Want to Be a Millionaire? Think Like a Google Algorithm: A Guide to Effective SEO Content

Entrepreneurial success requires a close connection to digital marketing in this day and age. Many individuals want to hit that million-dollar earnings mark with their business or idea, but don’t devote the appropriate attention to SEO content and digital marketing. On the flip side, some entrepreneurs are persuaded by digital marketing agencies that sell unrealistic ideas of digital marketing success.

We’re going to take a look at the value of SEO content in this article, giving you some insight into how it works and what you can do to succeed. Hopefully, this information will give you a kickstart toward an SEO campaign that sends your business wherever you want it to go.

Let’s get started.

Beware of The “Instant Results” Pitch

Any digital marketing consultant who claims to bring instant results is not telling the truth. I no longer trust “5-minute abs” or instant weight loss products, and it’s time to extend that attitude toward digital marketing schemes.

The trouble is that it is possible to get famous or successful on the internet in a short amount of time. Just because it’s possible, though, doesn’t mean that it’s easy or likely.

In most cases, the brands that blow up in a matter of minutes are blessed with a stroke of miraculous fortune. That, and they’ve been hustling for years to get to a position where they could capitalize on that fortune.

With that in mind, the best way to move toward success is to understand the playing field, find teams that will help you move forward, and invest in the process.

When it comes to SEO content, that means knowing the algorithm. The algorithm holds the key to good rankings, conversions, and general success. Any digital marketer worth their salt knows that it takes a little time to generate rankings.

It doesn’t have to take that much time, but it isn’t instantaneous. The content has to be solid, well-optimized, and useful to your users. Let’s take a look at the most important SEO elements then explore what to look for in a great marketing agency.

The Fundamentals of Excellent SEO

As I mentioned, the algorithm is your guidebook for optimizing your site.

When a user sits down to Google and makes a search, their search is run against the algorithm. Factors from the keyword phrase are interpreted and run against all of the websites listed in Google’s archive.

Those sites are held against over 200 ranking factors that signify their relevance to the keyword phrase. After all is said and done, Google presents the user with a curated list of search options that answer the question implied in the keyword phrase.

The key for businesses is to look closely at those 200 ranking factors and tailor their content to rank for specific keyword phrases. Those factors include everything from very technical SEO to the nuances of good writing and keyword usage.

1. SEO Site Audit

Your first step in the process is to look at your site as it relates to SEO.

If your brand is excellent and your idea will work, you shouldn’t have any trouble doing well online, right? Unfortunately, wrong.

SEO is a lot easier when you have a great idea, but curating your website is a very particular process. SEO ranking factors are nuanced, tiny, and often unrelated to anything you do on a day-to-day basis.

In other words, they deserve their own attention and they don’t fall into place unless you put time into them. So, an audit is just the process of looking through the most salient factors of an SEO campaign and seeing where your site stacks up.

Once you can see where you stand, you can create a roadmap toward where you want to be. A good SEO agency will give you clear ideas of what needs to be done, what specific efforts will accomplish, and where you’ll end up if you continue.

This might be one of those things that you’d rather turn your head away from. It’s never fun finding out that there’s more work to do. That said, looking objectively at your website is the only way to make it turn a profit.

2. SEO Content

Content is the main vehicle for your website’s expansion.

There are a lot of important SEO factors that pertain to your primary pages and back-end function, but good content attracts new users. In most cases, website content comes in the form of a blog.

The term “blog” might have some boring or dated associations for you, though, so you can think of your blog as a sort of hub of information. Blog content should be created in response to keyword research.

Your keyword research is how you find what’s popular in your niche and who you’re competing with. The goal is to find keyword phrases that are popular but don’t have significant competition.

If you’re competing with Nike for the top spot in a search ranking, for example, you might be better off putting your energy elsewhere. When you find that perfect term, you create content that answers the question or need that’s implied in that search phrase.

Beyond utility, content should be adorned with attention to search factors like keyword placement, use of images, length, hypertext optimization, meta description optimization, and more.

On-page SEO refers to the optimization you do to any particular piece of content, and it’s what will make the difference in your campaign. Over time, a good site will create optimized posts in response to numerous keywords.

When you see a gap in neighboring niches, you can optimize for those terms and expand your user reach.

3. Link Building Strategy

You can think of your site existing in a network of links. Sort of like a large web of link connections, with certain areas of that web making the boundaries of your niche.

