10 SEO Experiments to Grow Your Organic Traffic Performance

Are you stuck on page 2 of Google’s search results for your target keyword? Are you unsure about your next steps? SEO can be a powerful tool to boost traffic and grow your business, but achieving higher rankings requires a strategic approach.

Increasing your rankings isn’t just about attempting SEO; it’s about implementing the right SEO techniques. To determine which strategies will work best for your SEO efforts, it’s crucial to conduct consistent experiments.

While seeking guidance from a professional SEO agency like Zib Digital India can help you achieve your growth goals, conducting experiments is essential for gaining an advantage over your competitors.

So, let’s talk about what SEO testing is and how important it is:

SEO Testing

SEO experimentation is all about trying out different strategies and figuring out which ones work best. Experimentation is the lifeblood of digital marketing and SEO. By exploring various approaches, you can discover the ones with the greatest impact.

But hold on; we shouldn’t just randomly test anything and everything. That would be a waste of time and resources. Instead, let’s focus on using data to generate ideas that we believe can boost SEO. Then, we can put these ideas to the test and see if they actually work.

For instance, let’s explore the world of long-tail keywords and how to incorporate them more effectively into our marketing strategy.

By gathering data about these keywords, such as their search volume distribution, we can make more informed hypotheses before and during our experiments. Long-tail keywords are less competitive and more specific, so we can attract more targeted traffic based on search volume.

Why does it matter?

By conducting SEO experiments, we can determine the most effective ways to optimize our SEO efforts. This, in turn, will increase our search rankings, improve web traffic, and drive more conversions.

10 Experiments That You Must Give A Shot

Now that you know how valuable SEO experiments are, it’s time to start conducting your own. Here are ten experiments worth trying out to improve your website’s visibility and search engine rankings. Give them a go and see the positive impact they can have on your online presence.

1.    Test Accelerated Mobile Pages

Google’s accelerated mobile pages (AMP) are now more crucial than ever. They simplify web pages to boost speed and performance, which are vital for mobile success.

As mobile usage and browsing continue to soar, Google emphasizes the importance of mobile-friendly approaches. Instead of relying on desktop versions, Google now evaluates quality and relevance based on the mobile version.

By utilizing Google AMP, you can create a mobile-optimized website that loads instantly for users. Consider the example below:

To optimize AMP on WordPress, use the AMP plug-in. If you’re not using WordPress, Google provides a helpful walkthrough.

If it aligns with your website’s objectives, create both an AMP version and a regular page. Then compare their rankings.

If the AMP version triumphs, focus on designing and maintaining that page. Otherwise, stick with your current strategy.

2.    Check the Impact of Load Speeds

Image (Source)

When was the last time you checked how quickly your website loads?

The speed at which your website loads directly affects how Google ranks it on the search engine results pages, so it’s something you should be concerned about.

When you’re browsing the Internet, you’re either seeking answers or entertainment. The last thing you want is to wait for more than five seconds to watch a loading screen.

Testing your website’s load speed is quite simple. You can use a free tool like Pingdom to do this.

If you receive an F, D, or even a C grade, you may need to reduce the file sizes on your website and clean up the code to ensure smoother operation.

Remember, the faster and smoother your website runs, the lower your bounce rate and the higher your rankings.

3.    Include LSI Keywords in Your Content Strategy

You’ve conducted thorough keyword research to determine the most important targets. You know which keywords receive the highest search volume every month and even understand their intent.

But what if your ranking hasn’t improved?

The issue might lie in overlooking latent semantic indexing (LSI) keywords.

Don’t limit yourself to primary keywords alone. It’s crucial to incorporate LSI keywords into your content as well.

Include them, but in moderation. They should complement your existing keywords and content, not replace your hard work.

Discover excellent LSI keywords by exploring Google’s suggestions as you begin typing your primary keyword.

To gauge the impact of these keywords on your current rankings, select a webpage on your website that’s already performing well.

Next, sprinkle in a few of these LSI keywords within the content.

Allow Google some time to re-crawl the page and observe how it affects your rankings.

4.    Add FAQs to Increase Content Value

Do you know how rich snippets appear in search? It’s all thanks to structured data markups.

There are a few ways to add structured data to your web pages, but using FAQs is a great option. FAQs have questions that your readers probably have and provide all the answers in one place.

If you include FAQ schema markups on your blog posts or landing pages, you have a better chance of getting a rich snippet.

For example, you run an online electronics store and want to publish a blog post about choosing the right smartphone. As the image below indicates “People Also Ask” queries, you can some of these questions in your blog’s FAQs:

By adding FAQ schema markups to your blog post, you can include questions like “How do I choose the right cell phone for me?” and “How much RAM is good for a phone?” along with their respective answers.

The questions and answers you use in your FAQ section are important. Try to include popular keywords that will attract more people.

Remember, Google wants to show helpful information to users. Look at top-ranking pages for ideas on what questions to include.

You can track the impact by checking where your page appears in search results before and after using FAQ schema markups.

5.    Try to Deoptimize Certain Pages

Deoptimization may seem senseless, but it’s crucial. Try this experiment to boost other pages on search engine result pages (SERPs).

Imagine one page underperforms while another almost ranks higher. Since they cover similar topics, deoptimize the first and focus on the second. It may secure a better spot.

By intentionally creating obstacles via an SEO experiment, you can identify areas needing improvement.

Moreover, deoptimizing pages benefits your website. Over-optimization harms SEO as it:

Creates a poor user experience. Slows loading. Attracts search engine penalties.

Carefully select pages to deoptimize, monitor impact consistently for best results. Seeking guidance from an SEO Ahmedabad expert like Zib Digital India is recommended.

