December 14, 2023

How Will AI Change SEO?

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AI is poised to revolutionize many aspects of our world, but how will AI change SEO? If you’re familiar with SEO, you’re likely skeptical of artificial intelligence’s ability to subsume search engine optimization work at large. However, you also probably know that AI has come a long way in recent years.

The truth is that while ChatGPT and other AI tools likely will not replace SEO agencies or SEO content writers, they will upend the SEO marketing world. That’s a given at this point. We aim to provide you with our impressions of what artificial intelligence can (and can’t) do at this point.

AI Can Predict Oncoming Trends

One of the most challenging parts of SEO currently is understanding what the future holds. Good SEO agencies might have the process of researching and crafting well-written SEO content down pat. Still, they continually use current data signals and user behavior. However, as anyone who has spent time at a marketing agency can tell you, things can change rapidly. A new trend in consumer behavior, an algorithm update on Google’s side, or a new product could upend how SEO content is developed practically overnight.

Until now, SEO agencies have had to do their best to respond given what they currently know, which has naturally only sometimes been complete. AI offers SEO agencies the potential to use existing data signals to make informed predictions. These data signals have always existed, but understaffed and busy SEO agencies have never had the means to quickly and accurately scour the mountains of data. AI could allow these agencies to do just that in the years ahead.

AI Can Expedite Keyword Research

Anyone in digital marketing knows keyword research is a foundational element for web development. Understanding the keywords users type into Google and other search engines is the first step of any successful SEO strategy.

However, there are countless variations of even relatively simplistic keywords. “Digital marketing agency,” for instance, is closely related to search terms like “digital marketing agency near me,” email marketing agency,” “best SEO marketing firms,” and “Michigan internet marketing contractors.”

Savvy SEO and web development professionals have, until now, had to take the time to dive into the keyword research process and find the keywords that make sense for their particular use case. AI could cut that time in half and auto-suggest relevant keywords without the need for manual research.

AI Can Increase Optimization Opportunities

SEO isn’t merely content creation. Good SEO agencies have always known this, but too many fall into the trap of simply writing content around relevant keywords. There’s nothing wrong with this; well-written and search-engine-optimized blogs and web pages are a bedrock deliverable in the SEO space and will likely not change. However, too few SEO agencies take the time to analyze and optimize the content they have produced when it’s live and posted on a client’s website.

Why is that? The answer is that it’s just too time-intensive. The technical elements, performance details, on-page ranking factors, and actual page rank come attached to a myriad of data points. Few agencies are equipped to take the time to sift through all of this data to make recommendations. AI, however, is perfectly designed to do just that.

AI Can Expedite Processes

We’ve made this observation in the past. AI is not well-suited for intensive research, content development, or tackling any subject requiring nuance. It is, however, perfect at combining a large amount of data and making suggestions. AI allows SEO agencies to expedite some aspects of their day-to-day work and free time for more strategic tasks. Tasks like exploring potential content topics, outlining a blog, or researching semantically related keywords can likely be outsourced to AI in the future.

Now, it is essential to note that we would never recommend letting AI develop your website’s content schedule for the year without oversight. But AI can likely offer some brainstorming suggestions for topics and save you a lot of time.

What Not to Do

Don’t Overly Rely on AI

AI can supercharge your marketing efforts, but it is important to note that it can only partially replace what you are currently doing. Using AI to write blogs is certainly not something we recommend any business to consider now. AI can produce blogs, but the human component of content writing is truly irreplicable.

Your SEO content should always be geared towards your readers. AI-written content often delivers satisfactory information but needs an engaging style or tone. This tends to be one of the best ways of grabbing and keeping a user’s attention. As AI-produced web content becomes more common, we expect to see well-written and unique content separate itself from the pack. We might encourage you to play around with rough drafts and brainstorm with the help of AI, but replacing all content writing with robots will not endear you to your readers.

Don’t Fail to Double-Check AI’s Work

Let’s return to the idea of using AI for keyword generation. Suppose you want to target “SEO agency” search terms and let AI generate a list of keywords for you. Without much in the way of double-checking, you layer these keywords into your live Google Ad campaigns.

The approach seems to be all well and good until you look back and discover a problem. In our example, let’s say that AI suggested “SEO agencies hiring near me” as a keyword, and you added this keyword without a second thought. Now, your hiring team is inundated with applications for roles they’re hiring for and you’re wasting your marketing budget on these terms.

The example might be fictitious, but the lesson isn’t. AI is excellent at suggesting similar terms and expediting processes, but it will always require human oversight. Two search terms might be very similar in the eyes of AI but may not fit your overall needs.

Don’t Think AI Replaces Strategy

A well-polished marketing strategy is a huge asset for any business. However, researching, developing, planning, and approving a marketing strategy across multiple teams and business units takes much time and effort. Given that, it is easy for brands to fall into the trap of perfecting their tactics at the expense of strategy.

What does that look like? Marketing tactics are the HOW of your marketing. Email marketing, SEO, and branding are all tactics within a comprehensive marketing strategy. They are helpful vehicles to help drive your business forward, but the overarching goal, message, and measurement of your marketing strategy aren’t done at the tactical level. AI will give businesses much-needed aid in optimizing their marketing tactics, whether in SEO, web development, social media, or videography.

However, AI will always need help to develop and drive a full-funnel marketing strategy. Artificial intelligence might help expedite parts of the strategy, improve tactical executions, and streamline reporting, but it will never be able to replace a marketing strategy. As AI makes tactical executions easier, we expect to see more and more small businesses focus on marketing tactics at the expense of marketing strategy. That would be a huge mistake.

Call JSL Marketing & Web Design for Marketing Strategy Help!

October 26, 2023

Why Can’t I Find My Business Website on Google?

If you’re a busy owner, you’ve probably been told by customers they’ve found you on Google before. That’s actually pretty common. However, have you ever wondered why you can’t find your business on Google? Many business owners ask us this on a regular cadence. After all, if other people can find your website on Google and other search engines, surely you should be able to, right?

Well, digital marketing is a little more complicated than that. While Google makes it simple, a lot goes on behind the scenes that many search users never see. Today, we will shed some light on those uncontemplated Google realities.

Business Location

It’s important to note that location is a highly relevant factor in any search query. Your location could likely be the culprit if you’re a business owner who can’t find their business on Google. Let’s say you live in Grand Rapids, MI, but own an ice cream shop in Grandville, MI.

If you ask Google for an “ice cream shop near me,” Google will always default to showing you what it considers to be the most relevant answer. That will usually be the closest businesses. Even asking Google for “ice cream shop in Grandville” will not be a conclusive search. Google will always tailor results to location, so if you’re not on the front page of Google, if you search from Grand Rapids, don’t fret. The results, if searched within Grandville, will likely be different.

