If your business website isn’t showing up on the first page of search results, you’ve probably looked into search engine optimization (SEO) as a potential fix.

There are a lot of myths out there about SEO. For example, have you ever heard of keyword stuffing? That’s where you try to bury (or “stuff”) certain keywords into your website copy with hopes of ranking for those terms. But it ends up sounding really unnatural! And most search engines have wised up to SEO tricks like these.

Skip the tricks. We’re sharing the SEO basics for getting found online.

1. Write simple, conversational copy.

Instead of stuffing overly repetitive keywords into your content, pick a few longer search terms you want to rank for. Write like you’re talking to a potential customer or friend about what you do. It’ll sound more natural, and you’ll be more likely to show up in searches for related topics.

2. Make friends with mobile.

One of Google’s top ranking factors is how mobile friendly your site is. Why? Because according to them, 9 out of 10 consumers leave websites that aren’t mobile friendly.

How to make your site more mobile friendly:

  • Give clickable elements enough space for fat fingers.
  • Ensure your site is mobile-adaptive or responsive, and your content and images adjust to the width of the screen your site’s being viewed on.
  • Speed up your page load speed.This one’s all about user experience. If searchers arrive at your site and it takes too long to load, they’ll bounce right back to search results, and Google will punish you for your contribution to that poor user experience. Your goal? 2 seconds or less.

3. Become a local search expert.

We’ve talked before about how Google pulls information from online listings, often before it even finds your website. So if you want to get found when consumers search for businesses like yours, you need accurate, consistent information across the top listings sites.

If you have trouble keeping your listings in sync, Thryv could be exactly what you need to seal the deal. It locks and loads your information across the top sites for good – after you enter your info just once.