029 21760 777 |

Sarah Jones

About Sarah Jones

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far Sarah Jones has created 56 entries.
2025/07/31 2025/07/31

Google’s Free SEO Tools, Explained

By |Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |Comments Off on Google’s Free SEO Tools, Explained

The SEO tools that Google offers for free and why you should be using them for your business

Author: Ryan Walsh

Date: 31/07/2025

Table of contents:

  • What is Google Search Console, and what’s it used for?
  • What is Google Analytics?
  • What is Google’s Keyword Planner?
  • What is Google Trends Discover?
  • What is Google Alerts?
  • What is Google Business Profile?
  • What is Google Page Speed Insights?

 

Should we be using Google’s free SEO tools?

Well, the short answer to that question is a resounding yes.

However, don’t think that these tools are just for large businesses with multi-million-pound turnovers.

The reason is that Google’s SEO tools are suited to any-sized business. This means firms ranging from sole traders through to your large PLC businesses can benefit from using Google’s SEO tools.

In this article, we will walk you through why so many businesses use Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

We shall also explain the benefits of using other popular Google tools such as Google Alerts.

 

What is Google Search Console?

Imagine driving down a road and the dashboard on your car suddenly stops working, displaying a dead screen offering no information about the car’s stats at all.

This would shock anyone, leaving you feeling like you’re left in the dark.

This is how a marketing company would feel if, for any reason, Google Search Console went offline.

The dashboard within Google Search Console provides valuable insights into your website’s performance.

For example, using GSC, you can see the number of clicks the website has received, where your ranking for specific keywords is, and where some of the business’s backlinks have come from.

Google Search Console is therefore used by marketing companies daily.

 

Indexing, traffic and links

As highlighted above, Google Search Console is simply brilliant.

It allows you to spot, for example, indexation issues that could be hampering your website’s performance.

Imagine for a second that a bunch of essential pages could not be indexed; that would be a significant issue. The reason is that if Googlebot can’t index those pages, they may not appear in Google’s organic results.

Therefore, Google Search Console is worth signing up for. Even if you don’t use all the features, you should use them to obtain accurate information on your website’s ranking. You can also use it to see if there are any indexation issues, for example.

Core web vitals reporting.

An aspect that is sometimes overlooked when improving a business’s organic search engine optimisation is the website’s speed.
Top web designers will track metrics such as LCP and CLS, which can have a direct bearing on rankings.

 

Manual actions

If you have thrown Google’s Webmaster Guidelines out the window and thrown caution to the wind when implementing your business’s SEO, then this can be a recipe for disaster.

For example, some businesses do like to cut the odd corner to save time and money.

This could mean building spam links, also commonly referred to as low-quality links.

Now, this may seem like a good idea initially. However, if you subsequently log into your Google Search Console account and see that a manual action has been applied against the website, this can mean that the website becomes de-indexed.

De-indexed means removed from Google altogether, almost as if Google has waved a magic wand and removed the website from the index.
What Google then wants is action taken; this could be to delete spammy links or improve the website’s content marketing that has been deemed as low quality.

However, a word to the wise: don’t think that after a Google penalty, such as a manual action penalty, all will return to normal quickly.

Businesses can suffer from lower keyword rankings or even be de-indexed for many years due to a Google manual action penalty being applied to the website.

This is referred to as the “Google penalty recovery.” Therefore, implementing quality work is our best advice, and it’s essential to avoid shortcuts.

 

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is to an SEO consultant what a screwdriver is to an electrician – it’s essential.

GA4, the latest version of Google Analytics, will help you understand where visitors are coming from.

It provides crucial SEO information, including bounce rates and dwell times, which indicate how long a shopper spends on your website.

Therefore, businesses globally rely on Google’s GA4 Acquisition reports to reliably inform them how many visitors are visiting the website directly, through social media or the business’s organic rankings.

 

Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is primarily used by businesses that are running Google Ads. However, it’s also widely used as a keyword research tool.

The reason is that you may believe, for example, that you just need to optimise your company website for the keyword “ladders” – as that’s all your business retails.

