Do you want to rank your website high on Google search results? And attract more backlinks and increase organic traffic? Or even get more customers for your products or services, and boost your sales and profits? Here’re the seven steps you need to follow and the tools to use.   Here’re the 7 steps I want you to follow to rank your website and webpages higher on Google or any other search engine. Step 1: Find and Analyze Keywords Before finding keywords to write content on, you should first have a clear understanding o your website’s goal and then know what type of audience you’re trying to reach. Then think of some topics or questions your target audience might be interested in answering. Try to think as your audience; what questions or problems do you think they may face and why? How can your business help? Generate about 20 to 50 most relevant ideas. Then, use keyword research tools like SEMrush, Moz, Ubersuggest, or Ahref to check the viability of your identified keywords. These tools help you identify target ideas and questions about your topics and show you the monthly search volumes, location, and competition. For instance, if you’re into digital marketing, you can search for keywords like digital marketing services, SEO marketing, and Email marketing. Then, identify medium or long-tail keywords to write content on – these keyphrases have relatively lower search volumes. Use these tools to find content ideas from your competitors by exploring their top pages. You must head to any tool like Ubersuggest, input your competitors’ websites or specific webpage, and see what terms bring them more traffic. And find untapped opportunities. And focus on understanding the search intent, which helps you know exactly why your audience is searching for your chosen key phrases. That way, you can write quality content tailored to your audience’s needs and rank higher on Google or any other search engine. Step 2: Write Quality Content One mistake that could cost you a lower website ranking on Google is failing to write quality content that appeases your target customers and Linkreators. Your content should be good enough to convince people to buy from you and other bloggers to link to your website. That way, you can get quality backlinks for your website and, eventually, rank higher on Google and get more traffic and sales. Fortunately, you can use AI content writing tools like ChatGTP to scale your content creation and make your content original and valuable. You can engage user engagement and experience by including visuals within your content. For instance, you can embed youtube videos, infographics, images, screenshots, and the like. These visuals increase dwelling time on your website, which is a positive ranking signal.   Visuals also make your content original and valuable to your audience and attract quality backlinks from other websites. So, make sure you include some in your content. So, quality content is the basic thing you need to rank higher on Google or any other search engine. Step 3: On-Page Optimization I’ll be honest; quality content is insufficient to rank number on Google. You must still optimize your content for on-page SEO and adopt other off-page and technical SEO practices discussed herein. So, each of your pages should have at least one target keyword. If you’re writing an article about blog writing, you need to use terms like how to write a blog in the SEO title and H1, H2, and H4 headings. It should also appear in the meta description, in the page URL, and within the content. However, avoid keyword stuffing like the plague. Keyword stuffing used to be a practice in the past, where if you wanted to rank for the term Blogging, all you had to do was mention the term as many times as possible within the content. Today, this practice is against Google’s policy and can hurt your rankings. Search engines are more intelligent, and you don’t need to use the exact keyword for every sentence or paragraph. Instead, use it naturally, considering your target audience’s needs and engagement. It would be best to focus on creating content that adds value to your audience. That way, you can establish your brand as a leader in the industry, build brand trust and authority, boost your website rankings on Google, and increase organic traffic. Then learn how to turn your website visitors into buying customers to increase sales and profits. Check out the complete SEO checklist and best practices. Step 4: Create Quality Backlinks It’s no secret that backlinks are one of primary Google’s ranking factors, so you need them to boost your website rankings and traffic. You can buy, own or create links for your website. But buying links is against Google’s policy, so we have two options – create or own links. So, how do you own backlinks? You must publish quality and original content or great resources or tools and wait for other creators to link to you. It is the most natural way to earn quality links, but not a suitable strategy for beginners whose brands are rarely known. Since Edifid Digital deals with small and medium size entrepreneurs, we have noticed that creating backlinks is the most suitable strategy for beginners or those with limited resources. In this article, I explained a procedure that got us over 10,000 backlinks in a few months. This strategy involves grabbing backlinks opportunities from your competitors – websites you’re targeting the same audience or keywords. You can use a link-checking website like Ubersuggest to check which websites link to your rivals and find opportunities. Before doing so, make sure your website has linkable content. Some content tends to attract more quality backlinks than others. Examples of these content formats include original case studies or research and a Go-to guidebook that has everything to do with a specific topic. So, link building is essential for higher website rankings on search engines like Google. And in addition to building quality links, don’t

