Succeeding in SEO is a difficult gambit for many, especially with so many niches now occupied by tons of competition. Between keyword optimization, on-page tweaks, content creation and more, juggling all of these elements can prove to be quite difficult. As such, any small amount of benefit that can be extracted from optimization efforts is a welcomed development for webmasters and SEO enthusiasts alike. While we may struggle with the bigger picture, it turns out that there are a variety of smaller ways to alter search engine rankings quite dramatically. Below, we’ll discuss a few simple tips on how to do just that.

Implement Responsive Design

The ability for search engine users to access your site effectively is not only need from the perspective of brand success, but it’s also needed for search engines to view you positively. Without content that can be served optimally to mobile devices, search engines will ultimately penalize you in mobile search. Since mobile search is becoming a larger and larger share of internet traffic each year, it makes sense that you have to accommodate this demographic. Responsive design allows your website to be automatically adjusted to any and all devices. By implementing a responsive design theme that ensures mobile users can see the same content as desktop users, your search rankings will drastically improve in mobile search results.

Boost Social Media Access

In order to appear more often in search, you should be seeking more outlets through which to appear. While social media and SEO rankings do not have a direct correlation, they do correlate indirectly due to the fact that more active social media accounts can help you rank in more positions on the first page of search. Pinging search engines with these social signals can be a great way to get exposed more, and other social media access options can increase your broader visibility. By including social share buttons on all of your pages and newsletters and including a backlink to your website in every piece of content you share on social media, you’ll be sure to boost traffic and search engine exposure at the same time.

Use Images

Appearing in search can occur in a number of ways. While you may be focused on appearing in traditional search results, have you considered how your site ranks in image search? By pinging search engines with well-attributed images on a consistent basis, you will be more likely to rank in these image searches and gain more exposure/traffic through auxiliary means. If your images are not properly optimized, however, then you won’t be able to take advantage of this ranking-boosting trick, so be sure to go back through your images and add the appropriate keywords and data to ensure they rank.

Conclusion

There are dozens of ways to improve your rankings in search, but many small ways exist that people tend to forget about when focusing on the bigger picture. By properly attributing images, boosting social media access/availability and implementing responsive web design solutions, your site can soon begin to ascend search rankings in ways that it may not have in quite some time.