As a creator in 2024, having a strong online presence is beyond understated. Whether you’re a content creator, writer, photographer, or designer, you understand the importance of growing a big platform to reach a wider audience. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a tool you can use to achieve your goals. 

SEO isn’t just about getting traffic; it’s about getting the right traffic—people genuinely interested in your work. By optimising your content for search engines, you can increase your visibility, attract more visitors, and ultimately expand your creative business. This guide will walk you through the best SEO practices for creators in 2024.

Why do you need SEO as a creative

First things first, why do you need SEO as a creator? SEO is essential for anyone looking to establish and grow their online presence. It is effective because it helps you connect with an audience willing to engage with your content out of a need for it. Here are five solid reasons why SEO is super important for creatives:

1. With SEO, you can increase your online visibility

As a creative, you need your work seen by as many people as possible. SEO helps your content rank higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential clients, collaborators, and fans to find you. Increased visibility can lead to more opportunities and greater recognition for your work.

Read: Building a Personal Brand: Tools, Examples and Strategies

2. With SEO, you drive targeted traffic to your content 

SEO allows you to attract visitors specifically looking for the type of content you create. By targeting relevant keywords, you ensure that the people who visit your site are genuinely interested in your work, which increases the likelihood of conversions, whether that’s sales, commissions, or sign-ups for you.

3. With SEO, you’re building credibility and trust with your audience

If you search for something on Google, the first ten results are the ones you’d consider most credible. By using SEO tactics, you can establish your site as a reputable source in your creative field, which can generally improve your professional image and attract more clients.

4. SEO is a cost-effective marketing tactic 

Compared to traditional advertising methods, SEO is a cost-effective way to market your creative business. Once your site is optimised, it will continue to attract organic traffic without the ongoing costs associated with paid advertising campaigns.

5. SEO tactics produce long-term results

SEO offers long-term benefits. With your consistent effort, your content can maintain high rankings over time, ensuring a steady stream of visitors to your site and sustained growth for your business.

Getting started on SEO

To make way with SEO as a marketing tactic, you have to understand how it works. SEO involves optimising your website and content to make them more appealing to search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and the likes. 

This includes using relevant keywords, creating high-quality content, and ensuring your site is technically sound. Search engines use algorithms to determine the relevance and quality of your content, which affects where your site ranks in search results. Once you nail the basics of SEO, everything else will flow easily. It’s kind of like math; it has a defined formula and, with consistent application, it yields predictable results.

The best SEO practices for creatives

1. Know your keywords

When you start delving into the world of SEO, you will hear this phrase a lot. It’s super important; keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO strategy. The key to finding the right keywords lies in knowing your audience in depth.

Start by brainstorming a list of keywords relevant to your work. Think about what potential clients or fans might type into a search engine to find content like yours. For example, suppose you have an ebook on how you create a simple budget-friendly wedding of your dreams. In that case, potential keywords might include “wedding photographer,” “wedding caterers,” or “affordable wedding venues.”

Use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to refine your list. These tools provide data on search volume (how many people are searching for a term) and competition (how difficult it is to rank for a term). Aim for high-volume, low-competition keywords to increase your chances of ranking higher in search results. For instance, if “best wedding photographer in Lagos” has a high search volume but low competition, it would be a strategic keyword to target.

Also, look at the websites of other creatives in your field. Analyse the keywords they are targeting and how they are incorporating them into their content. Tools like Ahrefs can help you see which keywords your competitors rank for, providing insights into gaps you can fill or keywords you might have overlooked.

2. Douse your content with relevant keywords 

Incorporating your target keywords naturally into your content is essential for effective SEO. This means strategically placing keywords in various parts of your website to ensure both search engines and users find your content valuable and relevant. Here’s how to do it effectively:

Use keywords in titles and headings

Your titles and headings are some of the first things your users and search engines notice. Ensure your primary keywords are included here. For example, if your target keyword is “e-book creation tips,” a suitable title could be “Top 5 Tips For Creating Compelling E-books People Want To Read In Nigeria.” This approach not only signals search engines about your content but also attracts Nigerian readers interested in e-book creation tips.

Optimise meta descriptions

Write meta descriptions that include your keywords while enticing readers you want to attract. For example, “Discover essential e-book creation tips tailored for potential Nigerian authors.”