However, when you use Google’s Keyword Planner, you can quickly discover that one of the highest searched for terms about ladders might be “roofing ladders”.

Therefore, by not optimising your website for this important term, you’re missing out on a significant business opportunity.

Consequently, we would recommend that when your business is conducting keyword research, you use Google’s Keyword Planner and also other SEO tools.

We recommend using another quality SEO tool, such as Ahrefs, alongside the current one to see if it provides any additional information.

 

Google Trends

Google Trends is used by marketing companies globally.

What it allows you to do is see what’s trending at the moment. For example, it might be something related to a celebrity who’s hit the headlines for a particular reason.

It can be used to identify which topics are currently gaining popularity quickly.

The purpose is to create content marketing that taps into a current trend, which can generate more clicks, visitors, and organic traffic.

 

Google Alerts

A business can set up Google Alerts to track when its company name is mentioned. Some SEO agencies also use this Google tool, in particular, to see when a direct competitor’s name gets mentioned.

The reason is that this could offer a link-building opportunity.
Google Alerts could notify you of a direct competitor being mentioned.

For instance, a quality business directory could provide a good-quality backlink for your business. You may have only found that business directory because Google Alerts alerted you that a competitor has set up a business profile on that website recently.

You can receive email notifications when your business is mentioned.

 

Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile is a vital marketing asset that your business should utilise.

It’s essential to have if you deal with your customers locally.

For example, if you’re based in the city of Cardiff and serve your businesses locally, then you should set up a Google Business account as it’s free and straightforward to do. It’s also useful for customers who travel.

For example, you may offer a specialised service, where sometimes a customer may be willing to travel to your business from some distance.

Therefore, the Google Business profile can be used to help shoppers find directions to your business.

 

Google Page Speed Insights

Google Page Speed Insights measures LCP, or largest contentful Paint.

CLS, or Cumulative Layout Shift, is a key metric that businesses need to improve to enhance their users’ experience.

Businesses, especially e-commerce websites, therefore compress large images and minimise the amount of JavaScript that they use. This is all to make a website much faster and offer the shopper a smoother shopping experience.

For instance, if a page loads slowly, shoppers are likely to become annoyed with the company’s website and leave.

If too many shoppers visit the first page they visit, it indicates the website has a high bounce rate.

Businesses with high bounce rates over an extended period may experience a decline in their organic rankings.

 

Read More
2025/07/03 2025/07/03

What exactly are citations (NAP), and why should you care?

By |Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |Comments Off on What exactly are citations (NAP), and why should you care?

 

 

I recall when I first began working in SEO. I was excited because I’d just launched a shiny new website. It looked amazing—slick design, punchy headlines, and loads of potential. But then reality hit: it started on page 10 of Google.

Ever been there?

You’re probably nodding right now.

It’s a common scenario for many business owners, especially when you’ve splashed a fair bit of money on a beautiful site, expecting it to rise to the top of Google or at least be indexed closer to page 1 of Google.

But page 10! That means there is a substantial amount of work to be done.

But here’s the thing: great design alone doesn’t cut it.

If you want people to find you, you’ve got to invest in local SEO. And a massive part of local SEO? Yep, you guessed it: building citations.

Therefore, citations need to be built on, say, Wales Online and other business directories.

 

What’s a business citation anyway?

I remember first hearing the term “citation” and imagining something complex and challenging to implement.

But honestly, it’s way simpler than it sounds.

Business citations—also called NAP listings—are just mentions of your business’s name, address, and phone number online, say Wales Online.

 

Think of them like your business’s digital footprint.

Every mention of your business counts, helping Google to understand where your business is based in Cardiff.

The more high-quality citations you have, the better your chances of appearing higher in local search results. Sounds pretty good.

But wait, there’s a catch (isn’t there always?)

Every citation must match exactly.

Yep, no typos, no extra spaces—everything identical.

This means your address on Yellow Pages should match exactly with your Google My Business page, your Facebook, and every other listing out there.

 

Why matching citations matters so much

Now, you might think, “What’s the big deal?

It’s just an address.” But from Google’s perspective, consistency is everything.

