Implementing Advanced SEO: A Practical Guide

by kmcdigitalstg | Jan 10, 2025 | Content Writing, Digital Marketing

Search engine optimization (SEO) has come a long way in the past decade. Ranking high on Google is no longer about sprinkling keywords across web pages—it’s about creating a robust strategy that syncs with the complexities of modern search engines.

But where do you start with advanced SEO? This guide breaks it down with actionable steps, using proven strategies and techniques to elevate your SEO game.

What is Advanced SEO?

Advanced SEO goes beyond the basics. It involves implementing strategies that not only optimize a website for search engines but also enhance user experience, improve performance, and increase engagement. This means leveraging cutting-edge tools, data insights, and technical optimizations to stand out in an increasingly saturated digital landscape. If foundational SEO is the footbridge, advanced SEO is the superhighway to visibility and growth.

Key Differences Between Basic and Advanced SEO:

• Basic SEO focuses on keyword research, optimizing metadata, and building backlinks.
• Advanced SEO incorporates technical aspects like site architecture, schema markup, content clustering, and machine learning tools.

To stay ahead, digital marketers need an arsenal of refined strategies that drive intelligent results.

Why Advanced SEO is Critical 

The digital landscape is perpetually shifting, and so are users’ expectations. Advanced SEO helps you:

• Stay Ahead of Competitors – With everyone competing for higher rankings, going beyond the basics gives you a critical edge.
• Optimize User Experience (UX) – Search engines like Google prioritize websites that deliver seamless, fast, and useful content to users.
• Leverage Insights and Analytics – Advanced SEO allows marketers to analyze audience behavior more effectively, shaping campaigns and content strategies with precision.

Advanced SEO Tactics to Implement Today

Here is a breakdown of actionable, forward-thinking techniques to get started with advanced SEO:

1. Perform a Deep Technical Audit

Great SEO begins with a technically sound website. Ensure your site is optimized for crawling and indexing. Use tools like Screaming Frog, SEMrush, or Google Search Console to audit for:

• Broken Links: Fix any 404 errors or redirects.
• Duplicate Content: Identify and resolve duplicate content issues.
• Crawlability: Ensure your website is easy for bots to explore.
• Site Speed: Prioritize performance optimization for faster load times—Google rewards speedy sites with higher rankings.

Pro Tip:

Don’t overlook mobile-first indexing. With Google prioritizing mobile usability, ensure your website is responsive and optimized for smaller screens.

2. Master Content Clustering

Content is still king, but advanced SEO focuses on strategic clustering. Instead of creating isolated articles, structure your content into clusters centered around pillar topics. For instance:

• Pillar Content = “Advanced SEO Strategies”
• Cluster Content = Supporting blogs like “How to Optimize Technical SEO,” “Guide to Schema Markup,” and “Content Clustering Benefits.”

By interlinking supporting content, you boost your site’s authority, guiding search engines to see your website as a valuable resource.

Pro Tip:

Use keyword research tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to reveal long-tail keywords that can power your content clusters. Chat GPT can also assist you in determining additional keywords you may not have thought of before.

3. Leverage Schema Markup

Schema markup is a form of microdata that helps search engines understand your content better. It enables the creation of rich snippets, which enhance how your page appears on search results (think star ratings, FAQs, and event times).

For example:

• A restaurant website can include markup for hours of operation and customer reviews.
• An e-commerce site can add schema to show pricing and inventory availability directly in search results.

Pro Tip:

Use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper to implement schema efficiently.

4. Optimize for Voice Search

With the rapid adoption of AI assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, voice search optimization is a non-negotiable for advanced SEO. Most voice searches are phrased as questions, so:

• Incorporate natural question phrases in your content.
• Focus on featured snippets, as they’re often the answer provided in voice search results. For example:

1. For a real estate agency: “What are the current property prices in [City/Neighborhood] for 2024?”
2. For a dental office: “What are the best treatments for sensitive teeth in [City/Neighborhood]?”
3. For a law firm: “What should I do immediately after a car accident in [City/State]?”

Pro Tip:

Create FAQ sections for your content, targeting queries starting with “how,” “what,” “why,” or “best.”

5. Build High-Quality Backlinks Strategically

While link-building is a staple of SEO, advanced link-building demands intentionality:

• Focus on earning contextual backlinks from authoritative, relevant sites.
• Use broken link-building tactics to find opportunities on high-value websites.
• Build relationships with niche influencers who are willing to share your content.

Pro Tip:

Leverage tools like SEMrush’s Backlink Analytics to find link-building opportunities and monitor your competitors’ backlink profiles.

6. Understand and Use Advanced Analytics

Data is the driving force behind modern SEO strategies. Advanced analytics tools like Google Analytics 4, SEMrush, and Hotjar provide insights into:

• User behavior.
• Conversion paths.
• Pages with the highest/lowest engagement.

Use these insights to continuously test and refine your strategies.