Search Term

Search terms are the building blocks of search engine marketing. The queries people input into Google and other search engines are the cornerstones of website development. See, the individual search terms you might input into Google all fall under a keyword. So, if you’re looking for a carpenter, you might consider dropping terms like “carpenter near my house,” carpenter hear Buda, TX, and “Carpenter near me free consultation.” Those might fall under the keyword “carpenter near me” in Google’s eyes.

Now, it’s important to keep this in mind because different websites can rank better or worse for individual search terms. Your website might be centered on “carpenter near me” as a keyword, and the site may even rank well on that keyword, but it might not rank well for “carpenters in DFW.” If you can’t find yourself on Google, the specific search term you input into the search engine may be to blame.

Business Competition

Did you ever play a sport and think you were a phenom until you became a bigger and stronger kid? The experience can be humbling, but it reminds us of an important reality of digital marketing: competition is everything. Like football, basketball, or volleyball, digital marketing is all about who you’re competing with; sometimes, the bigger guy has an advantage.

Let’s say you’re a small dentist in Dallas-Ft. Worth, who just opened a practice. You’ve recently unveiled a shiny new website with all the bells and whistles, and are excited to see where this website takes your business. However, when you try to find your business on Google, you are surprised to see that the nearby dental practice is ahead of you on Google. Why is that?

Well, let’s return to the idea of competition. In this example, let’s say your local competitor has been in the area for years. Even if their site isn’t as strong as yours, the fact that they’ve been in the area for years physically and digitally can be a huge ranking factor boost. Even if your competing practice isn’t more established, being a larger business could give your rival an edge. A larger business might mean more budget for website promotion tactics like Google Ads, paid social campaigns, and email marketing, tactics that could make it easier to find that site.

This isn’t to say that, in our theoretical example, the smaller dentist is just resigned to always being the last business on Google. Far from it. With the right audit, strategy, and marketing agency, a smaller business with a smaller budget can climb to the top of Google. It is, however, important to remember that your competition is likely no small part of why you cannot find your business on Google. That’s OK; knowing who your competitors are and their advantages is the first step to triumphing over them in marketing.

Should You Search For Your Business On Google?

By now, you know why you cannot find your business on Google. But we need to return to a critical point: it’s likely not worth it to keep searching for your business on Google.

Why? Well, there are a few reasons why we don’t recommend checking via Google itself.

SEO Ding: Google always aims to show relevant search results. After all, the Google business model depends on showing the best results when people input search terms into its search engine. Inaccurate or irrelevant results damage Google’s credibility, so it will always use user data to craft the best results. A consequence is that you might be harming your business if you constantly Google yourself. If you see your website on search results but don’t click, you’re telling Google that you are not interested in this result, and Google might conclude that your website isn’t a good result to show.

Hyper Customization: Google has a myriad of signals it uses to customize search results to any given user. This allows Google to show different results to different people for the exact search term based on the location, search history, data signals, and behavior of the unique individuals involved. This means that knowing where you are on Google on your devices is a pretty useless exercise. After all, just because your business isn’t number 1 on Google for your IP address doesn’t mean you aren’t number 1 on another user’s results.

Lack of Clear Data: Comparing your ranking on Google to a competitor via your own search results is a very unscientific way of analyzing your ranking. Search engine optimization and website development is a very data-intensive discipline; eyeballing where you are on Google excludes many necessary data signals that can help better performance. A good SEO agency will have tools like Google Analytics, SemRush, and Google Trends to monitor and analyze your website’s ranking. These tools will allow you to see how your website performs without having to Google yourself every other day.

If you can’t find your business on Google, turn to JSL Marketing & Web Design! We’ve been helping businesses climb on Google for years and are ready to help take you to the next level! Contact us for…

Web Design

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February 23, 2023

5 Ways To Get To The Top Of Google Maps

Have you ever used Google Maps to find a restaurant? Most of us have. Have you ever asked Google Maps for a restaurant and been offered listings for nearby movie theaters, coffee shops, and retail stores? You likely have not, due to how much time, money and energy Google has invested in making sure that Google Maps is the top Maps app available. This investment has paid off, as 60-70% of Americans use Google Maps.

That user base also means that Google Maps is a big factor in any local industry. The difference between a restaurant at the top of Google Maps for a search and a restaurant that isn’t even on Google can be the difference between profitability and failure.

But how do you get to the top of Google Maps? Google’s algorithms and ranking factors can be difficult to understand for most small business owners, but the consequences can be fantastic or catastrophic. Whether you like it or not, Google Maps is a medium you need to consider, especially if a large percentage of your business is local to your area.

The content team here at JSL Marketing & Web Design put together this handy reference guide to help you get to the top of Google Maps in your area. Read on and study and if you play your cards right, you too can be at the top of Google Maps in your local area.

Read Onto Get To The Top Of Google Maps!

SEO Tip 1: Optimize Your Google Map Listing

You might think that it’s merely as simple as having a Google listing. While having a listing is simple, keeping up to date with your listing can be a challenge. There’s a variety of information displayed on that listing, information that is vital to understanding, evaluating and contacting your brand. Many brands don’t even have this information properly displayed or worse, don’t have the information up to date. An old phone number or an inaccurate hours of business could cost you a sale.

Once you get past the obvious glitches, it becomes readily apparent that most businesses aren’t effectively utilizing their Google listings. Linking to your website is a great way to let Google users leave Maps and browse your menu or services to make an informed decision, but many brands don’t connect the two.

Moral of the story, stay up to date with your listing for best results!

SEO Tip 2: Showcase Your Stellar Reputation

Reputation matters. The biggest brands in the world know this and pay thousands of dollars for public relations to prevent harm to their reputation. You might not have a public relations agency on standby, but you can have your customers sing your praises with the right reviews. The right quantity and quality of reviews lets your customers know that your brand is legitimate and in good standing with your customers.

There are a few reasons why this can be so impactful for your business.

Google will show listings with better reviews near the top of Google Maps.
Customers are much likelier to click on a listing if you have a number of strong reviews.
Customers are 35% more likely to click on a listing with review stars.

SEO Tip 3: Align Listings

There are dozens, probably hundreds of listings, for your business online. You might not know that, but a plethora of online directories and listings list your business. The problem, however, is that many of these listings aren’t accurate. That’s a big issue, as Google and other search engines look for business addresses to be accurate across directories. These random and scattered listings, listings you likely never set up, are almost certainly dinging your SEO. The best route to rectify this is to claim and correct these listings.