Google’s bot (let’s call him Googlebot for simplicity) scans the web, which is called “crawling and indexing. This collects your business information from various sources, including Thomson Local and Hot Frog. If your address or phone number doesn’t match, it gets confused.

And confusion is the enemy of rankings.

Consistency across citations tells Google, “Hey, this business is based here, the address and phone number are cited in many business directories, so it’s reliable, and worth showing to people searching for services in this area.”

 

Quality must always come over quantity.

Okay, so you know you need business citations, but where exactly should you get them?

The short answer: quality websites related to your industry.

For instance, if you’re a solicitor in Wales, getting listed on well-known law directories or legal publications is the way to go.

Google loves relevance.

So, always prioritise quality over quantity.

Avoid spammy directories like the plague.

Seriously, stay far away from using spammy SEO methods, as you could incur a penalty.

Using these might seem tempting because they’re quick and easy, but believe me, it’s not worth the penalty.

That’s a headache you want to steer clear of.

How to build the perfect business citation

Alright, let’s break it down into simple steps:

 

Find quality business directories:

Start with industry-specific directories, for example, if you work in construction, list your business on construction business directories.

Also, list your company on local business listings with good domain authority (you can easily check this using Moz Pro).

 

Enter your NAP information carefully.

Double-check that every detail related to your company’s NAP information matches precisely with the information in your other business listings.

One slip-up and Googlebot might get confused.

Add a unique description.

Write a short, unique blurb about your business for each citation.

Sure, it’s more work, but it massively boosts credibility.

 

Include a URL

Always link back to your homepage—this helps Googlebot associate your citation directly with your site.

Add Photos (If Possible)

Add a professional mugshot of the team or the office; it does make a difference.

 

Slow and steady wins the SEO race

Here’s a common mistake I’ve seen way too often: businesses rush to create tons of business citations all at once.

I get it—you’re keen to climb the rankings fast.

However, Google doesn’t like anything that appears unnatural or spammy.

Instead, build citations gradually.

Aim for one or two per month rather than twenty in a week.

Slow, steady growth looks genuine, not spammy, which Google (and customers) appreciate.

 

Why consistency is your best friend

Let’s say you move offices or change your business phone number; then you need to update your Google listing. But what about all those other directories you’ve listed on?

This is where things get messy. If some citations still contain your old information, Googlebot receives mixed messages, and your customers might end up confused as well. Not ideal, right?

I once had a client who relocated and forgot to update about half of their citations.
Traffic dropped, customers became frustrated, and it took a considerable amount of time to clean up the mess.

Whenever there’s a change, review every business citation and update it accordingly.

Tedious?

Sure.

Worth it?

Absolutely.

 

How many citations do you need?

Okay, let’s be real for a moment, there’s no magic number. Every industry—and every city—has its different levels of competition.

The harsh truth is, someone will always be fighting for your spot.

So, keep building those citations, but do it thoughtfully. Focus on quality and relevance rather than sheer quantity. Remember, this isn’t a quick fix—it’s a long-term marketing strategy that yields lasting benefits.

Can citations alone get you to the first page?

I hate to break it to you, but no, citations alone probably won’t catapult you straight to the top of Google’s first page.

You need a multi-layered SEO strategy that combines citations, high-quality backlinks, effective content marketing, and robust technical SEO.

Think of citations as the foundation—a crucial first step that supports all your other SEO efforts.

SEO is about consistency, ongoing effort, and patience. It’s not quick, but the results speak for themselves when done right.

 

Come chat with the experts.

I’ve spent over ten years helping businesses navigate local SEO, citations included.

Want to skip the trial and error? Let’s have a chat. Drop us a line today for a free, no-obligation quote—we’ll get your business on track without the hassle.

Read More
2025/06/06 2025/06/06

Google AI in 2025: How Google Search is changing

By |Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |Comments Off on Google AI in 2025: How Google Search is changing

Google Artificial Intelligence in 2025- How is Google search is changing

 

Artificial intelligence

Date: 06/06/25

Google is now utilising artificial intelligence (A.I) to enhance search results.