Pro Tip:

Set up custom goals in Google Analytics to measure conversions and ROI from your SEO campaigns.

Testing and Iteration: The Key to Success

Advanced SEO isn’t a “set it and forget it” strategy. Continuous testing and iteration are crucial to staying ahead. Establish a process for:

• Monitoring rankings and organic traffic.
• Running A/B tests on content and landing pages.
• Testing new features like Core Web Vitals improvements or interactive elements.

Pro Tip:

Make SEO a team-wide effort. Collaborate with content creators, developers, and designers to ensure seamless alignment across functions.

With a robust SEO strategy in place, your potential for growth and brand recognition is limitless. Advanced SEO empowers digital marketers to move past the basics, lean into tech-driven opportunities, and position their websites as essential resources in their industries.

The steps may seem complex, but with consistency, ingenuity, and the right tools, achieving remarkable results is well within reach. Remember—every optimization effort inches your brand closer to stronger rankings, better user experiences, and measurable ROI.

Start Now 

Whether you’re building content pillars or tweaking your site’s crawlability, consider this your call to action. Implement these advanced SEO tips today and become the trailblazer your brand needs in the digital marketing landscape!

If you need help with Advanced SEO, be sure to contact our team by emailing k@kmc.digital or calling us!

Instagram’s hashtag overhaul and what it means for you 

by kmcdigitalstg | Dec 14, 2024 | Content Writing, Digital Marketing

On December 13, Instagram updated its platform to remove the ability to follow hashtags. This decision comes as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to combat spam and refine user experience, shaking up how content is discovered and consumed. 

While this move signals a shift away from hashtags as a primary content discovery tool, it opens new opportunities for creators and users to engage more authentically.

Why Instagram is Removing Hashtag Follows 

Over the years, trending hashtags have been a goldmine for spammers seeking visibility with irrelevant content. Despite Instagram’s advanced filtering tools, users have continued to report unwanted posts cluttering their main feeds. The platform’s decision to cut the option to follow hashtags aims to declutter these feeds and encourage users to engage directly with creators.

Yet, while hashtags will no longer impact your main feed, expect to find them in Explore and search results—though with a more refined algorithm that better understands content context and relevance.

The Implications for Content Discovery and Community Building 

This change represents a fundamental shift in how we interact with Instagram content. Hashtags have long been a defining feature of social media, connecting users through shared interests. However, with algorithmic advances, content relevance no longer relies primarily on these tags. Algorithms can now understand the intrinsic nature of content, highlighting relevant posts regardless of specific tags.

For creators, this means producing content that directly engages audiences may become more critical than optimizing posts for hashtag discoverability. It’s an opportunity to focus on quality and creativity, ensuring every post holds genuine value for followers.

For users, the focus shifts from following trends via hashtags to cultivating more personal connections by following creators directly. This fosters a deeper, more authentic engagement model, aligning well with the trend towards personal branding and unique content creation.

The Shift Towards Personalized Engagement 

Instagram’s evolving algorithm pushes forward personalized content recommendations, integrating user likes, shares, and interactions into a refined tailormade feed. This shift rewards authentic engagement, ensuring users see more of what genuinely interests them, even without the reliance on traditional hashtag systems.

Creators and brands are encouraged to leverage this update, exploring new strategies to engage their audiences directly. This could mean collaborations, interactive posts, and innovative content formats that promote active viewer participation.

A Step Toward Hashtags’ Decline? 

While Instagram emphasizes hashtags for discovery, their role may diminish as platforms get smarter at identifying content specifics. However, hashtags aren’t dead; they still play a role in expanding reach and connecting niche audiences.

Adapting to the New Normal 

Creators and brands should adapt their strategies, focusing on building loyal communities rather than simply maximizing reach through hashtags. Here are a few steps to consider:

1. Enhance Content Quality: Prioritize creating engaging, high-quality content that resonates with your audience’s interests.
2. Focus on Direct Engagement: Build meaningful connections through direct interactions and collaborations with followers and other creators.
3. Leverage Data Insights: Utilize available analytics tools to understand what content performs best and adapt accordingly.
4. Experiment with Formats: Utilize diverse content formats, like Reels or Stories, to maintain a dynamic presence.

The Future of Content Discovery on Instagram 

Instagram’s overhaul is an exciting step towards a more innovative and personalized platform. It positions the company and its users to focus on quality interactions and engagement—critical elements in today’s digital age. Barriers between creators and their audiences are breaking down, heralding a new phase of content interaction where personalized engagement takes center stage.

Businesses and marketers should welcome this change as an opportunity to streamline their Instagram strategies, focusing on creating deeper connections and more significant engagement. By leveraging direct creator interactions powered by modern AI algorithms, the Instagram community can look forward to a richer, more rewarding experience that emphasizes human connection over algorithmic mechanics.

If you need help in navigating digital marketing, don’t hesitate to book a consultation with us by clicking here, or call 1-855-799-8590.