I’ve been in SEO for over 6 years now….and boy there are a few things I wish I knew when I started.
That’s why I’m going to let you in on my secrets. What I’ve learned about SEO and what you need to know as well. Even if you don’t want to know the hard truth.
Let’s get into it. Or if you’d prefer to listen, this blog post is based on an episode of the Beginner’s SEO Podcast where you can listen.
1. Technical SEO isn’t all that
For beginners and owners of new or small websites, the technical side of SEO can seem daunting.
The thing is though that big platforms like WordPress, Squarespace, and Shopify have significantly simplified this aspect by handling most technical SEO requirements.
The takeaway here is clear: don’t get bogged down by the technicalities.
While technical SEO is important, it’s not the be-all and end-all, especially when you’re just starting. Instead, focus your energy on other areas that can have a more immediate impact on your SEO success.
2. SEO is a marathon, Not a Sprint
One of the most common misconceptions about SEO is the expectation of quick results.
If you’ve been following certain SEO gurus on social media, you can get sold an idea that you can build a website over night and in a few months be making thousands of dollars from it.
But what the SEO gurus fail to tell you, is that the reason they can quickly turn a profit, is because they are applying their years of experience to each new website.
Let me quickly debunk this myth, SEO is a long-term strategy that requires patience, time, and experience.
The journey to understanding and succeeding in SEO is not an overnight one, and it’s crucial to set realistic expectations from the outset.
Just because an expert can grow organic traffic quickly, it will likely take a lot longer for you as an SEO beginner.
3. The Power of Keyword Research
I can’t stress enough the importance of targeting the right keywords as a cornerstone of ranking success.
But please don’t get into a situation where you have an over-reliance on paid or AI keyword research tools.
While these tools can be helpful, they should not replace the deep industry knowledge and expertise that you bring to the table. Use your understanding of your audience and your industry to inform your content creation, and let that guide your keyword strategy.
4. Building Your Brand Through Education
SEO is a constantly evolving field that requires continuous adaptation and learning. In today’s digital landscape, staying up to date with the latest trends, algorithms, and best practices is crucial for success. With search engines regularly updating their algorithms and introducing new ranking factors, and don’t even get me started on AI.
SEO is going to change, and the best way to safeguard against the changes is to it imperative for businesses to keep pace with these changes is to get busy building a brand name.
Education serves as a powerful tool in establishing authority within your industry while also enhancing your brand reputation.
By sharing valuable knowledge and insights related to your niche through educational content such as blog posts or webinars, you not only position yourself as an expert but also build trust among your target audience.
And people get to know YOUR brand.
Building your brand through education goes beyond just creating informative content; it involves nurturing relationships with your audience by actively engaging with them through various channels like social media platforms or discussion forums.
By fostering conversations around relevant topics and addressing queries promptly and thoughtfully, you create more and more brand awareness.
5. Your Superpower Is Your Industry Knowledge
And when it comes to growing your brand with educational content, your superpower is YOU.
Your industry knowledge is your superpower.
And this might be sort of not great to hear if you want to make a niche website about something you’re not an expert in.
But, if you’re either trying to rank your business website or you’re trying to grow a niche blogging website, you do need to write about what you know, a piece of content written by an expert, or you know, someone who knows.
When I use the term expert, I just mean you need to know more about your topic than sort of the average person.
If you can’t write about your topic just off the top of your head, then maybe you do need to go back and learn more!
For instance, this blog post and podcast.
I didn’t need to look up anything for this topic on SEO because I know everything I’m talking about. I am an SEO. I’m not going to say, expert.
I can’t bring myself to say expert, but I’m an SEO.
It’s what I do, it’s what I read about day in and day out. So therefore I know the content I put out on SEO is my superpower. That’s the whole reason this podcast is growing. That’s why my blogs grow because I make sure that I write about what I know.
The fact that you know things about your industry that Google wouldn’t even know existed, just little sort of experiences or anecdotes you’ve had in their personal working life that you can add into content.
It’s a cliche, but you being you is what makes your website special.
6. Don’t Fixate On Keyword Rankings
Rather than fixating on keyword rankings, the goal should be to achieve meaningful conversions, whether that’s in the form of sales or leads.
Focusing on keyword rankings as a measure of success is a waste of time for a few reasons.
A) They change all the time. So you’ll find, you know, you’re stressing out because one day you’re down a few places. But, the next day chances are you’ll probably be back up.
B) Each web page can rank for hundreds and hundreds of keywords.
I’m constantly having to educate clients on the fact that your pages rank for hundreds of keywords, so there’s no point trying to keywords stuff.
C) Google search results are catered personally to you using your data, your search history, using your location, using your interests.
Google knows what you’re going to have for dinner tonight. You might not think it does, but it does.
So, there’s no point thinking that the search results are the same for everyone, and therefore the keyword rankings are the same for everyone.
7. The Core Principles of SEO
New tactics seem to emerge all the time about SEO, but at the end of the day, if you want to succeed with SEO, then there is one key thing to know.
The core principles of SEO: creating the best possible website with exceptional content, design, and user experience.
SEO at its core does not change – if you focus on creating the best possible website. And when I say best possible website, I mean the best content, the best design, the best user experience for your target audience, then you will succeed with SEO.
It’s about understanding your audience and delivering value to them through your online presence. By adhering to these principles, you’re not only optimising for search engines but also building a loyal following that trusts and values your brand.
Hopefully, these tips will help you out, and avoid a lot of the same mistakes I first made when it came to SEO!
