Ahrefs is walking us through these SEO tactics like it’s an easy bake recipe. And there are a TON of ingredients to cover, so we’re not wasting any time. Let’s go!
Best practices to get you started.
- Install an SEO plugin like Yoast to make the daunting technical stuff less daunting.
- Help search engines find the important content on your site by creating a sitemap.
- Add a robots.txt file to your site that instructs search engines where they can and can’t go.
- Set up Google Search Console and link it with Google Analytics. GSC tracks your performance in search and shows your ranking keywords.
The most crucial piece: keyword research
- Take advantage of Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer to target one primary keyword for each page or post on your site.
- Find long-tail keyword variations by using Google autocomplete.
- Understand the search intent behind the keyword you’re targeting.
- Take a peek at the “People also ask” box or the “Searches related to” section for a deeper understanding into the Qs people are actually asking.
- Analyze SERPs for indicators of a difficult keyword. Don’t waste your time pursuing an unachievable keyword.
Optimize on-page content
- Keep URLs short while still providing insight so that expectations are always clear.
- Should you include your keyword in the title tag and description? Sure. But, don’t force it. Instead, craft an enticing title and description that will increase CTR.
- Ahrefs recommends using one H1, and include your keyword in it for the benefits of scannability and link framing.
- Link out to high-quality, relevant web pages and make an effort to use internal links.
Well, we only got about halfway. Click through to get a pro-level checklist on content, technical SEO, and link building.
