Even though Google changes SEO at a backbreaking pace, this process still boils down to a few key fundamentals:

• Awesome content
• Quality, relevant links
• Great on-site user experience
• Active social media profiles (these may play a bigger role in the future of SEO)

While we don’t know the exact weight of links in your overall search ranking, let’s mention 50% as a reasonable guesstimate. You know some websites get more links than others, so which specific factors influence this phenomenon?

Here are a few, that, if you work on them, make it much more likely other people will link to your website:

1. Quick Site-Loading Time

All primary pages on your website should load in less than 2 seconds: a hallmark of the “user experience” on your site.

2. Social Sharing Buttons

As users expect these as a standard on every website, make sure yours includes them and that they are obvious and large enough for mobile users. Thankfully, it takes only a couple minutes to install a plugin that can do this for you.

3. Fresh Content

Has it been 3 to 6 months since your last blog post? That’s too long. If you’re a small business of just 3-5 employees or so, aim to get two posts up per month (at a minimum). Four is really nice, and any more than that is a bonus.

4. Avoiding Useless, Boring, or (Eek) Stupid Content

Only you know what’s relevant to your audience. If you run an HVAC repair company, for example, you know your customers would appreciate content discussing how to prepare their AC unit for the spring or winter months.

Make your post so easy to understand that someone with no mechanical skills whatsoever can act on the information provided. Use simple language as well. When your customers can easily read your posts and actually put your information to use in their daily lives, they have a reason to come back for more.

There’s no need to summon your inner William Shakespeare. Likewise, cracking jokes and using slang are in fact fine and actually encouraged.

5. No Broken Images/Site Errors

What if there was a huge crack in a window at your physical office location? Wouldn’t you fix this immediately, knowing what a poor impression it would make?

The same can be said for broken images and “404 Not Found” errors on your website. Work hard to make sure not a single one of these are found anywhere at any time.

6. A Simple, Organized Look

Your website needs an attractive design, but it doesn’t need gimmicks/tricks that aim to up the “cool” factor. Priority-wise, make sure the design looks recent and not outdated (so people know you’re still in business) while ensuring your site is easy to both use and read.