Don't be left out in the cold - fix your SEO!
SEO Tips
Cold weather slows everything down – and business is no exception. In order to keep your momentum going strong when everybody else’s businesses are taking Winter break, now is the perfect time to take a look at your SEO and step it up where you can. If you can’t (or just would rather not) hire an SEO content writer, here’s what you can easily do to improve your site’s content and get it snuggled comfortably into search engines before people get wrapped up in Christmas credit card bills.
DIY SEO TIP #1
Evaluate your site’s current text by copying and pasting each page into a separate word processor document. Use the “Find” function to determine how many times your keywords appear in each. For example, if you’re selling winter hats, obviously ‘warm winter hats’ should be one of your keywords. If you’re only using ‘warm winter hats’ once or twice on your whole site, you’ve got a problem.
Dedicate one of your pages to using ‘warm winter hats’ as a keyword. Find every instance you could be using your keyword and capitalize on it (see example below).
DIY SEO Tip #1 Example:
Our product warm winter hats will keep the snow off your head…
You need one of these a warm winter hat…
Purchase one a warm winter hat from us today and receive 1/2 off another warm winter hat…
Although it’s easy to overlook possible keywords when you don’t do SEO writing every day, it can be devastating to your business.
DIY SEO Tip #2
Consider locality. People today are searching differently than they used to – and according to the Pew Research Center, the 30-49 year-old demographic is using cell phones to conduct local searches. Logically, 30-49 year-olds are the ones with jobs, money and may have the potential to buy your product… so it makes sense that you’ll want them to find your business if you deal locally. It won’t hurt your ‘web results if you deal over the Internet – it’ll just help locals hone in on your store, service or product.
When you’re stepping up your SEO efforts using locality, dedicate one page to it and use your location like a keyword (see example below).
DIY SEO Tip #2 Example:
We’re YOUR San Francisco military surplus store!
There are three San Francisco military surplus stores – but we’re the only San Francisco military surplus store that carries supplies from each branch at affordable prices.
Every employee in our San Francisco military surplus store is dedicated to bringing you the best military supplies you’ll ever find.
DIY SEO TIP #3
Use your keywords as headlines and titles if you’re having a hard time incorporating enough of them into your text as sentences. You should be aiming for a keyword density of 3-6%; what that means is for every 100 words on a page, only three to six of them are your keywords. Too many and the search engines will ignore you because they’ll consider you a spammer – too few and the search engines won’t realize you exist. It’s a tough balance, but set aside a couple of hours and figure it out (you’ll really be glad you did).
If you’re a web designer, for example, and wish to use the keyword ‘open web design,’ use it in headlines as well as in your text to reach a higher keyword density (see example below).
DIY SEO Tip #3 Example:
OPEN WEB DESIGN BY THREE BROTHERS DESIGN COMPANY
Our open web design experts…
DON’T TRUST JUST ANYONE WITH YOUR OPEN WEB DESIGN PROJECT.
Your open web design project deserves professional attention, just like your business does…
While this isn’t a comprehensive list of DIY SEO moves, it’ll definitely get you geared up for Winter and help avoid a lull in business – especially if you get started now. Set aside a couple of hours this weekend to secure your site’s position in the coming months… you’ll be glad you did.
Image courtesy of Dyet at RGBStock.com.
Part of the SEO category on ComLuv
Twitter: barbaraling
says:
And don’t forget – add some nifty SEO plugins that can SEOize your site for you! All In One SEO, the latest Yoast goodie, etc. Lots of neat things you can do!
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s recent blog post ..The Chuck Norris Guide To Proficient Protecting Of Your Site From Rabid Varmits
Barbara, great point – there are so many cool toys to add that make things much simpler. Thank you for mentioning them!
angiepapple´s recent blog post ..Kill Fees and Why You Need Them
Twitter: MrsMoodyGermany
says:
Love your DIY SEO tips, indeed winter gives us much much more time to sit infront of pc to tweak our blog’s SEO.
Usually in summer i have a few frequencies of blogging.
Winter comes around, so more time for blogging (except christmas seasons! )
Thanks for the simple but powerful tips, Angie.
Kimi´s recent blog post ..How To Use CommentLuv Enabled Sites For Backlinks
Kimi, I’m so glad you found them useful! I’d much rather be inside than braving the Winter weather – except when it’s time to hit Toys ‘R’ Us (yeah right…)
angiepapple´s recent blog post ..Kill Fees and Why You Need Them
This is amazing! I have been quite the slacker, at my part-time makeup business. I have a site set up, and it should be mostly effortless, on part of the consumer. I am having a hard time driving traffic in. This has been very helpful, and is giving me more motivation, to update it where it needs to be. I will do nothing, but gain from these DIY SEO Tips!
