10 SEO Tips For Your Website

Using search engine optimization (SEO) practices can help you connect with online shoppers by moving your site up in the search results and by creating connections that can send traffic your way. Review the following tips to find ways to help your company.

1. Target the right keywords
   Keywords are the words people use when they search the Internet. Using the right keywords is especially important because searchers tend to become more specific with their search terms as they get closer to making a purchase.
2. Improve page titles
   Page titles—the text that appears at the top of the browser screen—clue search engines into what your site is about. Search engines typically give more weight to title tags and page headers than other elements on a Web page.
3. Cultivate links
   Few things move your site to the top of a search results list faster than backlinks. These links come from other sites and serve as a sort of personal recommendation to help search engines identify the best content.
4. Add new content
   Search engines love unique content, so set aside time regularly—every week is ideal—to craft new content for your site. Content can be anything that showcases your expertise and relates to what your company sells. Building trust is key, so focus on information of value to site visitors over directly promotional copy.
5. Speed up your website
   Slow-loading sites are not only a turn-off to customers, but they can also lower your ranking on some search engines. If you’re not sure how quickly your site loads, try using Yahoo!’s YSlow, Google’s Page Speed
6. Optimize everything
   Search engines don’t do as well categorizing images, so provide alt tags to help get your site noticed. An alt tag is the text that appears when an Internet user hovers the mouse over an image or graphic.
7. Think locally
   As many as 97 percent of consumers go online to research products and services in their local area, according to media research firm BIA/Kelsey. Sites like Google Places and YP.com have less competition than global search engines, making your business more visible during local searches.
8. Use social media
   People rely on recommendations from friends when deciding where to shop, so having a page on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter or review sites like Yelp and CitySearch can help you drum up business through positive word of mouth. Sharing content on these sites can also increase your search visibility.
9. Continue to Work
   SEO is an ongoing process, so you’ll need to continually make your site attractive to the search engines. The effort can pay off by making your business more visible to online shoppers and bringing new customers in the door.
10. If all else fails...call Southern Crescent Solutions!