3 Proven Ways to Dramatically Boost Your Search Engine Rankings

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There’s a morbid, but apt joke that has been circulating in the online marketing world for years: “The best place to hide a dead body is on page two of Google, because nobody will ever find it.” [Add laugh track and applause here.]

Now, it goes without saying that you’re not here for tips on where to hide dead bodies. What you are, however, is a savvy business owner or executive who knows that winning the SEO game isn’t just a nice-to-have thing. It could mean the difference between thriving for years to come — or getting eaten alive by your competitors.  

Obviously, you’re interested in surviving and thriving. To that inspiring end, here are three proven ways to dramatically boost your SEO, whether your business creates pharmacy pos solutions, fixes broken iPad screens (don’t get me started), or offers any other products and services:

  1. Start publishing a steady stream of original keyword-optimized content on your blog (or knowledge base, or whatever you call it). Aim for at least 400 words per post, make sure the keyword is in the title and URL, add 1-2 relevant internal links, add 1-2 relevant external links to authority sites (obviously not competitors), and make sure there’s a photo or graphic with alt-tag. And while you’re at it, make sure the meta tag is compelling. It won’t help with SEO, but it could help you get the click vs. your competitors.
  2. Start guest posting on strategically-selected sites, and include a backlink in the content to your website. Be careful that you choose credible sites vs. link farms, or else instead of elevating your SEO rankings, you’ll get pushed into the void (i.e. Google will whack you with their Penalty Stick and you’ll spend the next few years recovering).
  3. Distribute your original content across social media. While Google hasn’t officially said that it factors social signals (e.g. likes, upvotes, +1’s, etc.) into its SEO algorithm, it’s generally understood that this is indeed part of the puzzle. To augment this strategy, ensure that all of your content is easy to share across all major social platforms, as well as through good old fashioned email.

The Bottom Line

Keep in mind that ranking high for relevant keywords is one thing — staying up there is another matter. This isn’t a set-it-and-forget it thing. However, don’t let this frustrate (or frighten) you. It’s just how things work in the SEO game. If you know the rules and play to win, trust me: you’ll reap the rewards for years to come.