Reaching The Tipping Point
There is a tipping point, a point where the number of links you point at a page will become enough to propel that page to the top of the rankings. However, using brute force to shoehorn you way into the rankings isn’t that clever and can take much longer than an approach that’s much more user centric.
A User Centric Approach To Search Engine Optimisation
By user centric I mean using an approach that takes into account the needs of the user rather than solely pandering to the need of search engines. Here’s the process that most SEO’s follow:
- Perform Keyword Research
- Write keyword rich content
- Link to content using keyword rich anchor text
Keyword research uncovers the words and phrases your customers use to find and describe the products you provide. Copywriters develop content based on those keywords. The idea is to create webpage’s that are self-descriptive and relevant to both humans and search engines. Finally you build links to that content using keyword rich anchor text in order to encourage search engines to rank your pages prominently for the keywords your target customers use when searching for your products or services.
The above probably describes the process that has been used to develop and optimise your website. So you should perhaps ask yourself, if this is the best way to go about things why do I have a conversion rate of 1% and a bounce rate of 70%.
What Went Wrong
Although performing keyword research to find the keywords your customers use and rolling them out to content development and link building sounds like a user centric approach, it just doesn’t go far enough. So let’s look at the stages again.
Keyword Research
The purpose of keyword research is to find the keywords your target customer’s use. It also uncovers language usage; the language customer’s use is often subtly different to the language you would use to describe your products. Furthermore, keyword research can also uncover intent and the needs, goals and outcomes your customers wish to satisfy.
Write Content
Effective Keyword research puts you in a position to write content that thinks and talks like your customers. Use your understanding of the intent, needs and goals of your customers to provide content and resources that are truly useful and help customers achieve them. This will significantly improve user experience and reduce bounce rate.
Write naturally, objectively and concisely. Content should be used as a conversion tool not an optimisation tool. On page factors receive a lot less relevance from search engines than off page factors, so other than make the page suitably self-descriptive there is no benefit in chasing some mythical keyword density.
Make your content actionable. Tell customers what they should do next; clearly explain the benefits and what’s in it for them if they do so. Try to motivate customers into action intrinsically rather than extrinsically. This will significantly improve conversions.
Build Links
Links are without doubt the most effective way to improve search engine rankings. However, unless your pages are actionable and engage the investment in link building will return a fraction of what it could. For example:
- A site that converts 1% of 1000 visitors equates to 10 conversions.
- After link building the site now converts 1% of 2000 visitors and equates 20 conversions.
- By providing content that engages and motivates a 4% conversion rate is achieved, 4% of 2000 visitors equates to 80 conversions.
The mathematics are simple and a 4% is conversion rate is realistically achievable. Clearly, creating content that is truly customer centric is in the best interest of every online business.
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