Category: SEO


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Drive organic traffic with SEO: Increase your online visibility

When was the last time you Googled something? It’s become second nature for us to turn to the internet when we have questions or are looking for a business. 

No matter where people search for your business online (search engines, social media, AI, or map apps), you want to be visible. Traditionally, this visibility comes from your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts. More recently, the term has evolved into Search Everywhere Optimization (still SEO) to cover other online sources like AI, shopping platforms, podcasts, and social media). 

Search engines, websites and AI aim to bring searchers the most relevant results for their search. You need to follow the SEO “rules” to increase your visibility and appear at the top of search results. 

In this quick guide, we’ll give an overview of how to use SEO strategies and tactics. With this information, you will be well on your way to start showing up in search engines and other online spaces when people are looking for you.

How do search engines work?

Let’s look at Google first. When you search for something in Google, the results don’t just magically appear. Google uses algorithms to rank all the world’s web pages based on the keywords people type in the search bar. Your job as a business or website owner is to meet as many of the algorithm’s requirements (over 200) as possible. This will help your page show up (aka “rank”) on page 1 of a search result when people are looking for your business. 

Search engine optimization is how you make your website and online content attractive to Google’s algorithms. 

Of the 200 factors, some we don’t have control over (such as how long you’ve owned your domain or website address). The rest are split into 3 core categories: 

  • On-Page SEO: Content on your web pages (written content, blogs, images, layout) 
  • Off-Page SEO: Content on other websites to drive traffic back to you (links on third-party websites or social media)
  • Technical SEO: Coding and back-end optimization done to make your website SEO-friendly

Then, there is a fourth part that many businesses forget about: Ensuring your website’s user experience meets the searcher’s expectations. Getting “eyes” on your website is a good first step, but you also need to convert these visitors into customers, subscribers, or loyal followers. Your content and user experience is a strategy unto itself, but in simple terms, make sure your website answers your customer’s pain points. 

Optimizing each of these areas will go a long way. It shows Google that you are an authority in your niche and that it should display your website in search results. 

How AI is changing SEO

As AI expands, it’s having a significant impact on how businesses execute their SEO. We suggest creating a Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategy, also known as Search Everywhere Optimization. 

Many of the same basic SEO fundamentals apply, but GEO emphasizes creating content that:

  • Addresses FAQs or a specific user question
  • Fills information gaps in the market
  • Is repurposed into different formats (video, written, audio, visual)
  • Is optimized for Voice Search Engine Optimization (VSEO)
  • Is methodologically structured to make AI parsing easier

AI is already used in Search Engine Results pages like Google. Google uses AI to create results summaries within search results pages. These are typically featured as AI overviews or summaries, featured snippets, and “people also ask” sections. 

AI’s impact on SEO is relatively new and we expect it will keep marketers on their toes in the coming years. We’ll stay on top of the latest developments in AI’s impact, so you don’t have to. Talk to us about how we can help with your Search Everywhere Optimization. 

Why is SEO vital for business success online?

Having a strong online presence is important for every business. It will help you attract new customers and clients and increase the perceived legitimacy of your business. 

Here are the top 4 reasons having good SEO is vital for your business success:

  1. It increases your visibility online: Appearing on page 1 of search results will typically earn you more clicks.
  2. It establishes credibility and trust: Higher rankings tell searchers you’re a trusted authority in your niche. 
  3. It’s cost-effective: SEO can get you a higher, long-term ROI for your efforts. 
  4. It has local benefits: Using local or location-based SEO plans, you can attract foot traffic and local shoppers to your business. 

Hero Home Care recognized the value of SEO, so they partnered with Out-Smarts to create a robust digital marketing strategy. Their goal was to increase website traffic, leads, followers, and social engagement. 

We built them a customized digital marketing funnel using Ads, SEO optimizations, and social media plans. Our efforts earned them an increase of:

  • 81.90% in organic search
  • 109%  in direct traffic
  • 509%  in social media
  • 55.49%  in web traffic

5 Steps to boost your SEO strategy now

Whether you have an existing SEO blueprint already or are starting it from scratch, here are our essential 5 steps to do right now to boost your SEO power:

Step 1: Start with keyword research

Identify what words your prospects are typing in the Google Search Bar. You can determine this by asking them, “How did you find me today?” or by using SEO tools like Google Keyword Planner (free) or SEMrush (free-to-try and paid versions). Focus on keyword phrases correlating to your offerings, niche, or unique selling points (USPs).