You may have read various articles related to Google Mariner and also Google’s projects Astra, which are changing the services Google is offering. One thing is for sure, now in 2025 there some exciting and large changes happing over at Google. As always, here is Ryan C Walsh.

We will keep you updated on the latest innovations and changes that are helping to transform search engine optimisation.

Table of contents:

  • What are Google AI overviews?
  • What is the Artificial Intelligence mode in Google Seach?
  • How businesses can benefit from Google AI Overview Adds
  • What is Google’s Astra?
  • What is Google’s Project Mariner?
  • Have there been any other significant Google search updates been made that businesses should be aware of?
  • How artificial intelligence is changing search engine optimisation

 

2025 Google AI Overviews

Who is Sundar Pichai?

Sundar Pichai has made a significant contribution to how Google’s search engines work —the immersive Google AI overviews, which have dramatically increased in scope, in terms of how many SERP’s now present an AI answer has increased in recent months.
This means we should aim to offer the best possible answer to any potential.

 

Who is Phillipp Schindler?

Phillipp Schindler also made a considerable contribution to artificial intelligence and improving how AI is being integrated into Google’s search results. It’s now thought that Google have integrated Google Gemini into the Google AI, with the results being now made more relevant.

Have you used Google Gemini?

It’s fantastic; the huge leap forwards in terms helping shoppers ask and find much more relevant answers to queries.. For example, if you were to photograph a specific type of designer chair, Google Gemini can tell you what chair it is, whos it made by!
Massively impressive.

 

Introducing AI Mode

What exactly is Google A.I mode?

Can you create a picture that shows or ask the question, What is Google’s AI mode?

Google AI mode is perhaps the most substantial change to have occurred in Google’s search results in a very long time.

For example, I am a highly experienced SEO consultant with over 11 years of experience. During that time, I have never seen such an update made to Google’s search results that changes so much, so drastically how the SERP’s appear.

Currently, you have to opt into the program by Google Labs; however, in America, it’s now actually part of Google Search. This will be powered again by Google Gemini,

 

Fan out searches

Something that SEO agencies globally will be discussing more and more is the Google AI mode, which enables presenting fan out results.
This is relatively new to us here at RCW, and our SCO consultants had to get their heads around it.

Basically, fan out searches are like having a friend guide the buying process, for example, if you’re searching for an item, say a new garden fence. You can simply keep asking futher, questions, to further refine the orginal question, just as the salesperson stood directly in front of you.

 

Google AI mode is massively impressive.

These are called fan out searches?

Fan out searches allows a shopper to ask supplementary questions, and Google’s AI is then doing all the legwork for you, reviewing multiple sources, then condensing and offering a synthesised answer. Like having a sales assistant who is stood buy you throughout the buying process, knows everything about every single product and service out there. Therefore instantly you can ask supplementary questions.

This is likely to have a profound effect on how shoppers shop. Not only do you shop for a specific item, but you also refine your search, which further refines the results to answer the question allowing to find the exact produce you want.

 

Advanced reasoning capabilities

Regarding “Google’s Smarter Overviews”, although it has also been much more recent development, it has been integrated by Google in 2025. It utilises artificial intelligence answers; this AI model offers the most intelligent and sophisticated answers available, by using advanced reasoning to answer the query.

The advanced reasoning capabilities are massively impressive, and just as you might have seen with ChatGPT it actually shows advanced reasoning capability. Now with Google’s Smarter Overviews, this is Google’s ability to do the same thing.

Realising the strong progression of the large language models. Not only that but Google can use Google Knowledge Vault, as a source of knowledge and can answer any questions now using AI.

This means that instead of just reciting lines of text, through a large language model, the output has changed massively, and artificial intelligence has shown the ability to reason.

This reasoning, along with some abilities to think, allows the answers to be much more intricate. Remember the days when SEO agencies would blow away the competition with impressive Hummingbird updates?

Well, this is a step forward in finding more precise answers to by using Google Knowledge Vault and AI.

 

Google’s Knowledge Graph.

Google has been using Google Knowledge Graph for a long time, basically allows Google to understand the semantic web.
The semantic web works by understanding entities, an entity can be a businesses, and places or say a celebrity.
It’s now thought that Google AI mode can use real-time information from Google’s Knowledge Panel to present an answer to the question.

