rfe_landing_page_hero_image-1

The SEO Basics

shutterstock_280808684

After hosting, site design, and e-commerce, SEO ranks as one of the prime concerns of website administrators. Although hiring writers to conduct keyword research and produce SEO may eventually be a good investment, it is important to remember that there are many simple steps that anyone can take in order to boost their website’s search engine rankings. Here are a few of the basics of SEO.

  1. Quality. Google (as well as its competitors) are always updating their algorithms with one objective in mind: ensuring that their search engines pull up the highest quality, most relevant content. In case you haven’t noticed, they are getting pretty good at it! This is why the best SEO advice anyone can give is to simply produce high-quality content that really answers the questions your visitors have. Keywords and SEO-friendly formatting is obviously important, but there is no sense in trying to “trick” Google into giving you good rankings by filling a poorly written web page with keywords and expecting results.
  2. Diversity. No matter how good the writing in your website is, you will not achieve maximum SEO results without also including a diverse array of content in your website: i.e. images, video, audio etc. Text is certainly the bedrock of SEO (as search engines still lack the capability to index the content of videos and audio), but text alone is not enough.
  3. References. Remember those research papers you wrote back in high school and college? If you were to write one without citing any sources, your teacher or professor would have certainly failed you! Search engines work in a similar fashion. By citing your claims and linking appropriate content to high-authority websites, you can boost your credibility and pass the SEO test with flying colors! Similarly, if other websites link their information back to your website, you can boost your own authority and, thus, you search engine rankings.
  4. Freshness. Websites that are updated frequently are given a boost in SEO rankings because they are more “fresh.” While updating each page every day is not necessary (or even a good idea) posting regularly to a blog is a great way to stay ahead of the crowd!

Give your website the host it deserves

You work hard to keep your website running smoothly and ranking well on search engines: make sure you invest in a host that supplies the functionality and reliability you need! Contact RFE Hosting today to learn about our top-notch hosting solutions!

6 Web Design Tips That All Small Businesses Should Consider

shutterstock_367268864

Sometimes it’s the small things that matter. SEO, conversions, bounce rates, and a number of other important metrics can all be affected by very simple components of your website. Here’s how you can get things right:

  1. Use a professional logo that links to homepage. This is a hallmark of virtually every well-constructed website. It will help build trust among visitors while making your website easier to use.
  2. Offer easy and intuitive navigation. The easier it is to get around your website, the faster visitors will find what they are looking for (and, hopefully, make the decision to make a purchase or sign up for your mailing list.)
  3. Reduce website clutter. Sidebars, excessive advertising, and even multiple columns of text can result in a stressful and unproductive visitor session.
  4. Write short paragraphs. Internet paragraphs are typically far shorter than the paragraphs you might find in books or even newspapers–and for good reason! Short paragraphs are far easier on the eyes (especially for mobile users) and thus make for a more pleasant experience.
  5. Use colors strategically. Keep your website colors mostly neutral–and if you do decide to use bright, bold colors, use them in the places where you truly wish to draw attention.
  6. Take original photography. There’s nothing wrong with a well-placed stock photo or two, but make sure your visitors know that you’re willing to invest the time and effort into taking original photos that really show off your business, your products, and your services.

Bonus tip: Quality Hosting. Sometimes, the infrastructure of your website matters even more than the superficial design. By investing in a quality web host, you can guarantee that your website works smoothly and gives off the best first impression possible.

5 Ways You Can Improve Your Company Website

Laptop

A professional online presence is a must. But most business owners are experts in their own industry…not in web design and management! Fortunately, most of the basic components of a good website are quite achievable with just a little bit of research and hard work. Here are 5 simple steps you can take to improve your website that require minimal time and effort while paying off big!

