When Google drops a new update, it’s like the game of SEO changes a lot and after this March 2024 update, seems SEO needs to be changed totally (at least! Google wants this).
So, I along with my team have this cool tradition. We gather after each update, dig into what’s new, and figure out how to tweak our content to match Google’s latest vibes.
Then I thought, why not share this cool stuff with everyone? We’re all in this SEO journey together, right?
So, I’m here, spilling the beans in my blog titled ” 17 Things You Need to Know about Google’s March 2024 Core Update.”
I won’t bore you with a lecture. Picture it as a chill chat over coffee. I’ll spill what we’ve learned from the latest update because, hey, we’re all trying to rock our SEO game.
Let’s help each other out.
Content Outline
Here are my 17 top tips to help improve your organic rankings.
1. Get More Backlinks
Backlinks are hyperlinks on other websites that direct traffic to your site. They serve as a crucial ranking factor for Google. Many website owners face difficulties acquiring backlinks, and some wrongly believe they are no longer significant.
Insufficient backlinks can affect your ranking in two ways.
Firstly, your entire website may lack authority compared to competitors, meaning their overall domain is more trusted. You can use tools like Ahrefs to check the “Domain Rating” metric of your competitors and compare it to your own. If there’s a notable difference, that could be the issue.
Secondly, individual pages you want to rank need their backlinks. If your competitors are similarly authoritative, success boils down to the quality of your on-page SEO and whether your target pages have enough backlinks.
Determining the ideal number of backlinks depends on your competition, their link quality, and the type of keywords you are targeting.
Generally, informational or service-related keywords require more backlinks, while e-commerce pages, particularly category pages, may need fewer due to the nature of their content.
My Pro Tips: As an SEO expert, I focus on simple yet effective strategies to get more people to link to a website.
First, I make sure the content on the site is super good because that’s what attracts links naturally. I also keep an eye on what other similar websites are doing and try to do it better.
Building relationships with other websites is key – I reach out to them for things like writing articles together or asking if they’d link to our content.
Creating cool things that people want to share, like helpful guides or fun infographics, is another trick. Writing articles for other websites is a smart move, too.
If I find broken links on popular websites, I let them know about our content that could replace them. Regularly checking our links and removing any bad ones is important, and being active on social media helps spread the word, too.
Building good connections with local businesses or influencers is a plus. These are simple tips to get more people to notice and link to a website.
2. Start with keyword research
The internet is gigantic, and Google can’t manually decide what each webpage is about and where it should show up in search results. That’s where the Google search algorithm comes in – it automatically figures all that out.
But here’s the catch: it’s not as good as we are at understanding the English language and what people are looking for. So, we need to see what people type into Google, compare the info, and then make our web pages better based on that.
Just look at the picture below to see how much people search for different things:
Even though I’ve been working with keywords for 12 years, I still get surprised. For example, I thought more people would search for “how to get number one on Google” than “how to improve search engine optimization.” Weird, right?
Now, when it comes to people dealing with keyword research, there are four types:
The oblivious: These folks have no clue what keyword research is. They believe if they build something online, people will magically find it. Usually, they get zero search traffic.
The rushers: These website owners understand keyword research but don’t use any tools for it. They try to remember to put in a few keywords now and then, and sometimes, it works.
The Reachers: These are my least favorite. They look at the big numbers in search volumes and pick the highest ones, but they’ll never be able to compete for them.
The enlightened: That’s you! You’ve read this post and checked out some data, and now you know you need a plan before optimizing for anything. Stick around for more tips, and you’ll be all set.
3. Optimize Your Pages With Keywords
Now that we’ve sorted out our keyword research, it’s time to use it wisely. I often come across websites where people have done their keyword research, and you’ll find those keywords stuffed in almost every paragraph, sometimes bolded or italicized.
But here’s the thing—when you look at the page title and other important areas, you might wonder what the page is actually about.
The most crucial places to put your keywords are:
The page title
The URL
The main heading (H1) and sub-headings
These are the first spots Google checks to understand your page’s topic. So, if your page is titled “services,” it could be about anything.
