Search engine optimization encompasses dozens of different strategies and actions, all in the pursuit of increased visibility and authority within a niche. While plenty of new methods for marketing and gaining exposure now exist, the ability to be seen in organic search results is still one of the most sought-after benefits for any brand. In part, this is because (most) search engine exposure is free.

Many small changes in a brand’s SEO efforts can yield big results when implemented gradually and sustained over time. In the first part of this two-part guide, we’ll give you several tips on how you can add, modify or remove select elements from your campaigns to produce better results overall.

With Keywords, Medium Is Best

For several years, the trends in SEO were moving toward longer and longer keywords and phrases. As of late, this trend has halted to some degree – and many are even arguing that for some SEO strategies, a reversal is necessary.

This stems in part from search engines like Google increasingly treating both organic and paid long-tail keywords of a similar nature as identical. This means that if you are targeting both “how to search Google” and “Google search best practices”, you may in fact be reaching the exact same audience. What some research is showing is that targeting medium-sized keywords is actually a better bet, as the less ambiguous nature results in more precise delivery (meaning that your efforts to target each individual SERP actually pay off).

Convey Your Message with Action and Power

Certain words signify authority. Others may indicate experience or loyalty. When crafting SEO campaigns built around a combination of organic content, social media activity and/or paid advertisements, mastering the art of influence is essential.

If you are pinging your website and its offerings in the hope that others will find it useful, then you need first and foremost to grab their attention. Through the use of power and action words, you can automatically increase your CTR, reduce bounce rates and ultimately generate plenty of useful SEO potential. A quick search on “power words” will show exactly what kinds of phrases you should be using to highlight your content.

Cut to the Point

Keeping the attention of your audience long enough to make a point, convert visitors or otherwise achieved your desired result is a tricky balance. On one hand, you want as many people as possible to be pinging your website. On the other hand, it doesn’t matter if most leave within seconds of arriving.

Striking that perfect balance – providing an alluring tid-bit to draw people in, but providing a concise summary in as little time as possible – is one of the biggest keys to reducing bounce rates and converting one-time visitors into loyal followers. By ensuring that the gist of each piece of content is above the fold, you’ll maximize benefit (and your visitors will thank you for cutting to the chase).

Whether you’re looking at the body of your content, the way in which it is conveyed or what keywords you use to target audiences, SEO is a long-term game. You cannot generate quick and easy fixes overnight, but you can generate gradual results by pursuing improved strategies in dozens of different areas. These three tips are just a few examples: come back in a few days to see part 2 on how to improve your SEO outcomes via some simple tweaks!