Fighting for Internet users’ attention can often seem like a daunting task; it certainly isn’t an easy feat. With such a plethora of content online, it’s hard to attract the right people and hold their attention for longer than a few minutes (or even seconds). It is this reason that Google consistently updates its search algorithm, which determines how sites are ranked for a particular search phrase. Google wants to ensure that the most relevant sites are showing up in your results to better meet your needs. The most recent update in August disrupted many people’s rankings, leaving them scrambling in hopes to return to the top.

So now the ultimate question is this: how do you make your site look the best to Google’s constantly-changing ranking system? Well, there isn’t any for-sure way to rocket your way to the top of the list (then we’d all be doing it!). However, there is one word to live by that will help you improve: relevance.

Relevance in Content

If relevance is king, then content is key. What you have on your page is what is most likely to get you attention. There is no substitute for good content; you can’t just stuff the page with keywords—Google is smarter than that now! Determine your purpose and what the page is going to provide, and do so completely and thoroughly. It may be helpful to have your best keywords sprinkled on the page, but it’s more important that you offer relevant information on a specific topic than orbit around a single phrase.

Relevance in Keywords

Whether you’re setting keywords for a paid Adwords campaign or on the web page itself, it’s essential to do your research. What is your target audience searching for? The closer you are to what they want, the more likely it is they’ll find your content. It’s important to consider your purpose and get specific—what exactly is my page offering my audience? Google recently reported that there has been a large increase in searches conducted around the term “best.” As in, people are searching a lot for “the best (insert product here).” Not only that, but they’re personalizing it, conducting searches for “the best (product) for (a specific purpose or user).”

Use that knowledge to your advantage, and maybe set keywords around being the best at whatever you offer. It may be more precise, which can limit audiences, but it is also more likely to result in conversions. People want to find the best product that fits their needs, and being among the first results on a specific search could lead them to invest in your product. Want to be even more convincing? Provide reviews, tutorials, or encourage user photos. Seeing the product in action or hearing about its abilities can boost your site’s legitimacy and its amount of conversions at the same time. So while everyone’s talking about being the goat on social media (“greatest of all time,” in case you’re not familiar), you can cash in by being the boat (best of all time, not the maritime vessel).

If you’re looking for more information about SEO

Read our article about SEO tricks (it may have been for 2017, but they’re still relevant!) or our article about working with Google’s Project Owl. Need extra help boosting your rankings and improving your SEO?

Talk to our digital marketing experts at KSA&D!