Search Engine Optimization services in Kenya can be very expensive, but what can you do to at least improve your rankings on search engines when you don’t have a budget for hiring SEO services in Kenya?
First things first. What is Search Engine Optimization? SEO simply means the process or steps of improving your website so that it ranks on Google/search engines for relevant searches. Most companies and businesses in Kenya are now competing for the first spot on Google and other search engines. Why? Most people don’t go past the first page of Google, therefore, your business needs to be on the first page otherwise your competitors who are ranking on the first page will get the bigger share of the pie.
Among the things in a website’s content that are considered by search engines when evaluating the relevance of websites for keyword searches include the headers, page titles, formatted texts, links, URLs, and page content in websites.
As a starting point for your SEO strategy, use these five fundamental tips to improve your brand’s organic search ranking:
1. Identify your target keywords
Identifying your target keywords—that is, the primary words and phrases that embody your brand and its content—is one of the first steps in developing an SEO strategy that aligns with your business goals. You can determine which keywords are most relevant to your target audience by conducting keyword research with tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner, WordStream, or Wordtracker—insight that will help you expand the visibility and reach of your site’s content in search results. Finally, by guiding you to create valuable content that is specifically targeted to your audience, you are laying the groundwork for your content strategy.
In general, a good rule of thumb for your SEO strategy is to concentrate on optimizing the content of your site with 1-3 keywords. Though this may appear to be a small number, incorporating too many keywords can actually harm your SEO because search engines consider this keyword stuffing, which is the practice of stuffing a webpage with the same target terms in an attempt to gain a higher ranking.
2. Broaden your keyword targets and conduct related searches.
If you know where to look, Google will provide you with enough information. When you perform a search, it will display related searches at the bottom. See which ones you can incorporate into your content. You can also get a lot of ideas by using Google’s Suggest functionality (the list of ideas Google shows when you start typing in the search bar). These terms appear because Google has noticed them being used frequently.
Then there are tools like Ubersuggest, which allow you to enter your seed keyword and see the various variants based on real-world searches.
3. Perfect Your On-Page SEO
When it comes to improving your website’s SEO ranking, on-page optimization plays a crucial role. On-page SEO involves optimizing your website’s individual pages to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). One of the key elements of on-page SEO is using the latest keywords in your content.
Once you’ve determined your brand’s target keywords, the next step is to optimize your web pages by incorporating the keywords into each of the following key areas:
- Title tag –A title tag, which is the primary heading that appears in search results and in the title bar at the top of your web browser, is a straightforward but crucial component of on-page SEO.
- Meta description – Meta descriptions, which appear in search results, provide a brief summary of a webpage. As a result, if your meta description contains your target keywords, your website will be more likely to attract visitors.
- Body text – The body content of your webpage is the main text and the most important place to include keywords because it contains the majority of the information your visitors are looking for.
- URL structure – Though URLs play a minor role in SEO ranking, a well-optimized URL allows visitors and search engines to easily identify and understand the link destination.
- H1 tag – The H1 tag is the primary heading that users will see when they visit your website. Its purpose is to describe what the webpage is about, so it should include keywords related to the page’s content.
- Image ALT attribute – Another way to increase your SEO ranking is to add keywords to your image ALT attributes, which provide alternative text to describe your images in the event a user is unable to view them. These attributes are also shown as a tooltip when you hover over an image.
4. Develop a Killer Content Strategy for Your Business
In today’s digital age, content is king, and developing a killer content strategy is critical to the success of your Kenyan business. A content strategy outlines the approach you’ll take to create, publish and manage content for your website, social media channels, and other digital platforms.
After you’ve identified your content goals and core topics, you’ll need to develop your content strategy. However, keep in mind that different parts of the sales funnel necessitate different types of content, as your audiences’ needs will vary as they progress through the buyer’s journey.
A blog is an excellent way to populate your website with high-quality content that is relevant, valuable, and/or interesting to your visitors, allowing your brand to gain page authority and rank higher in search results. In fact, businesses with blogs generate 67% more leads per month than those without. This content can then be promoted through additional channels, such as social media, email, and digital advertising, to drive even more traffic back to your website.
5. Republish Your Previous Content
Republishing your existing content is an effective strategy to boost your website’s SEO ranking and drive more traffic to your site. Here are some tips on how to republish your existing content:
- Identify High-Performing Content: The first step is to identify the content that has performed well in the past. Look for articles or blog posts that have generated a lot of traffic, engagement, or conversions. This will help you determine which pieces of content are worth republishing.
- Update Your Content: Before republishing your content, make sure to update it with the latest information, statistics, and trends. You can also add new images, videos, or infographics to make your content more visually appealing and engaging.
- Optimize for Keywords: Republishing your content also gives you an opportunity to optimize it for new keywords. Use keyword research tools to identify relevant and high-traffic keywords and incorporate them into your updated content.
- Change the Publish Date: When republishing your content, change the publish date to make it look fresh and relevant. This will also signal to search engines that your content has been updated and should be re-crawled.
- Share Your Content: Once you have republished your content, share it on your social media channels, email newsletter, and other marketing channels to drive more traffic to your site. You can also reach out to other websites or bloggers in your industry to see if they are interested in featuring your content.
Republishing your existing content is a cost-effective and efficient way to improve your website’s SEO ranking and attract more organic traffic to your site. By updating and optimizing your content and sharing it with your audience, you can extend the life of your content and maximize its impact.