Backlinks, also known as inbound links or incoming links, are links from one website to a page of another website and are very important for SEO. They help your content rank high on SERPs. So, how many links does your site actually need, and how do you create or earn them? Search Engines like Google consider backlinks as ‘votes’ for a specific page. Web pages with a high number of links have higher chances of ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). However, only high-quality ones guarantee better SEO results and increase your traffic. By the way, if you are a complete beginner in the field of marketing, you may want to learn about digital marketing, the importance of SEO, and how email marketing works. This article contains all you need to know about backlinks: the best link-building strategies, mistakes to avoid, free and paid SEO tools, and much more. What are High-quality Backlinks in SEO? Not all backlinks are equal. In short, if you want your link-building campaigns to yield significant results, you’ll have to focus on quality links. A single quality backlink can be more powerful than 1,000 low-quality spammy-like links. So, how do you differentiate between high-quality and low-quality links? Here’re five things I want you to consider. #1 Links from High-Quality Sites Getting links from reputable and high-quality sites should be your priority. In fact, a link from Havard is much better than that from a random guy’s website. Why? Because Google and other search engines already consider the website reputable. So, while building links, I want to check the ‘Domain Authority’ of the website and the ‘Page Authority’ of the specific page you’re seeking a link from. The higher the page’s authority, the more power it can pass to your site. You just can’t give what you don’t have, right? Google puts a lot of weight on links that come from authority sites. It also follows that backlinks from low-quality sites, especially the ones that have nothing to do with your content, or spammy ones, are less impactful to your SEO. Some can jeopardize your SEO efforts. But to be honest, quality links can be hard to get, but they are worth it. And by the end of this article, you’ll know how to attract authority sites to link to you. #2 Links that include Target Keywords It would be better to include target keywords in the anchor texts of your links. For instance, if your page is about Affiliate Marketing, use this term and its variations like Affiliate Marketing Guide and How to be an Affiliate Marketer in your links’ anchor text. A recent study by Ahref found a correlation between keyword-rich anchor text and higher rankings for that keyword. However, do not do what SEOs call overoptimization, which means overusing a particular keyword while building links for a specific page. Google uses a filter in its ranking algorithm called Google Penguin. And what it does is filter the web pages using black-hat link-building tricks and remove (or ban) them from the SERPs. Black hat link building tactics are techniques used to drive traffic to a website by exploiting website loopholes, enabling a site to rank higher than it should through “organic” search means. Search engines like Google have become aware of such practices to game the system and boost search rankings. Google Penguin focuses on sites that build links using exact-match anchor text. So, try to alter your anchor texts as much as possible to avoid getting into trouble. #3 Links from Pages Related to your Content While building links, you should focus on pages that have related content to your page. Building links at the page level have more SEO results than focusing your tactics on building links to your home page. Think of it this way: You just published an article about Web Hosting Sites. In that case, Google will put more weight on links from pages about hosting, blogging, digital marketing, and internet marketing than those about hunting or best car dealers. Similarly, if you are writing an article about Blogging Sites, do you link to sites that talk about dieting and fitness or the free blogging sites themselves? Well, Google feels the same way. Simply put, focus on web pages, not websites where you share the same or related content. #4 Links with a ‘Do-follow’ Tag High-quality links usually have a ‘do-follow’ tag, allowing Google and other search engines to point back to your website or webpage. In addition to transferring the rank signal to your pages, do-follow links bring traffic to your site when people click on them. Unlike do-follow backlinks, no follow ones do not count in search engine ranking algorithms. And that is not a surprise because the majority of them are not that valuable, to begin with. For instance, blog comments, links shared on social media, and profile links tend to have a no-follow tag. Such links are not helpful in SEO in any way. Still, they are important, as they give your website exposure and can increase traffic to your site when people click them. What I mean is that you should build more do-follow links. #5 Links that are Unique A link from a web page that hasn’t linked to you before has more SEO impact than one from a page that has linked to you a couple of times. Let’s say you get a link from blogger A. That’s great. But if the same author links to you again. And Again. The second and third links are not as powerful as the first one. Thus, backlinks also follow the law of diminishing returns – the more you get from a particular page, the less impactful they are in your SEO. Free Backlink Checkers There’re tones of websites that help you check the number and quality of backlinks your site (or your competitors) has. They gauge the success of your link-building strategies over time. Five of my favorite link-checking tools include: #1 Google Search

