Our Top 3 Takeaways / SEO Tips from State of Search 2014

Recently, we went to a local SEO conference: State of Search 2014.

Here are our top 3 takeaways / SEO Tips:

 #1 Google is NOT Your friend.

Google’s purpose is to provide users with the best search results possible. So Google is the user’s friend, not yours.

It may be tempting to try and game the system, figure it out, and try SEO tactics like keyword stuffing to get a higher Google ranking, but you shouldn’t waste your time doing so. Google changes all of the time to avoid allowing those types of tactics to become effective.

#2 Write GOOD Content

While this may seem obvious, it’s a rule that a lot of websites clearly don’t follow.

It might be tempting to stuff your content with SEO keywords, but remember: site visits do NOT equal conversions. And you DO want conversions, right?

Of course you do.

Well, guess what? The best way for you to get those conversions is by writing compelling, persuasive copy.

Think about it – if YOU landed on a website with poorly written content and a distractingly ridiculous amount of keywords, would you want to work with that company? Probably not.

So, start focusing more on creating personable, strategic copy that will make the users who DO land on your website convert.

#3 Citation is important.

Consider all of the places online where your business information (address, phone number, hours of operation) is listed. Is the information consistent, regardless of where it is found (Yelp, Facebook, your company website, etc.)?

If the answer is no, then you should work on fixing that issue immediately.

If your contact info varies, potential customers could become confused – you could even lose their business. For example, if you have the incorrect hours of operation posted on your website but the correct hours of operation posted on Facebook, then everyone who got your hours of operation from your website will be misinformed! So, they could show up at your business when you are closed, causing them to become frustrated and less likely to want to do business with you in the future.

Follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to SEO success!