3 Common SEO Challenges (and Their Simple Solutions)

Search engine optimization can sometimes seem like an overwhelming technical endeavor. To outsiders, it seems like everything is about things like tags, link scoring algorithms, and keyword statistics.

To be fair, there are a lot of intensive details that go into making sure your website is easy to find on Google, especially when you are competing with established businesses in a tight market. However, it’s also true that a lot of search engine optimization comes down to simple ideas, plans, and techniques.

To give you a sense of why this is – and how you can use it to your advantage – today we want to present three common SEO challenges and the relatively simple solutions you can use to overcome them…

#1 You Aren’t Getting Any Search Traffic at All

It can seem difficult when you’re starting your search engine optimization plan from scratch, but this is actually an advantageous position. That’s because you can embrace a handful of best practices and see big results in practically no time at all.

If it feels like you’re invisible on Google at the moment, the first step is to audit your website and do some keyword research. That is, make sure you haven’t been blacklisted (as a result of over optimization the past, for example) and then figure out which searchers you want to target. Then, you can tweak your existing pages, add some new content, and see the visits start to flow in

#2 You Are Trying to Catch an Online Competitor

It isn’t unusual for us to meet with the business owner who is getting decent results from their existing search position, but can’t seem to make up ground on a more established competitor. This can be a little tougher to deal with, but the trick is to figure out how you can outmaneuver them efficiently.

In some cases, the answer is to simply post more content that’s perfectly targeted to a specific audience. The resulting engagement will slowly push you to the top. In other situations, a better approach might be to focus on a specific segment of the market, or geographic area, where it’s easier to pull ahead.

Either way, you’ll need to do a little bit of research on your own website and your competitor’s. Only then can you figure out where your business is a little bit stronger than theirs, or soon could be, from a search engine optimization perspective.

#3 You Have Search Traffic But no Conversions

Sometimes, the problem with search engine optimization isn’t that you can’t get a good spot on Google, but that it’s difficult to make the most of it. In some ways, this can be the most frustrating position of all, since every click that doesn’t result in a sale or conversion feels like wasted effort.

Ironically enough, the solution is often to de-emphasize things like keywords in your search strategy. Instead, you can focus on more calls to action and a closer look your web analytics. You may find that you’re attracting the wrong audience, or are so focused on Google’s algorithm that you’re forgetting to persuade visitors to take the next step.

Is Your SEO Campaign as Strong As It Could Be?

If you are facing one of these three search engine optimization challenges, finding the answer you’re looking for is probably simpler than you expect. The trick is to change your philosophy and use simple tactics that lead to proven results.

If that’s something your company could use a bit of help with, now is the perfect time to speak with a member of our creative team. Call us today to schedule a free consultation so we can review your website together!

About Glenn Brooks

Glenn Brooks is the founder of WebWize, Inc. WebWize has provided web design, development, hosting, SEO and email services since 1994. Glenn graduated from SWTSU with a degree in Commercial Art and worked in the advertising, marketing, and printing industries for 18 years before starting WebWize.