by shannon | Feb 23, 2024 | Baltimore SEO, Local SEO, Strategy Planning
Dominating Online with Virtual Surge Baltimore SEO Experts
Baltimore, a city brimming with history, culture, and vibrant commerce, presents a dynamic yet competitive landscape for local businesses vying for online visibility. In today’s digital landscape, where search engines are the go-to for finding products and services, solid SEO has become critical for any business looking to thrive and expand.
At Virtual Surge, a top Baltimore SEO expert agency in Baltimore, we know businesses’ distinct challenges and opportunities in this dynamic market. We’ve partnered with countless local companies to help them navigate the ever-evolving world of SEO and achieve remarkable results. This comprehensive guide, crafted by our team of SEO experts, empowers you to unlock the full potential of SEO and attract a steady stream of qualified customers in Baltimore.
Understanding the Baltimore SEO Landscape: A Data-Driven Approach
Before embarking on your SEO journey, gaining a deep understanding of the Baltimore SEO landscape is crucial. Here’s where Virtual Surge’s expertise comes into play:
- Audience Insights: We conduct thorough market research to understand your target audience’s demographics, search habits, and online behavior. This data-driven approach ensures your SEO strategy aligns perfectly with their needs and search intent.
- Competitive Analysis: Our team analyzes your local competitors’ online presence, uncovering their strengths, weaknesses, and keyword strategies. This valuable intel empowers you to differentiate your brand and identify opportunities to outrank them in search results.
- Local Keyword Targeting: We go beyond generic keywords and identify hyper-local search terms relevant to Baltimore and its surrounding areas. Think “Baltimore web design agency near Fells Point,” “best family restaurants in Canton,” or “pediatric dentist accepting new patients in Mount Washington.”
Building a Rock-Solid SEO Foundation: The Cornerstone of Success
A successful SEO strategy rests upon a robust foundation. Virtual Surge’s team of seasoned professionals ensures your website is optimized for search engine success:
- Mobile-First Website Development: We prioritize creating user-friendly, mobile-responsive websites that load lightning-fast, providing an exceptional experience across all devices.
- Technical SEO Expertise: Our team addresses crucial technical aspects like website structure, URL optimization, and schema markup, ensuring search engines can easily crawl and understand your website.
- On-Page Optimization: We meticulously blend relevant keywords into your website’s content, along with meta descriptions and title tags. Simultaneously, we focus on producing top-quality content that captivates your intended audience and fulfills their specific search inquiries.
Unleashing the Power of SEO Strategies: Attract, Engage, Convert
With a solid foundation in place, Virtual Surge empowers you to leverage these effective Baltimore SEO expert strategies:
- In-Depth Keyword Research: Our team utilizes advanced tools and industry expertise to conduct comprehensive keyword research, identifying high-volume, low-competition keywords that drive qualified traffic to your website.
- Content Marketing Mastery: We create a content strategy specifically designed for your brand and audience. This includes informative blog posts, engaging articles, insightful infographics, captivating videos, and compelling case studies that establish you as a thought leader in your industry.
- Strategic Link Building: Our team employs ethical and effective strategies for link-building to secure high-quality backlinks from respected websites in your industry. This significantly improves your website’s authority and boosts your ranking in search results.
- Local SEO Optimization: We ensure your Google My Business listing is claimed, optimized, and consistently updated with accurate information. Additionally, we encourage customer reviews and respond promptly, demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction.
- Data-Driven Approach: We utilize advanced analytics tools to track your website traffic, monitor keyword rankings, and measure the success of your SEO efforts. This data-driven approach allows us to continually refine your strategy and optimize your website for maximum impact.
Going Beyond the Basics: The Virtual Surge Advantage
At Virtual Surge, we go beyond simply implementing SEO tactics. We become an extension of your team, providing ongoing support and guidance:
- Industry-Specific Expertise: Our team possesses in-depth knowledge of various industries, allowing us to tailor SEO strategies that cater to your niche and target audience.
- Transparency and Communication: We maintain open communication channels, keeping you informed of our progress, sharing valuable insights, and ensuring you’re involved in every step of the process.
- Scalable SEO Solutions: We offer flexible SEO packages that adapt to your evolving needs and budget, ensuring your SEO strategy grows alongside your business.
Your Gateway to Baltimore’s Online Success
By partnering with Virtual Surge, Baltimore SEO experts, you can access a team of passionate SEO experts dedicated to helping you achieve your online goals. We equip you with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to navigate the ever-changing SEO landscape and dominate Baltimore’s online market.
