Step-by-step SEO guide for 2021

When we talk about search engine optimization, it all comes down to creating an effective SEO strategy. The approach you take will directly influence the outcome. Now that online businesses profit the most, it is even more important to do this the right way. With that in mind, here is a helpful step-by-step SEO guide for 2021.

Coming up with a good SEO strategy

Doing SEO is more complex than you would initially think. If you don’t have a good strategic approach, you won’t be able to accomplish much. First, you need to create a solid plan about what you are trying to achieve. Then, you need to outline the most critical points of the plan. After that, we get to the implementation process. There are no workarounds. If you want to increase your organic traffic, there is a blueprint you need to follow.

Understanding SEO

There are two main types of search engine optimization:

  • on-page SEO;
  • off-page SEO.

Before you start anything, make sure you understand the difference between on-page and off-page SEO.

In a few simple words, on-page optimization involves every element you can physically include in your website. Examples are keywords, keyphrases, title tags, meta descriptions, headings, URLs, internal links, etc.

Opposite to that, off-page search engine optimization deals with things that are not directly on your website. That includes link-building strategies, social media sharing, brand building, guest posts, and so on.

To properly do optimization, you need to combine both of these SEO types. Luckily, this step-by-step SEO guide for 2021 will teach you how!

Start with a list of keywords

To create this guide, we spoke with a few SEO expert companies. According to wpfullcare.com, having a list of keywords is a good start. The list consists of short keywords and long keywords, where short ones usually have one or two words, and long ones have three or more. Keep in mind that longer keywords have less competition, so that might be a good way to create something unique that will point to your website.

Type in a few ideas in the search bar and see where that takes you. Play with combinations of words and try to come up with something simple but memorable. Having a list of 10 keywords is a good start.

Analyze your competitors on Google’s first page

When you have the list of your ten keywords, do a search query and look at the top 10 results. Google’s first page will show you competitor companies that already use those keywords. The goal here is to change a couple of combinations and improve the keywords so they describe your company more precisely. For example, the “shoes for men” keyword is not specific enough. However, if you add more words to it, like the location, age group, and category, you will come up with something more unique.

Remember that you need to spend some time playing with different combinations to see what works best for your website.

Optimize for voice search

Voice search was viral in 2020, and that trend is continuing in 2021. With that in mind, optimizing your website for voice search is crucial. It can bring you an edge over your competitors.

Focus on local SEO

The pandemic created a gap between people. Everyone is focusing on their local retailers because they are the closest. Furthermore, even if there weren’t the pandemic, you would still need to work more on your local SEO before expanding your business. You need a strong base before you tap into other markets.

On-page strategies will help you improve your local SEO, and that’s where your focus should be. This is an extensive topic. However, as long as you understand the gist of it, you will know what to do.

All of your keywords, titles, headings, and other on-page SEO elements should include location. Use the city name or even neighborhood. Let’s go back to the previous example of the “shoes for men” keyword. The phrase will be more impactful if it says “shoes for man LA

.” You need to optimize all of your content to be location-specific.

Optimize content to reflect search intent

The content you produce must fit into a category of whatever people are looking for. There is a reason why some articles do better than others. For example, 99% of the time, people need an answer to a question. Formulate your titles so that they reflect what people search for.

Furthermore, people tend to like lists more than walls of text. They are easier to read and more concise.

Here is an example of how to improve a title. If you come up with something like “SEO tips and tricks for your website”, that title will do okay. However, if you change it to “30 best SEO tips and tricks”, it will do much better. Understand the intent of people, and you will be able to give them what they want.

Link building, link profiles, and content sharing

The final part of this step-by-step SEO guide for 2021 is understanding how to increase website traffic and ranking. We need to discuss three terms:

  • link profiles;
  • link building;
  • content sharing.

A link profile includes different types of links you must have on your website. They directly influence your rating. For example, a good link profile means you have a mix of relevant local and industry-specific backlinks and a balanced ratio between natural strong and weak links.

Once you understand link profiles, you will know how to properly do link building. Just avoid all paid forms of links or link farms because you need organic traffic.

Content sharing will help you in this. Utilize social media platforms and your customer base. By creating shareable content, you can use this type of SEO to build a brand and increase awareness about your business.

A step-by-step SEO guide for 2021 made easy

We hope that this step-by-step SEO guide for 2021 has everything you need to improve your website. Remember to take your time, focus on your clients’ needs, and mix different strategies to find the best approach. SEO cannot be done overnight; it is a process you need to revisit every week.