Organic SEO Services and Practices – Be Active!
So, a couple of posts ago, we briefly discussed the kind of things that needed to be avoided when trying to hire someone for SEO services. But how does SEO actually work? Because there are unfounded rumors, constant algorithm changes, and factors not explicitly stated, people give up on SEO before starting. Or worse, they end up throwing a bunch of money at Google Ads with the hopes that it would be enough to make it on the front page. But there is a way to get organic search results on any search engine. However, it requires attention from three different factors. A holy trinity of SEO if you will. So, if you want to get into or hire someone for SEO services you need to know these 3 things.
- Quality Content
- On Page Indexing
- Off Page Indexing (Self ) and (Others)
Today, we are going to talk about the final part of the SEO trinity with hopes that it will not disappoint, much like the unfortunate release of the Last Jedi. Off Page indexing it almost the same thing as on page indexing, except instead of it being what you can do on the inside of the site, it is what you and others can do on the outside of the site. The more prevalent you are in the internet community, the more likely you will be favored by the harsh and unrelenting Google Algorithm Gods.
How Google Judges Activity
What You Can Do
If doing SEO was something that a person could do by themselves, then it would be easy for everyone to rank, making it hard to judge by quality. Google needs to double check, and then triple check to make sure that a website is valid. Google needs to know if they are doing right by all users. So, it relies on both ‘word of mouth’ and actions from other users. It wants you to be useful to other people, so naturally, the more people like and visit a site, the more it will help your ranking.
There are some things that you can optimize off your webpage both electronically, and even IRL, depending on how well you play your cards right in your community.
Linking Out to Others
No one knows everything. And when someone says they do, they are a liar and probably lousy at SEO. Linking out to others, either by way of giving credit to others or citing your sources, is imperative in SEO. Without linking out to other sources with a higher domain authority, you are not only rendering yourself invisible to the internet, you are participating in some form of plagiarism. Especially if you copy and paste several sentences or an image with no credit to the creator.
Aside: This is something that I and the art communities with original images and writing struggle with over and over again. Unless a work is specifically cited as public domain, don’t forget to credit the information! A simple link will save you tons of harassment, possible legal actions and penalties down the road.
Linking out to others can also lead people to relevant information regarding the subject matter. For example, I write an article about the history of Huntsville Alabama. Maybe I talk about the space program or the agricultural history of the topic. What if someone wanted to know more about this topic that you didn’t want to cover, like Huntsville, Alabama and the Civil War. That is the perfect opportunity to let them follow relevant subject matters regarding Huntsville, Alabama and it’s history. Its a service to others and can establish your credibility.
Put Yourself on the Map
If you have a local business that you can put on a map or a phone number that people can call, you need to index it as much as possible. Put yourself on Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, Mapquest, and other places that will show off your location. Put yourself on every free listing that you can find with the correct information so others can find you. Expose yourself to any and every possible review site so others can see what you do, and how well you do it!
It further increases your digital footprint, and it opens a doorway for others to communicate with you. It will also give you insight into customer needs, and what can be done to meet them.
(Note: When you do this you will be bombarded with messages from people who work for the companies you index with to try and get you to pay them for visibility. You can do it organically without their help. I know, because I did it. That Yahoo representative was not happy at the end of that phone call…)
Be Active on Social Media
Google does not only track your keywords, they also track you. When you repeat a brand name or a screen name on both your website and on other forms of social media as your user handle, Google will take note and put you in their indices. The more you chat with other people using your brand name in public comments, Google will record it. The more you are tagged in a twitter war, you are mentioned and indexed. Hell, the more active you are in general, the more likely people and Google will notice your activity, and by extension your website.
Just be careful not to err on the side of spam territory. Use genuine commentary and avoid repeating yourself over and over again. It will look like “self- plagiarization” according to the internet, (Which I personally believe it’s BS. It’s your content, you can use it however you want, but it’s just the sad reality of a spam filled world.)
If you’re in the Decatur, Athens, and Huntsville, Alabama Area, and you want someone to make your website more visible through SEO services, then you should consider calling us! We promise no contracts, no schemes, no long-term commitments.