Are you looking to increase website traffic and optimize your website for search engine optimization (SEO)? If so, it is important to understand and follow the proper SEO guidelines for your website. SEO helps your website rank higher in search engine results and makes it easier for potential customers to find your business. In this blog post, we will discuss essential SEO guidelines that your website should be following. From researching the right keywords to utilizing meta tags and alt text, we will cover the basics of website SEO and how to make sure your website is correctly optimized.

Here are the SEO guidelines your website should follow: 

  1. Keyword Research 
  2. Title Tags 
  3. Meta Descriptions 
  4. ALT Tags 

Need help with your SEO strategy? Contact Horton Group today to learn more. 

Keyword Research

Before implementing an SEO strategy for your website, you need to do your research. Researching the keywords and phrases related to your business or product is important for understanding what potential customers are looking for when they search for you. Knowing this information can help you create content and optimize your website for specific keywords and phrases.

When conducting keyword research, consider the relevancy of the terms you’re researching, as well as the search volume of the terms. This will help you determine which keywords and phrases are best suited for your website and are more likely to bring in traffic.

Additionally, research your competitors to see what they’re doing with their SEO. This can provide valuable insights into the strategies they’re using that may be worth emulating or avoiding.

Ultimately, understanding the needs of your target audience and competitors will give you a better understanding of how to best optimize your website for search engines. Doing your research first can save you time and effort in the long run and give you a better chance of achieving success with your SEO efforts.

Title Tags 

Title tags are HTML elements that tell search engines and visitors what any given page on your website is about. They appear in the browser tab and also as the clickable headline for a given result on a SERP (Search Engine Results Page). Title tags should be unique for each page and should accurately reflect the content of the page.

When creating title tags, it’s important to keep them concise and relevant. Ideally, they should not exceed 60 characters. Anything longer will be truncated by search engines. Including your target keyword in your title tag can help you rank higher for that keyword in search engine results.

Additionally, including your business name and/or location can help differentiate you from competitors. It’s also important to avoid using the same title tag on multiple pages of your site. This will create duplicate content issues and could potentially lead to penalties from search engines.

Finally, make sure your title tags are properly formatted. Start with the most important words first and separate words with parentheses ( ). Additionally, use all lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens when appropriate.

Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions are an important part of SEO because they provide a concise explanation of the content found on a particular web page. They’re also the first thing a user will see when searching for a specific keyword or phrase. Optimizing meta descriptions to include the primary keyword(s) associated with the page can help search engines and users understand the page’s content, helping to improve click-through rates from search engine result pages.

Meta descriptions should be between 150-160 characters long, written in language that’s easy to understand, and should accurately reflect the content on the page. They should also include relevant keywords and phrases to target for search engine rankings. When writing meta descriptions, you should think about how people use search engines and what words they might use to find a page like yours. This will help you craft an effective meta description that will draw users in to click on your link.

Including keyword-rich meta descriptions on each of your pages is a great way to boost organic traffic, as it makes it easier for users and search engines to understand what each page is about. By following these guidelines and crafting quality meta descriptions, you can give your website the best chance at gaining visibility in search engine results.

ALT Tags 

ALT tags, also known as Alternative Text tags, are a type of HTML attribute used to provide a description for an image on a web page. ALT tags are used primarily by search engine crawlers, helping them to determine what is being depicted in an image, as well as for visually impaired users who are using screen-reading software to access the web.

When creating ALT tags, it’s important to keep in mind that search engine crawlers use them to interpret the contents of an image and the topic of the page they appear on. As such, you should use relevant and descriptive language when creating your ALT tags – this includes words that are related to your content, as well as keywords you’re trying to target. Doing so will make it easier for search engine crawlers to determine what is being depicted in the image and associate it with the relevant topic.

In addition to helping search engine crawlers better understand your content, ALT tags can also help visually impaired users understand what an image is depicting. Screen-reading software reads aloud the text associated with an image, so if you’ve added an accurate and descriptive ALT tag, the user will understand the context of the image without having to see it.

Let Horton Group Help You with Your SEO Plan 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an ever changing game. Our Nashville SEO firm delivers search engine results using proven inbound marketing strategies within “white hat SEO” guidelines.

Horton Group’s smart team of certified SEO Specialists know how to deliver exceptional SEO results, keeping your website on top of Google searches and bringing quality leads to your company. SEO in Nashville is an ongoing process not a one time task.

Ready to get started? Contact us today to get a quote.