Unlock the full potential of your Baltimore business with Virtual Surge’s comprehensive SEO guide. Dive deep into the Baltimore SEO landscape with our expert insights, from audience analysis to competitive positioning. Let Virtual Surge elevate your online presence through tailored strategies, from mobile-first design to advanced keyword research. Experience the power of content marketing, strategic link building, and local SEO optimization. Partner with us for data-driven success, industry-specific expertise, and scalable solutions. Ready to dominate Baltimore’s online market? Start your journey to SEO success with Virtual Surge. Contact us today!
by shannon | Feb 15, 2024 | Digital Marketing, Local SEO, Recent News, Strategy Planning, Voice Search
Navigating the SEO Seas
The world of SEO is constantly evolving, demanding savvy businesses to adapt and stay ahead of the curve. Identifying the hottest trends can feel like navigating a stormy sea, but fret not! This blog post serves as your trusty compass, highlighting the crucial topics shaping the SEO landscape in 2024. Buckle up as we dive into the depths of:
1. The Evolving SERP Landscape: AI’s Ascendance and Beyond
Gone are the days of simple text snippets dominating search results. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now actively analyzing user intent, generating interactive elements, and tailoring results to individual preferences. Prepare for:
- Conversational Search: Imagine search engines understanding natural language like humans! AI-powered search assistants like Bard are blurring the lines between search and dialogue, requiring content optimized for conversational queries.
- Visual Dominance: Google’s AI is adept at processing and understanding visual content. Eye-catching images, infographics, and video content will continue to gain prominence, requiring optimization strategies beyond text.
- Dynamic SERPs: Get ready for SERPs (search engine results pages) that change based on user interactions. Clicking on specific results may refine the page layout, adding layers of complexity to SEO strategies.
2. Content Reigns Supreme: Quality, Value, and Expertise Take Center Stage
Content remains the undisputed king in SEO, but the definition of “good content” is evolving. Google prioritizes content that offers:
- Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-EAT): Google values content created by individuals with demonstrable knowledge and experience in their fields. Building your brand and showcasing your E-EAT will be crucial.
- Value-Driven Content: Ditch the fluff and focus on creating content that genuinely solves user problems, answers questions comprehensively, and offers unique insights. Informative, engaging, and helpful content will attract users and search engines.
- Content Refreshments: Keep your content active! Regularly updating and refreshing existing content with new information, data, and insights ensures its relevance and improves its ranking potential.
3. Technical Prowess Matters: Speed, Core Web Vitals, and Mobile-First
While content drives users, technical aspects ensure a smooth, delightful experience. Focus on:
- Core Web Vitals: Google prioritized website loading speed, responsiveness, and visual stability in 2021, and this trend continues. Optimizing your site for Core Web Vitals will be crucial for ranking and user experience.
- Mobile-First Indexing: Remember, most searches happen on mobile devices. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, offers a seamless user experience across devices, and prioritizes mobile optimization in all strategies.
- Technical SEO Basics: Pay attention to the fundamentals! Proper site structure, robot.txt configuration, and internal linking remain essential for search engines to crawl and index your website effectively.
4. The Power of Links: Building Trust and Authority
While link building might seem old-fashioned, it’s still a vital factor in SEO. However, the focus shifts from sheer quantity to quality:
Earning Links Naturally: Focus on creating high-quality content that organically attracts backlinks from reputable websites in your niche.
- Earning Links Naturally: Engage actively in online communities and forums related to your interests, share meaningful insights, and foster authentic connections.
- Diversity is Key: Don’t rely solely on a few high-authority links. Aim for a diverse link profile with backlinks from various sources, including websites, platforms, and content types.
- Quality Above All: Prioritize backlinks from trustworthy, relevant websites with good domain authority. Avoid spammy tactics and link schemes, which can harm your website’s reputation and ranking.
5. Local SEO: Taking Root in Your Community
Optimizing for local searches is paramount if your business serves a local clientele. Leverage:
- Google My Business Listing: Claim and complete your Google My Business listing with accurate information, high-quality photos, and positive reviews. Motivate customers to post favorable reviews and swiftly address their feedback.
- Local Citations: Make sure the name, address, and phone number (NAP) of your business are uniform across all directories, websites, and online listings. Build local citations through relevant platforms and community organizations.
