DIY SEO: Generating Traffic to Your Website via Google

Given the huge role that search engines play in generating leads’ traffic to your website, most entrepreneurs and business owners know that SEO is one of the most important aspects of having a successful business website. At first glance, SEO may appear too technical to attempt without the help of a professional, but it doesn’t have to be. Learning a few basic SEO tactics by yourself can save resources while making a positive impact on your website traffic.

80% of all web searches are conducted on Google, so learning what makes Google tick will give you the biggest return on investment for generating traffic. Although Google’s algorithm is complex, learning a few basics can still give you an edge over your competition.

Here are a few steps to befriend Google and get started on your SEO journey:
Practice Keyword Research
Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience; what would they be typing into a search engine to find your product or offering? Brainstorm a list of keywords and phrases, then conduct research on them. One of the easiest tools for this is Google Trends. This free tool allows you to compare the popularity of various keywords in graph form, as well as related queries and interest by region.

The other factor to consider is how much competition you have to rank well on Google using your keywords. One of the easiest ways to determine what you’re up against is to simply enter your keywords in Google and compare the results. If one term yields 40 million results while another has 15 million results, you may consider working with the latter keyword for the reduced competition.
Get Linking
Google is pro-links! Outgoing links, such as links to other web pages – and even links to other pages on your own site – will help your site ranking. Equally important are inbound links, or links on other websites that lead back to yours.

Guest-posting/featuring on other websites of the same industry is a great way to spread your brand and generate links back to your site. There is also the added benefit expanding your business network and facilitating non-search engine traffic to your website!
Post Often, Post Well
The general rule is, the more frequent the new content, the more traffic to the website. One or two new posts a week is a good goal to start with. Be wary that Google has become very good at determining which web pages contain quality content, and which do not. Therefore, it is important to create valuable posts with organic language that does not overuse or have unnatural placement of keywords.
Be Consistent – and Patient
Keep in mind that Google likes websites with history, and favours older sites over newer ones. Because of this, implementing SEO strategies for one day will not yield instant results. Develop a good track record with Google by being consistent with your SEO practices. Track what works and what doesn’t, tweak your search terms, and keep your content updated. Over time, your ranking, and traffic to your website, will increase significantly!

References:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/increasing-traffic-your-website-through-search-engine-optimization-techniques
https://www.thebalance.com/search-engine-optimization-tutorial-1794804
http://www.audiencebloom.com/often-blog-optimum-seo-results/041