For your page title, URL, and all the headings, play a little game. Imagine seeing them on a blank piece of paper – could you guess the general topic? If not, you’re probably not being specific enough. Add those keywords to make it clearer.
Quick note: This doesn’t mean you can’t write content without targeting a keyword. You totally can, especially if you’re sharing your unique thoughts. But if that’s your path, make sure to have a strategy to promote your content other than just relying on people finding it through search engines.
4. Write Longer Content
Just because you add your keywords in the title, URL, headings, and meta description doesn’t automatically mean Google will think, “Yep, that’s what they should rank for.” Google’s main aim is to provide users with the best possible result for their problem or query, and often, longer, high-quality content does that better.
Consider your school days when you were learning calculations – did you find Wikipedia articles to be more helpful, or did you prefer textbooks that included illustrations, examples, and quizzes? Google works kind of the same way.
It’s excellent at understanding related words and phrases. For instance, it knows you can’t discuss building a website without mentioning design and that email marketing involves the word “newsletter.”
Longer content not only increases the chances of including these phrases and showing Google your expertise but may also help you rank for additional terms. Successful pages usually don’t just rank for one keyword; they cover hundreds or even thousands of variations.
Now, the ideal length of your content varies for each topic. To find the ideal word count, search for your main keyword and look at sites with similar authority to yours (exclude massive sites like Entrepreneur.com).
Check the word count of their articles, excluding comments and other stuff, and analyze the results. Ask yourself:
Is longer or shorter content ranking better?
Is there a point where content length seems to make a difference?
Is someone with low domain authority ranking well? How long is their content?
Is someone with high authority ranking poorly with similar content length? Can you figure out why? This will help you understand what works best for your specific topic.
5. Go after less competitive keywords
I get it – going after those big, popular keywords seems tempting, but here’s the scoop: search volume (how many times people search for a term) isn’t the be-all and end-all. We’ve already talked about a couple of reasons why:
Pages don’t rank for just one keyword, and you don’t know how many other searches might be related.
Those search volume numbers you see are just guesses and can be way off.
But here’s the real kicker – even if a keyword has a million searches a month, you’ll only grab a piece of the action if you’re ranking in the top 3 positions. Just being in the 16th spot won’t bring you much traffic. Even the top spot only gets about 30-35% of the clicks.
So, here’s the smart move: go for lower search volume keywords that you’re pretty sure you can reach the top for. This way, you’re more likely to get a good return on your efforts, see results faster, and build the confidence and skills to tackle the big ones eventually.
Here’s a cool fact: Some of the most profitable keywords I’ve found had really low search volumes on paper (like 200 searches a month or even less). It’s not always about the big numbers!
6. Optimize for Search Intent
Alright, here’s a top-tier SEO tip that’s a hidden gem: if you want to snag that first-page spot on Google for a keyword, take a peek at what the pages already chilling there have done. Here’s how you can analyze search intent to up your chances:
Type of Search Intent:
Search intent means figuring out what the user is trying to do with their search. There are four main types:
- Navigational (e.g., someone typing “Amazon” wants to go to Amazon.com).
- Informational (the most common, people seeking answers).
- Commercial or buyer intent (folks looking to buy something generic).
- Commercial research/investigation (serious buyers doing final research).
When creating your page, match it with the dominant search intent for your keyword. If everyone’s selling standing desks, don’t try ranking with an article explaining what they are.
Angle and Contents:
Besides matching the main search intent, consider the angle of the page and the content itself. If everyone’s doing long listicles for a topic like “how to build backlinks,” go for it too. Replicate what’s successful. If you notice a mix of angles, choose what seems most useful.
Common Themes in Top Articles:
Read through the top-ranking articles and find common themes. If everyone talks about a specific aspect, make sure your content covers it, too. For example, if guest posting is a hot topic in link-building guides and you skip it, Google might think you’re not in the loop.
Content-Length:
Check out the content length of successful competitors and try to match it. Google knows what length users prefer for different topics.
