The Complete SEO Checklist for Website Redesigns

Posted on October 23, 2024January 27, 2025 by bigjawdigital

Redesigning your business’s website is something you might eventually want to do. Whether you’re doing it to update its look, improve user experience, or enhance its other features, you should carefully approach the process so it doesn’t end up affecting your website’s search engine rankings.

In this comprehensive SEO guide, you will learn how to accomplish your website redesigning project while preserving your site’s search ranking. This checklist will cover general website SEO, technical SEO, and crucial steps like SEO audits to ensure your site remains search-engine-friendly from the beginning to the completion of the process.

That said, here are steps you should never ignore during the website redesigning process:

Set clear SEO goals

You should define your SEO goals before jumping into the redesign process. Having clear objectives helps guide your redesign strategy and ensure that SEO remains a priority.

Here are sample goals and what you should do:

Improve organic traffic by focusing on keyword research and optimizing your website’s content.

Boost local search visibility by optimizing local SEO elements like Google Business Profile, local citations, and customer reviews.

Improve mobile performance by ensuring mobile-friendliness and fixing page loading speeds.

Ensure everyone involved in the redesign project is aware of your website SEO goals and works towards achieving them.

Conduct a thorough SEO audit

An SEO audit ensures you know where your website stands before you make any changes. It helps you identify what’s working well, what requires improvement, and what errors might exist. Make sure your audit covers the following:

On-page SEO. Review your content, meta tags, headers, and how keywords are used.

Technical SEO. Check the site’s structure, page speed, and mobile-friendliness.

Backlink profile. Evaluate the quality and number of backlinks to your website.

An SEO audit provides a foundation for necessary changes, so its importance cannot be overstated.

Mind the site’s URLs and redirects

Redesigning the website can affect its URL structure and, possibly, its search ranking. If you need to change any URL, make sure to set up 301 redirects to inform search engines that the old page’s contents have been permanently moved to a new location. This helps you preserve your pages’ SEO equity and prevent broken links.

Tools like Screaming Frog can crawl your website and identify all existing URLs, making it easier to map out redirects.

Prioritize SEO-friendly content

Your website redesigning project must never sacrifice SEO-friendly content in favor of aesthetics. Take this opportunity to refresh and optimize your content for your target keywords by following these steps:

Keyword research. Find relevant keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest and incorporate them into your page titles, headings, meta descriptions, and content.

Content optimization. Ensure that each page’s content is unique, aligns with user intent, and provides value to site visitors. Make sure your content is readable, and avoid keyword stuffing.

Internal linking. Check and fix internal links to smoothen user experience and ensure search engines crawl your website more effectively.

Remember that search engines want to give users high-quality content. Failing to prioritize SEO-friendly content can negatively impact your website’s search rankings.

Improve mobile optimization

Half of all web traffic is currently generated by mobile devices, so having a mobile-optimized website helps your business reach as many potential customers as possible. It also improves user experience and helps your site rank higher.

Your mobile optimization strategy should focus on these factors:

Responsiveness. Your website’s layout should adjust seamlessly to different screen sizes.

Page speed. Reduce media file sizes and enable features that improve page loading speeds.

Mobile usability. Ensure that buttons are functional, text is legible, and navigation is straightforward even on smaller screens.

Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test can help you ensure your site is mobile-friendly and all features work as intended.

Focus on technical SEO

Tech SEO forms the backbone of your site’s performance in the search results. During the redesign process, you should focus on your site’s technical aspects, such as:

Security. If your site isn’t already using HTTPS, a redesign is the perfect opportunity to do so. Increasing security makes your website more trustworthy to users and search engines.

Indexing. Your site should be crawlable by search engines; otherwise, it won’t be indexed properly and will not appear in the search results.

Site structure. Ensuring your website has a clear hierarchy and helps search engines make better sense of your content and improves user experience.

Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console let you track changes in traffic, rankings, and user behavior after making changes.

Update your XML sitemap

An XML sitemap helps Google and other search engines index your website’s pages more efficiently. During the redesign process, ensure that changes are reflected on your sitemap. These include new pages you want to be indexed and ones you don’t want to appear in the search results.

Additionally, review your robots.txt file—which tells search engine bots which pages to crawl and ignore—to ensure it’s updated with your redesigned site’s changes. Once done, submit your sitemap through Google Search Console.

Test and monitor performance

Just because your redesigned website is live doesn’t mean you can call it a day. You should monitor its performance using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console, looking for changes in traffic and rankings, as well as crawl errors.

Moreover, always check your site’s health using regular SEO audits. This can help identify emerging issues that could affect your website’s performance.

Website redesigning is an exciting opportunity to make your website more aligned with your brand, but it’s also a critical opportunity to address flaws and improve its SEO performance. As long as you’re conscious of your SEO goals and prioritize them throughout the process, you should end up with a website that looks and functions better while driving more traffic to your business.

If you don’t know how to start and where to focus during your website redesigning project, don’t hesitate to consult SEO experts.

In-House SEO vs. SEO Agency in 2024: Weighing the Pros & Cons

Posted on October 23, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

Considering the prevalent use of search engines today, search engine optimization (SEO) has become a crucial tool for small and medium businesses looking to build a solid online presence. After all, what better way to attract leads than to appear in the search results every time potential customers search for your product or service?

As a small or medium business owner, you’ve likely considered the best way to invest in SEO. In particular, should you handle it in-house or hire an SEO agency? Both options have pros and cons, and understanding them can help you make the right decision for your business.

This SEO guide will explore the differences between in-house SEO and working with an agency, providing insights into several key factors.

What is in-house SEO?

With in-house SEO, your business manages its SEO efforts internally, meaning your employees create and execute search engine optimization strategies. Companies go about this differently—some hire dedicated SEO specialists, some consult with SEO experts, and others train existing team members in the processes involved.

In any case, the creation and implementation of the strategy is kept entirely within your organization.

What is an SEO agency?