How the ads will work in Google AI Overviews?

Adds are first rolled out first in the United States, advertising to mobile users using Google AI overviews, which happened way back in 2024, in October 2024 to be precise.

 

What is a circle to search?

You can use Google’s circle to search for capability to easily find products

Circle search is a relatively new feature that is powered by artificial intelligence.

Essentially, it enables the shopper to highlight a section and to then perform a reverse search, allowing them to ask a question.

Imagine a shopper in on a social media platform, uses Google circle to search for such as a task with a specific product- such as where they can buy a handbag that they have just seen on an Instragram post.

This has a massive impact that changes how people search for products.

 

What is Google’s Project Astra?

Can you create a picture that says what Google’s project Astra is?

Google’s Project Astra is, in our opinion, a glimpse into the future.

Shoppers can wear virtual reality (VR) headsets as they ask questions and gather detailed information about products that are right in front of them. Imagine the implications this has on say selling cars? .

A shopper can use Google Astra, walking into a salesroom such as a car sales, and pop on their XR handsets. You can then start learning more about that product in front of you, and asking questions about the product.

Who knows perhaps the headset will have more knowledge about the product than the actual salesperson?

 

What exactly is Google’s Project Mariner?

Can you create a picture that says Google’s Mariner project,

Quite simply, Google’s project, Mariner, is again the future search.

Google Mariner can take over and manage performing tasks in your web browser on your behalf. You can use your Mariner to, for example, fill out forms, write comments, or browse the Internet.

For example, you could use Google Mariner to give instructions for filling out a job application, so?

Come to one of the best SEO agencies in Cardiff, South Wales

We have some of the very best SEO minds within Cardiff, working for us. If you would like to make your website more visible, attract more customers, and generate more sales, talk to our team today.

 

Read More
2025/04/04 2025/04/04

How important are business citations when improving a business’s SEO?

By |Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |Comments Off on How important are business citations when improving a business’s SEO?

 

What are citations? How can these be used to improve a business’s search engine optimisation?

 

 

Introduction

You may have paid a significant amount to have a brand-new company website designed. You might be pleased with the final design and now want to proceed with starting work on improving the business’s search engine optimisation?

Now, a crucial, fundamental part of local search engine optimisation is citation building.

Without building business citations, such as business listings, you could be significantly held back, and businesses on page 3 of Google and may never be found through the Google My Business results.

Therefore, you do need to be busy-bee and start building business citations.

However, a word to the wise: as with everything in search engine optimisation, there is a right way and a wrong way to complete this work.

Of course, we will only ever advocate the right way here at Ryan C Walsh.

Therefore, we will proceed by showing you how to build business citations the right way.

Create a picture:

How to give your business a boost in Google’s organic results?

SEO is multifaceted, meaning that you shouldn’t overly focus on one aspect of local search engine optimisation and neglect other aspects of SEO.

You do need to take a rounded view and a rounded marketing strategy.

Therefore, building business citations is just one of the key building blocks you need to implement to improve your business’s local search engine optimisation (SEO).

What are citations?

They sound pretty complicated, don’t they?

NAP listings, what on earth does this mean?

All this means is NAP, which stands for the name, address, and phone number of a business.

It’s as simple as that.

However, things can become a bit more complex when we explain it this way: Googlebot, the bot used by Google’s algorithm to crawl and index the web, is designed to find numerous business citations related to your business.

All of these business citations should be on quality websites, plus they should all match.

Business citations that match exactly should, therefore, be structured in a way that they all convey the same precise message. The name, address and phone number of a business should all match. The citation should also have a URL that redirects back to your website so that Google bot recognises your business is being mentioned.

 

Which are the best types of business citations to build?

The best type of citation to build, is a business citation from a quality website related to your business. So, if you are a hotshot lawyer in your city, you will want a business citation, from a website to with solicitors.

You want these to be quality websites, websites that you recognise are leading publications, well-known brands, or businesses that obtain industry information in regards to your business sector.