- Target Location-Specific Keywords: Incorporate local keywords into your website content, metadata, and online listings. Investigate and focus on niche long-tail keywords that are relevant to your location and services.
6. User Intent: Aligning Your Content with What Users Seek
- Content Optimization: Create content that directly addresses user intent. Use relevant keywords naturally, but prioritize providing valuable information, answering questions comprehensively, and offering solutions to user problems.
- Structured Data: Implement structured data markup to enhance search engines’ comprehension of your content, thereby providing users with more pertinent search results. Implementing schema markups can lead to rich snippets in SERPs, boosting visibility and click-through rates.
7. Measuring and Adapting: The Vital Role of Analytics
SEO is a continuous process, not a one-time goal. Regularly track and evaluate your website’s performance to pinpoint opportunities for enhancement. Key metrics to track include:
- Organic Traffic: Keep track of your organic traffic’s volume and origins to discern which tactics draw in visitors.
- Keyword Rankings: Track your ranking for relevant keywords over time to assess the effectiveness of your content and optimization efforts.
- User Engagement: Examine metrics like bounce rate, time on page, and page views to assess user interaction with your content and identify areas for improvement.
- Conversion Rates: Assess how efficiently your website converts visitors into leads or customers.
8. Emerging Technologies: Embracing the Future of SEO
Remain at the forefront by monitoring new technologies that may influence the future landscape of SEO:
- Voice Search Optimization: As voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant gain popularity, optimize your content for conversational queries and natural language search terms.
- Blockchain Integration: While still in its early stages, blockchain technology could impact SEO by creating trust and transparency in data and links.
- SERP Personalization: Expect search results to become even more personalized based on individual user data and preferences. Adapt your content to cater to different audience segments and tailor your message accordingly.
Remember: SEO is a multifaceted and constantly changing domain. While this blog post highlights some of the hottest trends in 2024, staying informed and adapting your strategies to the latest developments is crucial. Remember, the key to SEO success is creating valuable content, building authority, and offering a seamless user experience. By keeping these principles at the core of your strategy, you can navigate the ever-changing SEO seas and steer your website toward success.
Bonus Tip: Never overlook the importance of cultivating significant connections with professionals in your field. Networking, engaging in online communities, and collaborating with others can lead to valuable insights, content partnerships, and backlinks, all contributing to your overall SEO success.
Ready to conquer the SEO waves of 2024? Partner with Virtual Surge and set sail towards digital success. Visit us now at Virtual Surge to elevate your SEO strategy and confidently navigate the future. Your journey to the top of search results starts here!
by shannon | Feb 7, 2024 | Baltimore SEO, Digital Marketing, Local SEO, Marketing, Mobile Marketing
Local SEO and national SEO are crucial aspects of digital marketing strategies for businesses today. Understanding the critical differences between these two approaches can significantly impact the success of your online presence.
Local SEO enhances your online presence to draw more business from relevant local searches, which is particularly beneficial for companies with physical locations or targeting specific geographic areas. In contrast, national SEO targets a broader audience nationwide or internationally, making it suitable for online-based businesses or those with a wider target market.
Local SEO is crucial for enhancing visibility on platforms such as Google Maps and local search results, enabling businesses to engage with local customers and increase foot traffic to physical stores. Conversely, national SEO is essential for companies aiming to extend their reach beyond regional boundaries and secure a larger market share at a national or global level.
Whether you are a small local business trying to attract nearby customers or a national brand seeking widespread visibility, understanding the nuances of local SEO versus national SEO is crucial for effectively optimizing your digital marketing efforts. Stay tuned to delve deeper into the specifics of these two SEO strategies and discover how they can benefit your business in reaching its target audience.
Understanding Local SEO
Local SEO is vital in helping businesses reach their target audience in specific geographic areas. Local businesses must prioritize optimizing their online presence for local searches to attract nearby customers actively seeking their products or services. Through adept comprehension and application of local SEO strategies, businesses can heighten their visibility, draw greater foot traffic to their brick-and-mortar establishments, and bolster sales.
Importance of Local SEO
Local SEO is crucial for businesses targeting consumers in specific locations. When potential customers search for products or services “near me” or in a specific city, a robust local SEO strategy ensures the business prominently appears in search engine results. This visibility increases website traffic and drives qualified leads who are more likely to convert into customers due to their proximity to the business. With a solid local SEO approach, companies can avoid losing out to competitors in the local market.