An SEO agency is a third-party service provider specializing in improving search rankings for their clients’ websites. These agencies typically have teams of SEO experts, web developers, and content creators handling various aspects of SEO, including keyword research, content optimization, and technical improvements.

Agencies may specialize in specific processes or types of SEO, such as local SEO, tech SEO, and enterprise SEO, or clients from particular industries.

What are the pros of in-house SEO?

Keeping your SEO efforts in-house does offer several benefits:

Understanding your brand

No one understands your brand and its unique identity better than you and your team. This knowledge of your products, services, target audience, and industry nuances can translate to more authentic, brand-aligned content and strategies.

Communication and collaboration

Because your SEO staff is part of your regular workflow, it’s easy for them to closely collaborate with your marketing, sales, and product teams. As a result, they can adjust strategies in real time and coordinate SEO efforts with broader marketing goals.

Control over the strategy

Keeping SEO efforts in-house gives you full control over strategies, timelines, and how resources are used. You can change or prioritize specific goals without competing for a third-party agency’s attention and resources.

Possible cost savings

Especially if your SEO needs are basic, handling them internally might enable you to save some money. In certain cases, it is cheaper to pay for your team’s salaries and purchase the necessary SEO tools than spend on a long-term contract with an agency.

What are the cons of in-house SEO?

However, in-house SEO also has some downsides:

Limited expertise

SEO constantly evolves as best practices and search engine algorithms change. Your in-house team may be unable to keep up, especially if they handle SEO on top of other responsibilities.

Higher demand for resources

SEO requires time, effort, and ongoing training and attention to produce results. If your team is already stretched thin, adding SEO to their responsibilities may lead to burnout, mistakes, and poorly developed and implemented strategies.

Missing out on tools

SEO processes like research, monitoring, and analysis often require advanced tools that may be too expensive and impractical for small businesses to invest in. As best practices and techniques change, you may also have to purchase additional tools to keep up.

What are the pros of hiring an SEO agency?

Instead of building your own SEO team, you can hire an agency and enjoy the following benefits:

Access to experts

When you partner with an SEO agency, you don’t get just one person—you get an entire team of professionals. These pros usually have years of experience handling one or several aspects of website optimization, from content creation and link building to technical SEO and competitor analysis.

Updated industry knowledge

SEO agencies consider it their full-time job to stay up-to-date on Google’s algorithm updates and the latest industry trends. This is very advantageous, especially for small businesses with larger competitors crowding the market.

Scalability and flexibility

As your business changes, so do your SEO needs. Hiring an SEO agency allows you to scale up or down your services according to demand instead of hiring and training new team members, as well as investing in new tools.

More bang for your buck

While it might seem expensive upfront, working with an SEO company can be more cost-effective than building an internal team. It saves you time and the cost of software, additional salaries, and continuous training for SEO staff.

What are the cons of hiring an SEO agency?

You might encounter the following disadvantages with SEO agencies:

Less direct control

While most agencies work collaboratively with their clients, you might feel like you have less control over the finer details of your SEO strategy. Communication may also be slower compared to an in-house team.

Potentially high costs

Depending on the agency and the scope of your business’s needs, you may face steep costs. Long-term contracts may also lock you into working with an agency even if you’re unsatisfied with the results.

Possible incompatibility

Choosing the wrong agency can lead to wasted resources and much frustration, so you need to thoroughly considring your choices before signing a contract. Make sure to hire an SEO agency that shares your vision, understands your business, and can deliver results.

Handling SEO internally and hiring an agency both have their own benefits and downsides, and which option you choose should depend on your needs, budget, and available resources. If you have a marketing-savvy team with time to learn and execute SEO strategies, then the former may be the better choice.

However, if you lack internal expertise or require more advanced tactics, then working with an agency may be the more cost-effective choice.

Alternatively, you might want to consider a hybrid approach in which an in-house team handles basic SEO tasks while outsourcing more complex strategies to an SEO agency.

In any case, assess your business’s current capacity, budget, and long-term goals before making a decision. Whether you decide to go in-house, hire an agency, or find a balance between the two, investing in SEO will undoubtedly help your business grow and thrive in 2024.

Effective Strategies to Remove URLs from Google’s Search Index

Posted on October 15, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

A well-structured and organized website is key to your business appearing on search engine results pages (SERPs) whenever target customers search for your products or services. Often, this means regularly updating your website with fresh and relevant content, as well as optimizing its elements for search engines.

However, there may come a time when you need to remove URLs from Google’s search engine index.

This article will help you understand why this is necessary, how it’s done, and why tools like Google Search Console (formerly known as Google Webmaster) are necessary for the process.

Why remove URLs from Google’s search index?

A uniform resource locator (URL) denotes a specific page on a website. Think of it as a unique address for each page on your website. Google’s search index is a massive database of URLs from websites all over the Internet. Every time a user searches for something, Google’s bots crawl through this database to display web pages relevant to the query.

You might think your SEO strategy should focus on having all your website’s URLs listed on the search engine index, but there are times when that would be unideal. Here are some examples:

Outdated content. As you update your website with fresh content, certain pages will eventually become irrelevant or outdated. These could be blog posts with outdated information, posts for past events, or pages for products you no longer sell.

Duplicate content. Removing duplicate content is one of the main priorities in technical search engine optimization (SEO). Duplicate content occurs when multiple pages contain the same information, leading to search engines being confused about which pages to index.

Sensitive information. Publishing confidential information, such as internal business documents or customers’ personal data, on your website can lead to security risks and privacy violations. Thus, removing pages containing them should be a priority.

Low-quality content. Poorly made content—whether spammy, thin, or containing irrelevant information—can hurt your website’s authority and credibility. An SEO audit can identify these content and help you remove them from your site.

Additionally, there may come a time when you decide to rebrand your business or shift your focus to a different set of products and services. Such a change means some or all of your URLs no longer align with your business’s offerings and goals, hence the need to remove them.

How can you remove URLs from the index?

