Why Nobody's Finding Your Website (And How to Fix It Today)
10 SEO Tips to Actually Make Your Website Show Up in Search Results
Confused as heck about SEO and how to, you know, actually implement it on your website??
Well, you're in luck, because I have 10 SEO tips for you that you can implement today to get started on upleveling your website.
Let's break down what SEO actually means. It's short for search engine optimization - which is just a way of saying, "let's make your website show up higher in Google (or Bing, etc) search results."
Why does this matter? Simple: the higher your website shows up, the more people will see it. And the more people who see it, the more likely they are to become customers or subscribers.
Let’s get into these top 10 tips and tricks for SEO success:
1. Perform Keyword Research
Keyword research is an essential part of SEO. You’ve got to know what keywords people are searching for in order to make sure your website shows up in those searches.
💡 You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find the right keywords for your website. Google Keyword Planner is free and what I typically use, though I did receive my SEO certification from SEMrush and can recommend that one as well. It’s wicked expensive, and while widely regarded as the best, it’s really for those ultra-serious about SEO, or those who are attracting abundance like golden goddesses and have buckets of money to spend.
2. Optimize Your Website Structure
Structure, structure, structure 🙌 (I’m saying that to myself of Jan Brady’s ‘Marsha Marsha Marsha!’)
Having a well-organized website that’s easy to navigate is key. Make sure your pages are labeled clearly and that your internal links work properly. You can take advantage of Squarespace’s handy-dandy SEO Checklist to ensure your URL structure, title tags, and meta descriptions are optimized.
You also want to be sure to use H1 (Heading 1) as the main header, and only use it ONCE per post or page. Seriously. Once. That's it. More than that and Google gets all confused about what your page is actually about.
3. Create High-Quality Content
Content is queen 👑when it comes to SEO.
Your website needs high-quality, original content that’s relevant and engaging to your audience. And — when I say content, your website copy, sure. But I’m also talking about blog posts. Blog posts help search engines see that you are creating helpful and relevant content.
High-quality content can attract backlinks, increase user engagement, and improve your website's ranking in search engines. When creating content, focus on providing value to your readers, and make sure your content is well-structured and easy to read.
Think of it this way - would YOU want to read your content? If the answer is "meh," then it's probably not going to rank well either.
4. Optimize Your Website for Mobile
Mobile optimization is a must for SEO. And also just for user experience - more than half of all website traffic comes from mobile devices, so you’ve got to make sure your website looks great and works well on phones. That’s where your peeps are coming from!
You can use tools like Google's Mobile-Friendly Test to check if your website is mobile-friendly. Optimize your website's design, content, and page speed for mobile devices to improve your website's ranking in search engines.
✍️ Tip: If you’re designing in Squarespace, MAKE SURE you hit the little phone in the upper right corner - you’ll have to design your website not only for desktop, but separately for mobile. (I take care of this for my Squarespace web design clients. Here is the link to check out my services.)
5. Improve Website Speed
Google’s got a need for speed! 🏎️
If your website takes longer than 3 seconds to load, you're losing visitors faster than I lose bobby pins (which is like, constantly). Use tools like Pingdom to check your site speed and get recommendations for improvements.
To improve your website speed, you can compress and/or resize images (I also do this for my clients as part of my web design services), and use minimal CSS coding.
6. Utilize Internal Linking
Think of internal links as little bread crumbs that lead visitors (and Google) through the delicious bakery that is your website. 🥖
When you link from one page to another on your site, you're basically saying "Hey! This other page is also super relevant and helpful!" Google picks up on this and starts to understand how all your content fits together.
For example, if I'm writing a blog post about SEO tips (meta, I know), I might link to my services page where I offer SEO consulting. And boom! Now Google knows these two pages are connected.
✍️TIP: If you have a custom 404 Error page set up (you should), you can add a simple form to fill out to find out what broken link got your visitor there. This should help keep your internal links active.
7. Get High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks are like votes of confidence from other websites. When reputable sites link to yours, search engines see your site as more trustworthy and valuable.
Getting backlinks can be HARD, especially when you're just starting out.
But here are some ways to start building them:
Guest post on relevant blogs in your industry
Create shareable content (like infographics or original research)
Collaborate with complementary businesses
Get listed in industry directories
Remember: quality over quantity! One backlink from a respected site in your industry is worth way more than 50 links from random blogs that have nothing to do with your niche.(How many times can I say ‘high-quality’?)
One thing that used to be popular was buying backlinks, but Google caught on, which is a good thing. You don’t want a shortcut to great SEO; you want to create compelling and engaging content which then leads to great SEO. So you really need to work here on authentic backlinks.
8. Utilize Social Media
Social media can also play a role in SEO. Social media signals such as likes, shares, and comments can indicate the popularity and relevance of your content. You can use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter (or not, these days), TikTok, and LinkedIn to share your content and engage with your audience.
This one isn’t a main factor, so if you’re a social media hermit, you’re in good company - and you don’t have to utilize this if you don’t want to. Though if you’re at the beginning of starting your own small business, it might
9. Use Analytics to Track Your Progress
Track your SEO journey with analytics. Use tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) or Google Search Console to monitor key metrics like your website’s traffic and bounce rate. This way, you can see where you need to make improvements and adjust your strategy accordingly.
This does take a bit of time to get comfortable with, so give yourself some grace as you’re ramping up on your SEO journey.
10. Stay Up-to-Date with SEO Trends
SEO isn't a "set it and forget it" kind of thing. It's more like tending a garden - you plant the seeds (keywords), water regularly (create content), pull the weeds (fix technical issues), and eventually, you'll have beautiful flowers (traffic and sales)! 🌱 → 🌺
The most important thing is just to start. Pick one of these tips and implement it this week. Then next week, tackle another one. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to better search visibility and more website traffic.
And hey - if you're feeling totally overwhelmed by all this SEO stuff, I get it! It's a lot. That's exactly why I offer my SEO services to take this off your plate entirely. Because you've got a business to run, and you shouldn't have to become an SEO expert on top of everything else you're juggling!