Use keywords in the body text

Ensure your keywords appear naturally throughout your content. For example, instead of repeating “best Nigerian e-book creation tips” excessively, use variations like “top tips for e-book creators in Nigeria.” 

Use keywords in URLs

Structure your URLs to include relevant keywords. For example, instead of www.yoursite.com/ebook123, use www.yoursite.com/best-nigerian-ebook-creation-tips.

Use synonyms and related terms

Include synonyms and related terms to broaden your content’s relevance. For instance, alongside “best Nigerian e-book creation tips,” use phrases like “effective e-book publishing strategies in Nigeria” or “Nigerian author e-book advice.”

By using your keywords strategically and naturally in your content, you increase your visibility among the audiences you’re targeting. 

3. Create quality, relevant content

High-quality content is essential for SEO. Create informative, engaging, and relevant content that addresses the needs and interests of your audience. Quality content attracts visitors and keeps them coming back for more, ultimately improving your search engine rankings and visibility.

Producing quality content means offering insightful information, practical tips, or entertaining stories that resonate with their interests and needs. For instance, if you’re a food content creator, your content might include detailed recipes, cooking techniques, ingredient spotlights, or articles on culinary traditions that appeal to food enthusiasts.

Read: How To Be A Successful Food Content Creator

Relevance is just as important. Your content should be timely and address current trends or issues within your niche. This could involve exploring seasonal recipes, trending cooking methods, or cultural aspects of Nigerian cuisine that capture the interest of your audience.

Finally, you want to regularly update your website with fresh content because it keeps your audience engaged and also signals to search engines that your site is active and authoritative. This ongoing effort demonstrates your commitment to providing up-to-date information and enhances your credibility as a creator within your field.

4. Create a website for your work

Your website should be where you show off your creative work. It serves as the digital storefront for your creations, making it essential to ensure it is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and optimised for search engines (SEO).

A visually appealing website captivates visitors from the moment they arrive, reflecting your creative style and professionalism. Use high-quality images, engaging visuals, and a cohesive design that aligns with your brand identity. For instance, if you’re a fashion designer, your website should feature stunning photographs of your designs, complemented by a layout that enhances the aesthetic appeal of your collections.

Your website should also be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing visitors to find information quickly and effortlessly. Organise your content logically, use clear menu structures, and incorporate search functionality to enhance user experience. For example, make sure that potential clients or collaborators can easily browse through your portfolio, read your blog posts, or contact you for inquiries without any hassle.

Plus, don’t forget to use keyword-rich titles and meta descriptions that accurately describe its content. These elements not only help search engines understand the relevance of your site but also entice users to click through from search results. 

5. Use alt text for images

Images are an important part of any website, but search engines can’t see them. Use alt text to describe your images and incorporate relevant keywords. This not only helps with SEO but also makes your site more accessible to users with disabilities.

When crafting alt text for your images, it’s important to include relevant keywords that describe the content and context of the image. For example, if you’re a Nigerian photographer showcasing a stunning landscape photo of Yoruba culture ie the Ojude Oba festival, your alt text could be “Ojude Oba festival – a picture of a woman in red asooke.” This descriptive alt text not only informs search engines about the content of the image but also helps your site appear in relevant image search results.

It’s important to use alt text sparingly and avoid keyword stuffing. Each alt text should be concise, accurate, and directly related to the image it describes. 

6. Don’t hide relevant information in audio, video, and other document formats

Search engines have a harder time indexing non-text content. Provide transcripts for audio and video files, and ensure that important information in PDFs and other documents is also available in HTML format. This makes your content more accessible and improves your SEO.

Transcripts allow search engines to crawl and index the text, which improves your content’s visibility in search results. For example, if you have a video tutorial on “How to Cook Nigerian Jollof Rice,” including a detailed transcript with relevant keywords ensures that search engines can understand and rank your content accordingly. Additionally, transcripts benefit users who may have hearing impairments or prefer reading over watching or listening.

This also works for PDFs and other document formats, make sure critical information is also available in HTML format on your website. Search engines prioritise HTML content because it is easier to index and rank. By ensuring that all important information is available in a text format that search engines can easily index, you enhance the discoverability and accessibility of your content. 

7. Use social media to promote your work

As a creator, you already understand the importance of social media for your brand visibility. SEO takes it up a notch by using social media to drive traffic to your site and improve your search engine rankings.