Depending on the reason for removal, you could ask for URLs in your website to be temporarily or permanently excluded from the search engine index. Here are the ways to do it:

Use Google Search Console’s URL removal tool

Google Search Console lets you track and manage your website’s presence in Google’s search results. One of its features is the ability to request the temporary removal of URLs, which is done through the following steps:

Sign in to Google Search Console.
Go to the Removals section found under the Index menu.
Click New Request and enter the URL to be removed.
Confirm your request.

This method temporarily hides the URL from Google’s search index for about six months. Permanently removing URLs requires a different set of steps.

Implement the “noindex” meta tag

The “noindex” meta tag instructs search engines not to record a specific page. It keeps the page accessible but prevents it from appearing on search results. You’d want to use this tag for pages like those created for internal use and testing.

To implement the “noindex” tag, go to the HTML of the page you want to remove and add this line:

You should then use Google Search Console to ask Google to recrawl the page.

Use 301 redirects

Imagine you have a webpage for a product or service your business no longer offers. Because this page has been around for some time, it already has backlinks and has been indexed by Google. Supposing you delete this page, users who try to access it will encounter a dead link (404 error), resulting in a poor experience. Backlinks to the page will also become useless.

You can avoid the negative SEO repercussions of 404 errors by using 301 redirects. Essentially, a redirect tells search engines and users that the page they’re trying to access is no longer available. It then points them to a new and relevant page, such as a new version of the removed product. The backlinks of the removed page will also redirect to the new one, preserving their SEO value.

Use the HTTP 410 status code

This method is ideal for URLs you won’t be using again, such as pages for one-time events or time-limited promotions. Unlike 301 redirects, the HTTP 410 (Gone) status code tells search engines that the URL is no longer available and won’t be returning.

Over time, Google will drop pages with a “Gone” status entirely from its index.

Use robots.txt to block URLs

If there are versions of your website you don’t want search engines to index, such as admin pages or particular directories, you can use a “robots.txt” file to prevent crawlers from accessing these areas. This file is placed on your website’s root directory and tells search engines which part of your site to crawl and index.

Here’s an example:

However, this method cannot remove a URL already listed in Google’s search engine index. A robots.txt file is best used along with the other methods on this list.

Conduct regular SEO audits

It’s easy to lose track of which URLs are still useful and which need removal, especially as your site grows in size and scope. An SEO audit reviews your site’s overall health and can uncover key issues impacting SEO performance, including pages that need to be improved or removed.

Removing irrelevant, low-quality, or outdated URLs is crucial to keeping your website clean and organized and achieving high search rankings. It also ensures your site delivers a better user experience, making it a win-win for both search engines and your audience.

Needless to say, removing URLs requires some tech SEO expertise. Many small and medium business owners hire a tech SEO agency to ensure that their website is being managed correctly. Following the same strategy keeps your business in top shape while giving you more time to focus on core business matters.

Don’t let technical issues hold you back from ranking higher in search results and growing your business!

10 Simple Methods to Analyze Keyword Competition

Posted on October 10, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

Keywords form the backbone of most search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. They are the terms and phrases Internet users use in search engine queries, so how you use them can determine how easily your business can be found online.

When determining the best keywords for your website, you might think it’s enough to conduct keyword research. While it does help with finding relevant and high-quality keywords, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Another crucial step you should consider is a keyword competition analysis.

In this SEO guide, you will learn what keyword analysis is in the context of competitor research, as well as how it differs from keyword research.

What is keyword competition?

Keyword competition refers to how easily you rank for a specific search term or phrase. It’s a crucial metric because, in your area, you likely have competitors optimizing for the exact search phrases. The more businesses use the same keywords, the harder and pricier it becomes to rank for those terms.

A keyword analysis helps determine the best SEO strategy for your website. It provides insights into your competitors and which terms they’re targeting, helping you find the most efficient and cost-effective way to raise your search rankings.

For example, it makes sense to target keywords most people use, but your competitors are likely following this strategy, too. For this reason, some businesses target so-called “low-hanging fruits,” keywords that may not have high search volumes but are easier to rank for.

How can you analyze keyword competition?

Here are 10 simple SEO tips to effectively analyze keyword competition:

Use Google search results

Google is one of the best places to start, whether you’re doing keyword analysis or competitor research. Go to Google, type your desired keyword, and see what comes up. The results will tell you who you’re competing with and give you an idea as to what your strategy should be.

You can also click on the top results and look around their websites. Examine what they do with their content, titles, and meta descriptions to get ideas on how to improve your own SEO efforts.

Check your competitors’ domain authority

Domain authority (DA) usually scores websites from one to 100 and shows their likelihood of ranking in the search results. As any SEO guide will tell you, the stronger your site, the higher its DA.

Using tools like Ahrefs and Moz’s Link Explorer, check the DA of websites that are ranking for your keywords. If your competitors’ websites have a much higher DA than yours, you’ll likely struggle to rank for that search term.

Use tools to examine keyword difficulty

Tools like SEMRush and Ahrefs also feature a keyword difficulty score, usually from one to 100. A higher score typically means it’s tougher to rank. Analyzing your desired keywords through such tools can help you understand competition before you commit resources to ranking for them.

Review your competitors’ backlinks

The links from other websites to yours are called backlinks, and Google uses them to determine your site’s trustworthiness. A site with plenty of backlinks is likely to rank high in the search results.

Check your competitors’ backlinks using tools like Ahrefs and Majestic SEO. The more backlinks this competitor has, the harder it might be to rank for the same keywords they use. One way to compete is by building quality backlinks to your site through tactics like guest posting, influencer outreach, and creating high-quality content.

Examine your competitors’ content quality

During your keyword research, do not focus on just the keywords. You should also look at the quality of your competitors’ content.

If their content is weak, outdated, or irrelevant, you may outrank them by populating your site with better-made posts. This tactic will not only put you on Google’s good side, but it will also make you more credible in potential customers’ eyes.

Assess your competitors’ meta tags

Meta tags are code elements describing your website’s contents. They include the meta title, which is the title of your website as it appears in search results, and the meta description, which gives users a short overview of what to expect upon clicking on your link.

