What is SEO and How Can It Help You Reach More People?
How can you get more clients without having to spend money on advertising or being on social media all the time? One of the best ways is to integrate SEO into your online marketing so that more people visit your website organically!
If you’ve heard the term "SEO" being thrown around but aren’t sure exactly what it is or how to use it in your mindfulness business, you're in the right place. I'll provide you with an overview of SEO along with a few simple strategies you can use immediately to grow your online presence and get more clients.
What is SEO and how does it work?
SEO stands for search engine optimization. It all boils down to this: making your website more user-friendly. It’s about becoming mindful of how you present your content online so it’s easier for the right people - your target clients - to find it.
This starts with two things:
1) understanding your target audience
2) knowing the basics of how Google ranks websites in search results.
Google is all about providing a smooth, seamless, and intuitive experience for its users. When you're searching for something online, Google wants to ensure you get good quality information that is up to date and relevant.
When someone searches for the term "meditation tips for beginners," for example, Google crawls the internet to reveal results that match this exact term...instead of random pages with recipes for banana bread.
To decide which websites to rank higher, Google looks at two main factors - authority and relevance. Let’s take a quick look at both and how you can improve them on your website.
Increasing authority and relevance to rank higher on Google
Boosting authority
Creating quality content and sharing it widely is the best strategy for increasing the authority of your website. But what does "quality" mean in Google’s eyes? Content that people will enjoy reading and that they'll find relevant and useful. This is measured by the number of visits and the length of time people spend on your site.
So here are some questions to ask yourself to gauge the authority level of your website:
How widely is your website content shared?
How many other links point to your site?
What’s the quality of the content on your site?
The more people share your website content, the more Google knows that it contains helpful information. If others are finding it helpful, it means it can probably be trusted. When other websites point to your website - termed a "backlink" in the SEO world - then your authority is raised even further.
Promoting your content on different platforms boosts the chance that more people will see it. If they enjoy it, they are also more likely to share it with others. And the more they share, the more authority your website gains.
Increasing relevance
When you write content for your website or post a new blog, are you paying attention to the terms you're using? It’s natural to just start writing in a way that makes sense to you. But...that doesn't mean it will also make sense to those browsing your site unless you know what they're looking for.
Many business owners who write their own website content don't even realize they're using lingo their target audience might not understand - especially if they are new to mindfulness. So here are some things to consider when you want to boost your website's relevance:
How well do the keywords on your site match what people are looking for?
Is your content positioned as the solution to your target audience’s problems?
Is your content up to date and fresh?
The more closely the words on your website match what people are searching for, the more likely your website will show up in their search results. If you're teaching mindfulness in the workplace for example, you'd want to mention these terms throughout your website. The more specific you get, the better.
If your business has a physical presence, it’s important to mention your location on your website. When you include your address - and register your business on Google MyBusiness - your website will be more likely to come up when they type in that location.
Google also looks at how recently a website is updated. The more often you update your website - such as by posting blogs on an ongoing basis - the more relevant your content will appear.
How to find the right keywords for your content
When you post content on your website, focus on keywords your target audience is most likely searching for. Selecting a niche within mindfulness and understanding what your people are looking for is the key step for making this work.
So here are some questions to ask yourself when it comes to finding the right words - the ones that will increase traffic to your site:
How would your ideal client phrase their search query? Where would they likely search for the answer?
Does your website copy contain keywords that match what they would likely be searching for?
If you’re putting together a blog post, does it match what they may be searching for or are curious about?
If you're having a hard time figuring out what your audience wants to know more about, get some super SEO-boosting and writing tips in my post on How to Get Ideas for Your Next Blog, Social Media Post or Newsletter.
So now that you understand the basics of how SEO works, here are some more tips for using it so you can share mindfulness with more people:
7 Tips for boosting your website SEO to help you land more clients
1. Check your page titles
The title of each page is the best place to use the most important keywords that describe the content on the page. Keep this to 70 characters or fewer. Ensure each page has a different and relevant title.
2. Use your meta descriptions (also known as meta tags)
Meta tags are the short descriptions you see under a website heading when you’re doing a Google search. They’re generally around 150 - 160 characters. Use these as a summary of the content that appears on each page.
3. Alt text
When you post an image on your website, Google can’t read what’s in the image...that is until you provide it with text. Alt text is the text that shows up when you hover over an image (try it with the screenshot above).
Alt text is important because it lets Google know what’s on your page. It increases the odds that someone may come across your page if they do a Google image search for your relevant topic. Add some alt text to each image on your website. Use short, descriptive words related to the photo and keywords about the service you’re providing if the photo is relevant to that service.
4. Ensure your website appears on Google
Do a quick Google search for your site to ensure it shows up on Google. This generally happens automatically for most websites over time. If you just launched your website however, you may need to take action through your website provider. Here’s a quick article from Google to help you learn more about how to ensure your website shows up on their end.
5. Be aware of Google’s latest updates
Google made quite a few large-scale updates in 2021 to improve user experience. One of the more notable ones was that Google is focusing even more on the loading speed of your website - both on the computer and on mobile devices. You can check the load speed of your website here: https://neilpatel.com/seo-analyzer/
6. Check your website on your phone
Google places a lot of importance on mobile website optimization. If you haven’t already, scroll through each page of your website on your phone. Ensure everything is easy to read and that the menu is accessible and functional.
7. Get familiar with tracking your website analytics
Take some time to explore the stats for your website traffic. This will help you understand where you’re users are coming from or how long they’re spending on certain pages. You can then use this data to optimize your content even further.
Most website providers will give you at least some of the basic data on your website for free while some may charge to give you deeper analytics. I also recommend checking your website out on Google Search Console: https://search.google.com/search-console/welcome Once you type in and verify your domain, you’ll be able to see Google’s data about your site.
You can then use these metrics to create more content similar to what people are searching for and reading. Thus helping your audience get what they are looking for AND getting you more kudos from Google. :-)
SEO for the long run
When you integrate the basics of SEO into your marketing strategy, you're making a great investment in your online presence. SEO is a long-term process – something you should continuously keep in mind as you post content on your website.
Marketing your mindfulness-focused business should be simple, fun, and authentic. That's why I've put together this FREE mini-training that shows you the 5 things you need to know about online marketing to grow your business sustainably.
The little things you do today (like learning about SEO :-) Go you!!) can help you land clients in the future without having to constantly spend time in front of your computer. And the more clients you get, the more you can help people use the power of mindfulness to lead happy, joyful and peaceful lives.