Local SEO Strategies
- Google Business Profile Optimization: Claiming and optimizing a Google Business Profile listing is a fundamental step in local SEO. Businesses can enhance their local search visibility and credibility by providing accurate business information, responding to reviews, posting updates, and utilizing Google My Business features effectively.
- Local Keyword Targeting: Incorporating location-specific keywords in website content, meta descriptions, and online listings helps businesses rank higher in local search results. Understanding the search terms customers use when looking for local businesses is essential for optimizing content and attracting relevant traffic.
- Online Reviews: Positive reviews from satisfied customers build trust and impact local search rankings. Promoting customers to leave reviews on platforms such as Google, Yelp, and industry-specific sites can enhance a business’s online reputation and visibility in local search results.
By applying these local SEO strategies, ensuring uniform business information across online platforms, and fostering a robust local online presence, businesses can markedly enhance visibility and attract customers in the local market.
Differentiating National SEO
National SEO focuses on optimizing your online presence across the country or globally rather than targeting specific local areas. It aims to capture a broader audience and increase visibility on a national scale. Understanding the nuances of national SEO is crucial for businesses seeking to reach a broader demographic.
Purpose of National SEO
The primary goal of national SEO is to enhance visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs) across a larger geographic region. Unlike local SEO, which targets specific locations, national SEO caters to a broader audience, making it ideal for businesses with a wide customer base or those operating nationally.
National SEO Strategies
- Content Marketing: Creating high-quality, relevant content that appeals to a national audience is essential for national SEO success. This includes optimizing website content, blog posts, and articles with relevant keywords that resonate with a broader demographic.
- Backlink Building: Establishing a varied collection of top-notch backlinks from reputable websites is paramount for national SEO. Backlinks indicate to search engines that your website is authoritative and reliable, enhancing the likelihood of securing higher rankings in national search results.
- Technical SEO: Implementing technical SEO best practices is vital for national visibility. This includes optimizing website structure, improving site speed, and ensuring mobile responsiveness to provide a seamless user experience for visitors nationwide.
By aligning these strategies with your national SEO efforts, you can enhance your online presence, drive organic traffic, and improve visibility on a national scale. National SEO allows businesses to expand their reach and connect with a broader audience, making it a valuable asset in today’s digital landscape.
Critical Differences Between Local SEO and National SEO
Exploring the fundamental disparities between local and national SEO strategies can provide valuable insights for businesses aiming to boost their online visibility. Understanding how each approach varies in geographical focus, competitive landscape, and audience targeting is crucial for optimizing search engine performance.
Geographical Focus
Local SEO involves targeting specific geographic areas, such as cities or regions, to attract nearby customers actively seeking local products or services. Conversely, national SEO extends its reach across a wider spectrum, targeting a broader audience spanning nationwide or even global boundaries. While local SEO focuses on enhancing visibility within a particular vicinity, national SEO seeks to maximize exposure on a larger scale.
Competitive Landscape
In local SEO, competition is typically more concentrated within specific regions, necessitating a deep understanding of local market dynamics to stand out effectively. On the contrary, National SEO faces a broader array of competitors on a national or global level, requiring strategies that can navigate through a more extensive and diverse landscape. Recognizing and adapting to the competitive landscape is pivotal in devising successful SEO tactics tailored to local or national contexts.
Audience Targeting
Local SEO thrives on catering to the needs of local audiences seeking immediate solutions or services nearby. Local SEO strategies strive to connect businesses with their close community by aligning content and keywords with localized intent. In contrast, national SEO targets a wider audience with varied interests, focusing on optimizing visibility across broader demographics and regions. Tailoring content to resonate with diverse audiences nationally forms the core of effective national SEO campaigns.
Understanding the nuances between local SEO and national SEO enables businesses to tailor their SEO efforts according to specific goals, target audiences, and competitive landscapes. By leveraging the distinct advantages of each approach, companies can create a robust SEO strategy that effectively aligns with their objectives and amplifies their online presence.
Importance of Local SEO for Businesses
Local SEO is an essential tactic for businesses seeking to enhance their online presence within a specific geographic region. Through local search optimization, companies can guarantee that their products or services are prominently featured to potential customers in their vicinity during relevant searches. Let’s explore further why local SEO holds such significance for businesses.
Targeting Local Customers
Local SEO enables businesses to focus on reaching potential customers within their immediate vicinity. This mainly benefits brick-and-mortar stores looking to attract foot traffic or service-based companies catering to a local clientele. Appearing in local search results enables businesses to engage with customers who are actively seeking their offerings nearby.
