- Pros of DIY SEO include more control and flexibility, less expensive, and you get a high learning experience.
- Good and effective SEO strategies include doing keyword research, keyword insertion, optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, alt tags, heading tags, urls, content, internal/external linking, backlink building, on page seo, and off page seo.
- DIY SEO is possible, but it’s a lot of work, but Boiling Point Media is a full servive marketing agency who specializes in SEO services.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the digital compass guiding businesses through the complex terrain of the online world. It’s the art of fine-tuning your website to enhance its visibility on search engines, attracting organic traffic, and subsequently boosting your online presence. The question that often arises is, “Can I do SEO on my own?” While the allure of cost-saving and maintaining control is strong, the reality is that diving into the world of SEO can quickly become overwhelming for the average person. Do you have the time to do SEO on your website? Here are some DIY SEO tips to help you along your way.
Why Do SEO On Your Own Vs Hiring an Agency?
As a business owner, you have probably had your fair share of advertising sales reps walk in and promise all kinds of things that can do to your website to improve your SEO. Some might be telling the truth while others are projecting falsehoods to get you to do business with them. This would lead you to believe that you should do the SEO yourself. Here are some of the pros and cons on doing SEO yourself.
Pros of DIY SEO:
- Cost Savings: Hiring a professional SEO agency can be expensive, especially for small businesses and startups. DIY SEO can help you cut down on costs.
- Control and Flexibility: Handling SEO in-house means you have more control over strategies, changes, and updates. You can tailor your approach to suit your business’s specific needs.
- Learning Experience: Engaging with SEO firsthand can provide valuable insights into your website’s performance and online dynamics. This knowledge can be valuable for long-term decision-making.
Cons of DIY SEO:
- Steep Learning Curve: SEO is a multifaceted field that demands constant updates and adaptation to search engine algorithms. Keeping up can be daunting, especially for someone with limited technical knowledge.
- Time-Consuming: Effective SEO requires consistent effort and time investment. Balancing this with other business responsibilities can be challenging.
- Limited Resources: SEO tools and resources often come at a cost. Professional agencies typically have access to premium tools, giving them an edge in optimizing strategies.
- Risk of Mistakes: Incorrect SEO practices can lead to penalties from search engines, damaging your website’s ranking and visibility.
Steps to Do SEO On Your Own
So you have made the decision to do SEO on your own. Here are some key things you will need to do to successfully implement SEO strategies on your website.
1. Keyword Research
Keyword research is the foundation of successful SEO. It involves identifying the search terms that your target audience uses to find products or services similar to yours. While tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you identify high-ranking keywords, understanding user intent is equally crucial.
2. On-Page Keyword Insertion
Integrating chosen keywords into your content naturally is essential. However, overstuffing can negatively impact user experience and search rankings. Strive for a balance between readability and keyword usage.
3. Title Tags
Title tags are HTML elements that define the title of a web page. They play a critical role in both SEO and user experience. Your title should be relevant, engaging, and contain your primary keyword.
4. Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions provide a brief preview of your webpage’s content in search results. Craft compelling meta descriptions that accurately represent your content and encourage users to click through.
5. Heading Tags
Heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) structure your content and signal its hierarchy to search engines. Use them to break down your content into readable sections and include relevant keywords.
6. Alt Tags
Alt tags are used to describe images on your website. Since search engines can’t interpret images directly, using descriptive alt tags helps improve accessibility and SEO by providing context to search engine crawlers.
7. URL Optimization
Create clean, concise, and descriptive URLs that incorporate relevant keywords. Avoid using generic or auto-generated URLs that offer no context to users or search engines.
8. Content
Quality content is the backbone of effective SEO. Craft well-researched, informative, and engaging content that addresses your audience’s pain points. Regularly updating your content keeps your website fresh and relevant.
9. Linking
Google is really really good at 2 things: reading content and reading links. By having the right type of linking, your site will rank higher in search results. Here are 2 types of links.
Internal Linking
Internal links connect different pages on your website, aiding in navigation and distributing authority across pages. Use descriptive anchor text that includes keywords to guide users and search engines through your site.
External Linking
Linking to authoritative external sources can enhance your content’s credibility. However, ensure that you’re linking to reputable sources that add value to your content.
10. Off-Page SEO
Yes, you can help boost your website’s rankings by affecting other parts of the internet. Here are a couple of ways you can achieve this.
Listing Creation
Create and manage your business listings on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and other relevant directories. Consistent and accurate information helps local customers find you and lets search engines know that your business really does exist.
Backlinking
Building a strong backlink profile involves getting other reputable websites to link back to your content. While this can greatly improve your SEO, it requires networking, outreach, and content worth linking to.
11. Additional Areas
These areas mentioned above are great places to start with to improve the SEO on your website. At the same time, SEO is nowhere near limited to these areas. Many other areas of your website need to be addressed so that you get the search engine rankings you are looking for. Some of these areas include the schemas on your site, core web vitals, image compression, script minification, server speed, and many more.
Doing Your Own SEO Takes A Lot Of Time & Effort
The decision to tackle SEO on your own versus hiring an agency depends on your resources, expertise, and willingness to invest time in mastering the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing. DIY SEO offers cost savings and greater control, but it demands a steep learning curve, substantial time investment, and ongoing commitment. Hiring a professional agency, like Boiling Point Media, can vastly speed up the time it takes to improve the SEO on your website. We have the SEO tools, expertise, and continuous education to get your website ranking for more keywords that your clients are using. Check out our website for more information about our SEO services as well as the rest of the marketing services we offer both locally & nationwide. At the same time, if you choose to do your SEO, we wish you the best and hope this article helps you.
Contact Boiling Point Media
Contact Boiling Point Media so we can discuss how we can better your website’s SEO or how we can market your business as a whole.
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