Effective SEO Tips for 2021

It's a new year, and most of us are hoping for better things in 2021. Are you seeking to improve the SEO for your online business this year? Whatever your answer, it's wise to update your search engine optimisation (SEO) knowledge because the way SEO works means that it’s a constantly changing entity. Keep reading to see how one or all of these tips could form part of your strategy for improving your SEO.

​Refresh Content on Poor Performing Pages
There is one universal truth among successful content marketers - they all have engaging content that makes users want to return time and again to view. It is a simple concept but one that is quite often overlooked.

For the content on your site to be successful, you need to be aware of the latest trends and brainstorm content ideas with your colleagues. There are tools available that can help you identify the pages that aren't performing as they should. Here are some of the qualifiers for a low performing page:

• Low organic search traffic
• Low or no shares on social media
• Pages that have not been updated in a year or more
• Pages with the least amount of content

Construct Content from Primary Keywords and Relevant Secondary Keywords
The first step in finding primary keywords for your content is to know your audience. Are you writing for a niche group of people or a wider audience?  Where do they spend their time? What are their interests? Once you have discovered these facts, you can apply them to your keyword selection. 
Remember, Google is focused on the relevancy of keywords to an article or blog post. If you use keywords that aren't relevant, you are likely to see your SEO rankings decrease.  What does that mean? Using relevant secondary keywords is vital to your content's success. 

Primary keyword phrases in the form of a question will often place your search engine return page rankings higher with these kinds of questions. Here is an example of a keyword phrase in the form of a question: "How can I improve my SEO results?". Remember, effective content marketing will often have the title of the page in the form of a question and repeat the question in the first paragraph of the content.

Use Favicons
If you want to be sure that your site is easy to find and gets a high number of clicks, favicons are an excellent way to reach that goal. Favicons are 16x16 pixel icons that appear in places such as dropdown menus, bookmarks, toolbars, and browser tabs. While favicons do not directly influence SEO, they indirectly impact it because they improve brand awareness and can increase the number of clicks your site receives. Not only does it make your company look more professional, it also makes it easier for your customers to find you.

Other SEO trends to look out for this year (courtesy of Semrush) include: 

1. Artificial Intelligence Will Play a Larger Role in SEO
2. Voice Search Will Impact Search Queries
3. Mobile-Friendliness Will Impact Search Rankings
4. Content That Fulfills the Google EAT Principle Will Rank Higher
5. Long-Form Content Will Help Improve SERPs
6. Featured Snippets Will Become More Prominent
7. Predictive Search Is Set to Improve
8. An Effective SEO Strategy Will Need to Include Video
9. Image Optimization Will Play a Larger Role in Search
10. There Will Be More Importance Placed on Semantically Related Keywords
11. Local Search Listings Will Play a Larger Role in SEO Strategies
12. Data and Analytics Should Become Your Priority If You Want to Remain Ahead in Rankings

As each year passes, the digital world becomes more and more saturated with businesses offering the same services and products. Getting search engines to see you and connect you with the right customers will become increasingly difficult. Review this list and get your SEO strategy in order or bare the consequences of your online business not being seen.
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