Karen Dauncey’s Post

You know more about SEO than you realise! Think you don't know what a SERP is? Quite simply, it stands for Google's Search Engine Results Page – the results you see when you Google search for anything. A good SEO strategy takes the different elements of SERPs into account. Do you want to know more, join the SEO School. https://lnkd.in/gPEseEen

What Google’s Vicinity Update Means For Local Business Owners 🔎 Noticed anything different about the local search results recently? Well, if you’ve been surprised to find yourself higher up the local search rankings and in Google’s 3-pack, it’s due to the new update from Google. It’s known as ‘Vicinity’ and it was introduced late in 2021 to put greater value on proximity as a key ranking factor. However, if your website slipped down the rankings in Google Maps and your local search results and traffic are down, it could be that your keywords haven’t been used appropriately. Vicinity levels the local search playing fields and makes it difficult for websites outside a particular location to rank in relevant local searches. Keyword stuffing has always been a no-go, but Vicinity makes it even less likely to offer any advantage. If you’ve got a local business, you don’t need to do anything radically different with your SEO in response to Vicinity, but I recommend you evaluate your strategy to see if anything can be tweaked or added. I agree with Google’s recommendation that for online visibility and rankings success, you should stick to their guidelines. These include: 📌 Ensuring all your data is complete, accurate and consistent 📌 Verifying your locations 📌 Having up-to-date opening hours 📌 Having a solid review strategy which includes responding to ALL reviews 📌 Uploading optimised photos regularly If you’re a local business owner and want more info on how to optimise for Vicinity, let’s talk. You can also check out The SEO School, my online, self-managed course which gives you practical learning about all the key elements of SEO. Visit https://theseoschool.com/ for more info. You can also read our blog post for more information - https://lnkd.in/dkPQbRGT

Did you know we have a Facebook group called The SEO School Community? It's there to support you with SEO and Google Ads including regular blog posts, SEO tips and tricks, the latest updates from Google and the chance to ask us anything each Friday. Join us and start working on your SEO.

Louisa attended one of our in-person SEO workshops, thanks for an awesome review Louise and glad you loved the workshop.

What do you think is most important? Your headline/title tag, or the body of your content? Would it surprise you if I said it was the headline? In a recent survey of SEO experts, the headline (title tag) was ranked the highest in terms of importance. If your title tag doesn't include your keywords then it's very hard to rank your website at all so if you want to rank high and drive traffic to your page, it is imperative your headline is spot on! Want to get started in SEO? Download our SEO Starter Kit to get you started on your SEO journey. https://lnkd.in/gmTUakD Source: Databox

Learning SEO: Expectation Versus Reality Think regular blogging is the answer to a top ranking on Google? Or that using image alts is the answer to everything SEO? I’m really surprised at how often these two fallacies come up in Facebook groups and how many people actually believe them. The reality is that successful SEO takes time, commitment and work – and by that I mean spending time every month to make sure all the elements on your website are up-to-date and working effectively. And while it is possible to teach yourself SEO, learn the fundamentals (like keyword research, page content, backlinks and technical SEO) and implement them on your website, it’s best to get a helping hand. Trust me, in my decades as a digital marketing specialist, I’ve seen far too many small businesses fail because their owners didn’t have the expertise or the time to focus on one of their most important assets – their websites. So come on – talk to me about a helping hand for your SEO. When you sign up for The SEO School, you actually implement the tools and techniques onto your website as you progress through the course, so you learn by doing (and I promise you’ll see the fruits of your labours in the rankings!). It’s a modular course, done completely online, with heaps of support and feedback when you need it. You can also read our blog post for more information - https://lnkd.in/dywVhAUQ

What is a ‘Title Tag and why are they important? Quite simply, a title tag is the ‘name' of each of your web pages – the perfect place to add niche and relevant keywords. At 50-60 characters long, a title tag should be formatted as Keyword Phrase | Keyword Phrase | Business Name and they display in many places, such as Google Search Results Pages and at the top of your web browsers. Read our blog post for more info https://lnkd.in/gQWn3bMK and download our SEO Starter Kit for vital title tag info. https://lnkd.in/gmTUakD

Top 7 SEO Trends for 2022 📢 Want to know the top SEO trends for 2022? Here’s what the experts believe will influence the digital world this year (plus what I suggest business owners should do to maximise online visibility opportunities, drive growth and boost their search rankings). 🔖 Artificial Intelligence (AI) will become more of a ‘thing’ Dwelltime and click-through rates are crucial. Your content must be well-written, engaging and helpful with compelling reasons for clicking through. 🔖 Long-form content will continue to drive growth Articles over 2000 words are great but make sure they’re formatted appropriately and include images and graphics plus links for sharing. 🔖 Expertise-Authority-Trust (E-A-T) will remain a big influence on rankings Discover easy ways of adding E-A-T to your website in my blogs ‘Why You Need To Add E-A-T To Your Website’ and Why E-A-T Is Crucial For SEO Success’. Links in bio. 🔖 Mobile-friendliness will become even more NB Use Google’s free test to check the mobile friendliness of your website and get solutions for any problem areas. 🔖 Video will be crucial for SEO Include optimised video with descriptions which include relevant keywords. Hashtags help your target audience find relevant content more easily. 🔖Voice search is on the rise Voice search is key, especially for businesses in a specific geographic location. Optimise for voice search and include conversational keyword phrases that mimic questions that a searcher would ask Siri, Alexa etc. Also check out my blog: ‘Optimising Your Website For Near Me Searches’ https://lnkd.in/gMtM4-9u 🔖 Augmented Reality (AR) is another ‘thing’ for 2022 AR will help users get a more immersive, engaging, informative and holistic search experience. SEO is a dynamic environment and I’ve always said businesses must work on their tactics regularly to stay ahead. Check out my online course, The SEO School (https://theseoschool.com/) for self-paced learning on SEO strategies designed for sustainable success, online visibility and improved rankings. You can also read our blog post for more information - https://lnkd.in/dyyqXveH

I am LOVING this marketing kit from Google. Click on the link, search for your business name and Google will customise a range of marketing materials for you to use for your business. This includes window stickers, personalised print ready signs and posts, ready to share social posts and also a small video of your business highlights. https://lnkd.in/e4uGjB2

Local SEO is vital for relevant page ranking. Google My Business is a free tool that allows you to give Google (& your customers) loads of info. This includes location, contact details and opening hours. Add photos, posts, customer reviews and more. It works just as well if you work from home (just hide your address). Download our free Beginners Guide to Google My Business and improve your local search ranking today - link in bio.