Step 2: Optimize your website content (on-page SEO)

Assign a different keyword phrase to each main page of your website and your most popular blog posts. Aim to include that phrase no more than 2% of the content. Include it in your title, subheadings, lists, and ALT text of images. You can check the density of your chosen keyword using this free Keyword Density Checker. 

Tip: Don’t feel you need to optimize every page and blog post on your website right away. Prioritize key pages (like your home, about, or a core service page) first. You can optimize the additional pages over time.

Step 3: Check and boost website performance (technical SEO)

Google will penalize a slow-loading or poorly designed or coded website. Get a web developer to optimize images for faster loading and clean up any extraneous code interfering with page loading times. Also, check that your website is mobile-friendly (which is one of the factors Google uses to rank your site in results). Run an audit to make sure all of the links (internal and external) on your site work. If Google sees broken links your site will rank lower.

Step 4: Build backlinks (off-page SEO)

Begin looking for opportunities to get your website link added to other websites. This is called backlinking. Here are a few ways you can do this:

  • Ask business partners in a related niche about including your link on their website in a blog post or resource page.
  • Inquire about a business listing on reputable niche web directories 
  • Ensure your social media profiles link back to your website
  • Share your blog posts and website content in social media posts
  • Offer to write a guest blog post for another website or business (with a link back to your site in your bio)

By adding more backlinks from reputable sites, you increase your chances of higher Google rankings. 

Curious about how to use backlinks in your SEO blueprint? Read our Top 5 Link Building Strategies article. 

Step 5: Track progress and amend your strategy

SEO isn’t a one-and-done marketing activity. Like many digital marketing strategies, it needs to be monitored and will evolve over time. Make sure you have detailed analytics on your website and social media profiles. Be sure to track:

  • Where your links are coming from
  • What phrases people are using in the Google search bar
  • What content or topics they’re most interested in

If you find a strategy or keyword isn’t driving more or new traffic to your website, try a new phrase. Give the keywords a few weeks to months to work before making any significant changes. Sometimes, these organic SEO methods take time.

Your next steps

It’s impossible to communicate everything you need to know about SEO in 1000 words. This article gives you a head start on optimizing your website and digital marketing for SEO. Remember, organic SEO can help you attract the right people at the right time online. 

If you’ve made it this far in the article and are thinking, “This sounds good…but SEO still seems overwhelming,” have no fear. The Out-Smarts team can help you optimize your SEO and online presence so you’re found by the right people in the right places online. We can support all areas of SEO including on-page, off-page, technical, and more. Learn more about our SEO services and book a complimentary discovery call with Mhairi today.


Screenshot of Vericatch's responsive website on desktop, tablet,ipad and mobile.

Website Redesign Success Story – Vericatch

About Vericatch

Vericatch is an organization at the forefront of revolutionizing fishery management through cutting-edge catch reporting and seafood traceability software. Their mission is centred around crafting profitable and sustainable fishing practices solutions.

However, despite their groundbreaking software, Vericatch found themselves with an outdated website and sought our expertise for a transformative upgrade.

About this website redesign project

We strategically divided this project into two distinct phases: design and preparation, and web development. The design and preparation phase encompassed comprehensive discovery sessions, defining the scope of work, conducting an SEO audit, building an SEO strategy, and crafting custom website design and wireframe development. The subsequent web development phase involved the actual website development, and implementation of SEO strategies, culminating in the launch of their new site.

Design and Preparation Phase

In alignment with our approach to all website redesign projects, we began the process with a thorough website discovery session. During this session, Vericatch shared their company story, goals and envisioned outcomes for the website. This step laid the foundation for an in-depth understanding of the project, guiding our next steps. From the discovery session, we identified that their target audience, fishermen, tended to be busy and on the go. Therefore, easy navigation for users was a top priority for Vericatch’s new site.

Following the discovery session, we started a comprehensive SEO requirements audit for Vericatch, delving into an examination of their current website to gauge its adherence to SEO best practices. This included a detailed analysis of on-page, off-page, and technical SEO aspects. To ensure we retained as much of the link juice as possible, we also audited their current content to determine the pages that had the most traffic and those that had backlinks from external sites.

Crafting custom-designed websites is our forte. Our process involves creating custom designs, strategically placed call-to-action buttons, and seamlessly embedded photos and videos to ensure a visually appealing site.

To make sure the newly designed site was not only visually captivating, but also delivered an exceptional user experience, we collaborated closely with Vericatch to craft site page navigation and menu user flow. The objective was to enable visitors to effortlessly navigate the revamped site, intuitively guiding them to their desired destinations.

