The world of SEO is constantly changing. Google’s algorithms are constantly evolving, which means that yesterday’s strategies don’t always work today. Therefore, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest SEO techniques.
While many traditional strategies remain effective, there are new tactics that can make a difference. Some are little-known but have a huge impact on your site’s performance.
In this article, we explore 10 advanced SEO strategies you may not be familiar with, but that are essential for improving your online traffic and visibility.
1. Establish an HTTPS Protocol (SSL Certificate)
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The HTTPS protocol is essential for any website today. It not only ensures an encrypted connection between the server and the user, but it is also an important SEO ranking factor.
Websites with HTTPS are perceived as more secure, which increases user trust. This is crucial for conversions and search engine rankings.
Google also continues to favour sites that use HTTPS. Therefore, not having this protocol can negatively affect your ranking in search results.
Additionally, browsers like Chrome mark sites without HTTPS as “Not Secure,” which can discourage visitors from interacting with your page. This can increase your bounce rate, a negative factor for SEO ranking.
How to do it?
- Request an SSL certificate from your hosting provider. Many hosting services include it for free when you purchase a domain.
- Once the certificate is installed, redirect all HTTP URLS to HTTPS to ensure all your content is encrypted and secure.
- Verify that all your pages and resources are serving content over HTTPS using tools like SSL Labs or Google Search Console.
2. Ensure Page Loading Speed
Loading speed is one of the most important factors for SEO. Users expect pages to load quickly. If they don’t, they leave the site, which increases the bounce rate.
Google also considers speed an important ranking factor, especially with Core Web Vitals. Furthermore, mobile optimisation is essential. More than 50% of web traffic comes from mobile devices.
How to do it?
- Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix to measure loading speed and get specific recommendations.
- Optimise image size. Use modern image formats like Webp, and compress images before uploading them to your site.
- Implement caching to reduce page load times, especially on dynamic sites.
- Consider using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to distribute your website content to servers close to your users and improve overall loading speed.
3. Search for Keywords with High Traffic Opportunities
Instead of competing for popular and highly competitive keywords, a better strategy is to focus on opportunity keywords. These are keywords that have a good search volume but much lower competition. This gives you an advantage, as it will be easier for you to rank higher in search results.
Long-tail keywords are especially valuable. These tend to have less competition than general keywords. They also attract more qualified traffic, which increases conversion rates. We’ll delve deeper into these in point 5.
How to do it?
- Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest to discover keywords with high search volume but low competition.
- Analyse the questions and phrases that users ask on forums and social networks to find terms that are gaining traction.
- Consider using local SEO for location-specific keywords, such as “plumbing service in Madrid” instead of “plumbing.”
4. Determine the User’s Search Intent
Understanding search intent is essential for creating content that aligns with what users are actually searching for. Search intent can be classified into three main types:
- Informative: The user is looking to learn something (e.g. “how to improve my SEO”).
- Commercial: The user is researching products or services (e.g. “best SEO tool”).
- Transactional: The user intends to make a purchase or convert (e.g., “buy SEO tool”). Google is getting better at understanding this intent and prioritises results that best meet the user’s search needs.
How to do it?
- Research what type of content is ranking for the keywords you’re interested in. Is it guides, lists, videos, or products?
- Use competitor analysis tools to understand what’s working for other sites in your niche.
- Align your content with search intent. If the user searches for “how to do X,” create explanatory content. If they search for “buy X,” optimise your product or service pages.
5. Use Long Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases than traditional keywords. They have a lower search volume but tend to generate more conversions. This is because they attract users with a clear intent.
Today, these keywords remain essential for SEO. They’re easier to rank for and have less competition.
How to do it?
- Use tools like Ahrefs or Google Keyword Planner to find long-tail variations related to your niche.
- Incorporate these keywords naturally into your content, making sure you don’t overload your pages.
- It’s important that your long-tail keywords are specific and relevant, ensuring that you meet the exact needs of users.
6. Optimising URLS for SEO
Optimised URLS are essential for good SEO. Make sure they’re clear, short, and contain relevant keywords. This helps Google better understand your content and improves the user experience. Complicated URLS can hinder ranking. They usually become harder to index and understand.
To improve your SEO, keep your URLS simple and straightforward. This will make navigation easier and increase your page’s chances of ranking higher.
How to do it?
- Keep your URLS short and descriptive. Avoid unnecessary words like prepositions and articles.
- Include the main keyword of the page within the URL.
- Use hyphens (-) to separate words instead of underscores (_), as Google recognises hyphens as word separators.
7. Take advantage of Visual SEO
With the increasing popularity of image and video searches, optimizing visual content is essential for SEO.
Additionally, Google also ranks images and videos, so well-optimised visual content can drive additional traffic.
How to do it?
- Compress images and use modern formats (like Webp) to reduce loading time.
- Be sure to include alt text on all images, with relevant keywords, to improve accessibility and SEO.
- Use video SEO by optimising video titles, descriptions, and tags.
8. Create Long-Lasting and Relevant Content
Quality, long-form content remains one of the most effective strategies for improving rankings. Likewise, Google favours comprehensive content that addresses a topic thoroughly, answering all possible questions about it.
Content that is comprehensive and relevant is more likely to attract inbound links (backlinks) and mentions. These techniques help increase a page’s authority.
How to do it?
- Create long-form content, at least 1500-2000 words, that covers a topic thoroughly.
- Update your posts regularly to keep them relevant and fresh.
- Use tools like Content Gap Analysis to find content opportunities that competitors aren’t covering well.
9. Optimise for Voice Search
Voice searches are on the rise thanks to devices like Google Home, Alexa, and Siri. Users often ask longer, conversational questions via voice search. Therefore, it’s crucial to optimise your content for this form of search.
How to do it?
- Use a conversational tone in your content, making it read like a natural conversation.
- Optimise for frequently asked questions and long phrases.
- Focus on Long Tail Keywords that are questions, like “how to improve SEO in 2024?”
10. Implement Internal and External Linking Strategies
Links are essential for SEO. Internal links help Google crawl your site better. They connect your website’s pages to each other. External links, from trusted sites, increase your page’s authority. Therefore, these links improve your ranking.
Link building remains a key strategy for SEO. Obtaining quality links from other sites is essential to improving your visibility in search results.
How to do it?
- Make sure your internal linking structure is logical and well-organised. This will help both users and search engines navigate your site.
Build quality backlinks. Offer valuable content that other sites will want to link to. You can also collaborate with others or write guest posts.
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