Now that you understand the basics and fundamentals of SEO through my previous post “How To Harness The Power Of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) For Events,” we can now take it to the next level. SEO is a journey and can sometimes be a tricky game as you try and figure out how to write content that not only search engines will like, but readers will find interesting, so lets kick it up a notch.
Make sure to hyperlink words and not “here”
Have you ever Googled the word “here”? One of the first results you will see is Adobe. Why? Because they have so many “click here” hyperlinks on their website to download their software, that they have become the undisputed king of the word “here” for search engines. Hyperlinks carry authority in search engines as a reference to other content, so make certain to hyperlink the words and phrases that you want to try and own. You can continue linking to other content you created or other sites that you may wish to reference. Just be aware, and make sure that you don’t lose out by making people click “here.”
Interlink all of your sites, social networks and content
Links on your site directing readers to your own content is great, but if you only talk and reference yourself, the Internet will think your egotistical and not credible. I like to say that the Internet is like a Web (hence WWW or World Wide Web), so you need to link everything back to itself and all your other hubs online. For instance, on my LinkedIn account, where I can add links to my sites, I did put “My Website” (which is the default), but changed it to “Trace Cohen’s site.” The same for Twitter, instead of the default “My Twitter,” I made it “Trace Cohen’s Twitter.” My reasoning was to make it perfectly clear to both robots and humans, whose sites and twitter account that link is for.
Properly naming the tabs and pages of your site
In my last post on SEO, I showed you the difference between a good and bad URL. In that analogy you can think of it as a piece of paper being filed away. However, did you name your file properly? Check the URL of your tabs and pages next time you’re on your site and see if they are like /44089=dxj4 or something better like /shownews or /aboutshow. The Internet is basically a giant cabinet or desk, so try to keep it nice and organized so when other people look for you, they can more easily find what they want.
SEO, while it is technically a science, should be treated like an art. The search engine formula is a black box that is constantly changing and updating, so you need to keep trying new things and see what works best. For event organizers and shows run by associations, I would recommend focusing on high quality content. Why? This will not only attract those in your community who will read and share it, but will pull-in the larger industries searching for new information online. When you become a thought leader through your content, you will not only increase engagement among your readers, but will also increase attendance to your shows.