SEO Tip 4: Use Branded Images

Few people recognize that images can actually improve your local SEO. As with many internet marketing mediums, Local SEO is improved by beautiful images. We typically recommend location images of the building where your brand is located. This way, your Google Maps users are able to get an idea of what the physical location will look like before arriving in person. Use branded images to leave a longer-lasting impression and better inform your users.

SEO Tip 5: Reach The Right People At The Right Time With Google Ads

The aforementioned options are good fits for businesses who can take the time to properly optimize and grow their local SEO presence. However, some brands need to make a quicker impact and are willing to pay that premium to get to the top of Google. If that’s where you find yourself, we would recommend Google Ad campaigns to display information about your business at the top of Google and Google Maps.

Google Ad campaigns are…

Geotargeted
Cost-Effective, As You’re Only Billed For Clicks
Optimized Towards A Number Of Factors, Including Maximizing Clicks, Maximizing Conversions or Maximizing Impression Share.
Compatible with Google’s Search Audiences For Better Data

Climb To The Top Of Google Maps With JSL

Local SEO and reputation management can be hard. You’re busy running a business, hiring new staff, negotiating with vendors, and managing operations. The last thing you have time for is adding Local SEO to your ever-growing to-do list.

Partner with JSL Marketing & Web Design to get to the top of Google! Maps

Our process is simple; we take the time to consult with you and learn about your business before we design a strategy. There’s no one-size fits all approach here. Every brand is unique and deserves to have its own custom strategy. Our team works with you to learn the why behind your business and how to speak to your customers in your particular market.

Depending on what our SEOs recommend, we might end up…

Removing/Claiming Duplicate Listings
Scrubbing Incorrect Listings
Adding Keyword-Rich Content To Grow Organic Search
Optimizing Existing Location Listings
Generating More Reviews Via Reputation Management
& More!

Fill Out The Contact Form Below To Get To The Top of Google!

April 21, 2022

5 Ways To Perfect Your Local SEO

If you’re looking to improve your local SEO marketing strategy, you’ve come to the right place!

Local SEO is the process of using map tools and other online directories to drive website and foot traffic for a business. Refining your presence on tools like Google Maps makes your business more visible to users searching for businesses like yours in your local area. Simple enough, right?

Well, like any digital marketing tactic, Local SEO is a complicated and ever-changing medium and it’s one that often gets neglected by small businesses. Most small business owners understand the importance of social media marketing, email marketing, and web design for their business goals. Local SEO, by contrast, is as simple as claiming your Google listing, right?

The Local SEO team at JSL Marketing & Web Design got together and assembled these Local SEO recommendations for you to browse. In this blog post, we’ll run through why Local SEO is important, the impact it can have on your business, and the best ways to improve your Local SEO.

Read On For Local SEO Advice!

Why You Need Local SEO

Business owners “get” numerous aspects of digital marketing. Everyone understands that most consumers are on social media, most people use email, and that a beautiful website increases your odds of getting new business. Per that understanding, a lot of small businesses know what they need to do to gain new engagement and business from these tactics. Few understand how they can improve their Local SEO or even why it’s important.

That’s a huge mistake. Local SEO is one of the best tools in the marketer’s toolkit.

97% Of Consumers Use Google Maps To Find Local Businesses.
93% Of Customers Read Reviews Prior To Making A Purchase
The Top Local SEO Results For Any Search Term Get Between A Quarter And A Third Of All Traffic.
Local SEO is One Of The Cheapest Ways To Grow Your Business.
Almost 50% Of Searches On Google Involve Finding Physical Locations

Those are some compelling reasons to invest in Local SEO! But how do you actually optimize your Local SEO for best results?

Local SEO Tip 1: Craft Your Google My Business Listing

If designing a killer Local SEO strategy is like building a house, then your Google My Business listing is the foundation.

Having your Google My Business Listing claimed and optimized doesn’t guarantee that you will be successful in your local area. However, neglecting your Google My Business listing guarantees you will fail.

It’s completely free to claim your address on Google Maps, so there’s no reason not to do so. Once claimed, ensure that you’re adding compelling descriptions, location hours, services, and photos of the location to make the most of the listing. However, there’s more to a Local Search Engine Optimization campaign than just claiming your Google My Business listing. It’s a good place to start, but you’ll need to do a little bit more.

Local SEO Tip 2: Showcase Your Local Reputation

One of the best ways to drive new business via search engine map tools is to use reviews.

Users aren’t just finding locations on Google Maps and other map tools. They’re also looking for the best quality product or service possible and the reviews on any listing are the best way to quickly gauge the quality of a brand. After all, who would call to make a reservation at a 3.9 Star Cajun restaurant when their closest competitor has 4.7 Stars?

Pay close attention to the quality and quantity of reviews you’re getting on your listing to help grab the user’s attention. There are a few tips for the best management of your reputation we’d like to share.

Always Respond To Reviews, Whether Negative Or Positive. It’s critical that you show prospective searchers that you value customer feedback, whether good or bad. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of running your business, but don’t neglect to pay attention to your listing! We promise, other Google Map users read reviews and the attention you give all reviews will not go unnoticed.
Don’t Argue With Negative Reviews. Bad reviews are inevitable. You can have the best doctor’s office or plumbing company in the world and still get the occasional bad review. Some reviews will be cruel, unfair, and just dishonest. Regardless of this, it’s imperative that you politely and professionally let the reviewer know that you value their feedback and concerns and that you’d be willing to have a conversation offline if they’re willing. It won’t solve every bad review, but it will demonstrate that you listen to your customers.
Try To Drive New Positive Reviews. Customers will leave reviews of their volition but do your best to drive new reviews if possible. Your top customers, your true brand advocates, already love your brand. Capture their delight on Google in the form of a 5-Star review and let them digitally sing your praises. There are a variety of ways to do this, but for a custom-made reputation management suggestion, reach out to our local SEO team.

Local SEO Tip 3: Add Location Pages To Your Website

Few business owners think about their website as a tool in local SEO. However, that’s a mistake.

Your website is an important part of your Local SEO strategy. Adding location pages to your website helps users find your different locations and respond accordingly. Plus, you’re also making it easier for Google to find your locations on Google Maps and rank the location higher as a result.

Each location page should properly display your location’s hours, address, and unique identifiers. Be sure that you’re writing unique content for each location. For best results, incorporate branded and tagged photos and videos of the location for both an SEO boost and the best possible impression on the page’s user.

Local SEO Tip 4: Optimize Online Directories

Google Maps is the main listing for Local SEO. Any SEO project needs to begin with this listing. (Remember that foundation metaphor?)