Ideally, these tags should entice users to visit your website and contain your desired keywords. During your competitor research, examine how they use keywords in their meta tags. If they are neglecting these elements, you might outrank them by crafting more compelling titles and descriptions for your pages.

Evaluate local search results

Since you’re focused on local SEO, you should check how particular search terms perform in your geographic area. Google’s search results can vary based on location, so ensure your keyword analysis looks at the results from your exact location.

You may even use tools like BrightLocal or a virtual private network (VPN) to simulate searches from other cities or regions. This tactic is especially helpful if your business has offices in multiple areas.

Look at bids on Google Ads

Google Ads can be a great way to see which keywords are competitive. High competition on Google Ads means that businesses are willing to pay to appear for that term.

Google’s Keyword Planner can give you insights into certain terms’ average cost-per-click (CPC). A high CPC points to high competition.

Use Google Trends

Google Trends shows how popular search terms are over time. Enter your desired keyword to see if interest is falling or rising, which will then help you spot opportunities.

For example, if your primary keyword is declining in popularity, you might want to focus on a new set of terms that are trending upwards. If you notice an increase in popularity, you might want to create content around it before the competition becomes too fierce.

Consider long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer and more specific phrases that attract relevant traffic while featuring lower competition. For example, instead of “HVAC technician,” a long-tail term could be “best HVAC technician in Los Angeles.”

These search terms are less frequently used. But because they are incredibly targeted and specific, they can attract high-quality leads that usually take minimal effort from your end to convert.

Conducting a keyword analysis on your competitors’ websites does more than uncover valuable insights into their SEO strategies. It also helps you determine how to optimize your own website for better local search visibility.

If you find these steps overwhelming, consider working with a local SEO agency instead of doing them yourself. A local SEO company’s team of experts understands the best tactics and practices for optimizing your website and can provide SEO tips and support tailored to your business’s specific needs. With their assistance, you’ll have time to concentrate on how to lead your business to success.

Accelerate Business Growth with SEO Automation

Posted on October 7, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

With so many potential customers using the Internet, you need a website to represent your business and engage clients online. But your competitors know this, too, so how do you stand out and attract your potential customers to your page?

The answer is search engine optimization (SEO).

SEO increases your website’s ranking on the results page of search engines like Google, making it more likely to be seen and visited by Internet users. However, SEO does become more complex as your website gets bigger and more sophisticated.

One of the best ways to address this issue is by investing in SEO automation.

What is SEO automation?

SEO automation involves using intelligent tools to handle repetitive tasks that are otherwise done manually. These tools often use algorithms, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) to automate tasks like keyword research, content optimization, and backlink analysis.

The primary goal is to save time and resources while keeping your website competitive in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Even SEO agencies are using automation to increase the speed, accuracy, and scalability of SEO campaigns. Instead of spending hours deciphering how to improve a website’s performance, they can leverage tools to obtain key insights that maximize outcomes for clients.

Does automating SEO benefit businesses?

The short answer is yes. Here are some of these benefits:

Save time and resources

SEO is a continuous process that requires dedicated time and effort. Online trends and search engine algorithms can change overnight, and failing to adapt your SEO strategy can result in decreased website rankings and wasted resources.

Automation enables tools to handle repetitive tasks while human teams focus on more critical processes, such as developing and implementing strategies for stronger rankings.

Ensure consistency and accuracy

SEO is long-term, and it usually takes months of consistent effort to see results. Unfortunately, manual efforts can be prone to errors. Sometimes, you might even forget certain tasks, such as adding critical elements to your content.

Automated tools can analyze and monitor data without missing a beat, as well as ensure that crucial steps like on-page optimization and SEO audits are done regularly and accurately.

Improve keyword targeting

Whether it’s SEO for local businesses or multinational corporations, keyword targeting is crucial to a campaign. Automated tools can help identify valuable search terms, track keyword rankings, and provide recommendations to improve your website content’s performance.

These capabilities are especially crucial in SEO for local businesses. Unlike general search engine optimization, increasing local search rankings requires specific keywords relevant to your business’s location and target audience.

Streamline SEO audits

An SEO audit uncovers issues like broken links and duplicate content that may be weighing down your website’s performance and search ranking. Although effective, manual audits often become more tedious with larger and more complex websites.

Automated tools can perform SEO audits on big websites faster. They can also provide general recommendations to enhance your site’s performance.

Scale as your business grows

Your website will change as your business expands, and so should your SEO efforts. Automated tools can adapt to these changes, making optimizing your website easier and more efficient as your business and its needs evolve.

Additionally, automation allows you to handle multiple websites simultaneously, making it an excellent solution if your business has more than one online platform.

What are examples of SEO automation tools?

There are various SEO tools available in the market, each with unique features and capabilities. Here are some of the most popular and which even the best SEO agencies use:

SEMrush

One of the most popular and comprehensive SEO tools right now, SEMrush allows users to automate site audits, keyword research, and competitor analysis, among other tasks. It also delivers beginner-friendly insights that are easy to implement.

Ahrefs

Although it specializes in backlink analysis, Ahrefs is capable of automating rank tracking and keyword research. It also provides great insights into improving a website’s off-page SEO, critical for increasing domain authority and search visibility.

Moz Pro

This comprehensive tool automates tasks like keyword tracking, site audits, and on-page optimization. It features an intuitive interface, making it compatible with users who don’t want to be bogged down by overly technical details.

BrightLocal

This is a powerful tool in SEO for local businesses. It can automate local SEO audits, track local rankings, and help manage business listings across critical platforms like Google My Business (GMB).

Automation offers incredible SEO benefits for enterprises of any size, but especially for small and medium businesses with large and sophisticated websites. When leveraged properly, automated SEO tools can help maintain efficiency, consistency, and accuracy in your SEO strategy while saving valuable time and resources.

