While more than 90% of searches are done on Google, a company needs to appear on the first page of the search engine.
However, Google algorithm is very complex, with many criteria. So how to be well referenced in 2023? This is what I will explain to you in this article.
What is SEO?
When discussing being referenced on Google, it is essential to distinguish between natural referencing and paid-to-reference.
Natural referencing or SEO allows you to increase the visibility of your website through natural results in search engines such as Google.
Overall, and we’ll get to that later, there are two main factors to consider: relevance and reputation.
The relevance of your page is calculated according to its content and whether it responds perfectly to the request of the Internet user. Reputation can translate into external links pointing to your website.
Paid referencing or SEA allows you to increase your website traffic through Google Ads.
This means that the advertiser (your company) pays the publisher (i.e., Google) each time a visitor clicks on an ad on the search engine according to the keywords you set up for your campaign.
Here we will focus on natural referencing, which is much more interesting in the long term.
1. Check to index
Before wanting to appear on the first page of Google, you must first succeed in being known to search engines, which results in indexing.
Finally, when your site has just been put online, you will not find it immediately when you search on Google.
Instead, it will generally take a few days to be indexed. That is to say, that search engine robots come to your site and add it to their databases.
However, there are tricks to speed up the indexing of your site.
The first solution to appear on Google is to submit your site to the latter.
I also strongly recommend that you log into Google Search Console to track the indexing of your pages and any errors you may have on your site.
The second solution is to create links from other sites. Then, not only will your pages be indexed faster, but they will also have more “juice” to move up the search results.
2. Implement a keyword strategy
To be well referenced, you have to target the right keywords. It is, therefore, essential to do market research before defining your keywords.
You can then integrate these keywords into your content in a natural way.
However, do not abuse keywords. For example, Google punishes sites that are over-referencing.
There are many tools to generate keywords, like Semrush and Ranxplorer. Yoda Insight or Google will help you make the first list according to your targets.
3. Work on long tail keywords:
Long tail keywords are keywords that have low search volume but often convert.
Chooses long tail keywords
They are defined by expressions of more than 3 or 4 words which will be easier to reach and ultimately have a better conversion rate.
4. Create quality content
Content is king, To be well referenced, you must publish quality content regularly.
Google favors sites that regularly update their content. It is, therefore, essential to have a blog or a news section on your site.
5. Enrich the semantics of your content
Regarding writing, having a rich lexical field around your primary keyword is essential. No need to overdose.
It is better to write a relevant text that will bring value to the Internet user.
Regarding text length, many tests show that 800–2000 word pages can perform better than shorter pages.
6. Pay attention to site architecture
The architecture of the site is an essential criterion for natural referencing. Indeed, it is important that Google can crawl your site well to index your pages.
Therefore, your site must be well structured, and the internal links must be logical.
Title and meta description tags are essential for SEO. They must be optimized for search engines while being attractive to Internet users.
The tags must therefore be well written and highlight the targeted keywords.
Structuring your content is also very important for SEO. Indeed, search engines have difficulty reading a site’s content if it is not well organized.
So consider using titles and subtitles to structure your content. In addition, the H1, H2, and H3 tags are also very important.
9. Include images and videos in your content
Search engines favor content-rich images and videos. Indeed, these types of content are more engaging for Internet users.
So remember to integrate pictures and videos into your content to boost your SEO.
10. Pay attention to your site’s loading time
The loading time of your site is also an essential criterion for SEO. Indeed, Internet users tend to abandon a site if it takes too long to load.
So remember to optimize the loading time of your site to improve your SEO. In addition, it is essential to take professional web hosting and optimize the code of your site so that it is as light as possible.
11. Work on your net linking
Netlinking is an essential criterion for natural referencing. Indeed, incoming links allow your site to rise in the search results.
It is through your links that your website is considered or not as a trustworthy site for search engines and especially Google.
It is, therefore, essential to have quality links to your site. For example, you can make guest posts or exchange links with other sites. You can also go through netlinking platforms.
12. Don’t forget about mobile optimization
Today, most Internet users connect to the Internet via a smartphone. It is, therefore, important that your site is optimized for mobiles.
Google also favors sites that are well-optimized for mobile devices. So remember to work on your site’s mobile optimization to improve your SEO.
13. Create interactive content
Internet users increasingly appreciate interactive content. They make it possible to engage Internet users better and therefore boost SEO.
So consider creating interactive content such as quizzes, surveys, or games.
14. Think of local SEO
It is essential to work on local SEO if you have a physical business. Indeed, Internet users tend to favor companies that are close to them.
read more: If you are looking for the right ” local seo agency”, here are these tips..
Remember to optimize your Google My Business listing by adding as much information as possible (address, descriptions, opening hours, etc.) without forgetting to pamper your customers, so they leave you good reviews.
You can also create content based on the keywords of your target geographical areas.
15. Follow Google’s Best Practices
Google is constantly evolving, and it is essential to follow the latest updates to be well-referenced.
So remember to keep up to date with the latest news and follow Google’s best practices. This includes regular SEO monitoring to be proactive about changes in search engine algorithms.
16. Consider the search context
The search context is an essential criterion for natural referencing. Indeed, search engines tend to favor content that best responds to the queries of Internet users.
Therefore, remember to consider the search context when creating your content.
17. Optimize your images for the web
Images are essential for SEO. Indeed, search engines tend to favor content with images optimized for the web.
Choose the correct image format, like PNG or JPEG, which are lightweight without degrading the quality of your visuals.
Use a tool to compress your images: tinypng.com, for example. Don’t forget to describe your ideas with ALT tags.
18. Work the internal mesh
Internal linking consists of linking a website page to another page of the same site. This operation is intended to help visitors navigate the site and help search engines index the site’s content.
When creating internal links:
- Make sure the connection makes sense in the context of the content.
- Use keyword ( high CPC).
- Avoid overdoing it. Too many links can be considered spam and hurt your SEO.
Internal linking can be a helpful way to improve your website’s SEO.
By linking pages neatly together, you can help visitors find the information they need.
19. Use Google tools
Google provides many free tools that can help you improve your SEO. Consider using these tools to boost your SEO.
We can mention Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google Adwords among the most valuable tools.
20. Track Your Performance
To be well referenced, it is essential to track your performance. Indeed, this will allow you to detect errors and take the necessary measures to correct them.
So remember to monitor your routine regularly to improve your natural referencing by using a positioning monitoring tool.
In summary
If you want to improve your natural referencing on Google, it is essential to consider all the criteria mentioned in this article.
By working on each of them, you will significantly increase your chances of appearing on the first page of the search engine.
If you do not have the time to perform all these actions, do not hesitate to call on learnb2bmarketing agency.
She will be able to accompany you and help you improve your visibility on the web.