However, there are countless online directories on sites like Angie’s List, Yelp, Better Business Bureau, and more that will display your address and contact information. Ensure that these listings are correct and consistent across all of these online directories to boost your local SEO. Correct and consistent information across the web is a key Google ranking factor and will help you drive better results.

Local SEO Tip 5: Target Your Content To Local Keywords

When planning a content strategy, it usually makes the most sense to focus on search terms with the most volume behind them.

For instance, if you own a sushi restaurant, writing content around the term “sushi near me” makes a lot of sense. However, don’t neglect to also hone in on the smaller-volume search terms for your area.

Consider the term “sushi restaurant near me, Grapevine TX” might have less search volume, but focusing on this term will make your content hyper-relevant to people in your immediate area. After all, most searchers will want to find the closest physical location, so ranking well in Grapevine is better than appearing for a search two towns over.

Invest In Your Local SEO With JSL Marketing & Web Design

Ready to hypercharge your Local SEO and jump to the top of your local market’s Google Maps results page? Talk to the experts at JSL Marketing & Web Design! We’re an award-winning digital marketing agency based in the Dallas area and a proud Forbes Agency Council member!

All of our Local SEO projects are…

Tailor-made For Your Local Market
Exhaustively-Researched
Centered On Boosting Overall SEO
Optimized To Drive Engagement With Photos & Descriptions
Review-Focused

If you’re not utilizing a Google My Business listing, you’re missing out on potential traffic and revenue. Right that ASAP with JSL Marketing & Web Design. Our SEOs are standing by to discuss your next Local SEO project!

Fill Out The Contact Form & We’ll Be In Touch!

October 07, 2021

Stop Believing These 7 SEO Myths

Search engine optimization or SEO is a relatively recent digital marketing strategy, but that hasn’t stopped the proliferation of some incorrect SEO myths!

SEO is a difficult discipline to work in, so it’s understandable that there are a lot of myths swirling about the digital marketing ecosystem. However, that doesn’t make them any less harmful.

If left uncorrected, these false beliefs could drastically impact your digital marketing performance and unfortunately, too many small business owners believe them.

Luckily, the SEO experts at JSL Marketing & Web Design are here to set the record straight and dispel the most common SEO myths for the good of your marketing.

Read On To Learn More About SEO Myths!

Common SEO Myths

Myth 1: Keyword Stuffing Is Fine

In the early days of the internet, every SEO expert tried to include every possible variation of the targeted keywords in the content they created. (i.e. “Come here for the best doctor, doctors, ophthalmologist, eye doctor, and eye doctors in town.”) Google has since gotten wiser and is now smart enough to know what your topic is about.

This means there’s no need to include forty different versions of the same five keywords. The number of times a keyword is used may have some impact on SEO, since it helps Google understand what the page is about, but it isn’t about just placing it everywhere as many times as possible.

Instead, be sure to balance your keyword usage against the needs of your user. It’s extremely annoying to search for a doctor in your area and read a piece of content that uses the word “doctor” in every sentence. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you’re using the keywords you’re targeting more than you would use them in a conversation with the user. You wouldn’t say “Come here for the best doctor, doctors, ophthalmologist, eye doctor, and eye doctors in town” in a conversation with your friend, right? Of course not!

If you’re using the keywords ad nauseum, you aren’t getting any SEO boost and likely annoying your readers instead. Find the right balance of keywords without frustrating your readers. Trust us, it will make your copy read better and improve your SEO.

Myth 2: Content Length Is The Most Important Factor

Any good search engine optimization specialist knows how to use a scraping tool to research semantically related keywords, competition, and content length. However, don’t think that writing your content to a certain length is a magic fix.

Of course, length can help, but it is not as impactful as the quality of the content, the type of backlinks, the web design on the page, and the meta description of the page.

Answering the user’s question and demonstrating to Google that your website is a high-quality source of information will always trump the length of your content. Prioritize creating amazing content that answers the question over a magic number of characters. The SEO boost you receive for creating amazing content will always be greater than hitting a specific length.

Call Us At 877.514.0276 For SEO Help!

Myth 3: Paid Advertising is the Magic Ticket

Advertising on Google Ads is a great marketing decision. However, it does not DIRECTLY impact your SEO performance.

Driving visitors to your website via Google Ads may improve your SEO, since you’re getting more traffic than you would have without the paid campaigns. However, Google does not prioritize sites that have paid ad campaigns with them over sites that have not.

There are ways to compliment your SEO with web design and paid ad campaigns that will drive better results than if you hadn’t blended the three. Still, this is very different from getting an SEO boost just from advertising on Google Ads.

A lot of business owners think of Google Ads as a shortcut to bypass investing in SEO marketing. It is true that you pay to get to the top of Google with paid campaigns, but you’ll still show as a paid ad, which often dissuades certain users.

Ideally, you should be using both paid advertising and organic SEO to reach new customers. Paid advertising is a great way to see a quick impact and reach certain users, but it does come with a cost, a cost that some small businesses can’t keep up indefinitely.

SEO, in contrast, is a cheaper way to reach new customers, but it does take time to see results and leaves you at the whims of sudden algorithm updates from Google. That’s why we recommend using both paid and nonpaid options to keep your search engine marketing where it needs to be.

Myth 4: Backlinks Will Solve All Your Problems

Backlinks are an important part of SEO – do not mistake us on that point. Still, too many SEOs have started to focus on “gaming” Google by finding the right type of backlinks, at the expense of their content.

Good backlinking is important, but it’s not more important than writing quality content and making a good user experience. Having a guest blog series is a great way to build backlinks, but don’t think that slapping together some shoddily-written sentences just for link-building is a good use of your time and effort. Again, a high-quality guest blog post with quality backlinks may in fact be worth it, but a poor-quality post never is.

You also could be risking a penalty from Google if you undertake unscrupulous action to get links. You’ll need to focus on climbing in search results the old-fashioned way and write content for your reader, not the search engines.

Myth 5: Social Media Doesn’t Impact SEO

This myth has its kernel of truth. Social media marketing probably won’t salvage your SEO or ability to rank in organic search results. If your website isn’t ranking, then improving your social media presence just isn’t the most impactful action you can take.

It’s important to know that your social media is still a ranking factor in the eyes of Google, since it helps Google gauge how popular your brand is via shares and social traffic. These social signals demonstrate to Google that your content and brand are reputable and worth ranking.

A good social media strategy won’t produce SEO miracles, but it will help improve your overall performance.

Myth 5: Domain Age is An Important Ranking Factor

This makes sense at first glance. After all, it can take time for a site to climb in the rankings, so it seems intuitive that domain age is an important ranking factor.

