What’s SEO?

SEO, or search engine optimization, is priming a website’s configuration, content, and relevance to make it more easily findable for consumers using search engines like Google. Our Find8 SEO experts are data nerds who welcome the challenge of helping clients move up in Google rankings. But, according to them, user intent is one essential part of effective SEO that is overlooked the most. 

User Intent

User intent is the user’s specific purpose for a search. Three types of user intent significantly impact how your audience finds you. 

• Transactional: Searching with the intent of buying something. For example, “buy Nike shoes.”
• Navigational: Searching with the intent of reaching a page destination. For example, “Nike.”
• Informational: Searching with the intent of gathering information. For example, “best running shoes.”

Choosing Keywords

Keywords are words and phrases chosen by you to help Google determine when your site will appear in search. They’re the direct link between your users’ needs and your fulfillment. They let Google know what your site is all about. 

You need to consider search intent when finding impactful keywords for your business. It is pivotal to understand what people are searching for—and how and why they’re searching for it. The term money keyword is reserved for your most important product or service. If your business was linked to one single product or service, what would you want it to be? This seems simple but can get complicated. 

Find8 has a client who runs a yoga studio. Even though she offers instructor training, online classes, and more, her primary search driver is “yoga studio.” Another client owns a plumbing, heating, and air conditioning service. He offers many products and services, including water heater installation and duct cleaning. Selecting the right keywords, in this case, may be trickier. 

Keyword Difficulty

Another factor to keep in mind with keywords is their difficulty level. Keyword difficulty is a score based on the competition for that specific keyword or phrase. There are three types of keyword competition. 

• Industry Competitors—companies selling similar products or services to a similar audience.
• SEO Competitors—domains that write content for a similar audience and compete for a similar keyword profile.
• Keyword Competitors—sites ranking right now for the exact keyword you want to target.

An ideal keyword or phrase has a high volume and low competition. But remember, keywords can only be chosen effectively if you know your users’ search intent. Choosing the right keywords is no small feat. If only you knew a group of keyword architects who possess the skills to move you up in the Google rankings. Guess what? You do. Contact our team. They live for this stuff. 

Content Creation

Content creation—the place where it all comes together. So, you own an HVAC company. How are your customers going to find you? Will they type “AC installation near me” into the search bar? What about “best AC installer”? What if they don’t need a new AC system installed and just want to repair their broken one? Different intentions mean different ways of searching. And it will take some strategic content to be included in the upper part of those Google results. There are several things to keep in mind. 

Firstly, your content must sync with your users’ searches. For example, don’t just create a page that mentions AC repair and AC installation in your list of offered services. Instead, give each of those keyword phrases a page of its own. Remember that users who land on copy matching their search are likelier to click through and check it out. 

Keyword Placement

The goal is to include these keywords on the right pages and in the right spots. It can get complex. One tip is to use keywords toward the top of the page, preferably in the title. That way, it will always be visible, even on mobile versions. It also adds more oomph when Google finds the keywords up in the H1, or the header, rather than the body.  It’s also essential to balance out your keywords with authentic-sounding copy. Copy that is too keyword-heavy often sounds robotic. And if science fiction movies have taught us anything, it’s that robots are never entirely trustworthy—well, maybe one was. But Number Five is the exception to the rule. People won’t do business with you if they don’t trust you. So, copy that’s relatable and conversational is best. 

Links

So, how many pornographic websites link back to your business site? Yep, it happens. It’s more common than you think. And it hurts your Google rankings! 

Backlinks are links on other websites that lead back to yours. Google and other search engines look at backlinks as vouchers from other sites proving yours is credible. Pages with backlinks from trusted, expert sources rank higher with Google.

Interlinking involves including links in your work to other content. Interlinking is beneficial for various reasons, including keeping users on your site longer and raising your Google rankings. In addition, if your keywords are clickable, linked words, Google takes notice. Remember to only link out to credible sites. Otherwise, you risk lowering your ranking status.

What’s so important about Google’s trust? In one word—everything. Without it, your rankings tank, meaning you don’t appear very high on the search results list. If you want to be found by users, you need to be Google’s best friend. Google needs to know you’re reliable. 

It’s worth checking out who is backlinking to you and adding effective links to your content. Our SEO team knows how to strategically do both. 

SEO—Art + Science

Effective SEO is intricate. It’s an art and a science that requires creativity, innovation, and analytical thinking. It should always focus on your customer’s journey and search intent at every step. 

Find8 is lucky to include pioneering data-driven SEO visionaries. Contact us at (765) 588-6067 for more information about our SEO services, or visit our SEO services page. Our team is waiting to construct a lucrative, ingenious SEO platform for your business.