Back in the day, growing your SEO sounded like something you needed to hire experts for. It was that mythical, vague thing that happens only if you have the right support, and enough money.

Well, things have changed and growing your SEO on your own is now easier than ever because web platforms have made it easier than ever. The specific web platform I’m referring to is my favorite web platform Squarespace. If you’re not sure what’s so great about Squarespace, check out this blog post where I dive into the 10 key features that make Squarespace perfect for solopreneurs and building your online business.

But, back to SEO. Growing your Search Engine Optimization is vital for an online business. If you get found on Google, chances are you can sell more products and services, serve more people, and grow your business with more ease than ever. The great thing about SEO is that it works for you 24/7 and can give you inquiries even when you’re not working - which is exactly what we want as small business owners.

Ok so let’s dive into ten ways proven methods you can use to grow your searchability on Google:

1. Blogging - produce new content

Blogging is one of the best ways you can improve Search Engine Optimization. If you blog about 2 times a week for a solid few months you can easily improve your rankings and reach more people. I know blogging can seem like a chore, but (as I like to refer to it) it’s a lot like working out. It’s healthy for your business and benefits you in the long run. Even if you can’t blog 2 times a week, commit to maybe once a month and it can still work for you. Consistency is important to note here. Google wants to see that your site is active and producing helpful content that people want to read. So when you’re blogging make sure to have your ideal clients in mind. For more about the benefits of blogging, check out this post.

2. Use Headlines wisely

Google crawls your site just like you scan it. Meaning Google takes in your titles and headlines first, then reads subheadings, then body text. So it’s really important for you to use your headlines wisely. Meaning, add in keywords, make sure it’s clear and easy to understand, and helps people easily navigate your site.

3. Utilize keywords

Speaking of keywords, it’s really important to know which words are the most important to you and getting found on Google. A good rule of thumb is thinking about ‘what are people searching for’ such as ‘local plumber in kansas city’ or ‘how to create a website mockup in Photoshop’ these are specific searches and you can find keywords there, such as location, specialty niche item, etc. So in the Photoshop example, some keywords could be “Photoshop mockups” “Photoshop for beginners” or “website mockups”. Think about what people search for when it comes to your service and build those keywords into your blog posts and content.

4. Photo Descriptions matter

This is one of the secret ways you can help boost your SEO, by adding in keyword rich descriptions for your photos. Normally photos are named with “IMG_8347382” which Google can’t read, but if you change the name to “website-mockups-for-beginners-in-photoshop_2” That makes it easier for Google to understand AND you can put more keywords into your site.

5. Resize your images

In June and July of 2021, Google went through 2 major core updates which severely affects websites with slow speed. Such as clicking on a site and it taking up to 5 seconds to load, those sites are now majorly affected by getting penalized in Google. So one way you can help with the speed of your site is resizing your photos so they’re under 500KB. You can do this by making sure the longest side is no more than 1200px - 1500px and you can always remove meta data with a program that helps delete extra info you don’t need such as ImageOptim. 

6. Help visitors easily navigate your site

One great benefit for hiring a website designer is they know how to lay out a site so it’s the most effective. But if you’re looking to do it on your own, make sure you think about your customer first. What information would you like them to know as soon as they step onto your website? Think of the customer journey and lead them through the site with calls-to-action at the end of every page and ending with the goal - such as ending on your contact page to inquire to work with you.

7. Keep your visitors engaged

When your site is visually engaging, interesting, full of personality and helpful content, people will want to hang around which is a very good thing. The longer people stay on your site the better! This helps with improving SEO and is called the Bounce Rate. The longer people stay on your site the lower the bounce rate. You want to shoot for a bounce rate of under 50%. And a way to keep them on your page longer is to keep your content engaging, helpful, or entertaining.

8. Be a source for helpful content your audience is looking for

This connects to 2 earlier points - Blogging and Keeping visitors engaged. Keeping Helpful Content in mind is incredibly useful because ultimately when people are on Google, they’re looking for something: help, hilarity, entertainment, etc. So as you’re putting content on your site, think about the problem you’re solving for your clients and how you can help them solve it with your content and your services. 

9. Link to outside and reputable sites

Any time you can link to other websites, it’s helpful because it shows Google you are legit. Especially when you like reputable sites such as .gov or .edu. These are indicators for Google that you are more reputable meaning more trustworthy, meaning your site gets pushed up in rankings. Remember Google wants to highlight the most helpful and trustworthy sites, so keep that in mind as you link to other sites. Also, just a quick note here, when you link to other sites, I recommend opening the tab in the new window. That way people aren’t leaving your site to go to a new site, they’re staying on your page and opening the new window to check out that link.

10. Think long term

I like to say that growing your SEO is like growing a garden. It takes time, commitment, nourishment, and dedication. But when you’re committed and make it a priority you will enjoy the fruits of your labor. Realistically, when you're committed to growing your SEO, if you put in committed time and energy and blog 1-2 times a month you can see a big increase in about 6 months. Remember there are years of other blogs and websites out there online and in order for your site to move up in the rankings it may take time, but it’s truly worth it in the long run!

I mentioned in number 5 that in June and July of 2021, Google rolled out two major core updates which means it now penalizes sites that are slow performing. Thankfully the new version of Squarespace (7.1) is far and away an improvement when it comes to speed from the older version. If you’re looking to upgrade your site to the new version of Squarespace, reach out to me! I can help you transition your site over so you don’t have to. Reach out to me here.

Which of these proven ways to grow your SEO are you excited to try first?