When you search on Google, what determines the order of the web pages that are brought up? First, the search needs to match the webpage content. However, with the vast amount of content on the internet, relevance is not the only factor. Google’s search algorithms consider many factors and signals, including the words of your query, the relevance and usability of pages, the expertise of sources, and your location and settings.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a type of online marketing dedicated to establishing a robust digital footprint, allowing search engines to recognize your business as a legitimate and reliable resource. Not all SEO marketing services offer the same quality; some have a limited scope. This article will help you understand SEO better so that you can evaluate the quality of the SEO services you're receiving, ensuring your center is as visible as possible.
What are the major tactics SEO uses?
SEO uses a wide variety of tactics. The most basic way for search engines to find you is to create unique content associated with specific, distinguished keywords. This needs to rely on topical content as much as it does branded content. There are also advanced SEO tactics.
Content
Foremost, search engines need your content. Your website needs to have words, titles, and services. One great way to build content without cluttering your home page is by using blogs. Blogs will provide an individual URL per piece of content, which expands your reach and bolsters the sub-categories associated with your home page. That’s why blogs are so popular on websites.
For example, if your home page is associated with the term, “abortion near me,” then your blogs could be associated with sub-categories like, “Abortion Pill Reversal,” “how much does an abortion cost?”, or even, “my girlfriend is pregnant. What do I do?” This creates an interlocking web of keywords, sometimes referred to as topic clusters, that allow you to capture traffic associated with the primary theme of your website.
Professional content creators do not just write things to get their message across. They perform meticulous research on trends in your area and choose content based on keywords. Choosing keywords can be difficult. On the one hand, you want to choose terms that are searched often. On the other hand, you want to choose terms that are less competitive so that your website will show up. Therefore, SEO specialists optimize for the highest search volume per limited competition.
Once your SEO specialists find the right keywords for you, they must create content that is appealing to your target audience. Then, they need to keep creating good content and post it regularly. Creating a steady stream of interesting, data-driven content consistently is no easy task, but when done regularly it establishes your digital footprint.
Checkpoint: Does your marketing team explain why they chose the keywords they do?
Google Business Profile
Google will always prioritize its own platform. One of the easiest ways to establish yourself as a local business is by creating and optimizing a Google Business Profile (GBP). You will identify your type of business, business address, location, and upload some pictures of your center. You will be able to be found on Google Maps and in search. You also should post little updates called GBP Posts regularly to keep things fresh. An expert can help you optimize your GBP. Additionally, you will be able to publicly rated, and the more reviews that your center can accrue, the more legitimate your business is always considered. You should encourage happy clients to rate you as much as possible.
On-page SEO
With a little bit of code, you can talk directly to search engines and say, “hey, this is what this website is about.” Foremost, you install Local Business Schema, which identifies the type of business you are and allows your website to prioritized in local searches. Check if you have that by using the Rich Results Test. You can also download SEO evaluation tools that scan the site that will guide you on adding HTML tags, meta descriptions, and strategic internal linking. Then, you should ensure that you have a sitemap that includes your blog page. Finally, you should minify the site, optimize images, and enable caching, which improves loading speed. Simple, quick sites load the fastest.
Also, make sure to check that your website looks great on mobile. Most clients visit websites from their mobile device, not their desktop, so establishing your mobile presence matters even more than desktop. Does your website hang off the edge of the screen or does it adapt to the dimensions of a smartphone? How long does it take to load?
Checkpoint: use this website speed evaluation tool. Anything less than an A means that there’s room to improve your loading speed.
Backlinking
The single most effective way to establish your domain authority is by maximizing the number of other websites that refer to your website. First, use indexing resources that keep track of all websites that link to your website. Then, consider reaching out to preexisting supporters and ask them if they would be willing to refer to your website from their website. You can also leverage unlinked mentions of your website as ways to improve backlinks. At Life Advancement Group, we index your mentions at no extra cost and assist you with building a backlinking campaign to your supporters.
How does SEO fit with other marketing efforts like Google Ads?
Establishing a strong digital footprint is no easy task. It requires consistent, persistent, smart content creation. It also requires a technical knowledge beyond what the average content creator can offer, so SEO is best outsourced.
The field of marketing is often portrayed as a wheel, with each marketing tactic being a spoke of the wheel. The wheel doesn’t run unless all spokes can hold the structure up. In other words, the synergy created from complementary marketing tactics is greater than what each marketing tactic can do individually.
With the Pro-Life Marketing Ethics Council, Life Advancement Group surveyed over sixty Pregnancy Centers about the most effective marketing methods to bring abortion minded and abortion determined clients. The answer was clear: centers that did both Google Ads and SEO saw a 244% increase in abortion minded or abortion determined women compared to centers that did neither. It’s best to do these tactics together.
In conclusion, understanding Google search rankings and the role of SEO is crucial for enhancing your online presence. By employing a variety of SEO tactics, from content creation and Google Business Profile optimization to on-page SEO and backlinking, you can significantly improve your website's visibility. Remember, a strong digital footprint is achieved through consistent and strategic efforts. Evaluate the quality of your SEO services to ensure they align with your goals and help your center stand out in search results. Combining SEO with other marketing strategies, like Google Ads, can maximize your reach and impact.
If you are a pregnancy medical center looking to explore Google Ads and SEO, Life Advancement Group would love to hear from you. Visit our website at [Life Advancement Group](https://www.lifeadvancementgroup.com) to learn more and get in touch. Stay informed, stay proactive, and watch your online presence grow.
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