The new site had to cater, not only to new clients but also to existing clients using Vericatch’s software. To provide support to existing users, we designed a client portal and a support centre section which includes an FAQ page, Canadian ELOG support, and software release details information for clients to find information quickly.

With design and preparation completed, we were ready to present our detailed scope of work and eager to get started with the development phase.

Web Development Phase

During this phase, we developed a unique, fully responsive website optimized for seamless performance across major devices and browsers. Vericatch wanted to host their new site on their own servers, rather than on a hosting firm. Our initial step was to work with their development team to establish hosting. Following that, we integrated Vericatch’s WordPress with the content management system. Our expert web developers crafted samples of their new website, outlining the necessary page hierarchy.

The website development process adhered to the latest standards, meticulously incorporating best practices and technical requirements. This approach ensures that their website not only meets but exceeds all technical standards and legal regulations.

SEO

To elevate Vericatch’s SEO performance, we worked with Vericatch’s in-house skilled copywriter by providing SEO direction and optimized keyword suggestions to enhance visibility on Google search results. Additionally, we crafted META titles and descriptions using those high-performing keywords. Our SEO strategy included the integration of Google Analytics and Search Console, ensuring a wide-ranging approach to optimizing their online presence.

Lastly, we enhanced Vericatch’s website accessibility by updating alt tags on all photos on their site. This process involved providing detailed photo descriptions and ensuring accessibility for individuals of all abilities and visitors using screen readers.

From there, we were ready to launch Vericatch’s brand-new site. The launch included testing on all devices to make sure the website provided an optimal experience on all screen types and sizes and checking the site for any broken links or errors. Next, we set up Google Analytics and Search Console and submitted the site to Bing and Google. Finally, we conducted client training so that going forward, they had the autonomy to update the site using the Gutenberg block. 

Results

This project not only led to the creation of a modern and visually appealing website but also significantly enhanced user-friendliness and navigation ease. Since its launch in October, these improvements have translated into an 11.4% increase in average engagement time on the site, a 7.6% rise in new users, and an overall 11.3% growth in the site’s user base.

A word from the client

“Working with Mhairi and her team at Out-Smarts made our web redesign process super low-stress for us. Their approach was thorough, they were very responsive, and they really understood what we were looking for and delivered! Our new site only launched recently, but we’re already seeing an uptick in traffic thanks to their SEO magic.”

  • Annemarie Tempelman-Kluit – Senior Marketing and Content Strategist – Vericatch

Why we loved this project

Vericatch actively works toward creating a more sustainable future for the fishing industry; and at Out-Smarts, there’s nothing we love more than helping organizations that do good in the world, do better online. If your organization is struggling to get attention online or has an outdated website, we’re here to help. Book a free consultation today to finally get the results you’ve been looking for.


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Why Is Google Search Console Important for SEO?

“Why isn’t my website showing up on Google!” 

It’s something we hear from businesses all the time. Google is a powerful tool, but we still need to give it some help to ensure it finds our website content and knows when to show it in search results. 

In this article, we will give you a quick primer on the free Google Search Console tool and how it can help boost your SEO strategy on Google. 

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What is Ethical SEO – And why you need it

Deceptive digital marketing practices are not cool anymore, although many businesses still use them. In our opinion, ethical SEO practices give you a better chance of attracting the right clients, investors, and partners to your business. 

How do you know if your digital marketing strategies are ethical or not? We’ve created this guide to help you plan online marketing that is authentic, honest, and sustainable. 

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Accessible And Inclusive Website Redesign Success Story – Vancouver International Children’s Festival

Vancouver International Children’s Festival (VICF) is an institution in BC. As the longest-running professional performing arts festival for young audiences in North America, it has been operating for close to half a century. Many of the city’s residents, parents and children alike (including our team!) have happy memories of attending performances.

We jumped at the chance to work with them in 2019. At first, we supported their website with maintenance and update services like integrating forms into their operational processes. When it came time to redesign their website in 2020, we were honoured to be invited to work on the project.

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Local Search Marketing – Google My Business Optimization – The Right Way!

Local search marketing is vital for every business to get found on Google by potential customers in their community. When it comes to being discovered in the pool of similar businesses, the directory formerly known as Google My Business and now called Google Business Profile (GBP) is essential. Setting up and optimizing GBP properly is key to success. This post will step you through getting set up the right way.

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