 

Another example:

If it’s a construction company, you would want your business to be mentioned on a website that offers awards and qualifications for excellence in the construction industry.

Build your nap listings carefully, ensuring that they are all completed and identical to one another.

Add a little bit of supplementary text.

This is to describe the business.

Yes, we highly recommend creating NAP listings, and what you should do is also write a unique business description for each page.

You might be scratching your bonce; thinking that’s a lot of work writing a few paragraphs of text for every single business citation.

The answer will be yes, but with local SEO and national SEO, you do need to put back into it if you want to see results.

 

Avoid spam business directories like the plague

You will always have businesses that want to cut corners.

Sadly, even in 2025, you still have SEO agencies which deploy spam methods.

However, avoid using spammy SEO methods, as they can take your business’s rankings on a rollercoaster.

Plus if you use spam methods you obtain a Google penalty.

Receiving a Google penalty can be a nightmare, to say the least; it can significantly impact visibility and the amount of customers you receive, and the whole situation becomes a real headache to fix. So don’t use spam methods, just use white hat methods.

How exactly should citation look?

Let’s walk you through the process of building a business citation.

First, locate a quality business directory related to your business.

Again, if you are a lawyer, find business directories that specialise in offering directory listings from lawyers. Still, the website must have a high domain authority (DA, use Moz Pro to check this) and the business citation/link needs to come from a widely and highly regarded website.

After that, fill in the details, ensuring that all NAPs, including the address and phone number, all match.

Write a unique business description for that page.

On some pages, why not add a picture of your company director’s mugshot?

Add URL to the homepage.

Should we create many business citations all in one go?

No,

The short answer is no, you shouldn’t.

As with all things related to organic local search engine optimisation, it is best to take your time and do it right.

Don’t rush building many at once because the Googlebot will index massive citations simultaneously, which appears spammy, rather than building quality citations over an extended period.
For example, build one a month and avoid overdoing it as you don’t want your SEO efforts to look spammy.

Why is consistency important in the building business Citations?

Consistency is key when it comes to building business citations.

So, what we mean by this is that sometimes a business change their address, and then, they may starts building business citations for their the new address.

That’s all fine and good, but often, some of the business citations still mention your old address.

This causes a conflicting business citations, which confuses Googlebot and also confuses your customers.

You don’t want conflicting business citations, for example, your old address and your new address. Instead all business citations should match perfectly.

 

How many business citations are needed?

The thing is, in regards to business citations for SEO, there will always be a business out there; that want to rank higher, than your business and obtain more customers.

It’s a race that never stops improving your business’s SEO.

So you can never have enough quality backlinks; therefore, you can never have enough quality business citations.

However, you need to refer to your point about link velocity, which also relates to business citations.

You don’t want to build a bunch of business citations all at once; this looks spammy.

Please take your time building; it’s a long process.

Are building business citations key to skyrocketing to the top of Google’s page 1 results?

We don’t want to disappoint you, but, lets say you grab an espresso, and build 10 business citations for your business in Cardiff to help it rank on page 1 of Google.

However this is likely to be a drop in the ocean in terms of how much work is needed.

A considerable amount of effort is required to improve multiple ranking factors over a sustained period.

The SEO company, therefore, needs to be busy bees, building quality backlinks, writing high-quality content marketing and improving the technical SEO. So, all of these factors can come together; over a long period of time, you can get your business onto page one of Google.

 

 

Come to the SEO experts.

We have accrued over 10 years of knowledge to improve your business’s local SEO.

Therefore, we one of the best agencies in this area improve your search engine optimisation. If you would like a no-obligation quotation, why 

not talk to us today?

Read More
2025/03/31 2025/03/31

Does Blogging Help SEO?

By |Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |Comments Off on Does Blogging Help SEO?

 

Does blogging help improve a business’s SEO?

 

In short, to secure a business on the first page of Google’s SERPs, the company must produce high-quality, well-written content marketing. This is, therefore, essential.

The reason is the written word, whether it is in the form of blog posts, main pages, or evergreen content marketing; Google needs to “crawl and index this work.”

