SEO Quick Wins: The Easiest Ways to Improve Your Rankings

‍Raise your hands if you think SEO is easy. No takers? Right.

‍Chances are that even the best marketers and search engine optimization pros still have to wrangle with some aspects of SEO now and then.

‍Sometimes, it feels like Miley Cyrus’s song “The Climb” is really about SEO instead of life in general. Indeed, getting your website to show and stay on the first page of search results is one tough climb.

‍Oh, and don’t forget that it can take forever and a half, too. Especially if you are just trying random stuff and hoping one sticks. That doesn’t sound like fun, does it?

‍That’s why we are writing this guide. We are going to share our top hacks for SEO quick wins that anyone can use right away.

‍How do you get Google to acknowledge that your website exists and put it right where more eyes can see it? Many assume that it’s down to buying an endless number of backlinks or writing tons of optimized content.

‍Yet, there are also other things you could do. Sometimes, these fixes are so tiny that it’s simply unbelievable that they can make so much difference. Yes, we’re talking about the quick SEO wins. These are our go-to’s:

#1 Check Whether You Have Unindexed Pages

‍You’d be surprised to learn that there are many web pages out there that are not indexed by Google. And if there’s one thing you should know about SEO, it’s the fact that no indexing means no ranking.

‍So, the first step you should take when auditing your web pages is to check if they are indexed or not. If your pages aren’t indexed, it doesn’t matter what else you do — it won’t make any difference.

‍🤔 How can you find unindexed pages?

‍You can do this for free through Google Search Console:

1. Sign in with your account to the Google Search Console site. If your site isn’t registered yet, then sign up first. Note: You’ll need a Google account for that. Plus, you can only use GSC for a site where you can verify your ownership.
2. On the left side, go to Indexing > Pages. There, you’ll see all the pages that are indexed and the ones that aren’t. Scroll down to reach the section called Why pages aren’t indexed.

‍Go through this list and check if there are any pages that you didn’t mean to unindex.

‍Source: Index Checkr

‍GSC will specify the reason why each specific page has not been indexed. Once you fix the problem, you can submit it for indexing again and request for it to be crawled. The easiest way to do this is through Google Search Console.

#2 Fix the Simplest Errors to Improve Your Page Speed

‍It’s no secret that customers expect websites to load in seconds. The faster, the better. Most high-ranking pages load in less than three seconds. Yet, that’s not all. Even a five-second delay can lead to 90% bounce rates. Yeah, it’s that serious.

‍🤔 So, how do you check your page load time?

‍Easy. You can use Page Speed Insights to see how your page is performing. Then, depending on the result, you just have to fix the most straightforward errors to see some improvement.

‍Source: PageSpeed Insights

‍Sometimes, the issue might just be that your images are too heavy, so simply compressing the visuals will speed up your load times. You can also minify your code (often, you can do that automatically in your CMS).

‍The point is to focus on easy fixes that will give you quick SEO results. So, just find what looks simple to you. Yet, if you want to go further and get everything fixed, of course, do that.

#3 Use the Power of Internal Links

‍92% of SEO experts agree that internal links can affect your search ranking position. Well, they’re right. Not just because the majority carries the vote. But because the data has proven them right, and even Google agrees.

‍Overall, Google relies on your internal links to:

• Understand your site structure;
• Find other pages on your site;
• Understand how to rank your page.

‍The last one works because internal links help improve crawlability and distribute link equity. That means passing link juice from one page to another. Plus, your visitors need these links to find their way around your website and get additional useful information.

‍Source: Semrush

‍So, take advantage of this. Besides, the best part is that you can relatively quickly tweak your internal linking system.

‍🤔 How do you improve your internal linking?