  1. Check for simple errors. It might sound silly, but it is truly amazing how many professional businesses leave simple typos or formatting errors on their websites! The truth is we are all human and it is easy to make mistakes…but leaving a mistake up on your website is a surefire way to look unprofessional in front of potential customers and clients!
  2. Simplify design. Many websites are guilty of allowing far too much clutter. This ultimately distracts people from your main message while running the risk of making your website look “spammy.”
  3. Refresh SEO keywords. There is no need to rewrite all the content on your entire website, as that can be very costly and time consuming. Nonetheless, performing a bit of keyword research and then incorporating a few important keywords into your web content is a great way to boost search engine rankings fast!
  4. Start a blog! Speaking of SEO, a blog is a great way to improve your rankings while also providing potential customers and clients with valuable information that can help establish you as an authority in your field. Even just a couple posts a month can start to add up and make a difference over time!
  5. Add social media buttons. Given the rapidly growing importance of social media, it is quite surprising to see that many otherwise professional websites are missing out on the opportunity to link to social media! This can be done quite easily, so there is truly no reason not to!

Bonus tip: improve your hosting services! A reliable and functional host is key to a great website. If you’re not one hundred percent happy with your current hosting solution, visit RFE Hosting online today to learn about the alternatives!

Why a Blog is an Important Tool for Your Website

Blog

We all know that choosing the right host for your website is important for your business. Keeping your website online, functioning smoothly, easy to find—and doing all of that for a decent price—is one of the most essential ways of marketing yourself. However, simply having a website online is probably not enough to help you reap the full benefits of online presence. Another important way of bettering your business through your website is by having a personalized blog.

Here are a few of the most important reasons to have a blog:

To begin with, having a blog that is regularly updated with intriguing content and linked to your website’s other pages can improve your search engine ratings. This means that you are likely going to move closer to the top of the Google search results with every post! How is that for free advertisement?

Secondly, having a blog can interest your customers and inform them about industry relevant topics in a way that short posts on your home page may not be able. Having better informed customers is never a bad thing.

Thirdly, having a blog that is full of true and well-researched information can help establish you as an authority online. This is good for your credibility among customers and colleagues as well as, once again, your search engine ratings.

Fourthly, a blog can be helpful in simply making your website look interesting. Giving your customers a page full of interesting content written by you can help retain their attention after they have come to your website.

To conclude, blogging is simply a great and inexpensive way to market yourself. Whereas traditional methods of advertising are generally costly and time consuming, a blog is one of the cheapest and easiest methods of spreading your brand available.

Here at RFE Hosting we specialize in reliable and cost-effective hosting for your website. Contact us today to learn more!

7 Tips on Writing Content for You Website.

Writing Great Content

Starting a website is a fulfilling challenge that requires business owners to build multiple skills in various fields. For example, you must cultivate both the technical knowledge needed to use WordPress, as well as the deal-searching skills needed in order find the highest-quality, most cost-efficient hosting services. One highly important skill needed in order to develop a website tends to scare people more than any other: writing.

Thankfully, writing new content for your website doesn’t have to be painful. By following just a few simple rules, you can write excellent content for your new website that will attract new clients and customers—and maybe even teach you a thing or two about your own industry. Here are 7 quick tips that will help you make your website the best it can be.

Be original. It is sometimes painfully obvious to be reading something that was clearly re-worded from another website. Instead, rely on your own knowledge and research in order to write something that give real, original value.
Choose great headlines. No one wants to click on a boring headline, and unread content is not worth writing!

Be accurate and up-to-date. Inaccurate information will turn away customers and hurt your search engine rankings. Do your research, and insert links to trusted, up-to-date sources.
Be engaging. Make your website fun to read, and your audience will reward you greatly!
Use video, audio, and images. To build upon that last point—include lots of visual and audio content to make your website extra-engaging. Variety is always a plus!
Be concise. People are busy. Don’t waste their time rambling on and on.
Update, update, update. Search engines and people alike respond positively to content that is frequently updated.

Now that you’ve learned the basics, you’re ready to start writing! Good luck, and remember—the RFE Hosting blog is full of great advice for every step of your web-building journey!

Terms Of Service | Privacy Policy