Digital marketing, commonly known as ‘online,’ ‘internet,’ or ‘web marketing,’ involves creating and distributing content — articles or blogs, eBooks, courses — through media like webpages, landing pages, and social media and mobile applications. It is a means through which such content is promoted through a range of strategies, some of which are free (owned) while others are paid. And commonly used strategies include SEO, pay-per-click, content, email, text, and social media marketing. Why is it Important? With the current technological advancement and internet usage, most customers are found online. And therefore, digitalizing marketing campaigns help businesses define goals, identify the target audience and develop a plan to reach them. Therefore, a business that develops and executes a digital marketing strategy is more competitive than one stuck with traditional marketing. For instance, in the recent past, we’ve seen businesses emerge on social platforms like TikTok. So, how does digital marketing work? How does Digital Marketing Work? There isn’t a precise approach that a marketing campaign should take. As a marketer, you have a wide range of options. But you may want to follow these five steps for better results: i). Set Marketing Goals Before starting any marketing campaign, you’ll need to set your goals. And the good thing with setting specific objectives is that you can tailor your strategy and budget to maximize the outcome. For instance, do you want more followers on social media? Is it the organic reach you’re looking for? New customers? Reach existing customers and boost retention rate? Or is it to build brand awareness? Ensure your goal(s) is well defined and set your desired outcome. ii). Identify the Target Audience You need as many details as possible regarding your target audience, whose attention you’re trying to get. For instance, where do they live (location), and which media channels do they use the most? What’s their disposable income? If you manage to access valuable information about your target audience, you’ll surely design a better marketing strategy to reach and engage them. iii). Select Marketing Channels Having identified the target audience, selecting a marketing strategy becomes more manageable. Using more than one approach is possible based on the media you believe your audience uses. For instance, if you’re a B2C marketer, you may want to pay for social media ads to reach customers. According to global social media stats, the most used social platforms as of January 2022 include Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, WeChat, and TikTok. As a b2c marketer, you may target your audience on these platforms, depending on their age and location. More so, it’s relevant to review your competitors’ marketing strategies and see where they’re getting most of their customers from. iv). Optimize your Content You’ve already collected data regarding your target audience. So, go ahead and create content specifically tailored to their interests. For example, if most of your audience browses on tablets rather than computers, ensure your content is optimized for tablet and mobile viewing. And then launch your marketing strategies. v). Measure Performance Did the marketing campaign meet the set goals? Why or why not? You’ll have to carefully consider whether the marketing strategies adopted were as appropriate as you thought, so monitor the results against key metrics. Then, replicate the strategies that worked and correct or eliminate those that failed to deliver desirable outcomes. And the good thing with internet marketing is that you can measure or trace performance. Types of Digital Marketing Strategies Wait, have you heard of cross-channel or omnichannel marketing? Businesses can connect to their target audience or customers using different digital marketing channels like email, SMS, mobile apps, and social media. For example, you can adopt at least three of the following most used marketing approaches: i). Content Marketing So, what is content marketing? And is it my favourite strategy? Well, it’s an approach marketers use to attract, engage and retain an audience through sharing relevant articles or blogs, videos, podcasts, press releases, commercials, and newsletters. It aims to establish expertise and promote brand awareness so that people will remember your brand when they want to buy what you sell. However, your content must meet the target audience’s intentions and interests to drive engagement and conversions. So, if you offer digital services, don’t share content on how to be a musician. But if you want to target music artists, you may share a blog or video on “how to market your music brand online.” You may consider starting a blog or creating a YouTube channel to engage with your target audience and understand their interests. And these two articles will guide you from start to finish and even show you how to make money, especially through affiliate marketing. ii). Search Engine Optimization (SEO) SEO refers to optimizing website content (blogs, landing pages) to rank on search results and attract more organic traffic (visitors) to your content. A good SEO strategy focuses on keyword research and optimizes the pages to rank for those keywords and phrases. Secret – if you want first and better results, target long tail keywords (have at least three phrases). For instance, instead of targeting ‘Marketing,’ it’s more effective to target a phrase like ‘Types of Digital Marketing Strategies.‘ But why should you use long-tail keywords? Check out this: As seen above, ‘digital marketing‘ has a higher SD (competition) than a long-tail keyword like ‘what is digital marketing about.’ Therefore, you’d need fewer backlinks to rank for a ‘short keyword’ than a ‘long keyword or key phrase, keeping all the other ranking factors content. And there are three primary types of SEO: on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO, which eliminates factors hindering organic traffic like broken internal and outbound links. However, there are other types of SEO, such as WordPress SEO (specifically designed for WordPress users like the Yoast plugin) and YouTube SEO (ranking videos on YouTube). Now, as much as you need content for your website and web pages to rank, you need backlinks. iii). Pay-per-Click (PPC) Pay-per-click involves paying