6.    Measure the Impact of Image Alt Text

Alternative (Alt) text is meant to convey the “why” of the image as it relates to the content.

It should describe what the image shows rather than stuffing it with keywords. However, using relevant images on your page can naturally include target keywords in the image description.

Avoid cramming keyword text into alt text; describe the image to provide a better user experience.

Include your page’s top queries in image alt text Rewrite alt text to describe the image rather than for SEO

By focusing on alt text, you increase the chances of achieving higher rankings in image search.

7.    Consider Video SEO

According to Small Business Trends, companies that use videos in their marketing plans enjoy 41% more web traffic than non-users. And videos can drive a whopping 157% of organic traffic boost to from search engines.

Consider adding a video to your page if it would make the content more useful.

When you search for a keyword related to your page, and a video carousel appears in the search results, it makes sense to have a video along with your content. You can even use the video on your YouTube channel.

The video doesn’t have to be fancy. It can be as simple as someone reading the article on a webcam. This adds a personal touch to the content. If you have the budget, an animated explainer video can work well too.

Creating content is expensive, so repurposing it in different formats like text, video, and audio, and publishing it on various channels, ensures that you get the most out of your investment.

8.    Giveaway Additional Resources Through Lead Magnet

A lead magnet is a free resource that attracts potential customers for your niche to click on. It can increase the time spent on the site and number of pages visited.

Keep it simple. Offer a PDF version of the article they’re reading.

Send it to their inboxes and watch it spread via email, driving more visitors directly to your original page.

If it’s a downloadable resource accompanying the page, it can even serve as a valuable link-building tool.

Options to consider:

Provide a download: PDF checklist, article summary, or the article itself in PDF format. Enhance your lead magnet with an eBook, webinar session, or training videos.

9.    Evaluate the Impact of Social Signals

We know how powerful social media is for businesses.

But did you know that social media can boost your SEO too? In fact, social signals play a vital role in determining your SEO rankings.

By consistently generating social signals for your website, you have a high chance of improving your rankings.

Wondering why Google values your social media presence so much? It’s because your activity on social media reflects your online engagement beyond just updating your website.

Here’s an example:

You can turn your social signals into an intriguing experiment. Increase your social media posts for a couple of weeks and observe the effect on your rankings. You might be surprised at just how influential your social media presence can be.

10. Highlight the Content Freshness with Display Dates

Google generally appreciates content updates. It demonstrates that an article is kept up to date with fresh information.

To boost freshness, include the date and time it was published and updated. This helps both users, and Google know how relevant your article is.

To take it a step further, consider incorporating structured data into your article. This will make it even easier for Google to process when the document was created and last modified.

Things you can try:

• Build a systematic approach to regularly reviewing and updating content.
• Ensure articles include information on their creation/publishing dates and updates.

Tools You Will Need For Experiments

Now that you have gone through the SEO experiments, you might want to give them a try.

However, you will need certain SEO tools to effectively implement your testing strategy and measure the impact.

There are a lot of tools out there, each with pros and cons. Some of them include:

Google Search Console: Understand how Google crawls and indexes your site. Optimize it for better search performance. Semrush: Gain insights into your competitors’ strategies, track keyword rankings, and conduct website audits. Moz Pro: Access a range of site optimization tools. Audit your site, find keywords, analyze links, and more. Google Trends: Easily discover popular keywords and develop ideas for topics and content creation. Ahrefs: Identify content gaps, track keyword rankings, and analyze backlinks to promote your site effectively. Ubersuggest: Analyze competitor sites, research keywords and content ideas, and improve search engine rankings by analyzing backlinks.

7. AnswerThePublic: Discover popular queries related to specific keywords. Create content that aligns with user intent and improves search engine visibility.

Questions Mostly Asked

1. Why should I run SEO experiments?

When you run SEO experiments, you can try out different strategies and ideas to enhance your website’s SERP ranking and overall performance. By evaluating these experiments, you can determine what works best, enabling your website to achieve its optimal performance level.

2. How to run an SEO experiment?

An SEO experiment provides helpful information, but only if done right. First, determine what you want to test and which KPIs to measure for success. Next, make your changes and check if there’s a positive or negative impact on performance.

3. Why is it important to measure the impact of SEO experiments?

Measuring the impact of SEO experiments helps you understand how effective your strategies are and how they affect your website’s visibility and visitor numbers. By analyzing this data, you can make better decisions, improve your SEO approach, and get the most out of your efforts.

4. How can I measure the impact of my SEO experiments?

There are several important metrics to consider when measuring the impact of your SEO experiments. These include:

Organic search rankings: Monitor the changes in your website’s search engine rankings for targeted keywords.

Organic traffic: Track the number of visitors coming to your website through organic search.

Conversion rate: Measure the percentage of visitors who take the desired action on your website, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.

Bounce rate: Assess the percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page.

Page load time: Analyze the time it takes for your webpages to load, as it can affect user experience and search engine rankings.

5. How long should I wait to measure the impact of an SEO experiment?

To see results from SEO experiments, give search engines enough time to analyze your website after making changes. Depending on the experiment, it may take weeks or months to notice significant effects. Keep an eye on the mentioned metrics and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Start Experimenting Today!

On a final note, reaching the top spot not only increases clicks, but also brings more traffic, leads, and customers.

The reason behind pursuing SEO is not merely for fun, but because it genuinely benefits your company and boosts revenue.

To get effective results, it is crucial to include experiments in your SEO strategy to determine what works and what doesn’t.

By testing and tracking your marketing metrics, you can pinpoint the tactics that yield positive outcomes and enhance your strategy to outperform your competitors.

So, which unique SEO experiments will you explore this year?

Disclaimer : The above is a sponsored article and the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of The Tribune editorial in any manner.