If the top-ranking guides are around 2,500-3,000 words, aiming for a short story won’t cut it. Identify the pattern in content length for pages ranking without loads of links and follow suit.
In this strategy, you’ll follow the moves of the top players to earn your shot at the title.
7. Improve Your Site Speed
OK, let’s discuss the importance of speeding up a website. Google’s on board with this, and for good reason – they want users to have a great experience. No one enjoys staring at a loading screen. Here’s a quick rundown on how to boost your site speed:
Check Your Hosting:
Your website’s speed often depends on your hosting company. If you’re on a deal from a shared hosting giant, it might be slowing your site down.
Use tools like ByteCheck to measure your time-to-first-byte (how long it takes your server to respond). If it’s over 400-500 ms, consider switching hosting. Some speedy options include Kinsta, LiquidWeb, Cloudways, and WPXHosting.
Trim Down Plugins:
Too many plugins can weigh down your site, especially on platforms like WordPress. Some free plugins, like Sumo, can slow you down by a second or more. Review your plugins, disable and delete unnecessary ones, and look for faster alternatives.
Optimize Images:
Large images are speed killers. Compress your images properly and upload them in the resolution they’ll be displayed in. This simple step can cut down file sizes from megabytes to a few hundred kilobytes.
Consider a Speed Plugin:
Tools like WPRocket can be game-changers. They handle caching, content delivery networks, preloading, lazy loading, and more with just a few clicks. Aim for every page to load in under two seconds, with three seconds as the max for media-heavy pages.
The faster your website loads, the more likely it is to keep Google happy and ensure your visitors stick around for the good stuff.
8. Optimize Your Content
Let’s talk about how often your main words show up in your content – that’s keyword density. It’s a bit like when an author keeps repeating a phrase – it’s probably crucial. Google thinks the same way. But here’s the catch: it’s not as simple as hitting a specific percentage.
The trick we plan to use is reverse engineering, a playbook trick used by the competition. Check out your top competitors for the keyword you’re after.
Look at their lowest and highest keyword density and aim for the higher side. Also, keep in mind that keyword density should align with your content length. This way, you’re playing the keyword game just right. Easy, huh?
9. Improve Your Site Structure
So, now let me talk about website authority and why it matters to Google. You see, the links your website gets from other sites pass on a kind of authority. But did you know that internal links within your own site also play a role in spreading this authority among your pages?
Imagine your website is like a city, and each page is a building. A poor city layout might leave some crucial buildings hidden away.
Ever wondered why that important blog article of yours isn’t getting the attention it deserves? It might be buried too deep within your site, making it hard for Google to find.
Think of it this way: the closer a page is to your homepage, the more likely it is to rank well. Ideally, important pages should be reachable within 3-4 clicks from your homepage. Managing this as your site grows can be tricky, but it’s worth it.
Here are some simple tips for improving your site structure:
Hierarchy: Set up your site like a hierarchy. Your homepage links to crucial pages and categories, which then link to sub-categories and sub-pages.
Categories and Subcategories: If you have a ton of blog posts under one category, consider creating sub-categories. For example, if your main category is “Blog,” you could have sub-categories like “On-Page SEO,” “Case Studies,” “Link Building,” and more.
Display More Posts: Increase the number of posts displayed on a single page, so users can easily access more content.
Page Navigation: Ensure you have clear page numbers at the bottom of your category. Don’t just settle for “previous” and “next” buttons – make it easy for users to jump to different pages.
Contextual Links: Within your articles, create contextual links to other relevant pages. If you’re discussing a topic covered in another post or service page, provide a link to it.
Remember, building a well-structured city (or website) can greatly improve your chances of being noticed. And who doesn’t want their important pages to be easily accessible? Easy, right?
10. Check How Google Sees Your Website
The truth is that many web developers are not friends with Google. They often miss the memo on what Google likes and how it views websites.
There are specific rules to follow when creating websites, like using HTML heading tags (you know, H1 to H6) to show the importance of headings.