‍All you have to do is follow this straightforward approach:

1. The simplest solution is to just interlink relevant pages you already have. Say, in your blog post about the best shops in Houston, you can also mention the best places to go with your kid in Houston. No matter what it is, find a natural way to link to your content.
2. If you want to go further, create pillar pages for your broad keywords. These will provide a general overview of the issues/topics. Then, create sub-pages and link them to different sections of the pillar pages.
3. Don’t forget your topic clusters, which explore the subjects deeper. Guess what? You can combine this tactic with the pillar pages as well.
4. Got high-traffic pages? You can add internal links to other pages with less traffic. This will help pass authority and some clicks to those pages. Plus, if some of your pages have more backlinks, they can also pass more juice to ‘weaker’ pages.
5. Plus, remember to add internal links to all new pieces you post. Ideally, each new article/guide/etc., you create should get a minimum of 3 relevant internal links.

‍Just make sure that you only use relevant links and anchor texts that provide contextual information. This helps your links fit in naturally. Do this, and you’ll surely see some fast SEO results.

#4 Check If You Have Broken Links and Fix Them

‍A broken link is a dead end. It wastes the crawl budget and does no good for your user experience. The good news is that fixing them is a surefire way to get the fastest SEO results.

‍Source: Marvel

‍🤔 So, how do you fix your broken links?

‍You can use your Google Search Console (a pretty handy tool, right?) to check for broken links. This means going to Overview > Indexing > Pages > Why pages are not indexed (yes, again).

‍There, you’ll see 404, 403, and 410 errors (if any). Plus, pay attention to soft 404s because, technically, they also behave as broken links.

‍Once you click on those, you’ll see the cause of each broken link. This makes it easy to inspect the URLs and know what you have to fix.

‍If you want a pro option for checking the status codes of your web pages, you can use Screaming Frog or any other site crawler. There, you can see a super detailed report on each page and its response codes.

‍Source: Screaming Frog

‍So now what? Well, it’s fix-it time! Sounds corny, but it works in this case.

‍If the problem is a typo in the URL, correct it — this is called updating the link. But only if the link is worth the trouble. If it’s not important, you can simply remove it.

‍In cases where these two choices are not an option, set up a redirect, aka send the link to a similar page. The key word here is “similar.” Just like fixing broken links can mean an instant SEO win, sending users to an irrelevant page can also hurt user experience.

‍So, audit your site, analyze each broken link, and make the right call.

#5 Update Your Existing Content

‍Imagine talking about quick wins SEO without saying anything about the king of the SEO world — content. Google always prioritizes fresh, relevant content.

‍Of course, you can always write new content. But let’s face it — we don’t always have the necessary resources to post well-researched, quality content non-stop. And even if you do (good for you), the easiest option is still to update your already existing content.

‍Source: Cloudways

‍If you think about it, it’s already there. It already has some SEO ‘weight’ and probably even some backlinks. So, why not give it a little glow-up?

‍Truth is, there is always room for improvement when it comes to content. People’s search behavior changes all the time, and your competitors probably know this. So, you don’t want to relax while they are also churning out more updated blog posts.

‍🤔 What is the best approach to content updating?

‍If you are nodding along at this point, here’s what you need to do:

• Update your old crowd-pleasers that are now forgotten. You know, those pieces that ranked high once upon a time but not anymore. Some cool new facts, stats, and insights could be all it takes to bring those posts out of retirement and back into the limelight.
• Work on your top-performing pages. Sometimes, a little research on current search behavior and tweaks to match search internet is all it takes. Suddenly, your top pages are pulling in even more traffic than you thought possible.
• Give poor-performing pages a makeover. When you put in a lot of effort and expect so much, but your pages are not doing well, it hurts. Yet, instead of throwing the towel in, analyze what went wrong. Should you target a different keyword? Add more visuals? Or optimize the page? Whatever that is, try to fix it.

‍Think about it. Why start from scratch when you can save costs and get the fastest SEO results with what you already have? Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

‍If you’re wondering how to speed up this process, consider trying different content writing tools.

#6 Make Sure Your Meta Tags Are Optimized

‍As basic as this one sounds, meta tags can make a huge difference between a good SEO ranking and a poor one.

‍They basically help the search engines understand what’s on your page and how to display it in SERPs. It’s also how the user gets to know if the page is going to be helpful or not.

‍🤔 How do you optimize your meta tags?

