning our websites with our desired brand image is crucial.

Additionally, I have prepared a checklist for you, along with links to podcast episodes elaborating on each recommendation.

Let's Build An SEO Strategy!

1. SEO Audit:

Start with an SEO audit to understand your current standing. This will help you identify what your site is already known for and what needs improvement.

Then you can decide whether to stick with your current strategy or make changes.

Podcast episode: SEO Basics Unlocked: Mastering SEO FAQs with Angie Colee (particularly around the 29:18 mark.)

2. Keyword Research:

Think about who you are, how you help people, and what you want to be known for.

Use this information to conduct keyword research and develop an SEO strategy that aligns with your goals.

Use tools like Surfer SEO to identify relevant keywords. What I want to be known for is "entrepreneur seo."

I input that into Surfer, Surfer tells me what articles I need to write to rank and off I go. This article is an execution of that strategy.

One caveat: make sure that the search intent of your chosen keywords align your unique ability to help those searching this keyword and the primary concern that you can address.

Podcast episode: Black Friday Special Episode: Surfer SEO Behind The Scenes

3. Content Creation (On Page SEO):

Create content around the keywords you want to rank for.

Use tools like Surfer to identify the top articles related to your target keywords and create similar content.

Link these articles to each other and to your service pages to help Google understand the structure and relevance of your site.

Other places to look for inspiration? "People Also Asked" and "Related Questions" sections. This not only gives you ideas for topics but also related keywords that might also match the search intent of your users.

Recommended podcast episode: Solving Customer Problems With SEO with Sunny Logsdon.

4. Technical SEO:

Fix broken links, ensure every page has a title and meta description, create internal links and increase the word count on your pages.

These actions show search engines that your site is well-maintained and authoritative.

Within Google Search Console you can identify your broken links.

If you have an SEO tool like Dragon Metrics, Ubersuggest, Semrush or Ahrefs, they have options to identify your broken links.

In the squad, we talk about using brand "owned assets" to create relevant content marketing for our website and for distribution on the internet.

Recommended podcast episodes: Five Common SEO Mistakes We All Experience; SEO Shorts: Why Are Internal Links Important for SEO?

5. Domain Authority:

Understand that domain authority is a score that indicates the trustworthiness of your site.

While it's challenging for small businesses to achieve high scores, aim for a score around 15. Improve your domain authority by focusing on technical SEO and creating high-quality content.

During one particular episode one of our guests shared how she built domain authority.

She used tools like Keywords Everywhere and Moz to validate keywords and understand domain authority, which is a score that quantifies how authoritative a website is.

Her strategy for building domain authority also included creating long-form, keyword-researched, optimized content and producing between two and four blog posts a month.

Recommended podcast episode: What is SEO in 2023? (Part 1)

6. Page Optimization:

Give every page a specific job.

In the SEO squad, we discuss Jobs Theory (aka Jobs To Be Done) as a guiding principle for our SEO strategy.

For example, if you want to be known for "SEO copywriting," ensure that one page focuses on "SEO copywriter" and another on "SEO tips for copywriting."

This helps in targeting specific search queries and improving your site's relevance.

Recommended podcast episode:JTBD private podcast episode of The SEO Squad*

7. Content Plan:

Develop a content plan that supports your business goals first, SEO goals second.

Use tools like Surfer SEO to find the top articles related to your keywords and create similar content.

Link these articles to your services and other related content to create a cohesive structure.

Recommend podcast episode: Black Friday Special Episode: Surfer SEO Behind The Scenes

8. Google Featured Snippets:

Aim to rank for Google featured snippets by answering common questions related to your keywords. This can help you appear at the top of search results and attract more clicks.

By following this checklist, you can improve your website's search engine ranking and attract more visitors. If you have any specific questions or need further details, feel free to ask!

Recommended podcast episode: Website SEO's BFF: User Experience (UX) Design With Susan Reoch.

Earning More Organic Traffic: Work To Be Chosen, Not Simply Found

Your SEO strategy should always align with your business goals.

Consider incorporating Local SEO into your plan by optimizing your Google Business Profile.

Additionally, if you're focused on producing a lot of blog content, prioritize link building efforts to boost your website's authority.

Remember, the checklist provided is a flexible guide rather than a strict set of rules.

For personalized support in developing your search engine marketing strategy, join the SEO Squad, a weekly support group designed to help you succeed.

Apply to join today!

*Only available to active members of the SEO Squad