If you read our most recent (and most important) article relating to Google’s new mobile search index, you already have an idea as to what you need to be focusing on in early 2017. However, there are a few SEO tactics you can employ to try and sneak your way quickly up the rankings during this hectic holiday season while you plan your mobile index SEO strategy. Here are your holiday SEO tips for the year end push for page one.
1. Refined Titles and Meta Descriptions: The obvious but Often Overlooked
While this might seem like a “no duh” statement if you know the basics of SEO, the keyword stuffing strategies of years past have gone by the wayside and it might be time to change up your title tags and meta descriptions. Focus on user experience, not just old-fashioned keyword dense SEO. Instead of filling your title tag and meta description with an unnecessary amount of keywords, include your most important key phrase alone with the answer to the question or a snippet of the actual information the searcher is looking for. This will increase your click-through rate which will also help your rankings. Focus on providing a solution for the searcher, not just a list of keywords.
2. Hitch a Ride: If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em
With how highly “top 10” lists from big names like Yelp rank on Google it can be almost insurmountable to compete with them. So don’t beat your head against the wall focusing only on Google ads and organic SEO to try and rank higher on Google. Go to the source. Work on optimizing your Yelp listing and trying to get onto that top ten list that keeps ranking so highly. If you can’t do it organically, Yelp ads are often less expensive than Google Adwords anyway.
3. Don’t fight an uphill battle: Modify your keyword strategy
Can’t seem to get to page one for any of the big fish keywords? Don’t forget about the little guys. If you want immediate results, focus on long-tail, more specific keywords that may be easier to rank for. You’ll be pulling from a smaller pool of potential searchers, but it may pay more immediate dividends than the long game of trying to rank for the high competition high search key phrases. For example if you’re struggling to rank for the term “Phoenix Dentist”, try switching your strategy for awhile and focus on something you specialize in like “Phoenix Area Invisalign Dentist”.
Are you busy taking care of other business and personal matters this holiday season? Not interested in working on these strategies yourself? Contact the search engine strategists at New Wine Web Design and we’ll handle these holiday SEO tips for you! 480.516.1819
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (11/27/2016) Matti Mattila (Flickr)