‍Many meta tags will be set up by default in your CMS, whether you’re using WordPress, Webflow, Wix, or Shopify. Typically, you don’t have to worry about the following:

• Meta robots. Typically, it is set to index follow. Only change this when you want to limit the way Google crawls your page. For example, when you don’t want search engines to crawl certain pages or index them.
• Be careful not to block pages with robots.txt when you have already used the meta robots tag — doing both is unnecessary.

• Meta viewport. Another meta tag that is normally set by default. You should have this on every web page so it is correctly rendered on every device out there. Unless you’re a pro, stick to the “standard” responsive viewport tag, or things can get messy quickly.

• Meta charset. This one is responsible for proper text display across different systems. Usually, it doesn’t require any manual action from you. Most modern CMS have a default UTF-8 encoding.

‍Of course, there are other meta tags. Still, most of us will never even touch them. So, let’s move to the meta tags that you’ll often have to adjust manually:

• Meta title. This should be less than 60 characters, brief, have a target keyword, and be written in sentence case. It also has to be unique every time, clearly descriptive, and match search intent. Your CMS can generate it automatically, but review it.
• Meta description. Keep it under 160 characters, unique and clear. To make sure it’s click-worthy, ensure it matches search intent and summarizes your content without being “clickbaity.” Again, your CMS might generate it, but make sure to double-check it.

‍Still, keep in mind that Google can change both your meta title and meta description to better fit the search intent and query.

‍So, when it comes to meta tags, ensure you don’t break anything preconfigured and have your meta title and meta descriptions on point. Now, you know that this is crucial if you hope to see fast SEO results.

#7 Optimize for PAA and Featured Snippets

‍When you are on the lookout for quick-rank SEO tips, the Google People Also Ask (PAA) section should be on your list.

‍Most people looking for definitions or quick answers to FAQs will click on the PAA session first. Then, if they like what they see, they will then go on to check out the page.

‍Source: Google

‍Clearly, getting featured on the PAA is a good way to improve your SEO organic traffic.

‍🤔 But how can you leverage the PAA section?

‍If you want to jump on this gravy train, you need to gather the most common FAQs for your niche. You also need to check for PAA questions that mention your brand. These are goldmines.

‍You can structure existing content to fit the FAQ format or add a new FAQ section somewhere at the end of your articles. Alternatively, you can create entirely new content that answers these questions.

‍So, basically, it comes down to searching for relevant frequently asked questions and answering them in a clear and short way.

#8 Find the Easiest Keywords to Rank For

‍Do you know how to find the perfect, easy, low-ranking keywords? This is one of those SEO-fast win techniques that only a few can pull off well. But it works so well to push traffic to struggling sites.

‍🤔 How do you find easy-to-rank keywords?

‍You will need keyword research for this one. You will also have to analyze what your competitors are doing to see which queries you can use in your content as well.

‍When researching, you have to focus on keywords that:

• Have low keyword difficulty (KD);
• Have a decent search volume;
• Match your users’ search intent (i.e., do your potential leads need this information?).

‍These low-difficulty keywords often get ignored in favor of high-volume keywords, which is a big mistake. Don’t skip these queries even if your competitors already rank for them. If you create better content using those keywords, you can outrank them.

‍You just have to make sure you follow the right process. It is an extensive topic, so we can’t cover everything in this guide. Yet, don’t worry — we won’t leave you hanging.

‍To help you with that, we have made a handy checklist, which you will find here. It has all the details you need to nail keyword research.

#9 Check Whether Your Images Are SEO-Friendly

‍Everyone knows by now that images can attract more traffic and improve the SEO ranking of your site. It works because humans are visual creatures, so the right pictures, graphics, and videos can help people understand your point more easily.

‍Source: NeoMan

‍The only problem is that visuals can take up quite a lot of space if you’re not careful. This means they can slow down your page load speed, which you already know is not a good thing. So, you have to optimize your images without making the quality worse.

‍🤔 How do you optimize your visuals properly?

‍To do this, you can simply use any free online tool. Just make sure you use the right format and compression rate so the quality is not compromised. But it doesn’t end there. Does your image have an SEO-friendly name? If not, fix that too.