However, it’s worth noting that automated tools alone cannot provide the deep insights into competitors and user experience that SEO experts deliver. Whether for an SEO guide, tailored strategy, or customer-focused campaign, partnering with an experienced SEO agency is still the go-to for most businesses today.

How to Optimize Your Website for Local SEO in 2024: Essential Tips

Posted on October 4, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

As a small or medium business owner, you need to focus your lead generation and conversion efforts on potential customers within your area. As tempting as it may be to try and capture leads from the widest area possible, targeting your local community can often yield better results.

Imagine you own a small general contracting firm in Seattle. While it may seem beneficial to try and capture leads from all over Washington State, focusing within your city will likely bring in more qualified leads and conversions. This is where local search engine optimization (SEO) can be a very powerful tool.

What is local SEO?

SEO involves setting up your website to rank better in search engine results so it’s more visible and more likely to get visited by Internet users. Local SEO is similar but targets potential customers within a small and specific area, such as a city or county.

Optimizing for local search makes a lot of sense for small and medium businesses, and here are some insights to prove it:

48% of consumers prefer to buy from small businesses to support their local economy.
60% of consumers choose local businesses because these places offer unique products not found in large retailers.
92% of consumers travel no more than 20 minutes to buy everyday needs, which is a win for local businesses in their area.
46% of all Google searches seek information about local product and service providers.
70% of consumers visit a business based on local information they found on the Internet.

Moreover, the continuing rise of mobile is making local SEO more relevant than ever. Among mobile users, 88% of consumers who look for local information visit or contact a local business within the next 24 hours.

What are the benefits of local SEO?

Investing in local SEO offers many advantages, especially for small and medium businesses:

Be seen by more customers

To attract customers in the Internet Age, you need to put your business on the map—literally. Local SEO makes your business more likely to appear on Google Maps and the so-called “Local Pack,” which is the top result in map-based searches.

Target the right traffic

Optimizing for local searches makes your website more visible to consumers already interested in your products and services. By providing you with such high-quality leads, search engine optimization helps facilitate your business’s growth.

Boost your business’s credibility

Showing up in local searches, especially in Google’s Local Pack, can make potential customers more inclined to trust you. Getting their trust makes them more likely to convert, become loyal, and spread positive referrals.

How can you optimize your website?

There are different best SEO practices for different needs, goals, and types of businesses, but your local SEO plan must include the following:

Optimize your Google Business Profile

Formerly—and still commonly—known as Google My Business (GMB), Google Business Profile helps you manage your presence across Google’s search results, especially on Maps. Google My Business optimization ensures that customers find accurate and consistent details about your business, such as address, phone number, website, and operating hours.

When optimizing your GMB profile, make sure all business information in your listing is correct. You can also add high-quality photos of your business, products, and location. Ask customers to leave reviews, positive or otherwise, and respond when you can. This shows you value feedback and engaging customers.

Create content with local keywords

Keywords are a critical component of any SEO plan, whether traditional or local search optimization. A local keyword is a target phrase that includes your location, such as “general contractor in Seattle” or “best HVAC repair in San Francisco.” Use local keywords in strategic places throughout your site, including page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and website copy.

One of the best places to populate with local keywords is your blog page. Write blog posts about relevant and interesting topics about your local community or ones your potential customers will find useful. This strategy not only helps with SEO but also positions you as an authority and credible thought leader in your industry within your area.

Optimize for voice search and mobile

Virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa dominate search queries and tend to prioritize local results. To optimize for voice search, make your content sound conversational and answer questions your target audience is likely to be asking. You should also consider incorporating long-tail keywords, as these tend to mimic natural language.

Optimizing for mobile is also key to any local SEO plan. Half of all online traffic today comes from mobile devices, most of which are equipped with virtual assistants. A mobile-optimized website loads fast and is compatible with any screen size, providing the best experience to your mobile visitors.

Build local backlinks

Other websites will sometimes link back to your site. These are called backlinks, and search engines interpret them as signals that your site is credible and valuable enough to be referenced on someone else’s website. When building local backlinks, target locally relevant sources like local business directories and community organizations.

You can connect with reputable websites in your area, such as newspapers, business directories, community organizations, and blog sites, and ask them to link to your site. You can also offer guest posts or partnerships with these sites in exchange for a backlink.

Concentrate on local citations

A local citation happens when other websites, such as local business directories, mention your business name, address, and phone number (NAP). Make sure your NAP is consistent across these listings. Besides contributing to your local search ranking, local citations also help improve your credibility with your audience.

Many potential customers check out review websites to learn more about businesses they’re considering, so having positive reviews and consistent citations can significantly impact their purchasing decisions.

The benefits of local SEO are undeniable, especially for small and medium businesses. Optimizing your website for local searches can help connect you to the best leads, boost your business’s credibility, and ultimately drive growth. But if you find creating and implementing a local SEO plan overwhelming, consider hiring a professional local SEO agency instead. This way, you can focus on running and growing your business while leaving the technical and time-consuming parts to SEO experts.

7 Spam Activities to Avoid to Prevent Search Engine Penalties

Posted on October 2, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

As a small to medium business (SMB) building your website’s online visibility, you should be careful about engaging in spammy SEO tactics—even unintentionally. Unethical SEO practices can lead to penalties that can severely harm your website’s Google rankings and make your business less visible to potential customers.

Here are seven common spammy tactics that can result in search engine penalties and SEO tips for steering clear of them:

Keyword stuffing

Even though keywords are crucial in most on-page SEO strategies, overloading your content with too many is a big no-no. As far as search engine algorithms go, quality and relevance trump quantity. Keyword stuffing, or using keywords an excessive number of times, can actually harm your search ranking instead of improving it.

Imagine yourself reading this sentence: “We are the best electricians in California, offering electrician services in California to those who need cheap electricians in California for residential electrical services.” It sounds bad, unnatural, and confusing, leading to poor user experience.

To avoid keyword stuffing, focus on writing for your human audience rather than for search engines. Use your targeted keywords within the context of your content and as you would in a normal conversation. Remember that Google aims to provide the most relevant and valuable results for its users, so prioritize creating high-quality, user-friendly content.