However, Google has explicitly stated that domain age is not a ranking factor! You won’t get any preferential treatment in search results just for having a domain for a certain amount of time!

Your page rankings will be much more impacted by other factors than domain age and you should focus your efforts there. Contact our SEOs for a tailored recommendation.

Myth 6: Duplicate Content Will Kill Your SEO

This is a truism with some staying power and it’s because there’s a kernel of truth in it.

Duplicate content does not technically result in SEO penalties from any search engine USUALLY. If a site or page is removed from search results, it’s usually because the offender is purposefully copying other distinct sites.

However, duplicate content will usually not cause a severe SEO penalty. That doesn’t mean that it’s a best practice to keep duplicate content on your site and we’re happy to discuss options to improve your site’s indexing and categorization.

Myth 7: Certain Agencies Get You Priority Ranking With Google

This isn’t just a myth, it’s a complete lie and frankly, it’s a lie that’s told to sell SEO services to unsuspecting small business owners.

Google has actually had to address this SEO myth directly since it’s become so common. Don’t fall for any salesperson that claims their agency has priority ranking with any search engine. It’s merely a sales tactic and a dishonest one at that.

Correct Your SEO With JSL Marketing & Web Design

If you need help to get to the top of Google search results, you’ve come to the right place! The SEO experts at JSL Marketing & Web Design are standing by to talk through your unique SEO needs!

Fill Out The Contact Form Below & We’ll Get In Touch

February 19, 2021

5 Proven Ways to Increase Your Website’s Traffic

When you’re a business owner, few things are as important as your website. It’s one of the most common ways that potential customers will find you in 2021. After all, 64% of Americans would prefer to purchase online. Plus, at one point or another, every American has found a new business online.

Moreover, a website is an incredibly cost-effective way to reach new customers. You can buy new billboards and book broadcast TV ads to get the word out about your product and service, but these avenues just won’t be as cost-effective as your website – since everyone is already online anyway!

Your site’s organic traffic is important because Internet users who find your site on search engine results pages are further along in the buying process than if they merely saw your ad on TV or from a highway. If you are searching “best restaurants in Dallas, TX” on Google, you’re much closer to making a purchasing decision than if you just saw an ad while catching up on your favorite sitcom!

However, while it is critical to drive new and qualified traffic to your website as a business, it’s easier said than done.

Google is constantly updating its algorithms and ranking factors, your geographic area has unique search trends to be aware of, and the best practices of web design are always shifting. So, how do you grow your site’s web traffic while still running the daily ins-and-outs of your business?

The marketing experts at JSL are here to run you through the best ways to take your website to the next level! Read on to learn how to increase your website traffic!

1. Improve Your Website’s Photos

This is probably the most rudimentary problem brands run into, but you’d be surprised by how many sites don’t incorporate visually appealing photos and videos. Moreover, you’d be surprised by how many sites utilize imagery, but the imagery is either unappealing or not branded with the company’s logo. Study after study has shown that users spend more time on sites that they find visually attractive and branded photography and videography is one of the best ways of making a site beautiful without a full new build or redesign.

This may be a seemingly ‘small’ problem, but that means it’s an easy problem to fix! Find the right type of photos and videos to strategically place on your site’s homepage and landing pages and watch your site users spend more time engaging with your website!

2. Up Your Promotion Game with Boosts, Ads, & More

Organic traffic is a term for the visits your website receives from users typing search terms into Google and other search engines. Essentially, your site’s users found you on a search engine results page and clicked to land on your site.

This is undoubtedly an important traffic stream for any website, but it’s not the only one you should consider as a business owner! Web traffic from other mediums is a great way to drive site traffic for any business!

Local SEO: If users find your business listing on a map service like Google Maps or Bing Maps, promoting your website within your business information is a great way to drive users to your site! Increasing the visibility of your listing on map services is a phenomenal way to take your website’s traffic to the next level!
Email Marketing: If you don’t know by now, it’s imperative for business owners to keep a log of customer email addresses for outreach. Automated email campaigns aren’t just a way to stay in touch with your former and current customers. If done correctly, they’re also a great way to drive traffic back to your website.
Social Media: Social media is the perfect platform to share new blogs, new landing pages, and new product pages with your followers!
Pay-per-Click Advertising: This is often an optional method for business owners, depending on their marketing budget. However, there’s no denying that pay-per-click advertising campaigns, like Google Ads and Facebook Ads, help increase the number of new site visitors a given site receives.

Learn More About Digital Marketing with JSL Marketing & Web Design

3. Revaluate Your Content + SEO Strategy

If your site’s organic traffic is flat, it’s time to revaluate your content strategy. The simplest explanation for not being found in organic search is that your site does not rank well for the search terms users are typing into Google.

The best way to fix that is to research the keywords that users are searching for and then identify which are most relevant and profitable to your business. From there, you need to write content that incorporates these keywords, while still meeting the needs of the searcher!

After publishing new keyword-rich content, you’ll need to carefully keep tabs on how the new content is performing on Google’s search engine results pages. It can be a difficult process, but remember, most users find the answers they’re looking for on the first page of Google, which means this SEO work is immensely important to your internet marketing, your brand’s visibility, and your revenue!

4. Consider Mobile-First SEO

Websites aren’t static creations. They often need retooling and adjustments through website redesigns every couple of years. If it’s been a while since you’ve refreshed your website, your site might not be fully mobile-compatible.

That’s a problem, as over 50% of searches are done on mobile devices. This means the threat of a non-mobile-friendly website is twofold.

To begin, Google is prioritizing mobile-friendly sites in its ranking, as they want to give website users a clean and simple experience. If your site is not mobile-friendly, you’re probably not on the first page of Google.

However, you’re also probably failing to turn the site visitors you do receive into paying customers if your website is old and clunky! If Google Analytics is showing that most new site visitors to your site “bounce” away after 30 seconds (a high bounce rate), the issue is with the layout of your site itself and mobile-responsiveness may be a key element in this.

If you’re having this problem, it’s probably time to consider a website redesign or even a completely new website.

Learn More About Website Design!

5. Rewrite Old Website Content

Your site may be properly optimized for the search terms you want your business to be seen for, but it may just be slightly dated. The industry-specific content may be out of date, the search terms you wrote the content for may have evolved, and those old blogs just may not be getting the website traffic they did two or three years ago.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, however. You can take this old content and rewrite it to be in line with Google’s latest update, as well as sprinkle in any new and timely details about your industry, business, and geographic area as well! This will make the content more relevant to your readers and that’s a great way to get more Google hits! We’d recommend cross-promoting these rewritten pieces of web content on other mediums, like social media and email marketing, for the best results!