Now, some developers might change the font size of these headings, swapping H1 for H3 or using CSS to jazz up a regular paragraph. This is a bad move, and depending on how bold the tweak is, it could mess with your rankings.
But wait, there’s more! Beyond the basics of on-page SEO, web development is like a fast-paced dance with ever-changing languages and frameworks.
Some might look snazzy to developers and users, but Google might not see them the same way. Take an e-commerce store, for instance. It might look A-okay to us, but when we put on our “GoogleBot” glasses, we see no products or links.
Thankfully, Google Search Console is like a superhero tool that lets you see exactly how Google sees your page. It’s like peeking behind the curtain to make sure everything Google expects to find is right there. Simple, right?
11. Optimize Your Category Pages
When you sell products online, like iPhones, and your website is similar to others, Google decides who’s on top based on popularity, mainly the number of links you have.
But here’s a smart move: add more words to your page. It’s like providing Google with more information backstage. For e-commerce pages, especially those overcrowded with product titles, extra words help Google understand your page better.
It’s not just about being wordy; it reduces the keyword overload and can boost your chances of ranking for more specific and cool keywords.
So, adding more content can make your site more visible and unique in the online marketplace! Easy peasy!
12. Check For Duplicate Content Issues
You should ensure your website’s content is unique when managing it. When your site or different sites display identical or similar content, you have duplicate content.
This can confuse search engines like Google about which version to index or rank for query results, potentially diluting your site’s visibility or even leading to penalties.
How to Identify Duplicate Content?
Use Search Engines: Perform a search by taking a snippet of your content and placing it within quotes in the search bar. This will show you if the content exists elsewhere on the web.
Specialized Tools: Leverage SEO tools like Copyscape, Siteliner, or Google’s Search Console. These tools can scan for content similarities across the internet or within your site, highlighting potential issues.
Examples of Duplicate Content Scenarios:
Product Descriptions: If you run an e-commerce site and use the manufacturer’s default product descriptions, the same text likely appears on numerous other sites selling the same items.
URL Parameters: Pages accessible through multiple URLs due to tracking parameters, session IDs, or sorting methods (like example.com/product?color=blue and example.com/product?color=red) can be seen as duplicates.
WWW vs. Non-WWW and HTTP vs. HTTPS: If your site is accessible with both www and without it (e.g., http://www.example.com and http://example.com), or both HTTP and HTTPS without proper redirects, it can count as a duplicate.
Syndicated Content: If you syndicate your blog posts to other sites, those sites may rank higher for your content than your site if you don’t use canonical tags to indicate the original.
Mitigation Strategies:
Use Canonical Tags: Indicate your preferred URL version with a canonical tag. This tells search engines which version to prioritize, helping to avoid confusion.
301 Redirects: If you have multiple pages with similar content, consider consolidating them into one authoritative page and using 301 redirects to guide users and search engines to the main page.
Unique Content: Rewrite product descriptions and ensure your site’s content is unique and valuable. This not only helps with duplicate content issues but can also improve your SEO ranking.
Parameter Handling in Google Search Console: Use the URL Parameters tool in Google Search Console to tell Google how to handle specific parameters in your URLs.
By addressing duplicate content issues, you can improve your site’s SEO, enhance user experience, and increase your visibility on search engine results pages.
13. Check for Keyword Cannibalization
Checking for Keyword Cannibalization is essential for maintaining a healthy and effective website. If your website has different pages that compete with each other for the same keywords, this is called Keyword Cannibalization. This can confuse search engines and impact your site’s performance in search results.
In simpler terms, imagine having two or more pages on your website discussing the same topic or targeting the same keywords. Instead of working together, these pages end up competing against each other for a higher ranking on search engines.
Here’s why it’s important to address Keyword Cannibalization:
Confused Search Engines: When search engines crawl your site, they might struggle to determine which page should rank highest for a specific keyword. This confusion can lead to lower rankings for both pages.
Fragmented Authority: Each page on your website contributes to its overall authority. When you have multiple pages targeting the same keyword, you dilute the authority that a single page could accumulate.