Certain connections are more important than others, and some situate you more tightly than others. Link building is the process of situating yourself in a healthy position in that web through the use of internal and external links.

External links are those that go out to other sites, and they help Google to better place and appreciate the kind of content you have. There are link-building experts who can help you link out all the content you create.

Internal links are those that come to your site from other sites. These are some of the most valuable additions to your website. It can be difficult to get a lot of websites to link to you, though, so be sure you are using appropriate link building tools.

They’re important because Google sees links to your site as indications of your worth. When an important site from your niche links to you, it means a great deal.

Your “link building strategy” is the process you go through to acquire internal links and choose how to link out in the content you create. It’s hard to understate the importance of link building.

4. User Experience and SEO Web Design

Aside from the quality and nature of your content, Google ranks you on how well your technical SEO works. The better the site function, the better your user experience.

Site function can stretch out into a number of areas. For one, you have the nuts and bolts. Your website and all of its links have to be accurate and working.

Further, they should be able to load at the appropriate speeds. The design and layout of your pages should also make it easy for users to engage with your content. These factors are trickier than turning a phrase in your blog or adding a keyword, though.

These things require professional intervention if you want to do them well. A good SEO agency should offer tools and resources for you to create and manage your site at a high level.

5. 1-Click Selling Options

If you’re an eCommerce business, ease of use is very important for your site. 1-click selling is a function that allows users to enter their payment information once, then use your interface to buy goods with a single click.

You might have a number of personal accounts that allow you to do this. Amazon pioneered 1-click selling, but its patent expired in 2017. Now, every online business can freely use this function to improve user experience.

Including your products in platforms that allow new users to find and purchase your goods with a single click is also a good idea. For example, listing products from your site on Amazon allows you to do this.

There are various techniques to incorporating this into your strategy, and an SEO expert should have the knowledge and skillset to help you make it happen.

Finding The Right Agency

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of jumping on the first SEO consultant that seems professional. They’re taken by big claims of success and instant results from small adjustments made to campaigns.

These are easy traps to fall into because digital marketing has seemed “new” for a while. In reality, though, it’s nothing new and there are still amateurs out there marketing themselves as professionals.

On the flip side, there are a number of companies that do provide massive results and have the clientele to prove it. At this point in time, failing to choose the right agency could be life or death for your business.

Your online presence and reach are two of the most important vital signs for a company, especially if you’re looking to make an impact in your industry. Nobody will know who you are if they can’t find you online, and that’s the simple truth of modern business.

So, it’s key to avoid some common mistakes. Here are some pointers on identifying SEO agencies that are worth their salt.

1. Experience with Real Companies

First things first, look at the agency’s resume.

Who have they worked with? What were the results that they helped that company achieve? It’s not out of the question to reach out to a particular company that the agency claims to have worked with to evaluate their experience.

It’s easy to create a false image online, so there’s nothing stopping an SEO agency from doing the same thing. Vet the company that you’re putting your brand’s online reputation into the hands of.

2. Clear Milestones and Expectations

Once you’re zoning-in on a company, consider how they’re talking about your potential results. Are they guaranteeing fast changes and easy results?

SEO is a process that works, and some companies might be able to help you with a fair degree of certainty. That said, there’s no company that can ensure your success in any amount of time. When those claims are on the table, you know that the company is pandering to get your business.

Instead, ask the company to look at your site and chart out their projections for various aspects of your digital marketing campaign. “Results” come from a lot of effort in a number of areas, and a good company understands how to work in all of those areas.

3. Open Communication

The final tip I’ll offer is to look out for companies that aren’t willing to speak with you or discuss your strategy once it’s in place. You’re putting a great deal of value in their hands, and they might be working on things that you don’t have much knowledge of.

They shouldn’t be doing that in the dark. A company should keep you updated and provide clear insight into what it is that they’re doing for you. That insight should reveal the fact that you’re actually benefiting from their services.

If you get a feeling that you’re being ignored or there’s something your agency isn’t telling you, it might be time to look for a new one.

Ready to Get Your Plans Off of The Ground?

Entrepreneurship requires that you utilize all of the resources at your disposal. Whether you’re looking for the best SEO experts, business plan insight, or more, you’re in the right path. Look for ideas on SEO strategy, SEO content, link building and one-click eCommerce, to think like the algorithm and become a millionaire.