Grow Your Website Traffic with JSL Marketing & Web Design

Improve your photos.

Promote on social and through PPC.

Redesign or rebuild your website.

Perfect your SEO strategy.

Tweak your content…

These are all great ways to begin increasing the volume of your website traffic. However, it’s also imperative to work with a team of website design experts and SEO wizards who can guide you through the process – because the above can be a lot for someone who has a business to run and maybe doesn’t have a background in website or SEO.

Increasing overall website traffic is great, but it’s important to continuously track web traffic in a tool like Google Analytics. If your business is in Chicago, but the majority of your traffic is coming from outside of the Midwest, then some aspect of your organic search strategy needs tweaking.

You also might see an uptick in website traffic, but then see no correlating lift in conversions. This likely means that there’s some aspect of your site path where your users are leaving without purchasing.

And of course, there’s the legwork of keyword research to determine which search terms are best for your brand and should be implemented.

Choose a trusted digital marketing partner to work alongside you. JSL Marketing & Web Design is an award-winning digital marketing company with over thirty 5-star Google reviews!

“Great Communication!”-Melissa W

“Our Top Pick!”-Justin B.

“Making the SEO Process Easy.”-Carter H.

Website Design & Digital Marketing Aren’t Easy, But W with JSL Marketing & Web Design Sure Is! Contact Us to Discuss Your Next Project & Your Website Traffic Needs!

February 25, 2020

SEO Criteria – Over 200 Ranking Factors [Part 2]

We promised, and we always follow through on our promises! So, here is the shiny, new second-half of the JSL SEO Ranking Factors blog.

Remember we talked last time about:

Page Speed
Mobile Optimized
Domain Authority
Title Tags
H1 Tags
Content Length & Depth
Duplicate Content
Canonical Tag
Secure Website
RankBrain

But we also talked about how there are over 200 (probable) SEO ranking factors that the Big G uses in order to view, judge, and rank you?

Of course, having over 200 ranking factors jumbled around in your head won’t help your website, business, or mental health. So we broke it down into the top 20 (that’s 1/10th of the total ranking factors, for you non-math individuals) to make it a bit easier to break off and chew.

After all, if you follow the Google-rules in these 20 areas, your site will definitely see jumps in rankings. Because it isn’t #198 that’s tanking your website rankings, it’s most likely one (or more) of these top 20 SEO factors.

For this next installment, here are the main factors we will be zeroing in on:

Business Information
Image Optimization
Fresh Content
Outbound Links
Inbound Links
Anchor Text
Internal Links
URL
Sitemap
Domain History

Ready to learn SEO in nice, actionable, and understandable chunks? Let’s dive in!

And, of course as always, if something seems a little too much, a little too confusing or a little too time consuming, JSL is here to help every day, any time, for any reason. Reach out to us and see how easy we can make your ranking climb become (or, at least, we’ll make it look easy)!

1. Business Information

This is important because Google wants to see that you are consistent and, therefore, reliable. If you have your business information (name, address, phone) posted on your page (which you should) then you have to make sure it is consistent across all online platforms, sites, and lists.

For example, make sure your Google My Business profile is accurate and matches your website, just like your Yelp, Facebook Business Page, LinkedIn, BBB, etc.

Especially focusing on your NAP (name, address, phone) is important; not just for search engines, but also for the practical reason of making sure your customers can reach you or find you.

2. Image Optimization

Google cannot see your images, it instead reads them, and this means you have to have ‘Alt text’ for each of your images.

Alt-text is kind of like a caption, but it is only viewable ‘behind’ the picture, or ‘within’ it. This way Google can see it, understand it, and pull it for relevant image searches.

Additionally, alt text can be a great place for keywords, as it all is indexed, or read, by Google and can help boost your rankings. If you have a picture of one of your products on your home page, don’t just name it ‘IMG6782’, instead, set the alt text to be descriptive with keywords.

3. Fresh Content

Ah, fresh content, the bane of many small businesses. Fresh content means that Google wants to see that you didn’t just make a website because you ‘had to’ and then forgot about it, or let it just sit there.

Remember, everything in Google’s algorithm (SEO ranking factors) is meant to find which websites are ‘good’, and ‘good’ means updated and frequently fixed, shined, and used.

What is the best way to show both Google and your actual customers that your website is updated often and that you keep up with it? A blog. Yes, you will actually have to write new, original, thoughtful, and helpful content monthly at the very least (weekly if you can hack it) to inform your customers and impress Google.

Write about relevant items, news, services, products, etc. And make each post ‘optimized’ around a keyword or subject. Additionally, don’t write something that is just a block of text; write something that is helpful but also easy to read – like this beautiful blog, with a list format, lots of white space, and interest.

And for length? At least 600 words, and that’s still pretty sparse. JSL aims to thoroughly explain a topic, which means our blogs can be anywhere from 900 words to 3,000, which is basically a small eBook.

4. Outbound Links

Many people don’t understand the importance of outbound links, but we’ll break it down for you in a quick, simple way.

Multiple studies have shown that if you have a single outbound link per page (a link that goes to a different website) then you will be ranked higher than a page with no outbound links.

Why?

Because having a link to a different website, if its quality, is a sign that you are truly trying to inform your customers. If you only link to yourself, then you aren’t giving your customers the possibility to find better expertise elsewhere.

Now don’t go linking to your biggest competitor, but instead, if you are talking about your Mexican food restaurant, link to a well-known food blog, a recipe, or a Mexican history page (where relevant).

Just make sure your outbound link is going to an authoritative (trusted) and relevant site. No Wikipedia or spammy blogs.

5. Inbound Links

The opposite of an outbound link is an inbound link – and no, these aren’t the links you have on your website that connect one of your pages to another (that’s point #7). An inbound link is when another website links to you because you have great content.

To continue the previous example, if you are still a Mexican restaurant, and a well-known food blogger links to you, that is an inbound link – and a good one!

Just like you want to link to authoritative and relevant sites, so do others. And just like having your page link to them looks good, having them link to you looks very good.

6. Anchor Text

When a page links to you, they do so with some kind of text. Meaning if I am going to link to the JSL Marketing Page on Web Design, I’m going to do what I just did and label it so the potential clicker knows where that link will bring them.

That is called anchor text and you want it to be descriptive and hopefully include keywords or your branded name.

Having someone link to you saying ‘here’ is much less helpful from an SEO perspective than having them link to you saying ‘best Mexican restaurant in town’.

7. Internal Links

Ah, finally, the easiest of the links.

Internal links are the links you place within your own webpage that bring the user to a different of your own webpages.

Like when we talk about ‘contact us’ we obviously link to our own contact page.