Buying links

Backlinks, which are when other websites link back to your site, are one of Google’s top ranking factors. They are considered a strong signal of authority because other websites are essentially vouching for your content. This is why some businesses buy backlinks, thinking that more links can increase their authority and rankings. However, Google sees this as a shady and manipulative tactic and will penalize your website for it.

Instead of buying backlinks, earn them legitimately by creating high-quality content that will be used as a resource or reference by other sites. You can also engage in organic approaches like networking within your industry, guest blogging, and sharing your expertise on social media to build your authority and attract natural backlinks.

Duplicate content

Duplicate content is the same content on multiple web pages—whether your own or on different websites. Although unintentional duplicate content is possible, some businesses intentionally use it to manipulate search rankings. Either case can confuse search engines about which version to rank, leading to penalties.

Do your best to create original content for each page of your website. To minimize the risk of duplicate content, you should also run your copy or blog posts through plagiarism checks. If you need to repeat information—with product descriptions on e-commerce pages, for example—differentiate each piece of content by paraphrasing or adding unique value.

Cloaking

This practice means the content shown to search engines differs from what appears to users. For example, the site might present keyword-rich content to search engines but direct users to a page that doesn’t match the search terms. This deceptive tactic violates search engine guidelines and can sink your Google ranking.

Instead of trying to trick users or search engines, create content that satisfies your human audience and follows SEO updates and best practices. Make sure your pages provide the value they promise based on the keywords they’re optimized for.

Hidden text or links

Some websites hide text or links by making them the same color as the page background, rendering them invisible to everyone but search engines. This tactic allows the website owner to stuff their pages without disrupting user experience, thinking the extra keywords and links would benefit their search rankings. However, Google considers this practice deceptive and incapable of offering real value to site visitors.

To avoid this issue, create content that speaks directly to your audience. Ensure that all elements of your website, including text, media, and design, are visible, easy to read, and comprehensible.

Thin content

This type of content has little useful or relevant information for site visitors. It could be auto-generated content or pages stuffed with keywords but do not offer anything valuable. Thin content can frustrate users and may cause them to leave the page, increasing the website’s bounce rates.

When creating content for your website, focus on providing information that will genuinely help users. Find out what questions and concerns your potential customers have, and provide answers through your content. This way, visitors will want to stay on your website and consider you as a credible source of information.

Doorway pages

A doorway page is a low-quality page created specifically to rank for specific keywords and act as a “door” that leads users to a different page on your website. These pages are often thin and offer little value. For example, a website might create a doorway page for the keyword “HVAC repair in Houston.” Instead of providing high-quality content related to the keyword, the page redirects users to the main HVAC services page. This tactic is considered deceptive and can lead to Google ranking penalties.

To avoid getting penalized, do not create pages for the sole purpose of capturing traffic. Instead, make sure each page in your website delivers usable, informative, and engaging content. This not only satisfies search engine requirements, but it also keeps site visitors happy.

Navigating the world of SEO may seem overwhelming, especially when you consider search engine penalties. However, remember that good SEO is about building trust—with both your audience and search engines. Keep your content genuine, valuable, and relevant, and always follow ethical SEO tips and best practices. Chances are, you’ll soon see steady growth in your Google rankings without resorting to black-hat tactics.

Optimizing for Voice Search in 2024: Best Practices for SEO

Posted on October 1, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

Voice search has changed how consumers interact with the Internet in recent years, with virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa enabling people to find answers quickly and hands-free. As these tools increase and become more sophisticated, it’s obvious that voice search is anything but a passing fad. It’s becoming more necessary for small and medium businesses (SMBs) to optimize their websites for voice search to remain competitive in the always-changing digital landscape.

If you’re new to search engine optimization (SEO), this subject might seem complicated and overwhelming, but don’t worry. This article will guide you on the basics of voice search optimization and provide practical advice on ensuring your business website performs better in search results. Whether you want to understand why voice search is a big deal or looking for actionable SEO tips, this post has you covered.

The growing talk about voice search

Search engines offer a convenient way to find answers for everything, but typing a query can be impractical and time-consuming, especially when you’re driving, multitasking, or have your hands full. For some people with disabilities, it can even be challenging or downright impossible.

Voice search allows users to do whatever they need online, whether it’s getting answers, finding local businesses, or making purchases, by speaking out their queries. The convenience it offers is such a dealbreaker that 71% of consumers prefer using it for everyday tasks. Some sources also believe it will comprise 50% of all Internet searches by 2024.

There are several factors contributing to the rise of voice search:

More people use smartphones. Voice assistants are a common feature in most smartphones, making it easier for people to take advantage of them anytime and anywhere.
Smart speakers are increasingly popular.More and more households worldwide are using Amazon Echo, Google Home, and similar devices.
Responses are faster and more accurate.Better artificial intelligence (AI) means these tools have become more accurate and efficient in interpreting natural language.

As a business owner, you should focus on voice search optimization so your website remains visible and accessible to voice search users.

Voice search is changing SEO

Traditional text-based SEO relies on users typing short, keyword-focused queries. But with voice search, people tend to ask more conversational and natural-sounding questions. For example, instead of typing “best electrician in Salt Lake City,” users might ask, “Where’s the best electrician near me?”

This shift means SEO experts and practitioners need to adjust strategies to account for longer, conversational queries. Website content must prioritize direct answers to questions, meaning it needs to be structured to quickly and efficiently give users the information they’re looking for.

Voice search optimization in 2024

You don’t need to be a tech wizard to optimize your website for voice queries. Here are some SEO tips to help you get started:

Focus on conversational keywords

As mentioned above, because voice queries sound conversational, you need to stop focusing solely on short, specific keywords. Instead, it makes sense to include terms that sound close to natural language. For instance:

Text keyword: “HVAC San Diego”
Voice keyword: “What’s the best HVAC repair company in San Diego?”

