SEO might appear daunting and intricate, yet there are straightforward techniques that newcomers can apply to achieve notable results.

This guide will present 9 simple yet impactful SEO suggestions to enhance your search traffic.

Boosting Internal Links for Increased Page Authority

Internal linking plays a crucial role in distributing the “link juice” or authority across different pages of your website.

If a particular page has a significant number of backlinks and authority, linking from that page to another can enhance the authority of the linked page.

Utilizing Semrush can assist you in improving your internal linking strategy in two ways.

Firstly, utilize the Semrush Backlink Analytics tool to identify the most linked-to pages on your website.

Enter your domain into the Backlink Analytics tool and navigate to the “Indexed Pages” tab in the resulting Overview report.

Sort the pages based on referring domains or backlinks to discover pages with a high number of backlinks.

Include a relevant and contextual link in one of these highly-linked posts to your recently-published article or any existing article that requires a boost in authority.

Next, check if your website contains any orphan pages, which are pages without any internal links. It’s crucial to identify these pages as they may go unnoticed by both visitors and search engine crawlers without internal links.

You can utilize Semrush’s Site Audit tool to identify orphan pages on your site.

In the Site Audit Overview report, click on the “Internal Linking” widget to view a list of internal linking issues. Check for any “orphaned sitemap pages” issues in the “Notices” section of this report.

Not all orphan pages necessarily need internal links. Carefully review this list to decide whether no indexing, deleting, or adding internal links is the most appropriate action.

Incorporating FAQs to Optimize for Long-Tail Keywords

Integrating a FAQs section into your articles is a strategic approach to effectively target long-tail keywords.

Long-tail keywords refer to specific search phrases that, although less frequently searched, face reduced competition and can attract a more focused audience.

A FAQs section offers solutions to common queries related to a particular subject, naturally integrating these long-tail keywords.

Consider managing a website focused on organic gardening. Numerous specific details and inquiries may arise, particularly among novice gardeners.

By including a FAQs section, you can address these specific queries.

For instance, someone might search for “What is the recommended watering schedule for organic tomato plants during hot weather?” This query constitutes a long-tail keyword, being more specific than just “watering tomato plants.”

If your FAQs section contains a question like “How often should I water my organic tomato plants in summer?” you are directly addressing this long-tail keyword.

Consequently, when users input their precise question into a search engine, your page has a higher likelihood of appearing in the results due to providing a direct answer.

Leverage Google Search Console for Enhancing Rankings

Google Search Console stands out as an often overlooked SEO tool available online.

Moreover, it offers the added advantage of being entirely free.

Although Google Search Console provides a plethora of options to enhance your SEO, I’ll concentrate on a straightforward SEO suggestion that requires minimal time investment.

Gain Backlinks with Infographics

Boosting your organic traffic and search engine rankings is achievable by creating infographics related to your top-performing pages.

Utilize free tools like Canva or Venngage to craft visually appealing and informative infographics.

Once your infographics are created, you can share them on reputable infographic submission platforms to enhance your page’s authority.

This strategy increases the chances of naturally acquiring backlinks, which are highly valued by Google.

In cases where your infographic is used without proper attribution, you can employ reverse image search.

Simply copy the image address and paste the filename into Google Image Search to discover websites using your image.

If you find instances of uncredited use, reach out to them via a friendly email to request proper attribution with a link back to your page.

Align Content with User Search Intent

When individuals enter a search query, they typically have a specific purpose or objective in mind. This purpose or objective is known as their “search intent.” It can range from seeking information or answers, navigating to a particular website or page, making a purchase or utilizing a service, to comparing options or reading reviews before making a buying decision.

The primary types of search intent include:

1. Informational Intent: Users seek information or answers to their queries.
2. Navigational Intent: Users aim to locate a specific website or webpage.
3. Transactional Intent: Users intend to make a purchase or use a service.
4. Commercial Intent: Users are in the process of considering a purchase and seek to compare options or read reviews.

Keep Your Content Fresh and Relevant

Just like any valuable asset, your content requires regular maintenance to prevent it from losing its effectiveness. Over time, certain sections of your content may become outdated or irrelevant, a phenomenon known as “content decay”.

Similar to updating software or renovating a room, it’s essential to periodically revisit and refresh your content. This ensures it remains accurate, valuable, and engaging for your audience.

To achieve this, you can utilize Semrush’s On-Page SEO Checker to analyze your pages and pinpoint underperforming content.

After conducting the analysis, the resulting Overview report will highlight pages that could benefit from optimization to enhance their rankings.

By clicking on the “Ideas” button next to the chosen page, you can access suggestions for updating and revitalizing your content.

For a detailed walkthrough on updating and republishing older content, refer to our comprehensive Content Upgrade Strategy guide.

Opt for Concise URLs

Utilizing concise and SEO-friendly URLs is considered a top SEO practice.

Compact URLs often incorporate the main keyword or primary topic of the content. This provides search engines like Google with a swift indication of the page’s content.

In addition to appearing more polished and professional, shorter URLs offer enhanced user-friendliness. They are simpler to recall, share, and even type when necessary.

In essence, opting for concise URLs facilitates a quicker understanding of your content for both Google and your audience. This can yield advantages for your site’s SEO performance and user interaction.

Improve Content Readability

When readers scan through your content to find specific information quickly, they tend to skip lengthy passages or confusing layouts, potentially leading them to leave your page abruptly.

Here are some simple strategies to enhance the readability and skimmability of your content for SEO purposes:

Utilize Clear Subheadings: Break down your content with descriptive subheadings that provide a glimpse of each section’s subject.

Bullet Points and Lists: Present information in a digestible manner using bullet points or lists, enabling readers to grasp key points swiftly.

Keep Paragraphs Short: Maintain concise paragraphs to enhance readability and make the content easier to skim.

Highlight Important Details: Use bold or italic formatting for crucial information to make it stand out and capture the reader’s attention.

Include Relevant Visuals: Incorporate relevant images or infographics to add visual appeal and clarify complex concepts.

Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your content is mobile-friendly with shorter lines and adequate spacing for easy skimming on mobile devices.

Perform Technical SEO Site Audits

Conducting a technical SEO audit involves assessing the backend of your website to ensure smooth operation and compliance with industry standards.

This goes beyond surface appearance; it’s about optimizing the underlying structure so that search engines can easily crawl, understand, and rank your content effectively.

Key areas typically evaluated in a technical SEO audit include:

Page Loading Speed: Assessing how quickly your pages load, as slow loading times can deter users and impact search rankings negatively.

Mobile Responsiveness: Evaluating whether your site is optimized for mobile devices, given the increasing number of users accessing websites via mobile platforms.

Broken Links: Identifying and fixing broken links that can disrupt user experience and signal poor website maintenance to search engines.

XML Sitemaps: Ensuring your XML sitemaps are up-to-date and free of errors to assist search engines in navigating your site effectively.

Robots.txt: Optimizing your robots.txt file to guide search engine crawlers to the desired pages and restrict access to unwanted areas.

These are just a few examples of technical SEO issues that are typically addressed.

In Conclusion,
Utilizing Semrush’s Site Audit tool can help you identify and resolve technical SEO issues efficiently. The Site Audit Overview report provides a comprehensive health score for your site along with a detailed breakdown of issues requiring attention.

By clicking on “Errors,” you can prioritize addressing the most critical technical SEO issues affecting your site’s overall health. Each error includes a “Why and how to fix” section, offering insights and tips on resolving the identified issues.