Over 84% of publishers join affiliate marketing. A whopping 94% of publishers join 2 or more affiliate programs, while 39% and 20% of publishers use 3 or more and 5 affiliate programs, respectively – Influencer Marketing Hub. So, if you’re wondering whether you can be rich through affiliate marketing, this guide has all the answers you’re looking for. Just don’t skip any part, and learn how to get started with this second most popular monetization alternative for bloggers after Google Adsense. What is Affiliate Marketing? Affiliate marketing refers to a performance-based marketing strategy in which a merchant (mostly an online retailer), pays a website (affiliate) a commission for every customer referred via the website’s promotional activities – like email campaigns and blogging. In simple terms, it is a revenue-share program that allows publishers (creators) to recommend a company’s products or services to an active audience in exchange for a commission. So, for the affiliate to be paid, their promotional activities must result in actions – like email sign-up or sales. It’s worth noticing that in the US alone, expenditure for affiliate marketing could reach $8.2 billion in 2022, an increase from $7.4 billion in 2021. From only $1.6 billion in 2010, the spending on this marketing strategy has been increasing yearly. And you know what that means? More and more businesses are incorporating affiliate programs in their marketing campaigns, which means more money for publishers. Types of Affiliate Business Models Generally, not all affiliate networks are based on sales. The three most popular affiliate business models include: Now, before I show you how to get started the right way, let’s understand the affiliate parties. Parties in Affiliate Marketing There’re four main parties involved in affiliate networks, namely: How to get started with Affiliate Marketing Step 1: Create a Platform & Select a Niche For brands to accept you into their affiliate programs, you’ll need to demonstrate authority. And you can do so by starting a niche-focused blog, having a strong social following, or being a known influencer. For bloggers, you can create your own blog on WordPress on your own. Or create a free one with Blogger.com, Medium.com or Google Sites. So, the first thing you’ll have to do is decide what type of creator you want to be, who your target audience is and what platform you intend to use. All the brands want to see is an active following – whether it’s an email list, blog traffic, or social engagement. Step 2: Build Audience & Trust You already have a niche and platform, congratulations. Now, you have to generate an active following and have your audience trust your brand and recommendations. I suggest you study what problems exactly your active audience is facing, their location, preference, and even income level. And create content that is suited for them, to get them to trust your platform as a reliable source. That way, when you start including affiliate links in your content, they can confidently accept your recommendations and purchase the products though your links. Building an audience should come first, and not making money. After all, an audience that trusts in you will always make you money automatically. Step 3: Find Affiliate Programs & Products Now that you know what problems your audience is facing, it’s time to find products that solve their problem. And you can work directly with brands, or join affiliate networks like Amazon Associates, CJ Affiliate, ShareASale, or Impact. Single brands with affiliate programs include Fiverr, Dreamhost, and Bluehost. For instance, if you’re an SEO blogger, you can recommend SEO tools like Semrush and Ubersuggest. I’d prefer you join at least two affiliate networks, and then find individual brands to diversify your portfolio. After all, you want to give your audience alternatives and honest recommendations, right? Step 4: Promote Affiliate Products After signing up for affiliate programs, you’ll be given links with unique tracking codes. Now, all you have is to share the links with your audience, for instance, through an email campaign, social media, or by inserting them in your blogs. Remember, you have to create remarkable content promoting affiliate products. And then track how your links are performing, and optimize them further. Let’s say you’re into the digital marketing niche and have got some web hosting companies’ affiliate links. You can write an extensive article reviewing each of them, even those without affiliate programs, to give your audience an unbiased review. If you have a YouTube channel (create one if you don’t), you can include the affiliate links in the video description or community posts, and on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook bio. Step 5: Receive Payment The amount you can earn from affiliate marketing generally depends on your reach and hard work. If you are a blogger, the amount is directly proportional (dependant) on your traffic, whether it’s organic, paid or from social media. Not forgetting to mention the quality of your blogs (content) will adversely affect your revenue as well. If people can’t get solutions to their problems in your content, they definitely wouldn’t trust your recommendations. So, keep optimizing your content, not just for SEO traffic, but also to better suit your audience. Most Popular Affiliate Programs According to Statista, Amazon Associate had the highest number of connected associates globally in 2021 (900,000). Then followed by ShareASale, Awin, Rakuten and ClickBank with 700,000, 225,000, 150,000 and 100,000 connected affiliates, respectively. Other popular affiliate networks include: But these aren’t the only options, just do your research, and find the best fit for your audience. Conclusion Affiliate marketing is an arrangement in which a company pays publishers (like bloggers and social media influencers) to advertise their products and services and generate sales. It is the second most popular monetization alternative for bloggers. And to get started with it, just follow these 5 steps: Now, let me know if you have any questions regarding this money-making strategy. What affiliate network do you use, if any?