Did you know the top 3 search results on Google get over 75% of all clicks1? With so much competition, it’s key for Australian businesses to make their websites better for search rankings. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) makes your website more relevant and authoritative. This helps it rank higher in organic search results.
This guide will show you 10 tactics to boost your website’s search engine rankings. You’ll learn how to make your website better and get more targeted traffic. These strategies include improving your website and using link building to beat your competitors.
Key Takeaways
- Put the main keyword at the start of your webpages for better rankings1.
- Use unique titles, descriptions, and content to avoid duplication and boost SEO1.
- Put the main keyword first in your title tags to grab search engine attention1.
- Make your website load faster to improve user experience and rankings1.
- Use Google Search Console to see how your site is doing in search results1.
Conduct Thorough Keyword Research
Starting with keyword research is key to good SEO. Know the words your audience uses to find products or services like yours. This helps you make your website more visible in search results2.
Leverage Keyword Research Tools
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz for your keyword research. These tools find high-volume, relevant keywords for your business2. Look at search volume, competition, and intent to pick the best keywords2.
Analyse Search Intent and Competition
It’s important to know why people are searching for certain keywords. Are they looking for info, directions, or to buy something2? Check how competitive each keyword is to find good spots to rank and bring in quality traffic2.
For example, “SEO tips for small businesses” gets 300 searches a month but is hard to rank for. “small business SEO” gets 2,500 searches a month but is very hard too3. These numbers help you choose the right keywords and make content your audience likes3.
Doing deep keyword research gives you insights for your content strategy. It also helps your website rank better in search engines2. A smart keyword plan is the base of a successful SEO strategy2.
Optimise On-Page Elements
Improving your website’s on-page elements is key to better search engine rankings4. It’s important to create SEO-friendly title tags and meta descriptions that include your main keywords5. These descriptions can boost click-through rates by 6% compared to pages without them5. Using relevant headings (H1, H2, H3) makes your content easier for search engines to understand4. It’s also crucial to place target keywords in strategic spots like H1, the first paragraph, and subheaders for better on-page SEO4.
Craft SEO-Friendly Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Your title tags and meta descriptions are what users see first in search engine results5. Keep title tags between 50 and 60 characters to avoid cutting off4. Even though meta descriptions don’t directly affect rankings, they’re key for getting more clicks and increasing traffic45. Writing great meta descriptions is essential for standing out in search results.
Utilise Headings and Optimise Content
4 Headings and subheadings make content easier to read and help search engines understand your page’s structure5. Using heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) improves content structure and search engine understanding4. Google suggests focusing on “people-first content” to highlight the importance of user experience in SEO4. Make sure your content is top-notch, informative, and optimised for your keywords without overdoing it.
| On-Page SEO Element | Optimisation Recommendations |
|---|---|
| Title Tags |
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| Meta Descriptions |
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| Headings (H1, H2, H3) |
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| Content |
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“Optimizing on-page elements is a foundational aspect of SEO that helps search engines understand and rank your content effectively.” – SEO Expert,
Enhance Site Structure and Navigation
Creating a well-structured website is key for a great user experience and better search engine rankings6. Aim for a website that can be reached in three clicks or less6. Internal links help search engines understand your site’s layout6. But, orphan pages without links can hurt your SEO and user experience6.
Grouping content by topic helps search engines see page connections and boosts topical authority6. Silo structures limit link sharing between different topics, affecting internal linking6. Strategic linking can improve page rankings by sharing authority6.
A good site structure makes it easy for users to move through your marketing funnel, helping with lead generation and conversions6. Analyzing competitors can show you how to organize your site for better navigation and user experience6. Different sites, like ecommerce or content sites, need different structures6.
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Published date of the article | 7Dec 30, 2022 |
| Percentage of website optimization related to improving search engine rankings | 7 |
| Occurrence rate of using clear hierarchy to organize website content for better SEO | 7 |
| Ratio of websites using descriptive, keyword-rich URLs for SEO purposes | 7 |
| Comparative analysis of website ranking improvement with and without breadcrumb navigation | 7 |
| Frequency of websites implementing sitemaps for search engine indexing | 7 |
| Percentage of websites utilizing internal linking for SEO benefits | 7 |
| Market share of responsive design websites compared to non-responsive ones | 7 |
| Impact of mobile-friendly websites on user experience and search engine rankings | 7 |
Site architecture affects user experience, making organized sites more engaging6. A well-designed structure and navigation can boost your SEO, user experience, and site performance.
Search Rankings
It’s key to keep an eye on your website’s search engine rankings and performance. Tools like8 Google Search Console help you see how visible your site is and track its performance. You can look at impressions, clicks, click-through rate, and average position8. Over time, this helps you spot areas to improve and see how your SEO changes affect things.
Track Rankings with Google Search Console
Google Search Console gives you deep insights into how your website does in search engines9. You can see how your site ranks, track changes in visibility, and understand your content’s performance. Regularly checking your Search Console data lets you make smart choices to boost your rankings9.
Analyse Performance Metrics
Looking at your website’s performance metrics is also crucial8. Use third-party tools to track your site’s rankings for key words. This gives you a full picture of how you’re doing in search engines810. By keeping an eye on your search visibility and engagement, you can make smart content choices to get better rankings10.
