Organic search. When clients hear me talk about it, their eyes haze over and I can tell they’re thinking, “what does that even mean?”
Simply put, organic search is the unpaid Google listings that you get when when you search for specific terms (keywords). These results are based their relevance to the keywords, the quality of the content on the web page, domain authority and some other organic ranking criteria.
Organic search can play a huge role in your web traffic and businesses are always looking to increase their rates. Google loves it and is very particular about what ranks in the top five results for a keyword. And you don’t want to mess with Google.
Here are some of the key factors you should look at when trying to improve your organic search:
Domain Authority (DA)
Domain Authority is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine results pages (SERPs). It’s calculated by evaluating multiple factors, including linking root domains and number of total links, into a single DA score. On a scale of 1 to 100, shoot for 100.
Inbound Links
Inbound links are links that are coming to your website from another site. The more you have from high quality sites, the better your site will rank in SERPs. Remember, these need to be from high authority sites (not your personal blog) and, no, you can’t buy them.
Keyword Ranking
Keywords are the words and phrases customers use when searching for information. The higher on the page you are, the more organic traffic your website will receive. Track your average keyword rankings so you can make sure they are personalized to your business.
Google My Business
This is a free business listing that allows your business to show up in organic and local results. How highly you rank depends on how accurate, current and complete your listing is. You also need to promptly respond to reviews and use keywords in your description.
Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions are snippets that summarize your page’s content. You see these displayed under the link to a website on search engine results. Think of it as your “Open for Business” sign and use accurate information and keywords to entice people to click on your site.
Increasing your organic traffic won’t happen overnight, but it’s worth the time and effort as it’s one of the most valuable traffic sources to your website!
This is merely an overview of organic search. If you’d like to dig deeper, check out our Digital Landscape Report Assessment DIY Template.
About the Author:
Jamie is a results-driven marketing leader with 20+ years of success developing strategic plans and innovative multi-channel marketing programs. Over her career she has helped B2B organizations with all aspects of marketing, including branding, corporate communications, public relations, content strategy, web, marketing automation, social media, digital/SEO and event marketing.
Jamie is based in the Washington DC Metro area and has orchestrated go-to-market strategies for clients in the professional services, training, government, information technology and financial services sectors.
