7. Keep in Google’s good books<\/strong>
\nHaving good quality, relevant websites linking to yours is still seen by Google as a recommendation. Nigerian businesses need to focus on gaining a much more \u2018natural\u2019 linking profile to get into Google\u2019s good books. Instead of gaining lots of keyword-based links, most links should be from your brand name, website URL or similar, as this is usually how people choose to link to other websites when SEO is not a factor.<\/p>\n

8. Ask others to link to your site<\/strong>
\nMake a list of the people your business deals with on a daily basis and then ask them to link to your site, pointing out the fact that your site ranking well will also benefit them. Also try searching your own brand name online to find people who already talk about you, then ask them to add in a link. Another easy win is to submit your site details to relevant directories. Think laterally about who might already be interested in linking to you and don’t be afraid to make contact. If there\u2019s any value in terms of the content or partnership opportunities you can offer, let them know.<\/p>\n

9. Create great content<\/strong>
\nThis is an opportunity for you to really stand out from the crowd. Consider anything from expert guest blogging on relevant industry websites, to creating and distributing newsworthy press releases, or building a dedicated online following through social media. The possibilities are endless, but think quality rather than quantity and you’re much more likely to be successful.<\/p>\n

10. Get social links<\/strong>
\nTo help you build your social footprint, think about how you can add value to your consumers. What are their needs and interests? Make your social communications as interesting and helpful as possible to keep people engaged. You\u2019ll find your following will continue to grow, helping you reach more and more users. Translating this into SEO benefit can be done by ensuring your social entities are well linked to your website, so Google can see you\u2019re a thriving business with an engaged, growing customer base.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The art of ranking naturally in the search engines is known as Search Engine Optimisation. It sounds complicated, but once you know the basic principles you\u2019ll find SEO isn’t difficult … <\/p>\n