What is Google SEO? Part 2: How to Create an SEO Strategy

August 6, 2022

In this article, we’ll show you how to optimize your content to gain more organic traffic using Google’s organic search engine results.

Why Having a Solid SEO Strategy is Beneficial

SEO is made up of multiple elements, knowing what they are and how they work is key to understanding why search engine optimization, is so important. The best approach for optimization is the process or planning and executing steps required to improve organic search engine ranking. This strategy is what needs to be followed when you want to draw more traffic or consumers to your site. In short, search engine optimization is crucial because it makes your website more visible, and that means more traffic and more opportunities to convert prospects into customers.

SEO Strategy (non-infographic)

Step 1: Source Your Keywords

To begin, identify and target a specific keyword phrase for each content section on the pages of your website.

Keep in mind how your reader may be searching for content with search terms such as:

  • What is aquaponics?
  • how do fish feed plants?
  • Closed ecosystem
  • How can I keep my goldfish alive?

Once you choose a keyword phrase or keyword, consider these additional questions:

  • Can these keywords or phrases be found in the URL?
  • Can these keywords or phrases be found in the page title? Can these keywords or phrases be found in the page?
  • Can these keywords or phrases be found in the headline or subheading?

If you can answer yes to these questions, this will ensure that your search engine ranking is at its highest functioning potential. This should guide you on how to create your content to tailor to these keywords or phrases. Remember that readability and usability, as well as the content appearing natural and friendly to users, are key here, in order to still remain relevant to your readers.

Step 2: Analyze the First Page of Search Results

Once you have a handful of keywords or phrases begin by, typing one of them into Google.

Then, scan the top 10 results. Jot down any patterns you notice. These patterns will be a useful tool when looking to tailor your content to be more desirable to readers than other search results.

Step 3: Find Your Edge

In order to find your edge against the infinite amount of content on the web, the content you create must be high-quality.Do this by either, creating something that is unique, or creating something that is by far better than what you have found. Content that is completely different will help your content stand out. Content that answers a particular question or goes in depth on your niche topic, will offer more to the reader than what is the standard found on the search engine.

Step 4: Add that Hook

In order to improve your search engine ranking, you will need to use backlinks, which are a key Google ranking factor. Backlinks are a reference used in a piece of text, compared to a citation. Feel free to scroll down to read further about backlinks. In order to do this, you will need to understand why content producers are linking specific pieces of companies in your industry, this is otherwise known as “The Hook”. Once you are able to see the common hook in your industry, use this to your advantage by adding it to the content you are producing. Adding the hook means backlinking your content to sources that feature statistics and data to support their information.

Step 5: Optimize Content for (On-Page) SEO

This step is all about keyword-optimizing your content for SEO.

Here are three main on-page SEO techniques that are recommended to focus on:

Internal Linking

Link from high authority web pages to ensure that your content has support.

Use Short, Keyword-Rich URLs

In search engine optimization, short URLs have better success rates in comparison to long URLs. URLs should include a keyword.

Semantic SEO

Find words that are related to the target keyword. Then use those terms in the content itself. To do this, search your keyword in Google Images. This will give you words and phrases that are related to the topic. From here, type the same keyword into a google search and scroll to the “Searches related to…” section. You can use any of these terms found here in your content for ultimate SEO success.

Step 6: Search Intent Optimization

Search intent optimization is the process of identifying what users are looking for and then optimizing your page or site with content that satisfies the user’s search intent. Identifying the search intent is important to ensure that your content is satisfactory enough or informative enough that your user does not need to go to another site to get additional information. If you are able to satisfy the user, they stay on your site and are more likely to engage with your service or product. Without search intent optimization, the reader will go to another site to find the right information or product.

Step 7: Zero-In On Content Design

Content design is planning or designing, and producing content so that it best serves the audience. The content design combines user research techniques with expertise in the briefing, structuring, and production of the content. For example, through text, graphics, audio, video, etc. This design type is not about the creation or writing but rather the impact it has on the audience and how it will influence them to remain on the page.

Backlinks are known as inbound links, incoming links, or one-way links. These links go from one website to a page on a different website. Search engines consider backlinks “votes”, which means that these pages receive high numbers of backlinks and tend to have high organic rankings on the search engine. It is important to focus on quality backlinks, not on low-quality backlinks that are not trusted sources or have low traffic.

Here are some traits of high-quality backlinks:

  • They are trusted websites by users and the search engine.
  • They include your target keyword in the link.
  • The page is linking your site to a related topic.