Last updated on December 16th, 2024 at 01:25 pm
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a powerful tool for bloggers who want to increase their online visibility in Nigeria.
In fact, the return on investment of SEO can be over twelve times higher than marketing, making it an essential part of any successful blog.
It’s no surprise that the number one Google search result receives approximately 32% of all clicks – while results on the second page get only 0.78%.
If you want more organic traffic, you better strive for that position #1 on the SERP.
But how do you get there?
Here are some proven strategies to increase your chances of coming on top.
1. Optimize Your Website for SEO
To increase your blog’s Google rankings in Nigeria, start by readying your site for search engines.
Here are some tips to help optimize your website for SEO:
First, use relevant keywords throughout your content and titles.
Keywords should accurately reflect each page’s topic so they can appear in relevant searches.
While at it, focus on creating unique titles and meta descriptions with targeted keywords, which helps search engines rank pages higher in results.
Second, optimize your site structure and URLs by including target keywords in them as well.
This way, users can quickly identify if a page is relevant to their search query without having to click through it first.
It also gives search engines more information to rank your site accordingly.
Lastly, focus on creating engaging content that can be used across multiple platforms and channels. By doing so, you can expand the reach of your website and marketing messages in general.
Related: 7 Ways To Increase Blog Traffic in Nigeria (With Zero Money)
2. Utilize Quality Link Building
Link building is a key factor in ranking higher on Google in Nigeria.
It involves obtaining backlinks.
These are links to your blog from external websites.
Think of it this way;
A backlink acts as an endorsement of your site from other authoritative websites.
It helps increase credibility with search engines, making them more likely to rank your blog higher in their listings.
But how do you get ‘em?
Building quality backlinks in Nigeria can be done in a variety of ways.
First and foremost, you should create quality content other blogs want to link to.
No one wants to link to subpar content with questionable expertise. So polish your content first.
You can also contact relevant websites and ask them for backlinks, such as through guest blogging or interviews.
Another tactic is to search for broken links on other sites that offer a similar service in Nigeria and pitch your content as an alternative replacement link.
This way, the original site benefits from fixing their broken link while you get some quality incoming traffic!
3. Improve Your Page Speed
In a 2019 survey by Unbounce, nearly 70% of consumers admitted that page speed impacts their willingness to buy from an online retailer.
At the same time, Google recently included page load time as a ranking signal.
And that’s why you can’t ignore load time anymore.
To improve your blog’s page speed, there are three main techniques to keep in mind: minimize http requests, optimize images, and use a content delivery network.
Minimizing http requests is key because each request the browser must make to download resources will slow down loading times.
To do this, you can combine files into one or reduce the number of plugins you use.
Optimizing images can also help your page speed by compressing images so they load faster without sacrificing quality.
Finally, a content delivery network (CDN) can store static resources on multiple servers worldwide. This way, your visitors can have access to them quickly, no matter where they are located.
With these simple steps, you can significantly improve your blog’s page speed and give it an SEO boost in the rankings!
4. Improve User Experience
Another sure way to rank on Google in Nigeria is to work on the UI of your blog.
In fact, improving user experience should be a top priority!
See, making your site easy to navigate, and mobile friendly, and improving site load times are all essential steps that can help boost your SEO success.
Start by ensuring your pages can be easily accessed from the home page, focusing on creating an intuitive design that allows users to find what they need with minimal effort.
Go by the rule, ‘every page should be 1 click away.’
Make sure external links open in a new window and display properly on multiple devices to avoid confusing users.
You should also consider transitioning to a mobile-friendly design if you haven’t already done so. This will greatly improve the user experience for those accessing your blog from their phones or tablets.
According to Statista.com, 37.3 percent of the Nigerian population accessed the internet via mobile device in 2022.
This share is projected to grow to 48 percent in 2076.
5. Use Structured Data
This is a new thing in the SEO world.
Structured data is a markup language that adds semantic information to web pages. It makes it easier for search engines to understand and index your content.
This includes keywords, descriptions, and metadata that can help improve your blog’s Google rankings in Nigeria.
Schema markup is a widely used language that allows you to identify specific data types on a page, such as titles, headings, and images.
This helps search engines better understand the information in your content and help index it more quickly.
Another way to improve your blog’s Google ranking is by using rich snippets and cards.
Rich snippets are small text boxes that appear next to some search results when users type in a keyword or phrase.
These snippets contain additional information to help users quickly determine if your blog post is relevant to their search query.
Cards are similar to rich snippets but appear in images or other visuals instead of text boxes.
Using cards and structured data on your website will make it easier for users to find you in Nigerian searches while increasing engagement with potential customers.
6. Update Your Content Regularly
Google loves freshness?.
If your blog posts are updated regularly, Google will reward you with higher search rankings.
Instead of hitting publish and crossing your legs, focus on writing long-form content that is timely and relevant to your readers.
Take the time to research your topic and craft accurate, interesting, and engaging content.
When you update a blog post or add new information regularly over time, it shows Google that your website is active and up-to-date with relevant industry changes.
This helps keep your rankings high in search engine results pages (SERPs).
7. Increase Your Domain Authority
Domain authority (DA) is a ranking factor used by Google to determine the importance of a site in relation to other sites.
DA is determined by how often a site’s pages are linked from other sites, which means it is related to backlinks.
Now, there are many ways to increase your domain authority.
But the most important thing is to ensure your site content is good and you are linking to quality, relevant websites.
- Write high-quality, informative, useful content that others want to link to. Make sure each article is well-researched and provides value to your readers.
- Optimize your website for search engines by adding keywords throughout the content and hyperlinks within the website. This will help index your website more quickly in search engine results pages (SERPs).
- Create a link-building strategy to gain quality backlinks from other websites. Ensure that the links are relevant and come from trustworthy sources such as industry authorities, news outlets, or influencers in your niche.
- Monitor your website analytics to understand user behavior and gain insights into how people interact with your content. This will help you identify areas that need improvement or further development on the site.
- Audit your site and remove bad links. Not all backlinks are good. Some can hurt your DA, thus hurting your rankings.
8. Leverage Social Media
Social media will not automatically increase your website’s ranking on Google, but it can help indirectly.
How?
Through social signals in SEO.
This shows how users engage with your content on social media.
- How many times a web page is shared on social media
- How many times a web page has been “liked” or interacted with on social media
- How much-perceived reach and present your site has on social media
Note that Google uses hundreds of ranking factors in its algorithm, and each factor’s specific weight and importance can vary depending on the search query.
So while social media can help rank on Google, it’s just one of many factors that can impact your ranking.
Related: 9 Proven Strategies to Drive Traffic from Social Media in Nigeria
Final Thoughts
Ranking on Google is crucial in growing your online business in Nigeria.
I hope these strategies can help push your blog up the SERP and attract boatloads of organic traffic.
Related: How to (Realistically) Start an Online Business in Nigeria