Incorporating longer, question-based keywords into your content lets you capture more voice search traffic.

Optimize for local search

Almost half of all voice searchesare for local businesses, so your voice and local SEO strategies should go hand in hand with one another. Here are some critical steps you should not ignore:

Optimize your Google Business Profile.Formerly known as Google My Business (GMB), Google Business Profile displays information about your business, including name, address, phone number, opening hours, and reviews on local search results. Make sure this information is accurate and up to date.
Use location-based keywords.Incorporate phrases containing your location in your content. If you’re a general contractor in Miami, for example, use the phrase “general contractor in Miami.” This way, search engines can better match your business with relevant local queries.
Encourage customer feedback.Positive customer reviews can improve your visibility in local searches and enhance your credibility, making your business more likely to be the top choice for voice queries. Moreover, engaging customers by responding to feedback can help build a loyal following.

Of course, local SEO isn’t just about voice search; it also helps you come up in regular text-based searches, so optimizing for both presents a win-win situation for your business.

Use featured snippets to provide answers

When users ask, a voice assistant usually answers by pulling information from a featured snippet—the highlighted answer at the top of Google search results. Structure your content so it answers common questions directly to improve your chances of appearing here. For instance:

Address specific, query-based topics through an FAQ.
Use concise and straightforward answers (40 to 60 words).

This format makes your content more suitable for voice queries and helps it rank higher in the search results.

Speed up your website

Site speed is a big deal in search engine optimization, more so in voice search optimization. Users expect quick answers, and if your website takes forever to load, they could leave it for your competitors instead. This will increase your site’s bounce rate, which can negatively impact your search ranking. To improve your site’s speed, compress image sizes, use caching, and consider employing a content delivery network (CDN).

Optimize your site for mobile

Since many voice searches happen on smartphones, your website must be mobile-friendly. Ensure your site uses responsive design, loads quickly on mobile devices, and is easy to navigate on a smaller screen. A mobile-optimized site ensures that traditional and voice search users have a seamless experience.

SMBs should invest in SEO Services

If all this talk of voice search optimization seems overwhelming, you’re not alone. As voice search continues to evolve, staying on top of the latest SEO practices can be a challenge. That’s where SEO services come in. Working with the best SEO agency or hiring professional SEO experts can help you implement the strategies needed to stay competitive in the voice search space.

SEO experts understand the technical details of optimizing for voice search and can ensure your website meets the requirements of today’s search engines. Plus, they can continuously monitor and adjust your SEO strategy to adjust to changes in search engines and the Internet landscape, ensuring long-term success.

If you’re not sure where to start, consider reaching out to an expert in SEO services to guide you. Remember, investing in search engine optimization now can help your business thrive in the future.

Core Web Vitals in 2024: Why Page Speed and UX Still Matter for SEO

Posted on September 30, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

There was a time when search engine optimization (SEO) was all about keywords and backlinks. If you wanted your website to appear on the search engine results page (SERP) and get clicks, all you had to do was stuff the right keywords and links into your content.

But today’s SEO is far more nuanced and complex, with Google increasingly emphasizing user experience (UX) and websites’ technical health. One key driver behind this shift is Core Web Vitals, which are metrics measuring how users experience the speed, responsiveness, and stability of your website.

For small and medium business owners, keeping up with the latest SEO updates in 2024 might feel overwhelming, with constantly changing algorithms and new concepts being introduced. However, having a basic understanding of Core Web Vitals and how to improve your site’s performance can help your business stay competitive in the search results.

What are Core Web Vitals?

Google introduced the metrics known as Core Web Vitals to assess three important aspects of a webpage’s performance:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures the time it takes for the largest element—usually a large image, video, or block of text—to load and become visible to users. Google recommends an LCP of 2.5 seconds or faster for a good user experience.
First Input Delay (FID) tracks how long the website responds to the first user interaction, such as clicking a link or tapping a button. An interactive and responsive site has an FID of under 100 milliseconds.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures how much a webpage’s layout shifts as it loads. A big shift could result in users accidentally clicking on the wrong elements, causing a frustrating experience. The ideal CLS score is 0.1 or less.

A high score on these metrics ensures that users have a smooth and positive experience when they visit your website.

How do Core Web Vitals impact SEO?

Google integrated Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor in its algorithm, which means your site’s performance directly affects its ranking in search results. Of course, exceptional content and high-quality backlinks are still critical, but your website could still end up ranking low because of poor page loading speeds and clunky user experience.

Visitors expect websites to load within about two seconds, with 53% of mobile visitors abandoning a site that takes longer than three seconds to finish loading. They also expect a smooth user experience; otherwise, 79% leave and go to a competitor instead. In fact, 88% of online consumers refuse to buy from a business whose website offers a negative experience. For Google, such user behavior is a clear sign that your site does not meet user expectations, and over time, this can harm your search ranking.

Why does page speed matter in SEO?

Page speed has been and continues to be an important ranking factor in SEO. Google downright prioritizes websites that load quickly because users value speed. If users abandon your site because your content takes forever to load, your bounce rate will rise. This measures the percentage of people who leave your site after viewing just one page. High bounce rates indicate a poor user experience, and Google will take notice.

Additionally, as mentioned above, mobile users are especially demanding regarding page speed. This is critical for two reasons. First, half of all web traffic today comes from mobile devices. Second, Google’s mobile-first indexing prioritizes a website’s mobile version when determining its ranking in the search results.

Why is UX important in SEO?

User experience is closely tied to page speed. Even if your page loads quickly, confusing navigation, unresponsive elements, intrusive pop-ups, and other hallmarks of bad UX design can frustrate visitors and cause them to leave. Imagine how you’d feel if, the moment you land on a webpage, you are bombarded with multiple ads and pop-ups before you can even read the page’s contents.

Google and other search engines want to provide users with the best experience possible, so sites that deliver good UX are more likely to rank higher in the search results. Therefore, improving your website’s usability should be a key component of your SEO strategy.

How can you improve your site’s Core Web Vitals?