Building Trust and Credibility
A business consistently visible in local search results builds trust and credibility with local customers. By showcasing positive reviews, accurate business information, and location details, companies can establish themselves as reliable and reputable within their community. This trust is invaluable for attracting and retaining local customers.
Increasing Foot Traffic and Sales
Optimizing for local SEO can significantly impact a business’s foot traffic and sales. When potential customers find a company ranking high in local search results, they’re more inclined to visit the physical store or make a purchase. Businesses can drive more in-store visits and conversions by ensuring accurate business information, including address, phone number, and store hours.
Staying Ahead of Competitors
In today’s competitive market, businesses must stay ahead of local competitors. A robust regional SEO strategy can give businesses a competitive edge by ensuring they appear above competitors in local search results. Such visibility can result in heightened brand awareness, enhanced customer engagement, and expanded market share within the local area.
Enhancing Mobile Search Performance
With the rise of mobile search, optimizing local SEO is essential for businesses targeting on-the-go consumers. Local search optimization ensures that companies appear in mobile search results, making it easy for customers to find and contact them quickly. Providing a seamless mobile experience allows businesses to attract the attention of potential customers searching for relevant products or services.
Conclusion
In SEO, understanding the differences between local and national strategies is crucial for businesses aiming to reach their target audience effectively. At the same time, national SEO caters to a broader scope and seeks to reach a national or international audience; local SEO zeroes in on targeting specific geographical areas. For local businesses, implementing a robust local SEO strategy is paramount to enhancing visibility within their community and attracting nearby customers.
Importance of Local SEO for Local Businesses
Local SEO goes beyond enhancing search engine rankings; it’s about engaging with potential customers nearby who are actively seeking products or services within their local area. By optimizing for local search, businesses can ensure they appear in relevant local searches, increasing foot traffic to physical stores and generating leads from nearby prospects. This targeted approach enables enterprises to establish a solid online presence within their local market and stand out.
Leveraging National SEO for Greater Reach
On the other hand, national SEO is geared towards a wider audience reach, making it suitable for businesses with a broader target demographic or those offering products or services on a national scale. While national SEO involves optimizing for more general keywords and competing nationally, local businesses can still benefit from incorporating national SEO strategies to expand their reach beyond local boundaries. Through the integration of both local and national SEO strategies, businesses can develop a holistic digital marketing approach that optimizes online visibility and fosters sustainable growth.
Striking the Right Balance
Finding the right balance between local and national SEO is vital for businesses seeking optimal results in their online marketing efforts. While local SEO helps companies establish a strong presence in their local community and attract nearby customers, national SEO enables them to reach a wider audience and drive traffic on a national scale. By tailoring their SEO approach to align with their business goals and target audience, businesses can effectively leverage the power of both local and national SEO to enhance their online visibility, attract quality leads, and drive conversions.
Contact Virtual Surge today for more information and to kickstart your SEO services, whether your business is local or national-based. Unlock the power of targeted local SEO to drive foot traffic or expand your reach with national SEO strategies. Start optimizing your digital presence now!
by shannon | Dec 25, 2021 | Baltimore SEO, Digital Marketing, Local SEO, Posts
What You Need To Know About Google’s December 2021 Product Review Update
Product reviews are consumer opinions or feedback regarding goods or services. Many business websites have product review sections that allow customers to rate and review the products they have purchased. Such reviews are public, and they may influence the purchase decisions of other prospects. These reviews often use an affiliate link to products listed on a commerce site, intending to guide those finding the reviews useful towards the purchasing page. Recently, Google announced the December 2021 product review update. The algorithm update will impact product review pages and will take three weeks to complete. Here’s what you should know about Google’s product review update.
Product Review Page Ranking Assessment
In its announcement, Google indicates that the update will occur through an automated assessment specific to the product reviews webpage. It also communicated that the product review pages will be subject to similar ranking factors as those that apply to regular web pages.
The Timing
The December 2021 product review update has been a gradual process launched and commenced in April. If you have made improvements on your product reviews page, you may see changes in terms of ranking. Google conducted a spam update in early November followed by a core algorithm update during the last days of November. Many might argue that the updates are ill-timed due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities which are the busiest shopping seasons. However, the updates haven’t been too disruptive. Businesses shy away from performing updates during such seasons since it could lead to unintentional loss of web rankings. But the opposite could happen. Google announced that the goal of the update was to reward sites with authentic high-quality reviews and to improve the quality and usefulness of reviews it shows to users.