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Impressions | The number of times your website appears in search results. |
| Clicks | The number of times users click on your website in the search results. |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | The percentage of impressions that result in a click. |
| Average Position | The average position of your website in the search results for a given query. |
By keeping a close watch on your search engine performance, you can use tools like Google Search Console and third-party trackers to make smart choices. This helps you optimise your site and get better rankings8910.
“Staying informed about the latest SEO techniques, including changes in search engine ranking criteria, new relevant keywords, and emerging search technologies like voice search or AI-assisted search, is crucial to maintain a good website ranking.”8
Leverage Image Optimisation Techniques
Optimising your website’s images can greatly improve your search engine rankings. Using the right image optimisation tips can boost your SEO and make your site better for visitors11.
Optimise Image File Names and Alt Text
Begin by giving your images descriptive, keyword-rich file names. This helps search engines get what your images are about. Also, add relevant alt text to help search engines and users with visual impairments12.
Compress Images for Faster Loading
Reducing your images’ file size can make your site load faster, which Google values highly. Use tools like Kraken.io or TinyPNG to shrink your images without losing quality1112.
For web optimisation, JPEGs, PNGs, and WebP are top choices12. JPEGs are great for hero images and product shots because they compress lossy. PNGs are best for high-quality images or illustrations because they don’t lose quality. WebP supports both lossless and lossy compression, but it might not work on older browsers12.
It’s important to size your images right. Big images can slow down your site11. Resize them to fit the space they’ll occupy and keep the resolution at 72 PPI or less11. Aim to compress images to 100 KB or less for faster loading and less bandwidth use11.
Using these image optimisation tips can boost your site’s search engine rankings, make users happy, and keep your content engaging and easy to access1112.
Prioritise Mobile-Friendliness
In today’s world, making sure your website works well on mobile is key for SEO success13. Experts used to think mobile-optimised sites got a boost in rankings. But Google now says a good page experience is more complex, with mobile-friendliness just one part of it13.
Implement Responsive Web Design
Using a responsive web design means your site changes to fit different devices well1314. This makes sure your site works great on both computers and phones. It also helps your search rankings14.
Google still sees mobile-friendliness as important, but it’s not the only thing that matters13. Making sure your site is easy to use and has great content is key. This helps your site do well on both desktop and mobile searches.
| Mobile Optimisation Factors | Impact |
|---|---|
| Responsive Web Design | Ensures seamless user experience across devices |
| Fast Page Loading | Reduces bounce rates and improves engagement |
| Intuitive Navigation | Enhances mobile user experience and accessibility |
| Optimized Content | Delivers value and relevance for mobile users |
By focusing on these key areas, you can make a site that ranks well and gives a great experience to mobile users14.
“Thinking holistically about page experience and not hyper-focusing on individual ranking signals is essential for search success.”
– Google Search Advocate John Mueller
Build a Solid Link Profile
Creating a strong link profile is key for a good SEO plan. Aim for high-quality, relevant backlinks from trusted sites to boost your domain authority and rankings15. A solid link profile means lots of diverse, relevant links15. Getting quality backlinks makes your site more credible and improves search engine spots15. Search engines see links as signs of a site’s trustworthiness and popularity.
Don’t forget about internal links on your site to help search engines understand your content better15. Making content that people want to share can draw in authoritative backlinks15. It’s more important to focus on the quality of backlinks than how many you have15. Finding and keeping track of good links needs a smart link building plan.
Keep working on your link profile to show search engines your site is valuable and trustworthy, which can lead to better visibility and rankings15. A strong link profile is crucial for SEO success and trust15. Quality backlinks bring more organic traffic and make your site more visible.
Source Links
- 10 Best Practice to Improve Your SEO Rankings – https://backlinko.com/hub/seo/best-practices
- Master the Process of Keyword Research | Mailchimp – https://mailchimp.com/resources/how-to-do-keyword-research/
- How to Do Keyword Research for SEO: A Beginner’s Guide – https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-do-keyword-research-ht
- On-Page SEO: What It Is and How to Do It – https://www.semrush.com/blog/on-page-seo/
- What are the Crucial On-page SEO Elements? – https://www.nbh.co/learn/what-are-the-crucial-on-page-seo-elements
- What Is Website Architecture? (& How to Improve it for SEO) – https://www.semrush.com/blog/website-structure/
- Optimize Your Website’s Structure and Navigation – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/optimize-your-websites-structure-navigation-eximodigital
- Improve your search engine rankings | business.gov.au – https://business.gov.au/online-and-digital/business-website/improve-your-search-engine-rankings
- A Guide to Google Search Ranking Systems | Google Search Central | Documentation | Google for Developers – https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ranking-systems-guide
- How to improve your local ranking on Google – https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=en
- Image SEO: 15 Tips for Image Optimization – https://backlinko.com/image-seo
- 15 Image SEO Best Practices – https://surferseo.com/blog/image-seo/
- Is Mobile-Friendliness A Google Ranking Factor? – https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ranking-factors/mobile-friendliness/
- How to Make Your Site Mobile Friendly for SEO – https://www.woorank.com/en/edu/seo-guides/mobile-friendliness
- How do you create a strong link profile? – https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/how-do-you-create-strong-link-profile
