I’m in a few private Facebook groups for business owners. One of the recurring questions in the groups is about advice, insight, and resources on SEO for WordPress websites. When I first launched my business, I was obsessed with understanding how SEO worked for websites. Then I learned, it wasn’t 90% of the stuff people write about or those people email you about. I’m going to give you a rather simple SEO strategy for WordPress websites that you can implement today.
WordPress SEO by Yoast
If you can only do one thing today in this moment, for SEO and your WordPress website, this is the one thing I would recommend you do. The plugin is like having a mini specialist on staff that handles all things search engine wise for you. The plugin has all the bells and whistles you need to make sure your website is optimized for the crawling that search engines do.
Above is a screen shot of what it looks like on this specific post, but you can use the plugin all over your site on the various pages you have.
Mobile Responsive
Mobilegedon happened last month, when Google basically said they would be penalizing all websites that were not mobile responsive. Downgrading them in the search engines. However, most WordPress themes are mobile responsive. When purchasing themes from websites such as bluchic or template monster, make sure you purchase the ones that state they are mobile friendly. This is less work for you, if they come standard. If the theme you have purchased from a site is not compatiable, you will have to consult with a developer for them to fix the coding on the backend.
Name Your Photos
Every photo or image you place on your website should have a file name that is very specific. This is the second most important thing you can do for your website. Images that appear on Google, Yahoo, or Bing have names attached to them. When people search for a particular thing, the “bots” crawl to find the information and it pops up. When naming, don’t name your shirt “tshirt1” name it “Women Empowerment Tshirt”. That’s what someone will Google.
Alt Tag All Images
This is something that you would do on an image when it’s uploaded to the media file. It will have space for this. Utilize this space very specifica regarding the imagery you are placing on your site. Do not use this space to repeat the name. Go a little further in-depth regarding the imagery. For example, “women empowerment shirt heather grey boyfriend style fit”. Think about how your future customers think.
Website Copy
The type of content and vocabulary used on your website is very pivotal. Remember that, all people learn differently. Your visual images might work for some, but they are just a copy your business on your products, blog, and throughout your website to others. It’s important to showcase not just the features but the benefits. Hiring a copyeditor is a great way to help you with this. A fresh pair of eyes who isn’t tied to the business like are.
Blog Consistently
You don’t have to be a blogger, per se, and write content nonstop. However, it is important for your website to have fresh content, so you can rank higher when the bots crawl your website. Blogging is a great way to do this. I suggest clients blog at least once or twice a week to start out. This can also help you build your expertise; helping people gain trust in you.
SEO strategies for WordPress are not that difficult. It’s all about being consistent, just like you are with your business. My company’s site numbers have grown with these tips.
