SEO is important for every industry. It is one of the most effective ways to market a business because it helps people find a brand faster. Google knows this very well, so it continues to update its internal search engine algorithms. It does this to ensure that users find only the most relevant information during an online search.
These algorithm updates can make or break your insurance agency’s website ranking. How you manage them can either make your brand more visible or less. If the latter happens, you may experience a decline in organic traffic to your website. And, with that, will come a decline in leads.
Keep reading to discover how you can steer your agency through these algorithm changes by using SEO effectively.
Why You Cannot Ignore SEO
SEO is a proven marketing strategy that helps build businesses worldwide. Think of it this way. Where does an insurance prospect’s journey start? More often than not, it begins online. People search for insurance quotes and information because they want the best coverage. And they want this coverage at a cost that suits their pocket.
Ideally, you want your insurance agency to appear at the top of Google’s first page whenever someone searches for insurance in your region. But you also want people from other locations to find you. This is where SEO becomes an unmissable part of your marketing strategy.
When you use SEO correctly, you will almost automatically rank your website higher in search results pages. This is because your chosen keywords will match those entered into Google’s search engine. This visibility will allow you to:
- Get more website traffic: The higher you rank on Google’s first page, the more people will see your website address. This increases the chances of more website traffic.
- Increase brand awareness: As people search for and compare quotes, they will continue to see your brand colors and name. This repeated process will help raise brand awareness for your agency.
- Attract qualified leads: Online users know what they are looking for. So, the higher your agency ranks, the easier it is to attract qualified leads. These leads are ready to buy, which makes the conversion process easy.
- Save money: SEO is a lot cheaper to use than conventional advertising. When you rank organically, you likely will not even need to run an occasional paid advertising campaign.
Google’s algorithm changes help to enhance the user experience. This means you have to continuously adapt your SEO strategies to stay ahead of the game.
Understanding Google’s SEO Principles
Google wants its users to find the information they need. Therefore, their core principles include:
- Quality content: Google is not interested in vague or valueless content. It will not present content that does not meet an online search standard. The search engine wants high-quality content that informs and educates. Focus your content strategies on product descriptions, expert blogs, and well-designed landing pages.
- Mobile responsiveness: Considering that most people do Google searches from their mobile phones, Google favors websites that are mobile responsive. Your website must have a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes.
- Loading speed: Furthermore, the loading speed of your website is a ranking factor. Your ranking will suffer if your website lags or takes too long to switch from one page to the next. Consider compressing your images and installing plugins that help optimize website loading speed.
- Technical SEO: Your website should also be crawlable, otherwise Google will not know whether to rank you high or low. You need an internal linking strategy and a streamlined sitemap structure. You will also need a structured data markup to ensure Google can crawl and index your site.
- Backlinks: You cannot rely on internal links alone. You must have several authoritative backlinks to show Google you run a trusted website. High-quality backlinks can have a dramatic effect on your website’s ranking.
By understanding these principles, you can build an unshakable SEO foundation that will stand strong during algorithm updates.
Stay Informed About Algorithm Changes
Google does not always announce algorithm changes. But you can stay in the loop by following Google Search Central or subscribing to industry blogs and publications. You can also use Google Search Console to monitor your website’s performance and receive notifications about potential issues.
Preparing Your Website for Algorithm Changes
You can stay prepared for algorithm changes by using several practical strategies. These include staying focused on the user experience. Create a well thought out navigation menu, accessible content, and a responsive design. Ensure that all your uploaded content is valuable and answers specific questions. Do keyword research and optimize your website content. You can use keywords in titles, meta descriptions, and article headings.
Also, focus on local SEO. If you service a local community, claim your Google Business Profile and add all the relevant agency information. Commission content from industry experts to align with Google E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). And do not forget to optimize your website for voice search.
Navigate Algorithm Updates With Ease
When you understand Google’s SEO principles and stay on top of algorithm changes, you can prepare your website for future chances. Monitor your website’s performance and keep adapting your strategies accordingly. This way, you will ensure your agency’s success in the future. Ready to find out how our team can help your website generate more traffic? Request a demo, today.