SEO is important to get organic traffic on your blog. One must update with the latest strategies of SEO to compete with others in the industry. In 2024, SEO isn’t about the keyword, but rather quality content with a focus on users’ needs that fulfill search intent and are aligned with best practices. Here are 7 proven SEO strategies to help you rank higher in search results:
1. Focus on Search Intent
Search intent is the most important thing for ranking in search engines. When you understand what a user wants when they are searching for a particular keyword, you can create content that answers exactly what they need. There are four main types of search intent:
- Informational: The user wants to know something (e.g., “how to start a blog”).
- Navigational: The user is seeking to reach a specific website, like “Facebook login”.
- Transactional: The user wants to buy something online, like “buy sneakers online”.
- Commercial Investigation: The user intends to research a product, for instance “best laptops under $500”.
With knowledge of what’s behind your target keywords in search, you’ll be better at crafting content that caters to the needs of the user. The more satisfying it is, the greater the possibility that your page will rank better.
Tips:
- Utilize tools such as Google Search Console or Ahrefs to evaluate the intent behind your targeted keywords.
- Write answers and solutions to the content, and use clear CTAs for transactional keywords.
2. Optimize for User Experience (UX) and Core Web Vitals
Google is increasingly using Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor to measure the user experience of a web page. This set of metrics focuses on how fast your site loads, how responsive it is, and how stable the content is while it loads.
Core Web Vitals metrics include:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures loading performance, where the aim is less than 2.5 seconds.
- First Input Delay (FID): Measures interactivity, and the aim is under 100 milliseconds.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability (aim for less than 0.1).
Improving these features will not only boost the SEO of your blog, but it will also contribute to a better user experience and subsequently longer engagement and lower bounce rates.
Tips:
Optimize image sizes and employ next-gen formats, such as WebP, to cut the page load time.
Leverage lazy loading to add content as the user scrolls.
- Utilize a content delivery network (CDN) for faster global delivery.
- Use Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer phrases that are more specific with lower competition but often more conversion rates. These long-tail keywords are mostly likely to match the intent of your users who want to find really specific information.
For instance, instead of trying to rank for a broad term like “fitness,” try ranking for a long-tail keyword like “best fitness tracker for runners in 2024.”
The use of long-tail keywords will enable you to target niche topics with less search volume but greater opportunities for ranking.
Tips:
Use Google Autocomplete, Answer the Public, or Ubersuggest to find long-tail keyword ideas.
Use the long-tail keywords organically through content, titles, headers, and meta descriptions in the blog.
4. Develop Quality Detailed Content
Google favors well-detailed content that entirely answers the user’s query. Those blogs which provide more value, and have covered topics on detailed levels tend to rank well because they show expertise on their field and meet the needs of the user better than any shallow quick article.
Aim to make your content long-form (1,500–2,500 words) when necessary. But don’t sacrifice quality for quantity—don’t force content to hit a word count if it doesn’t serve a purpose.
Tips
Break your content into easily scannable sections with descriptive headings (H1, H2, H3).
Include multimedia elements such as images, videos, and infographics that make the content more interesting to read.
- Regularly update old blog posts with new, relevant information to maintain their value.
5. Optimize Your On-Page SEO Elements
On-page SEO remains one of the most important ranking factors in 2024. Here are the key elements to optimize for:
- Title Tags: Include your target keyword naturally and keep the title compelling.
- Meta Descriptions: Write concise meta descriptions (150–160 characters) that summarize the content and include your primary keyword.
- Header Tags (H1, H2, H3): Organize content with header tags and utilize keywords.
- URL Structure: Ensure that the URL is clean, descriptive, and contains keywords (such as example.com/seo-strategies).
- Image Alt Text: Optimizing images by using a descriptive alt text that includes the keywords.
Tips
Use Yoast SEO or RankMath to help optimize on-page elements as well as improve keyword targeting.
- Use schema markup to help search engines understand your content better and enhance your visibility with rich snippets.
6. Build High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks are one of the most important off-page SEO factors. When authoritative websites link to your blog, it signals to Google that your content is credible and trustworthy, improving your chances of ranking higher.
Focus on getting high-quality backlinks from relevant and high-authority sources in your niche. Quality is superior to quantity when it comes to backlinks.
Tips:
Reach out to industry influencers and ask to link to your content (guest posts, interviews, or collaborations)
Create valuable content such as Infographics, Case studies or Research that other bloggers and websites might want to link to.
- Leverage broken link building to find broken links on relevant websites and offer your content as a replacement.
7. Mobile-First Optimization
In 2024, most internet users access websites via mobile devices. Google now uses mobile-first indexing, meaning that it primarily uses the mobile version of your website to determine rankings.
Ensure that your blog is mobile-friendly, which means it uses a responsive design and adapts to a range of screen sizes. If your blog isn’t mobile-friendly, it may be impacting your rankings.
Tips:
- Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to test how your site performs on mobile devices.
- Focus on quick loading times and simple navigation for mobile users.
- Avoid pop-ups or other elements that could be problematic on mobile devices.
Conclusion
SEO is a dynamic and evolving field, and in 2024, success will be achieved through user intent, improvement of the user experience, and the creation of high-quality, comprehensive content. Using these 7 proven SEO strategies, you can boost your blog’s rankings, increase organic traffic, and stay competitive in the ever-changing digital landscape. Remember that SEO is a long-term investment, so be patient and keep on optimizing your content and website for the best results.