New Product Review Best Practices
Based on clientele feedback, Google warned that the two new product review requirements are aimed at fishing out fake product reviews. First of all, any product review should show that the person writing it has used the product in question. That’s because many of the reviews are low-quality reviews stemming from affiliate sites that post a rewritten version of the product’s specifications and features. The second requirement is that the product reviews offer multiple purchase options. The goal is to enhance the customer experience. Google is looking to adopt these measures as part of its future product review algorithm updates. Therefore, these two best practices have a high likelihood of becoming future ranking factors for product review pages. The sooner you adopt and implement the practices for your product review pages, the better your SEO position.
Promoting Quality Product Reviews
With user feedback in mind, Google provided guidelines on how to review products through a new document titled writing high-quality reviews. Let’s explore some recommendations you should follow to abide by Google’s guidelines:
- The product under review should be from a user’s perspective or point of view.
- The reviews should demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about the products under review. It’s imperative to show that you are an expert in your niche.
- The product reviews should incorporate audio, videos, or other links which give evidence of the specific experiences reviewers have had with the product. That helps to support your expertise and the review’s authenticity.
- Share and provide quantitative evidence on how the products measure up in various performance categories.
- Provide evidence for the unique features of the products and how these features set them apart from other products they compete with.
- Offer coverage for other comparable products potential clients can consider or provide explanations about which product might be best for certain circumstances or uses.
- Provide reviews that discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a particular product based on original research conducted on the product.
- It also helps to have a comprehensive description of how products have evolved from previous releases. That addresses any issues and influences consumers’ final purchase decisions.
- Reviews should identify key decision-making factors for the products category and how the product performs in those areas. For instance, a review on a car could provide information on safety, handling, fuel economy, and energy efficiency, which are vital decision-making factors before purchasing a vehicle.
- Have reviews that incorporate descriptions of a product’s design and its effect on the user beyond what the manufacturer says.
- Product reviews should include inbound or outbound links to other resources to help the reader make an informed decision.
- Quality product reviews also include outbound links to multiple sellers to give the reader options to purchase from a seller of their own choice.
To Sum It Up
With product review algorithm updates taking force, it’s time that you align your website and product reviews page with the above requirements. It can be a daunting endeavor to embark on the process yourself, but that shouldn’t worry you. You can contact the website specialists like those at Virtual Surge. Let us manage your reviews and align them with Google’s update requirements while you focus on what you do best-run your business!
by shannon | Mar 16, 2021 | Baltimore SEO, Local SEO
SEO Best Practices for Your Non-Profit
Running a non-profit has a lot of ups and downs and more than a few unique quirks! With everything moving increasingly online, nonprofits need to keep up with the times. That means moving to the internet and making sure your name and purpose stay at the top of everyone’s pages.
One of the quickest and simplest ways to keep your company in your audience’s vision is by using SEO Best Practices. Keywords are used throughout your page and pieces to pull the page to the top of a search. Making your non-profit more visible with this method is an excellent way to keep moving forward!
Here are SEO Best Practices for You:
Use the Right Keywords for Your Non-Profit
To draw the right audience and keep everything coherent, each piece and page of your website or social media should have a keyword or words in mind. This will give Google and other search engines an idea about your content when it scans the entire thing.
But rather than simply write your keyword over and over again, you’ll want to make sure they’re put in strategic places within a natural sounding piece. One of the greatest draws of non-profits is their human connection. Don’t lose that connection when writing for an online publication! Tuck your SEO keywords into the piece without going overboard.
Before you can use keywords, you’ll need to identify which ones work best for your non-profit. These keywords should be relevant to your mission and the genre your non-profit fills. You can’t be too broad or too specific when choosing your keywords!
Quality Content is Key
Your keywords may connect back to your non-profit and help drive people to your site but when they get to your page, you need to have quality content for them to peruse. Empty search engine terms won’t drive up audiences or keep people coming back for more.
Quality content is more than just having a lot of words on your page or site. It needs to be focused, contains your keyword or words, and target your audience as well as boost participation.
Even in the world of nonprofits, you’re bound to hit a lot of competition when it comes to people’s attention. Keep things fresh and the quality content coming to continue bringing people back for more!
Best User Experience
Nonprofits are often people-driven. They focus on the needs of individuals and their audience rather than simply cashing in another sale. With this focus in mind, your audience should always be getting the best user experience when they visit your site.