Now, don’t go crazy and link everywhere to everything so no one can click on any word without being whisked away, but make sure to have relevant links that make sense and would enhance the user experience, connecting pages to others that they would likely go to next.

As an easy example, this ‘SEO Ranking Factors: Part Two’ blog will link multiple times to the ‘SEO Ranking Factors: Part One’ blog, because that’s just logical and a reader of this blog will most likely want to see the first half as well. However, linking to our holiday ‘thank you’ blog doesn’t really make sense, so I won’t do it.

8. URL

Your URLs can actually help your SEO too – but be careful, as Google doesn’t seem to like ‘exact matches’ but instead ‘similar URLs’.

This simply means that having your website URL be: JSL.Marketing/website-design is better than having it be JSL.Marketing/best-website-design-in-Dallas-TX for the keyword ‘best website design in Dallas TX’.

Sound counterintuitive? Think of it like this, Google wants your URL to be descriptive without being spammy, hence, similar but not exact matches to your keywords.

9. Sitemap

This is something you should have your developer do, as it’s simple, but technical.

Submit a sitemap to Google so it knows what you have, your structure, and something about your purpose. Want to learn how to submit a sitemap to Google? Then check out that link to Yoast’s website where they break it down for you.

(And yes, the above is the perfect example of how to use an outbound link to a non-competitor to give more value to your reader as well as how to use anchor text.)

10. Domain History

This one is a little like a credit score, as you cannot raise this specific section unless you have history.

Google likes to see that your website isn’t brand new, after all, which seems more trustworthy, a company that has been around for 6 years and has paid for their domain name for another 4, or a company that has a 3 month old website and only has it bought for another 3 months?

After all, what company only expects to be in business for 6 months? A scam, that’s what.

Google takes this idea and runs with it, so they will probably trust a 5-year old website more than a 2, and a 2 more than a brand new one.

Of course, every website started somewhere and that means that all websites were young at one point in their past. The best thing you can do is to buy your domain for a longer period of time to show Google you plan on sticking around.

Some studies have shown that 2-3 years is the magic number, though others say 5. We recommend buying your domain for at least one year, and then renewing it for more as you grow and are able.

Remember, Google is always watching (shudder).

Does All of This Sound Like a Lot? It Is! But JSL Loves SEO & Is Here to Help!

Contact JSL Marketing & Web Design and get your SEO right (without having to do any of the above on your own) by letting us handle it for you!

February 11, 2020

Search Engine Optimization – Over 200 Ranking Factors? [Part 1]

Surely, you’ve all heard it, the 200+ SEO ranking factor number that floats around in blogs, videos, and ‘how-to’ eBooks. And while we’re not disputing that Google’s algorithm is highly sophisticated (and complicated), we also think it’s important to let you know that not all 200+ of their SEO ranking factors are heavily weighted.

This means that some factors are very important…and some are just something to be aware of. For example, keywords in high-level areas of your page (title tags, H1s) are much more important in ranking you for that keyword than, say, keyword density in H2s and H3s.

But if there are so many factors, what should you be focusing on? And how can you wade through all the weak SEO ranking factors and focus on the heavy ones?

We’ve gotten these questions from clients before, which is why we are offering a two-part blog series on important ranking factors and what you can do on and off your page to help boost your SEO efforts!

Part One:

Page Speed
Mobile Optimized
Domain Authority
Title Tags
H1 Tags
Content Length & Depth
Duplicate Content
Canonical Tag
Secure Website
RankBrain

Part Two:

Business Information
Image Optimization
Fresh Content
Outbound Links
Inbound Links
Anchor Text
Internal Links
URL
Sitemap
Domain History

1. Page Speed

You know that page speed is important, especially with the connections most online consumers make between quality, security, and speed.

Ultimately, a slow website looks like a bad website, if your customers even wait for it to load (which they probably won’t).

Use Page Speed Insights to see how you stack up:

https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/

2. Domain Authority

Domain authority describes the relevance for a specific subject area or industry, so, if you talk about tacos on your page, have a wealth of knowledge about tacos, and have trusted websites that also specialize in tacos linking to you, your DA will probably be higher.

Moz has a good tool to learn about your domain authority, but their best features require a subscription.

https://moz.com/learn/seo/domain-authority

3. Title Tags

Title tags tell users what your page will be about even before they get on it, as title tags can be seen from the search engine results page (SERPs). This means your title tag has to be relevant to the page, include keywords, have your branded name if possible, and stay within the length limits (under 60 characters).

We recommend using a style similar to:

20 SEO Ranking Factors That REALLY Matter | JSL Marketing

4. H1 Tags

H1 tags, or header 1 tags, are similar to the topmost title of an outline, so it is important that they are present and relevant to your page, content, and keywords.

Instead of having your homepage merely be labeled ‘Home’ as its H1, try having a service mentioned as well. For example, the JSL homepage’s H1 is:

Digital Marketing & Web Design That Converts

See how that is much better than ‘Home?’ After all, everyone knows it’s the home page, but instead we talk about what the page will cover, have keywords within the H1, and add interest.

5. Content Length & Depth

Content length is always up for debate, but the numbers don’t lie! Often, the pages that come up first on the SERPs are pages with more content length and depth. So, if you search for ‘SEO ranking factors’ you will find a list of 200 before you find a list with only 6.

Consider using the Content Analyzer or Writing Helper on SEMRush as they are great tools to help you see what the competition’s length is for certain keywords, as well as what direction you should go (casual, technical, etc.).

A little research goes a long way, but at the very least, home pages should have no less than 400 words (and 700-1,000 is best).

6. Duplicate Content

Duplicate content is a big red flag for Google, as it essentially looks like plagiarism or that you simply copied and pasted the same content onto multiple pages on your website. Even though Google wants to see in-depth content on each page, that doesn’t mean you can cheat and just write one page of great content and then use the same words on each page.

This is one of the reasons why content marketing is so important, and why having a good writer is valuable. Even if you are targeting similar words on different pages, you need to make sure the content is unique and helpful on both.

7. Canonical Tag

Sometimes you don’t have duplicate content, but the search engines still think you do if you don’t have a 301 redirect or canonical tag. This will tell Google that your page is the originator of the content, and that other variations of your URL are still the same page and the same site.

Otherwise, search engines might consider www.jsl.marketing and https://jsl.marketing/ as different websites – and then nail you with a ton of ‘duplicate content.’

8. Secure Website

Speaking of the above example (www.jsl.marketing vs. https://jsl.marketing/) make sure your website is secure (with that https) as otherwise users and search engines won’t trust you.

