Staying ahead of the search engine optimization curve and adapting to Google’s ever-changing updates requires a long-term SEO strategy. One that pulls on the foundational principles of effective SEO and has a finger on the pulse of the latest trends.
Search engine algorithms, like Google updates, continue to change how web pages are crawled, indexed and ranked; it’s not enough to just keep doing what worked in the past. Take, for instance, the most recent Helpful Content Update (HCU) – part of the Google March core update, which finished rolling out in April 2024.
This is one more change in a trend towards prioritizing original, helpful content geared towards a human audience, rather than the search engine machine itself. What this means in practice is that the heart of the content you offer your audience is as important as the work you do to optimize it. What you write has to be compelling, interesting and helpful. Or, as Google puts it, it should show experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
Of course, at the same time, even the highest quality content won’t be found on the first page of search results if it’s not optimized. It’s a tricky combination. Here are five effective SEO strategies that help you bring it all together to rank higher than the competition and drive organic traffic over the years to come.
A forward-looking long-term SEO strategy is essential for sustainable success. Short-term tactics can sometimes offer quick wins, but those wins are futile without a cohesive strategy that builds a solid foundation for future growth.
Successful SEO is a long game that requires consistent effort, patience and an understanding of how search engines work. It’s not something that happens overnight.
Before we dive into the more technical aspects of optimization, let’s look at SEO-driven content marketing. The goal should be to harness the best of both worlds with content marketing that engages and SEO efforts that ensure visibility. That means doing thorough keyword research to identify terms that resonate with your target audience and creating valuable evergreen content.
Thorough, ongoing keyword research is the cornerstone of any successful SEO strategy.
Start by identifying which search queries your website is ranking for already, while also analyzing which keywords your competitors are having success with as well as search intent. From there, thoroughly reviewing your product or service pages while finding alternatives to your list of search queries so far should also be pursued. This initial list, which will grow throughout the campaign, should include roughly 100-150 keywords at kickoff.
After constructing your keyword list, map out which pages you plan to optimize for which keywords. This strategy sets up your on-page optimization schedule for future months. In the majority of cases, if a page is already ranking well for a keyword, you will want to continue to associate it with that same page.
Each page should be optimized for different primary keywords so that you are not competing with yourself for rankings, or what some in the field call keyword cannibalization. If there are relevant search terms on your list you do not have a page you can reasonably associate it with, then you may want to explore creating a new page to target that term.
Evergreen content is powerful because it remains relevant and valuable over time, unlike more time-sensitive content that can lose its appeal quickly. What does this have to do with SEO? Well, for one (a big one!), evergreen content will continue to attract organic traffic and engage users long after it’s published.
Strategies for creating evergreen content:
On-page SEO is critical for improving your site's visibility and ranking. Key on-page SEO elements include optimizing titles, meta descriptions, headers and images, as well as ensuring a seamless user experience.
Here are some important on-page SEO best practices:
While the focus has shifted towards creating content for humans instead of search engines, those search engines still need to be able to find and rank it.
Internal linking is a powerful yet overlooked SEO strategy. Effective internal linking improves site navigation, helps distribute page authority and enhances user experience.
Backlinks – that is, a link from another website to your site – can significantly influence your site's authority and ranking. A strong backlink profile involves acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable sites within your industry.
Effective outreach is key to acquiring high-quality backlinks. Content creators from other organizations may naturally link to your site when you provide valuable and high-quality content, but a little outreach can go a long way in improving search engine visibility.
Reach out to influencers, thought leaders and journalists within your industry for opportunities to share your content. For example, guest posting and collaboration on longer-form content can be a good way to get relevant, authoritative websites to link to your blog post or site.
Start with a backlink audit, which identifies which domains or pages are linking to your website. Along with providing metrics on how many websites are linking to your site, this audit will also highlight which pages those links are coming from, and which pages are most valuable to your backlink profile. The backlink audit will also identify which links are toxic and should be disavowed through Google Search Console.
By using Google’s Disavowal Tool, you are telling the search engine that even though this “spam” website is linking your site, you do not want this hyperlink nor did you ask for it to be placed. The backlink audit will also help you develop relevant link-building campaigns to target in the future.
Content is critical, but you can’t overlook the more technical aspects of SEO that ensure your site is easily crawlable, fast and user-friendly.
Conduct regular technical SEO audits, using tools like Semrush. This helps you identify errors on the website that need to be corrected in order to help Google crawl and index your site as efficiently and effectively as possible. You should also be regularly reviewing Google Search Console for feedback on how to identify issues or technical opportunities in the future.
Mobile-friendly website design is a must.
People are increasingly using mobile devices to research and make purchasing decisions, which means a mobile-friendly website is fundamental for the user experience – which, in turn, means it’s important for SEO.
Plus, Google has been crawling the mobile version of new sites instead of the desktop version for indexing for years now. That means that if you launch a website that isn’t optimized for mobile, it will be harder to find through Google search.
Website speed directly impacts user experience and SEO. Faster sites provide better user experiences and are favored by search engines. Many different elements impact site speed, including optimizing images, reducing HTTP requests, removing unused plugins and using more efficient code and scripts.
Improving your site speed and, for that matter, mobile-friendliness, isn’t something the average marketer can tackle alone. (Note: Technical SEO requires a specialized skill set and experience, so it’s well worth the investment of partnering with an agency like Kuno Creative with decades of experience designing and developing websites.)
Regardless of how many of these strategies you plan to implement, it's critical to measure results on a regular basis. Every month, review how keyword rankings responded to your optimizations. How much more traffic did you generate? Is it the right traffic, or more directly, is that traffic leading to conversions? Monthly reporting and analyzing data associated with SEO campaigns are critical to future success.
Analytics play a crucial role in shaping and refining your SEO strategy. Without the data, you’re flying blind.
Regularly review performance data to identify trends, uncover opportunities and address weaknesses. Tools for tracking and analyzing SEO performance include Google Analytics, Google Search Console and third-party tools like Ahrefs or Semrush.
Things change quickly in the world of SEO. Stay informed with the latest trends and algorithm updates to adapt your strategies accordingly.
Subscribe to reputable SEO websites, participate in industry forums, attend conferences and webinars. Or, more easily, work with a partner like Kuno Creative to tap into a full team of SEO experts who are continuously monitoring these trends and fine tuning strategies that help you remain competitive.
At Kuno Creative, we understand the complexities of SEO and help our clients drive marked success every day.
As a full-service digital marketing agency, we bring together a team of designers, developers, brand journalists, SEO experts, marketing automation strategists and many others to together create high-quality content that drives more organic content and converts leads. Schedule a call with us today to learn more.
