10 Essential DIY SEO Steps For Improved Results

Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for increasing visibility and generating more traffic to your website. However, paying for an SEO service in Singapore can be expensive for small businesses and startups. The good news is, with some time and effort, you can absolutely do basic SEO yourself and see results.

In this blog post, we will provide 10 essential do-it-yourself SEO tips to improve your website’s search engine rankings and organic traffic. By following these strategies diligently, you can optimize your site for higher rankings without paying thousands to an external agency.

The Difference Between DIY SEO And Professional SEO Services

Before we dive into the DIY tips, let’s briefly understand the key differences between managing SEO yourself versus hiring a professional SEO service:

DIY SEO

• Very cost-effective
• Requires time and effort to learn SEO strategies
• Results may be slower to achieve
• Limited SEO knowledge

Professional SEO Services

• Provides faster results but is more expensive
• Handles technical optimization
• Has in-depth SEO expertise
• Provides ongoing optimization and support

For small business owners and startups, DIY SEO is an excellent way to improve visibility and organic traffic without spending big budgets. As long as you are willing to invest the time to learn and implement SEO best practices, you can absolutely do it yourself. Now let’s look at the 10 essential DIY SEO tips you need to know.

10 Essential DIY SEO Tips For Improved Ranking

1. Research And Target Relevant Keywords

Keyword research is the foundation of any effective SEO strategy. You need to find keywords that have decent search volume and low competition. It helps you rank for terms people are searching for.

Use free keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Moz Keyword Explorer to generate a targeted list of keywords. Make sure to include relevant long-tail keywords too in your research.

Once you have a list, incorporate these keywords naturally in your content to increase relevance. But be careful not to over-optimise or keyword stuff.

2. Optimise Page Titles And Meta Descriptions

Your page titles (which are displayed in search results) must include your primary keywords and compelling copy to generate clicks. Aim for titles less than 60 characters.

The meta description gives a summary of the page content. Include important keywords in the 155-160 character descriptions. Well-written meta descriptions improve click-through rates.

3. Improve Your Site’s Page Speed

Site speed is a ranking factor. Faster loading pages enhance user experience and search engine bots can crawl them better.

Some tips to improve page speed include compressing images, minifying CSS/JavaScript files, using a caching plugin like WP Rocket, removing unnecessary plugins, and upgrading to a faster web host.

4. Create Anchor Text, Internal Links

Linking to other pages and content on your site helps search engines crawl and index it better. When adding internal links:

• Use relevant anchor text including your keywords
• Link to high authority pages
• Vary anchor text – don’t over-optimise it
• Add links naturally in the content

This strengthens the interlinking between pages and provides signals to search engines on what the target page is about.

5. Produce Engaging, High-Quality Content

Unique, high-quality content is crucial for SEO success. Offer value to website visitors with well-researched, useful content.

Focus on targeting keywords in your content. Optimise for readability – break up text with headers, images, and lists and highlight important info. Promote your new content on social media and outreach.

Keep producing blog posts, videos, and other content regularly to build authority and organic search visibility over time.

6. Get External Links From Authoritative Sites

The more high-quality external sites linking to your website, the better it signals search engines that your site is a trusted authority.

Some strategies to build quality backlinks:

• Guest post on industry authority sites
• Get listed in relevant directories
• Create and distribute great content
• Participate in forums and discussions
• Collaborate with other brands

Focus on earning links from reputable sites by adding value, not spamming.

7. Leverage Social Media For More Exposure

Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are powerful for driving more visitors to your site. Make sure to optimise social profiles properly with keywords in bios/descriptions.

Post your new content regularly on social media. Engage and build your audience. Add prominent links back to your site from social posts/profiles to boost referral traffic.

8. Improve Site Navigation And Structure

Your site structure impacts the “crawl ability” for search engine bots. Make it easy for them to access and index all your important pages by simplifying navigation and site architecture.

Ensure your website has a sitemap that is submitted to search engines. Include keywords in URLs for pages where possible. Have a well-organised internal linking structure.

9. Perform Competitor Analysis

Analysing competitors who rank well can give you valuable SEO insights.

Research their strategies around keywords/content, backlinks, technical optimisation, site speed and more. Identify gaps where you can surpass them by strengthening certain areas where they are weaker.

10. Track And Monitor Your Efforts

It is important to track SEO metrics like rankings, traffic, and conversions to gauge the impact of your efforts.

Use Google Analytics, Search Console, and rank tracker tools. Identify low-performing areas to improve. Double down on what’s working via split testing. SEO is an ongoing process, so regularly monitor and expand your efforts.

How To Gauge The Pricing Of An SEO Agency In Singapore

The price of the Singapore SEO agency can prove to be a key consideration in your purchasing decision. Do remember that the price of search engine optimization services will differ dramatically in some cases from others. Here are some key considerations to help you gauge the pricing of an SEO agency in Singapore:

1. Service Packages

SEO agencies provide customised packages to suit the interests of various business entities. Some of such packages may comprise general SEO, regional SEO, commerce SEO and so on. It depends on the services that each package covers. Make sure that you know the contents of each package, and how they correspond to the main goals of your company.

2. Monthly Retainers

It is normal for most of the SEO companies in Singapore to operate on a retainer basis. The cost of the retainer varies depending on the type of assistance you need. The agencies may charge between several hundred and thousand dollars every month. The competitiveness of your industry and the level of complexity of your site can also affect the price.

3. Project-Based Pricing

Certain SEO companies propose to charge for a particular project, for example, an audit of a website, keyword research, or on-page optimisation. The cost of the project will depend on how much the work involved in it will take.

4. Custom Solutions

agencies in Singapore offer custom SEO solutions for businesses that have special needs and larger budgets. However, these can be quite costly and are made specifically for your needs.

Partner With A Reputable SEO Agency For Faster Results

While DIY SEO can certainly drive results for your small business, partnering with a professional SEO agency accelerates your growth by handling the technical optimizations and ongoing strategy for you. This frees you up to focus on your core business.

Implementing basic SEO best practices yourself is totally doable for small business owners and marketers. By following the essential DIY SEO tips in this article and staying consistent, you can improve your website’s search visibility over time without big budgets.

However, professional SEO services help fast-track growth by managing the technical complexities for you and providing strategic ongoing optimisation. For long-term success, partnering with the experts provides immense value.

OOm SG is a leading SEO company in Singapore that helps brands maximise their online presence. Get in touch for a free consultation on how we can optimise your website’s organic rankings. Contact us to learn more.

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