Check out what Google Search Console has to say about secure websites and how to switch yours over easily and quickly:

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/6073543?hl=en

9. RankBrain

RankBrain was a major update that helped Google’s algorithm learn what people mean when they type in a query that could mean multiple things. This is a huge step for machine learning, but also makes your website’s content all the more important.

One of the biggest areas that shifted due to RankBrain is the ‘one keyword per page’ idea. Instead, use keywords that are semantically related on the same page, like:

Web Design Dallas, SEO & Web Design, UI/UX Design in Dallas, Dallas Website Development, and Web Development Dallas.

If these are all targeted on the same page – guess what, Google can probably figure out that your page is on web design and SEO in the Dallas area, not property development and design services in Dallas.

10. Mobile-Friendly Website

This one is huge, really huge, because of the aptly named Google update – Mobilegeddon. As it sounds, it was all about making sure your website is optimized for mobile users, and if it isn’t, well – you probably took a huge dive a couple of years back.

And guess what – Google wants you to succeed in this area, which is why they made their very own ‘mobile-friendly test’ which can tell you how your website stacks up, why, and what you can do to improve it.

Stay Tuned for the Second Half of our SEO Ranking Factors Blog – Coming Soon!

And in the meantime, if narrowing down the 200+ SEO ranking factors to 20 still seems like a lot to handle, don’t worry! JSL Marketing & Web Design is here to help.

Our SEO team has brought our clients and ourselves to the top of the pile time and time again! Contact us today to learn more about SEO, our services, and our company.

April 05, 2019

The 8 Most Vital Tips for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

It’s true that not all sites are created equal and not all SEO ranking factors are either. In fact, though there are over two hundred ranking factors that search engines (we mainly mean Google here) take into account, there are a few which swing the most weight – big time.

Now, of course, we don’t want to horde all the lovely information we know about SEO, ranking factors, and how to get your website to the top of the internet heap – oh no – that just isn’t us.

We believe that sharing is caring, and we would love to care about you, whether we work together or not.

So, strap in and get ready, because you’re about to have a crash course in SEO. Who knows, maybe you’ll realize you love the ‘please-Google-game’ and this will be the beginning of a beautiful new hobby/interest/career for you.

Or, more likely, you’ll just want to hire someone who does love SEO to do it for you.

#1: Know Your Analytics

One of the first things you need to do on your SEO journey is pretty straight forward – have web analytics set up and accurately tracking from the very beginning.

After all, if you don’t know where you’re starting from, and you don’t know your progress, then how will you know what works, what doesn’t, what’s up or what’s down?

Without analytics, you are a ship without a rudder in the sea (or internet) and that won’t get you anywhere but dashed up on the rocks or hopelessly lost.

Instead, avoid that whole tragic storyline, and use software to clearly track what’s working, your goals, and your trajectory.

Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or private options like SEMrush are great for analytics. We should know – we use all three.

#2: Write for Your Audience & the Robots Will Follow

If your keyword is, oh, I don’t know – ‘SEO’ – you don’t need to say it in every sentence, in every tag, in every header, and in every other possible location where it’ll be recognized by the search engine.

First of all, that is annoying, and no one wants to read that.

Second of all, search engines are smart enough to know that that is annoying, and your plan will backfire twofold.

Instead, write for your audience, about things they care about, and in the voice they prefer to listen to.

This is why knowing your target audience is so important – because they’ll be the ones reading it. And they’re the ones you want to talk to.

#3: Try Your Hardest to Gain (Good) Backlinks

Don’t just gain backlinks (which is when another site links to your site), instead, try to get good backlinks. Because Google can tell the differences between a good, trusted backlink related to your field, and www.buygoldnowwws77 (and so can your audience).

Take the time to cultivate relationships, create great content, and promote it in order to get a solid backlink web that will benefit you and your linker.

#4: Every Page Deserves a Meta Description

This should be an easy one to fix, update or polish.

Picture your typical search engine results page – that blurb on the page beneath your header or website link, that’s your meta description. And that little blurb needs to tell a bit about what that page should have, tell, or do.

Every page (even your blog/contact/FAQs/product pages) should have unique meta descriptions – not generic and not repeating. Duplicate content, even in just a meta description, is sure to raise some red flags for your SEO.

#5: Be Quick! Be Nimble!

People often forget that it isn’t just about what’s on your page, but about how quickly people can get there to take it in. Even if your page is only slowed down by 1 or 2 seconds, that’s enough to lose credibility, rankings, and customers.

Think of it like this – would you put your credit card or other personal information onto a site that seemed to be having trouble loading? No? Why not?

Because online users (yourself included) count speed and trust synonymously, and therefore, a slow site is one we view as unsafe or unsecured.

To avoid any mistrust, check your site speed often and perform health checks to keep it running smoothly as well as protected.

#6: Keywords for All!

Ah, the double standard of keywords – we knew we’d get here eventually.

Keywords are the teeter-totter of SEO and the bane of many content writers’ existence. And though we can’t tell you to use your designated keyword ‘X amount of times’ for success, we can give you some hints about how we use keywords both on our site and for our clients.

Keywords shouldn’t be the yardstick you measure your content by, instead, it should merely be your guide for what you are writing about or what concept you want to get across.

For example, this article is about SEO, right?

Well, we’re also talking about ranking factors, site health, keywords, content, backlinks, metas, analytics, and more.

So really, though ‘SEO’ is the beginning point, we are trying to create content which is within that category, but not all specifically revolving around that one, little word.

Also, any search engine worth its clicks can figure out what this post is about, it doesn’t need us to scream it from the mountain tops.

Instead (again) just focus on writing for your people and about the issues they have – Google will be able to figure out the rest.

#7: Your Images Want Keywords Too

Again with the keywords?

Yes. Absolutely. Always.

Your images are important, but search engines can’t yet look at them and fully understand what’s going on or what the takeaway should be.

Make it easy for them by having relevant names that tell the search engines what they need to know.

And using a keyword or two doesn’t hurt either. After all, if the image is on your site, it should be relevant to your site, services, and (probably) keywords.

#8: Be Unique, Be Consistent, & Be Valuable in Your Content

This is really what it’s all about, right?

Creating content that your readers, clients, and customers connect with and want more of. Creating content that gives value to your readers, gets good results, and catches the attention of the search engines.

You do this by being unique – telling, sharing, or thinking something new or in a new way; being consistent – don’t just post one time and expect results, or post 6 times in one month and then not at all for the next two; and giving value – or creating something that leaves the reader better than you found them.

JSL Marketing & Web Design is here to help you with all of your SEO needs.

It’s an ever-changing area to work in and we love the challenge! If you need more information or want to get started on your own SEO project, then contact us today – we can’t wait to work with you!