Poor User Experience: Visitors might land on different pages of your site when searching for the same topic. If the information is scattered, it creates a confusing experience for users and may increase bounce rates.
To avoid Keyword Cannibalization, regularly audit your content, identify overlapping keywords, and consolidate or differentiate your pages accordingly. This helps search engines understand your content better, enhances your overall site authority, and provides a more streamlined experience for your audience.
14. Clean up Google’s Index
Managing what Google indexes on your website is crucial for maintaining a high-quality online presence. Imagine your website as a library, and every page is a book. Google wants to ensure that the books in your library are valuable and relevant to users.
When you do a Google search using “site:mydomain.com,” you’re essentially asking Google to reveal all the pages it has from your website.
Here’s why index management is important:
Quality Control: If your library has too many books that people wouldn’t find interesting or helpful, the overall quality will diminish. Similarly, having many web pages that don’t offer value to users can negatively impact your site’s reputation.
User Experience: Imagine someone enters your library looking for specific information. If irrelevant or outdated books clutter the shelves, it becomes frustrating for them. Similarly, users searching on Google should find your pages useful, not outdated or irrelevant ones.
Focus on Important Pages: Just as a library showcases its best and most valuable books prominently, you want Google to highlight your essential pages. By using the “noindex” tag on less crucial pages, you guide Google in prioritizing indexing the pages that matter.
Common pages that might not need indexing include staging sites, tag pages, dated archives, and testing pages. You want to exclude pages that don’t contribute to your site’s value or might confuse users.
By actively managing what Google indexes, you maintain a well-organized and user-friendly website library, ensuring that visitors find valuable information quickly and easily. This, in turn, positively influences your site’s search engine rankings and overall online reputation.
15. Do a Backlink Audit
Building backlinks is like constructing a strong foundation for your website’s popularity, but not all links contribute equally. Here are some things to watch out for:
Cheap Link Building Services: Be cautious of services offering links at an unusually low price, often found on SEO forums or platforms like Fiverr. High-quality backlinks require investment in good content or relationship-building with reputable websites.
Outdated and Shady Tactics: Some outdated strategies, such as blog comments, forum links, and “private” blog networks, can harm your site. Avoid automated link-building schemes and be wary of practices that don’t align with current SEO standards.
Overly Aggressive Anchor Text: Anchor text is the clickable part of a link, and stuffing it with keywords might provide a short-term boost but can lead to penalties. Opt for natural-looking anchor texts, like those found in legitimate sites, for a safer approach.
Building Too Many Links Too Fast: Google can detect unnatural link growth, and excessively rapid link building raises red flags. Consistent and sustainable link growth is crucial. A sudden surge in links, especially when a website is not receiving much traffic, can be suspicious.
Why is it important to be cautious?
Avoid Penalties: Google penalizes websites using manipulative tactics, impacting your search rankings and traffic.
Maintain Credibility: High-quality backlinks from reputable sources enhance your site’s credibility. Shady practices can tarnish your reputation.
Sustainable Growth: Building links at a natural pace is essential for long-term success. Google recognizes websites’ natural growth curve and may penalize those deviating from it.
User Trust: Users trust websites with quality content and authentic backlinks. Manipulative tactics can erode this trust.
In essence, your approach to link-building should be steady, natural, and focused on providing value to users. Building a trustworthy online presence takes time and effort, and shortcuts may lead to detrimental consequences in the long run.
16. Fix Everything Broken
Addressing broken elements on your website, such as pages, links, and images, is crucial for a smooth user experience and positive search engine rankings.
Here’s why it’s important:
User Experience: Broken pages, links, or images can frustrate visitors and hinder their navigation, leading to a poor user experience. Users are more likely to stay and engage with a site that functions seamlessly.
Search Engine Crawling: Search engines, like Google, constantly crawl websites to index content. When they encounter broken pages or links, their crawling process is disrupted. This can result in incomplete indexing and potential ranking issues.
Link Authority: If other websites link to your content and encounter broken pages, your site’s authority and trustworthiness diminish. Ensuring all links are functional helps maintain a positive reputation in search engines.