It’s only when Google can crawl and index the work that Google will gain an understanding of what the page is about.

Then, Google uses EEAT, which, for those unfamiliar, stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

This is then used to decipher how good that page is in terms of how helpful the written work is.

Does the page have a lot of good links pointing to it? Additionally, is the author of the work an expert on the subject being discussed?

 

Can publishing regular blog posts help improve my business’s organic traffic?

The short answer is yes.

Yet, it also depends solely and ultimately on the quality of that content marketing.

If the work is superior to the competitor’s content marketing, it will rank higher. If it’s not that good, run-of-the-mill, Google may not even index it. This means it may never appear in Google’s results, even on page 10. So, in essence, it is a complete waste of time.

In short, the work must be well-written and authored by an expert. Just be excellent quality.

 

Therefore, whether it is a blog post or a main page, it needs to be a well-written, high-quality page to improve the business’s organic traffic.

To gain organic traffic in the first place, the page must be indexed and, therefore, appear in Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs).

The page or blog post needs to have a high Google EEAT score to be indexed close to the first page of Google. It’s only when a business is on page one that you start to see that page earning organic traffic.

 

Start with keyword research.

What are shoppers typing to find the products and services that your business sells?

What keywords are shoppers using to find your company?

This may sound pretty obvious to some businesses; for example, an employment law practice might say, ‘ Well, indeed, it’s just employment lawyers, right? ‘

Typically, a business can appear on the first page of Google for hundreds of different keywords, collectively helping to draw in customers.

Therefore, it’s up to the SEO agency to determine which keywords are most important for that business and then create a content marketing strategy that enables you to improve your ranking on Google for those keywords.

So, let’s say you run an online shop selling luxury dog food. If you want to sell more luxury, organic dog food, then you are likely to start writing content marketing that offers advice about this area.

Google EEAT how you can improve domain authority and trustworthiness

 

When you have a quick chat with the best SEO minds in the business, they will say, ‘ Yes, you need to improve your SEO ranking factors. Yet, the overarching aim is to concentrate on Google EEAT, ensuring your website indicates that you are an expert in the products or services you sell. Your experience should be clear; you possess a vast amount of knowledge in your field.

Then there’s authority; if many other businesses link to you and the links are of good quality, it means you will improve the authority of your website.

Trustworthiness works similarly; what it means is that you need to ensure the content marketing is well-written and accurate. Additionally, Google reviews and positive reviews, in general, can help improve a business’s SEO.

 

What are long tail keywords?

So, long-tail keywords are descriptions of the products or services your business sells, yet they don’t get searched for as often.

For example, let’s say the main keyword is “Builders + area” where your business is located.

Yet, an example of a long-tail keyword is “builders who are loft conversion specialists.”

So, it’s much more exact, which is good because it usually means the customer knows exactly what they want. What services they are looking for?

It is also much easier to get a business on page one for long-tail keywords because the competition is much less.

The downside is the amount of organic traffic for long-tail keywords is usually much less.

So this means fewer enquiries and sales; however, they are still an essential part of a business’s success.

 

So, do blog posts directly help improve a business’s SEO?

 

So there’s a few things to say here:

Content, thin pages, or pages where the author has spent little to no effort writing will damage your SEO and put things in reverse gear.

On the other hand, if it is crystal clear that the author knows what they are talking about and considerable effort has gone into creating a piece of work, then Google will index it, which can help improve your organic SEO.

However, the work must be helpful.

Ever since the Google Helpful Content Update, this means the Google algorithm is determining how helpful that piece of work is.

 

Is it helpful to the customer?

For example, is the dwell time so high the shopper is spending a long time on the website?

If so, this can help improve your SEO.

 

How do you see if your blog posts are helping improve a business’s SEO

 

User Engagement

Monitoring user engagement is key. Just as you wouldn’t have dinner in a restaurant without asking, ‘ How’s the food? ‘

You shouldn’t publish content marketing without periodically checking the user engagement metrics to ensure they are satisfactory.  

 

Does blogging help improve a business’s SEO

We answer whether adding blog posts to a company’s website can help improve the company’s SEO or not.

 

Read More