Susan, that’s great! I hope they work well for you. I’m sure you’ve been very busy with other things – next time you stop by, include your ‘web address, will you?
angiepapple´s recent blog post ..Kill Fees and Why You Need Them
Twitter: billbolmeier
says:
Good tips. It’s always fun and informational to watch your site’s analytics and what keywords rise to the top that show how people find your site through search.
Bill Bolmeier´s recent blog post ..Keyword Research- 7 Steps To Casting An Extremely Wide Net
Bill, I once discovered that a few people found my blog by searching “dog ate a begonia” because I’d used it as a fake SEO term to illustrate something (which I found hilarious and tragic at the same time – hopefully there are no terrible effects when your dog really eats a begonia!) – so I always enjoy seeing how people find me.
angiepapple´s recent blog post ..Kill Fees and Why You Need Them
Thank you for sharing
Yusuf´s recent blog post ..Welcome to FeedBurner
Thank you for reading, Yusuf!
angiepapple´s recent blog post ..Kill Fees and Why You Need Them
Awesome! Angie you rock!!!
Aw, shucks. Thanks, Karen.
angiepapple´s recent blog post ..Kill Fees and Why You Need Them
Twitter: DiTesco
says:
Interesting and simple SEO tips that could be very effective. I have one question regarding #1 which I think can be a very interesting approach. Is it OK to edit an existing article and rewrite it so that we may include some “rich” and relevant keywords to that particular posts? Thanks
DiTesco´s recent blog post ..AdSense Checklist Is Perfect For Beginners And Existing Users
Hi DiTesco -
If it’s your own content (as in you wrote it or you paid its author for the exclusive rights to it), that’s absolutely what you should do! In fact, it’s an easy way to ramp up your search engine presence.
I know you’re an experienced blogger, so you already know this – but in case there are new bloggers reading, don’t misunderstand what we’re talking about…
You absolutely cannot do that with something you don’t own, though; it’s both illegal and unethical. The creator of any body of text legally owns it unless they’ve sold or negotiated it away.
angiepapple´s recent blog post ..Kill Fees and Why You Need Them
Twitter: DiTesco
says:
Thanks. Just need an extra boost of confidence. And YES, they are my own articles. Totally agree that we should not be messing up with out guest posts, unless of course you have previously obtained their agreement.
DiTesco´s recent blog post ..Share Multiple Links In One Click With BridgeURL
Yes you’re right it’s all about the keyword + good content = pagerank.
craigbailey550´s recent blog post ..Unseen Health Hazards in Las Vegas Homes
Twitter: lavenderuses
says:
Hi Angie
As a fairly newbie blogger I love these tips that you experienced bloggers write about. I have no excuse for slacking as it’s soon going to be summer here in Australia lol. In Perth we are already getting beautiful sunny days so I just need to get on and check I’m doing it all right. Thanks for sharing.
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia´s recent blog post ..Lavenders- Small Niche Big Ideas
Interesting ideas. Will definitely check out the first tip… although I’m a little scared to actually find out the results
Haven’t really been paying attention to keyword density writing, or SEO, in general.
Jill – Jack and Jill Travel The World´s recent blog post ..10 Tips For Traveling As A Couple part 2 of 2
All this SEO stuff has my head spinning since I am new to all of this. I do appreciate all the tips here in the commentluv community however. Thanks for the post!
jbiehl20´s recent blog post ..Self-Motivation
Very nice tips. I will definitely try and implement your tips. thanks.
shango´s recent blog post ..Hidden Beauties Up in the Mountains
Those are some great suggestions for the layperson (read me). SEO can be overwhelming and many articles about how to implement them are like listening to the phone conversations on Charlie Brown (mwa mwamwamwa mwa)
Thanks for making this something this “Domestic Goddess” can implement!
Linda
Linda´s recent blog post ..Is what you write free for the taking
Twitter: Mommy_Gaga
says:
Thanks, hope this works out for my blog!
Mommygaga – A Site for Moms´s recent blog post ..Mario Lopezs Baby Shower- Hosted By Pampers! Giveaway
Twitter: drfantastico
says:
Angie, I like the post and you’ve given some great tips in regards to keyword density.
The only problem I have, and has nothing to do with you is that everyone is now stuffing keywords into their text for the sole purpose of getting search engine’s attention. Unfortunately, that’s the way it is because of all the competition.
What about the user? Is the page that we got ranked by adding keywords actually worthy of being there?
Great tips! Thanks for sharing
Alex Wise´s recent blog post ..Stream – Long Exposure Photography
Twitter: xyJmqPmHcULncjBzUVM
says:
FYI Alex, your activation email bounced saying address doesn’t exist. You might want to check your email settings.
Great post Angie. I know what I will be doing this winter! I noticed in your examples that the keywords were probably more than 6%. What is the high limit beforegoogle considers you a spammer?
As a wedding photographer, I only offer one service so the same keywords get used alot.
davidwayne´s recent blog post ..MY FAVORITE WEDDING PHOTOS