Google searches out and finds sites that offer their audiences quality experiences and then push those sites to the top of the queue. Pages should load quickly, be direct and upfront with information, and take less than three clicks to navigate and negotiate through the content.
Many people are skipping the desktop version of websites entirely! You’ll want to keep your page relevant by making sure your mobile apps or sites are easy to read and just as easy to navigate. This may take some professional help but there are lots of companies willing to help you coordinate and determine what will make your page stand out in the best ways.
Utilize Local SEO
The adage “Location, location, location” holds even for websites and non-profit SEO. You have a better chance of being recognized by Google’s formula if you use your specific city and state.
Rather than compete against all the non-profits across the US and possibly even the world, narrow down someone’s search and your chances of being recognized by including your location within the SEO. To further advance your chances of being recognized by the algorithm, make sure your business is verified and you have all the information including your website uploaded and linked to your Google account.
There are some little things you can do for this local SEO as well! Include pictures on your Google profile, make sure there’s a summary of your non-profit available, and respond to reviews promptly. If there are any questions, this is also a good space for you to provide more information in a non-structured way.
SEO Trends
Just like the social media landscape, SEO trends are always changing and adapting! Keep a close eye on what’s happening and make sure your non-profit is incorporating and adapting these new trends as much as possible. While you may not be able to use all of them, there are always a few new, cutting-edge ideas that can make your business and non-profit even more visible!
by shannon | Jan 23, 2021 | Baltimore SEO, Local SEO, Posts
SEO Tips For Using Good Quality Keywords
If you work hard to increase the SEO on your blog, more people will be able to find and follow your posts. However, you will need to learn how to do keyword research and use the results to your writing advantage when creating blogs.
It can be challenging to know where to begin. That is why we decided to put together this brief article for you. When you are done reading, we are sure you will be a keyword pro! The following is everything you need to know to get started.
What are Keywords?
First, you will need to know what keywords are and what they do. Keywords are words or phrases that people enter into a search engine. If you Googled something today, then you already were using keywords.
If you want to get more people reading your content, you need to know what they are looking for in search engines. You need to find the answers to their questions and provide them so that Google will recommend your website- which does wonders for your SEO.
These tips will help you use keywords to improve your SEO.
1. Know Where to Find Them
First, you will want to know where you can find keywords. There are plenty of keyword research tools online that allow you to explore keywords related to your blog topics.
You can also start typing in a search engine and see how it tries to “autofill” your question. The way the system attempts to complete the phrase can be a great indicator of what other people are searching for.
If you are struggling with this process, you can turn to Virtual Surge for help. We are experts at working with SEO and keywords, so we know that we can offer you the best possible results.
2. Build Your Strategy Around Them
When you write a blog post around keyword research, you will get better SEO results. The best way to do this is to answer the questions that people type into their search engines.
When your content is not relevant to search engines, they will not recommend it to users- meaning you miss out on a lot of traffic to your website. Overall, you will want to answer the question using keywords to get noticed by Google.
Of course, you do not have to do that for every blog you write. You can use keywords in your strategy as a way to bring more free, long-term traffic to your site. There is no reason also to stop writing the articles that you love.
3. Know What Keywords to Choose
Many topics or questions will have many different keywords associated with them. If you are new to the SEO scene, you might be having a hard time picking which ones you want to include in your content.
Just keep in mind that just because a keyword research tool gave you a phrase to use, it might not be the best option. You will want to write down a list of potential keywords and narrow down your search from there.
You will want to use keywords that match your audience. If you are not familiar with your audience yet, you will want to take some time to learn who is reading your content. For instance, what age and demographic are you writing for? Knowing that is essential when selecting impactful keywords.
Another way to make your choice is to check out each keyword’s search volume. Doing so will let you know how many users are searching for that word in the engine. However, it is still crucial that you use keywords that connect you with your audience.
4. Know How to Use the Keywords
Now that you have the keywords that will suit your audience and article the most- you just have to use them! Stuffing your content with the same keyword over and over again is not going to do you any favors.
Google knows when you do that and will not recommend your post as a result. The best way to use the keywords is to write naturally on your topic and do your best to answer the question- the keywords should follow through.
Another good idea is to check out the pages that are high ranking while using your keywords. You should look them over and figure out how to write a post that is better than that. You can also see how they used the keywords and use them in more original and eye-catching ways.
