It’s high time you bury your noses in reviewing the content on your website and invest considerable amount of time and money to optimize it. This will not only infuse a surge of freshness to your website but will also help in walking shoulder to shoulder with the ever evolving Google upgradation process.

While Google has been kind to retain several factors, there’s a descent number that has undergone surgery.

Here’s a list of 11 tools and techniques to be followed in 2016 that will just serve just right to your website.

1. Fresh, Crisp and Stylized content

Engaging and fresh content always does the trick. Hit the computer, start a blog and witness the magic! Constantly updating the blog with high-quality content on trending topics will go a long way to establish your brand and boom the number of viewers.

Customized creatives will garnish your platter and daily updation on the blog will make it a perfect meal.

Step out of the traditional shoes and get into the mindset of the modern searcher. At least that’s what Google has been doing. One of the major reasons for Google updating its search algorithms is the change in keywords punched in the search bar off late. Gone are the days when generic keywords used to do the trick, now searchers look for more specific answers.

Lesson to learn – get the specific answer searcher is looking for on your website before you go downhill in on the search list.

2. Social Media is the “in thing”

Who doesn’t want to be the talk of the town on social media. And with Google extending a helping hand in 2014 by featuring non-Google social media platforms on ts search engine result pages (SERP’s), social connections have now become easier than ever.

The defeat of Google+ and Google authorship has paved way for other Social Media Platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest to help pop up website owners on top search results.

Lesson to learn – get social, build connections and crawl up the search results!

3. Keywords are the KEY, really?

Time and again it has been discussed; whether key words continue to hold the importance they once held. The answer is YES, but with a precondition of good quality content.

If you are going to stack your page with content by simply playing around with the keywords, hold your horses! Instead, let keywords be an integrated part of your content. Create a seamless flow of content relevant to your topic while focusing on keywords at the same time.

Lesson to learn – keywords can be the key to top search results, provided you have ace quality rendition of your content.

4. Say “No” to Short Stories

So, it’s not only the keywords but also the count of your words that will help to grab the attention of Google engine. Preferred over the short and keywords stuffed blogs are long, in-depth written articles. While the standard count is 1,000 words, it would be easier to get identified on search engine with a recommended count of 1,500 words.

Lesson to learn – make it large!

5. Topical Targeting

Why optimize a page when you can optimize your whole website. Sounds good, so does it work – GOOOOD!

Construct your whole website around a specific theme or topic. Killing two birds with one stone; this will not only keep your visitor engaged but also land your website on the top search results.

Lesson to learn – easier said than done but it will be worth an exercise to have not a page but an entire website that is SEO friendly.

6. URL Tricks

A small change that will make a big impact! Following factors can turn the tables in your favor when optimizing URLs:

1. Use dashes and hyphens to separate words in the URL
2. Restrict the strength to 100 characters
3. Create maximum 3 sub-directories
4. For local rankings, focus on location based keywords
5. Mention product numbers or tracking ids for an e-commerce URL

7. Title That Clicks

The first prominent thing that can make or break your deal with the SEO ranking is the title of your article. In order to lure the reader to check out your website or blog, it is pertinent to have an enticing title. At the same, it is equally important to incorporate the keywords strategically in the title. Some important tips are to restrict the title length to 15 characters, including local keywords and if using company or brand name in the title, then use in the end and not at the start of the title.

Lesson to learn – your title should not only be clickable physically but also psychologically.

8. Appropriate Heading Tags

If one can understand the Google SEO techniques, everyone would have been an SEO expert. Unfortunately or thankfully that is not the case. So, one of the secret weapon to push the rankings up is to use appropriate heading tags in your article. Every article should be divided in segmented headers with seamless inclusion of keywords. While this will help the reader in scanning through the highlights of your article, it will also assist the Google SEO engine to comprehend the progression in your article.

Lesson to learn – this easy to implement trick will work well only if driven by a systematic thought process.

9. Alt Text Tags are not an ALT (alternative)

A big mistake committed by most – leaving the alt text as an alternative. A big NO! Every alt text with smart keywords will give you a plus point for SEO rankings. At the same time, stuffing the alt text with unnecessary keywords or with descriptions that don’t match the images is also not advisable.

Lesson to learn – Be smart with your alt text tags!Don’t force a keyword into the alt text. Use descriptive alt text and you’ll be fine.

10. Be Responsible. Play Responsive

If you wish to stay connected with your viewers, which we are sure you would, get the importance of a responsive website drilled in your head. You need to own a responsive website, period.

With mobile phones becoming the need of the hour and internet searchers via mobile phones soaring up, a website that is not responsive will be nothing but a dummy over the web.

Some quick tips for a responsive websites:

• Ample amount of white space
• Large readable content
• Don’t let the background overpower your content
• Simple, easy navigation
• Use Call-to-actions

11. Security Packed Website

Another Google bouncer that helps to hit it big in rankings is the “S” factor. If your website is using personal information of the visitors, ensure that it’s HTTPS one. Trust us, it’s a win-win – wins the trust of the visitors and wins the race in SEO rankings.

Lesson to learn – security provides confidence and when confidence prompts ranking as well, it’s worth a shot.

Conclusion

Being Google SEO friendly is not an easy task. Take up the challenge in 2016, understand the logic and algorithms and push yourself to the top. Your efforts shall be well paid off when you see your website sitting at the top of the search results.