Here are tips to ensure your website delivers a top-notch experience to users:

Optimize images

Visual elements can keep visitors engaged, but large images slow down your site’s loading speed. Compress images to reduce their file size and reduce their impact on loading time.

Implement lazy loading

Lazy loading can help you achieve a good LCP score. It’s a technique wherein images and heavy elements like videos are only loaded when they are visible on the user’s screen.

Minimize JavaScript and CSS

JavaScript and CSS are used to style and make your site more interactive, but excessive use can slow down your site. Minimizing their use can make your site faster and more responsive.

Regularly monitor performance

You or your SEO agency should regularly monitor your website’s Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console. The detailed reports in Google Search Console tell you how your site is performing and alert you to any issues that may affect your rankings.

Prioritize mobile-first design

Ensuring your website is optimized for mobile devices is crucial to your technical SEO strategy. Use a responsive design and test your website’s mobile performance to make sure it loads quickly and provides an excellent experience for mobile users.

Core Web Vitals are more than just a technical requirement—they are a key component to delivering the best possible user experience and maintaining strong search rankings. Achieving high scores in these metrics can help you stay competitive, drive traffic to your website, and help grow your business. If you’re unsure where to start, consider reaching out to an experienced SEO agency that can guide you through the process and keep you updated on the latest Google ranking tips.

By focusing on technical SEO and providing a better user experience, you’ll be well-positioned to succeed in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Mastering Technical SEO in 2024: Key Tactics for Optimizing

Posted on September 27, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

Search engines like Google value high-quality content, so delivering engaging, well-made, and useful information is necessary in any search engine optimization (SEO) effort. But as crucial as it may be, exceptional content is just one part of the equation. You also need to optimize your website’s technical elements so it ranks high on the search engine results page (SERP) and has more likelihood of being clicked by potential customers. This is where technical SEO comes in.

What is technical SEO?

Search engines “crawl” or scan the different elements of your website to understand its relevance and the best way to rank it in the search results. Technical SEO, also known as tech SEO, refers to the process of optimizing your website so search engines can crawl it without trouble.

Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses largely on keyword strategy and content, tech SEO concerns a website’s “behind-the-scenes” aspects, such as its structure, security, loading speed, and mobile performance. Why does this matter? Because your site’s ability to run smoothly and efficiently factors into how visible it becomes to potential customers.

Indexing issues lead to low rankings

Search engines cannot recommend your website to users if crawlers cannot understand its contents. Technical issues such as broken links and incorrect use of canonical tags can prevent proper indexing, which means your website may not appear in SERPs at all.

Site performance affects user experience

Google wants to provide users with the best experience, so it prioritizes websites that load quickly and are easy to navigate. When a site takes too long to load or has a confusing structure, visitors usually abandon it without taking action, increasing bounce rates. High bounce rates can lower your website’s search ranking.

Technical issues lead to penalties

Search engines flag websites that violate their guidelines, such as employing spammy tactics, having duplicate content, or failing to implement proper security measures. These penalties often result in a drop in ranking. Considering that more than half of clicks only go to the top of Google’s search results, you’d want to avoid penalties and get your site to rank as high as possible.

How can you optimize your site’s performance?

The importance of tech SEO cannot be overstated, especially if you want your business to outshine your competitors in the SERP. To optimize your website for better rankings, it’s crucial to focus on the following technical SEO points:

Page loading speed

You need to speed up your website’s loading time, especially if your primary focus is generating and converting leads. More than 40% of consumers expect websites to finish loading within two seconds, and taking a second longer can reduce your conversion rate by 7%. Among mobile users, 53% abandon a site that takes more than three seconds to load.

One way to improve page loading speeds is to compress images to reduce their size without compromising their quality. You can also minimize HTTP requests by limiting the number of elements on your page or using CSS sprites to combine multiple images.

Mobile-friendliness

As more than 50% of all Internet traffic comes from mobile devices, you need to optimize your website for mobile users. Google uses mobile-first indexing, prioritizing your site’s mobile version to determine its ranking. If your site is not mobile-optimized, you could end up with lower rankings and missing out on visits by potential customers.

Running a tech SEO audit can help you confirm that your website performs optimally on mobile devices. Pay attention to how your website adjusts to different screen sizes. Make sure your content remains clear, the design stays intact, and no buttons are missing.

Crawl errors

Imagine waiting months for your website to rank, only to find out it wasn’t indexed properly because of crawl errors. These errors occur when issues like 404 errors, misconfigured redirects, and a problematic XML sitemap prevent search engines from accessing segments or elements of your website.

A tech SEO can help uncover crawl errors so you can fix them promptly. You should also regularly update your sitemap and ensure that it’s submitted to Google so that all important pages are indexed.

Site structure

Search engines understand what your site is above by looking at its structure. A clear, hierarchical structure ensures that search engines can easily navigate and index your pages. It also leads to a website that facilitates a smooth user experience and makes it easy for visitors to find the information they seek.

To optimize your website’s structure, use clear, SEO-friendly URLs that describe what pages are about. For example, “www.yourwebsite.com/services” is more helpful to search engines and users than “www.yourwebsite.com/1234.” You can also use breadcrumbs, a feature that helps users understand where they are on your website.

Security

The Internet is anything but secure, and search engines prioritize the safety of their users. A secure HTTPS site helps protect user data and build trust with your audience. HTTPS has been used by Google as a ranking signal for years, and sites that aren’t secure are flagged with a “Not Secure” warning, potentially scaring away visitors.

If your site still uses HTTP, switch to HTTPS by acquiring an SSL certificate. Many hosting providers provide free SSL certificates, so take advantage of the offer to improve your site’s security and rankings.

Should You Partner with an SEO Agency?

Technical SEO is a complex process that takes plenty of effort and time. That’s why many business owners hire professional tech services to handle the technical aspects of their website while they focus on running their business. A professional SEO services provider can do everything from tech SEO audits to ongoing optimization, helping boost your website’s ranking and contributing to your business’s growth.