Five Key Steps to Become a SEO Expert

Valentine’s Day is coming very soon, and you need to find the perfect gift. Your sweetheart has been dropping hints about a beautiful pink cashmere sweater, so naturally, you turn to Google for help, typing in “cashmere pink sweater buy toronto”.

Thousands of results pop up, but have you ever wondered who decides which ones appear first?

That’s where Search Engine Optimization or SEO, comes in. Search engines like Google or Bing use automated crawlers to scan and index web pages. Their goal is to serve users the most relevant results.

If you run a business or want the world to know about your grandma’s legendary cookies, understanding SEO is key to getting noticed.

As a Google Partner agency that specializes in SEO services in Canada, MRKT360 has the inside scoop on SEO best practices. Keep reading for proven tips that will elevate your rankings, expand your visibility, and drive a sustainable increase in sales for your business.

Keep Your Site Clean and User-Friendly

When optimizing your website, it’s essential to focus on two key audiences: your visitors and the search engine algorithms. A great starting point is to create clear, descriptive URLs instead of using vague or generic links. For example, opt for a structure like yoursite.com/your-product/ this helps both users and crawlers instantly understand the purpose of the page.

Also, grouping related pages under subdirectories helps with organization and SEO. For example, yoursite.com/your-product/red, yoursite.com/your-product/blue, and yoursite.com/your-product/yellow make it easy to identify these are variations of the same product.

Another key factor is avoiding excessive duplicate content. Some so-called SEO “experts” suggest creating multiple domains with the same content to rank higher, but this will often backfire. 

While some repetition is fine, too much can confuse search engines and hurt your rankings. Focus on unique, high-quality content instead.

Use the Write Approach

When creating content for your site, always aim for readability and usefulness. If search engines see your content as valuable or a good answer to FAQs, it has a better chance of ranking higher. 

Linking to important resources, whether it is another blog post or article, also boosts your credibility. Search engines favor well-connected sites, so internal and external links work in your favor.

While quality content takes time, resist the temptation to cut corners. Copying content from others is a major red flag for search engines.

This is even more relevant now with AI-generated text everywhere. Since tools like ChatGPT learn from existing content, relying on AI to write everything increases the risk of unintentional plagiarism.

AI can be a great brainstorming or editing tool, but the real magic happens when you add your unique voice. The key is not just using new technology, but using it right.

Think About How It Appears in Search

Now that your site is optimized, the next step is to consider how it looks in search results. Whenever you search for something, you’ll see more than just a website name and URL. Each result has a title and a short fragment of what is inside the link.

This is why structuring your site’s subdomains is so important. If you have worked with Google Ads, you already know the drill. If not, here is the key takeaway: your title and description need to be relevant to the search to rank higher or even appear on the list. Using keywords in your content plays a big role in this.

To find the right ones, tools like Google Trends can show what your audience is actually searching for. Many web publishing platforms, including WordPress, also have features to help you optimize how your site appears in search results.

Visual content is key when used appropriately

Text alone will not keep users engaged or drive traffic to your site. High-quality images and videos make content more appealing, but they must be relevant and optimized. Using visuals wisely boosts engagement and helps your site rank higher.

Use engaging images with alternative text to improve visibility in search results. If you add videos, ensure they play smoothly and have working sound. A broken video frustrates users and signals search engines that your content is not useful, ranking you lower next time.

Ads are another factor. While they generate revenue, too many distractions or sketchy redirects drive visitors away. Keep them balanced to maintain a good user experience.

Get Your Site Noticed

Creating a well-optimized site is just the first step. To truly get traffic, you need to promote it.

Running ads can give your site an instant boost. Platforms like Google Ads help you reach people actively searching for what you offer, while social media ads allow you to target specific audiences based on their behavior online.

Social media is also a powerful organic tool. Sharing valuable content with followers, and optimizing your profiles with links to your site can drive steady traffic over time. 

Need Help With SEO?

If you are short on time or want expert guidance, working with a professional SEO agency can make all the difference. MRKT360 is the best SEO company in Toronto for this. We specialize in helping businesses improve their online presence and rank higher in search results.

Ready to take your website to the next level? Let’s talk. With over a decade of experience serving clients worldwide, we are here to help you grow.

Schedule a free consultation with one of our experts.