What Other SEO Agencies in Reno Don’t Want You to Know

Whether you’re considering doing your own web SEO or hiring a Reno agency with expertise to do it for you, here’s what you should know before getting started.

What is SEO?

How often do you search for something on Google and find just what you’re looking for – on page 9 of the search results? (Hint: “Never” is the correct answer). That’s because search engines analyze webpages before adding them to their index, and then use complex algorithms to rank search results by their relevance to your query. This means it’s highly likely that you’ll find what you’re looking for in the first few results. This is the core idea of search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of improving your website content to provide the best result for a specific query. This helps your site show up more frequently and higher up on search engine results pages (SERPs), whenever people search for products or services you offer, as well as information you have expertise in.

How can SEO help my Reno business?

Successful SEO means your site is visible to your target consumer, at a higher ranking than your competitors, which is especially important for smaller companies facing high levels of competition. Local SEO allows small businesses to compete against larger, more well known companies that often dominate SERPs. As an agency that provides SEO services in Reno, we’ve been able to help local businesses and nonprofits in our community compete against other local businesses, as well as their national competitors. Reno-specific SEO strategies help companies appear in local search results, reaching customers who are actively seeking local products or services, while improving the quality of the user experience on their site. So, in essence, your Reno-specific SEO efforts can generate preference for your brand locally.

How do I optimize my website?

There are three main components of SEO you’ll want to consider for best results.

Technical SEO

Search engine algorithms prioritize websites that offer a better user experience. Technical SEO involves optimizing the technical aspects of a website to improve its search engine visibility and overall performance including website speed, mobile-friendliness and site structure. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Use free tools such as Google's Mobile-Friendly Test, which checks if your site is mobile-friendly; and Google's PageSpeed Insights, which suggests fixes based on your Core Web Vitals (a set of four metrics Google considers crucial for evaluating the user experience of a website).
2. Ensure your navigation structure is logical and organized with a clear hierarchy of pages and subpages. Each page should be easily accessible from the homepage. 
3. Use descriptive, user-friendly URLs that include relevant keywords.
4. Create a strong internal linking structure by linking related pages to each other.

On-page SEO

On-page SEO is the process of optimizing on-page elements to make them more search engine-friendly and user-friendly. The primary goal of on-page SEO is to provide valuable and relevant content to users while signaling its significance to search engines. Here are some tips:

1. Start with keyword research. (Note: There are several keyword research tools you can use for free, including Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest, but you’ll get far more effective results with a paid subscription, such as SEMrush, which offers more intuitive and in-depth data). 
2. Add keywords to existing on-page elements such as titles, meta descriptions, header tags and image alt text. 
3. Create new content, containing relevant keywords when possible, to live on either existing or new pages. This can be a small blip on your products page or a full blog about something you have expertise in. Search engines value fresh and relevant information, so regular updates signal to search algorithms that your website provides up-to-date, valuable content, contributing to improved rankings and visibility.

A general best practice to remember is to prioritize user experience. You want your audience to find what they’re looking for with relevance to their search, but you don’t want to create an awkward experience by forcing or overusing keywords. For example, we might be trying to write this blog post to rank for the query, “SEO Agency Near Me,” but we aren’t stuffing it into every sentence and header in the post. Your keywords should feel seamless in your content, and user experience should come first.

Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO focuses on activities conducted beyond your website to boost its search engine rankings and reputation. It emphasizes building external signals and authority, which influence your site's visibility in search results. Here are some off-page optimization tips:

1. Acquire backlinks from reputable local websites in your niche. These backlinks act as endorsements and signal to search engines that your site is trustworthy and valuable. For instance, backlinks from reputable Reno companies will help amplify your presence and improve your Reno SEO rankings. You might do this by contributing guest posts to authoritative websites in your niche. Ensure that your guest posts provide valuable content and include a link back to your site.
2. Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (referred to as NAP) are consistent across all social platforms. Search engines rely on this consistency to validate the legitimacy of a business and to provide accurate information to users conducting local searches. 
3. Encourage customers and partners to leave reviews and testimonials on your Google Business Profile or mention your brand on other review platforms.

If you are doing SEO for a Reno business, you’ll also want to claim and optimize your Google My Business (GMB) listing to improve your local search presence. This is a free service provided by Google that helps businesses manage their online presence and enhance their visibility in local search results.  GMB allows you to provide basic information about your business, as well as photos, videos, posts, offers and updates to communicate with potential customers. Your GMB profile can also benefit from optimization practices.

Or you could hire us to do it for you.

While the concept of SEO is relatively simple, executing it well is a dance between optimal user experience, employing ranking keywords and mastering ever-evolving search algorithms. If you feel like you have two left feet in this dance, it’s advisable to get some expert support. Fortunately for Reno companies, SEO is one of Estipona Group’s marketing specialties. If you have a business (or plan to start one) in Reno, SEO is a valuable tool to help you gain organic and targeted traffic so you can compete against existing businesses. If you are looking for a Reno agency that specializes in SEO as part of a comprehensive and integrated marketing strategy, give us a call.