Resource Efficiency: Broken pages waste valuable resources for search engines. By fixing these issues, you help search engines allocate their resources more efficiently, leading to better crawling and indexing of your site.
Why should you address these issues?
SEO Performance: Search engines prioritize websites with a good user experience. Addressing broken elements improves your site’s SEO performance, positively impacting rankings and visibility in search results.
Visitor Retention: Users are more likely to stay on a site that functions smoothly. Addressing broken elements contributes to visitor retention, reducing bounce rates, and increasing the likelihood of conversion.
Credibility and Trust: A website free of broken elements is seen as reliable and trustworthy. This positively influences how search engines perceive your site and can enhance your online credibility.
Efficient Crawling: Regularly fixing broken elements ensures that search engines can efficiently crawl and index your site, leading to better visibility in search results.
Thus, maintaining a website free of broken pages, links, and images is essential for providing a positive user experience, retaining credibility, and optimizing your site for search engine performance. Regular checks and prompt fixes contribute to the overall success and effectiveness of your online presence.
17. Set up HTTPS
Having a secure website with HTTPS is crucial for several reasons, and Google has considered it a ranking factor since 2014.
It’s important to switch, and here’s why:
Security: HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) ensures a secure connection between your website and the user’s browser. It encrypts the data transmitted, protecting it from potential security threats and ensuring a safer online experience for your visitors.
User Trust: When visitors see the padlock icon and “https://” in the URL, it signals that your website is secure. This builds trust among users, assuring them that their information is safe when interacting with your site. Trust is crucial for user engagement and conversions.
SEO Rankings: Google considers website security a ranking factor. Websites with HTTPS are more likely to rank higher in search results than their non-secure counterparts. By switching to HTTPS, you improve your chances of better visibility in search engines.
Data Integrity: HTTPS protects the integrity of the data exchanged between your website and users. It ensures that the information remains unchanged during transmission, preventing potential tampering or unauthorized modifications.
Browser Warnings: Modern browsers, such as Google Chrome, label non-secure websites with a “Not Secure” warning. This can deter visitors and negatively impact your site’s reputation. Switching to HTTPS eliminates these warnings, creating a more positive user experience.
Free Certificates: Many web hosting providers offer free HTTPS certificates, making it cost-effective and accessible for website owners. Even if your hosting provider doesn’t provide it for free, purchasing a certificate is a nominal expense compared to the benefits it brings.
FAQs
❓What is Organic Search?
Organic search refers to the unpaid listings that appear on a search engine results page (SERP). Unlike paid advertisements, these results are determined by their relevance to the user's search query and are influenced by several key factors. These factors include the quality and relevance of the content, the number of incoming links from other websites, effective search engine optimization (SEO) practices, and the overall domain authority of the website. Organic search results are crucial for websites looking to increase visibility and credibility without relying on paid advertising.
👀Is It Possible to Conduct SEO by Yourself?
Absolutely, you can undertake SEO on your own! Engaging in DIY SEO means taking charge of all search engine optimization activities yourself. This includes a variety of tasks such as identifying relevant keywords, optimizing your website's structure and content, tracking your site's rankings in search results, implementing analytics to monitor traffic and performance, among others. Professional assistance isn't a necessity for SEO; with the right resources and dedication, you can effectively boost your website's search engine visibility on your own.
🤔can You Enhance SEO for Free?
Yes, enhancing SEO without any financial investment is entirely feasible. A key strategy for boosting SEO effectively is to create engaging, credible content that attracts visitors to your site. For websites lacking a blog, adopting a free content management system like WordPress is advisable. WordPress can seamlessly integrate with your current setup, offering a platform to produce and manage content that can drive organic traffic and improve your site's search engine ranking.
❓What Constitutes an Organic Search Result?
Wrapping Up
When it comes to boosting your website’s visibility in search engines, there are many potential pitfalls. However, if you follow and implement these SEO tips, I can assure you that you’ll likely witness an improvement in your search rankings. Please let me know about your experience and improvement in the rankings.