‍A descriptive name that has a keyword is the preferred naming style. You can also separate the name with hyphens. When publishing your visuals, make sure you add the alt text. This could be the same as your image name or more descriptive (if needed).

‍Source: Ahrefs

‍Apart from the alt text, make sure that anyone on both desktop and mobile can view your images without issues. And, oh, some image-structured data won’t hurt. Here is a Google guide on how image metadata works to make this process simpler for you.

‍Besides, consider including your images in your site maps, especially if visuals are important for your business.

#10 Leverage Rich Snippets

‍While many mention that adding structured data markup will help you rank better, it isn’t the ranking signal itself. Here’s the thing, though: it can still improve your click-through rate (CTR) and help search bots understand your page better.

‍Source: Google

‍🤔 How can you add rich snippets?

‍All you have to do is pick the right type of rich snippet — there are quite a lot of different types. The one you choose will mostly depend on what type of content you’re working on. The one for reviews will look different from the type you’d use for recipes, etc.

‍Source: Google

‍You can check all the structured data markups that Google Search supports in this guide. Then, based on your niche, decide what you need to do.

‍This is how rich results could look for an online course:

‍Source: Google

‍And this is how a salary estimation rich snippet could appear in SERPs:

‍Source: Google

‍Add structured data and implement that with schema. You can use any structured data markup generator online to make your work simpler.

‍After that, you just have to add it to your HTML code and then test it out with the Rich Results Test tool. That’s all it takes, and now you’re one step closer to winning SEO.

#11 Add Author Profiles to Your Blog

‍Believe it or not, Google actually pays attention to the author of the blog post. Why? Well, that paragraph of copy helps Google (and your readers) know that the content is written by a real human.

‍As a result, it adds credibility and authority. By now, you know how much Google loves these two.

‍Source: Harvard Business Review

‍Besides, a credible bio can also show that the writer is not just researching stuff and repeating what they find online but that they have the expertise. This way, you can also contribute to your brand growth and industry leadership. That only works, of course, if your content is good.

‍🤔 What is the best way to add an author bio?

‍Ideally, you want to create a bio for all your writers. Of course, you can simply add an author named “Our team,” but it’s much better to have real people for this.

‍Next, make sure you do the following:

• Keep your bios concise and relevant — 1-3 sentences are more than enough. Still, feel free to add your brand’s tone of voice here.
• Be sure to use a professional headshot. You can also use some fun graphics or even NFTs, but it will all depend on your style.
• Add links to your writers’ LinkedIn, X, etc., profiles to add even more credibility, “prove” that your authors are real, and encourage further conversation with your readers.

‍While it is an easy tip, it can make all the difference and help you improve your SEO fast — at least a bit.

#12 Make Sure Your Site Is Secure

‍We might have as well started with this tip — simply because Google and any other search engine always prioritize security. If your web page lacks at least basic cyber protection, forget about ranking high in the search results.

‍The first sign that your site isn’t secure is this notification you get next to your URL.

‍Source: In Motion Hosting

‍🤔 How can you ensure your website is secure?

‍Use HTTPS. As simple as it sounds, this alone will change everything. Why? HTTPS means that your connection is encrypted, which is important for keeping your web users protected against major threats.

‍Source: Cloudflare

‍Besides, it is a true quick SEO win. The only thing you need to do is get and install an SSL certificate.

‍If you didn’t have it before, make sure to do the following as well:

• Change all internal links from http to https.
• Set up redirects to make sure that all your backlinks send traffic to the right pages.
• Update your sitemap and verify it in the Google Search Console.

‍If you had the HTTPS from the very beginning of your website launch, then don’t worry — you don’t need to do anything from the above.

‍At this point, you know enough SEO quick wins and cheat codes to totally revamp your rankings. Now, you can clearly see that improving your search engine optimization does not mean starting from scratch — a little fix here and there can make a world of difference.

‍Feel free to experiment with all of the 11 hacks shared here or just some of them. The important thing is to start where it feels easiest for you and then work your way up to the rest. Let us know what works best for you.