Social media can drive traffic to your site and improve your SEO. Share your content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and encourage your followers to visit your site. Engage with your audience on social media to build a community and increase your reach.

By consistently posting and sharing your work on these platforms, you can drive significant traffic to your website. For instance, if you’re a food content creator, sharing enticing photos of your latest recipes on Instagram, with a link to the full recipe on your site, can attract visitors interested in learning more.

Include clear calls-to-action (CTAs) in your posts, such as “Check out the full recipe on my blog” or “Visit my website for more tips.” Use social media stories, live sessions, and posts to highlight new content on your site and provide sneak peeks to entice your audience.

By sharing your content, engaging with your audience, and encouraging site visits, you can build a strong online presence and improve your search engine rankings, ultimately expanding your reach and influence as a creator.

Read: Boost Your Sales With These 7 ChatGPT Marketing Prompts

8. Include links to your site on other websites

Backlinks from reputable websites can significantly boost your SEO. Reach out to other creatives, blogs, and online publications to feature your work and include links to your site. Guest posts and interviews are great ways to generate high-quality backlinks.

Backlinks 

Backlinks from reputable websites can significantly boost your SEO. These links signal to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy, improving your site’s authority and ranking. To build high-quality backlinks, reach out to other creatives, blogs, and online publications to feature your work and include links to your site.

One effective strategy is to collaborate with other creators in your niche. For instance, if you’re a food content creator, you could partner with food bloggers or culinary experts to create collaborative content. This could be a co-authored recipe book or a joint cooking video. These collaborations not only provide valuable content for both audiences but also include backlinks to each other’s websites, enhancing SEO for both parties.

Guest posts 

Guest posts are another excellent way to generate high-quality backlinks. Write articles or blog posts for reputable websites or blogs within your industry. Make sure that your guest posts offer substantial value and include a link back to your website, ideally within the content itself. For example, you might write a guest post on a popular food blog about “Know Your Nigerian Spices: From A To Z,” with a link back to your own site for more recipes and tips.

Interviews

Interviews are also a powerful tool for generating backlinks. Participate in interviews with bloggers, podcasters, or online magazines in your niche. Share your insights, experiences, and expertise, and request that the interview include a link to your website. For instance, a Nigerian food content creator could be interviewed by a local culinary magazine.

Additionally, look for opportunities to be featured in industry roundups or resource lists. These are articles or pages that compile useful resources, tips, or profiles from various experts. Being included in a roundup on “Top Nigerian Food Bloggers to Follow” or “Top Nigerian Creators” can provide valuable backlinks and expose your content to a broader audience.

When seeking backlinks, interviews or guest posts, focus on quality over quantity. Backlinks from reputable, high-authority sites are far more beneficial than numerous links from low-quality sites. Prioritise building relationships with well-regarded creators and platforms in your industry.

9. Be active in your community of creators

Engage with other creatives in your field. Being active in your community involves participating in forums, attending events, and collaborating on projects. These activities can significantly increase your exposure and provide more opportunities to share your content, thus boosting your site’s visibility.

For example, if you’re a writer, joining writer groups or attending book festivals can help you engage in meaningful conversations, answer questions, and share your knowledge. This not only establishes you as an authority in your field but can also drive traffic to your site when you include links to relevant content.

10. Be consistent

Consistency is key to successful SEO. Regularly update your site with new content, monitor your performance, and make adjustments as needed. Consistent effort over time will yield the best results and ensure long-term success for your creative business.

Monitoring your website’s performance is equally important. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track how your content is performing, identify trends, and spot any issues. Regularly check metrics such as page views, bounce rates, and average session durations to understand what is working and what needs improvement. For instance, if you notice that a particular blog post is getting a lot of traffic, consider creating similar content to capitalise on that interest.

Adjustments are part of maintaining consistency. SEO is not a set-it-and-forget-it process; it requires ongoing attention and tweaking. Regularly audit your website to ensure it’s performing well, fix any technical issues, and refine your content strategy based on performance data. For example, if you find that videos are driving more engagement than text posts, consider integrating more video content into your strategy.

Above all, a big part of a good SEO strategy is understanding the role time plays. SEO is a long-term game. Quick fixes and shortcuts can lead to penalties from search engines and harm your rankings in the long run. Instead, focus on building a solid foundation through consistent, quality efforts. Over time, this approach will yield sustainable results and help you achieve long-term success.

Let’s help you reach your goals. Take the first step to success.