So, you’re ready to get your Kenyan business truly visible online?
That’s Great!
You now know that you need to be on Google, attracting customers who are searching for your offer.
That’s even better!
But the whole SEO Kenya thing can sound like some complicated university course, right?
Usijali! Relax!
I got you!
Getting started with SEO in Kenya doesn’t have to be a headache.
Think of it like learning to drive.
At first, it seems like a lot, but you start with the basics, practice step by step, and before you know it, you’re cruising down Thika Road with confidence!
This is your no-nonsense guide to taking those essential first steps in SEO for your Kenyan business.
We’ll break it down into simple, actionable steps – no tech jargon, just practical advice to get you moving.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Get Started with SEO in Kenya
Ready to start your SEO journey and watch your online visibility grow?
Don’t worry, you don’t need to become a tech guru overnight!
You can bookmark this page so you can always reference it. It has everything you need.
1. Arm Yourself with the Right Free Tools
Before you start building, every expert needs their tools, right?
Luckily, some of the best SEO tools are absolutely FREE!
Of course, most SEO experts in Kenya opt for paid tools since they offer more.
But if you are just getting started with SEO for your Kenyan business, free tools will greatly help.
There are tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics that are must have for any Kenyan business looking to grow their SEO.
Apart from that, you need premium keyword research tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush if you are conducting extensive SEO research.
But for beginners, I recommend free SEO tools like Keyword Surfer and Keyword Everywhere.
Curious about other tools you can use?
I break down the best free SEO tools for Kenyan Businesses to get you started.
2. Keyword Research 101: Thinking Like Your Customer
Now that you have armed yourself with the right tools, let me show you how to use them effectively to grow your business through SEO.
Keywords are the foundation of SEO.
The next step is to determine the actual keywords your potential Kenyan customers use when searching for businesses like yours.
Here’s a simple approach:
- Brainstorm Like a Customer: Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal Kenyan customer. If you were looking for your product or service online, what would you type into Google?
- Think about what you sell: For example, you may be selling ‘women’s ankara dresses’, ‘car tyre repair’, ‘accounting services for SMEs’
- Where you sell it: Be specific to ensure you reach the right people. For example, ‘nairobi’, ‘mombasa’, ‘kenya online’
- Problems you solve: You want to relay what you can do as directly as possible. For example, ‘fix slow laptop’, ‘plan wedding budget’, ‘remove stains from clothes’
- Questions customers ask: Now, here is where things get interesting. Visualize what your customers often ask, like ‘how much does [product/service] cost?’, ‘where to find [product/service]?’, ‘best [product/service] in [location]?’
Once you follow these steps, write down a big list of these phrases – these are your initial keyword ideas!
Of course you can start finding the keywords you want to rank for directly using SEO keyword tools.
This approach ensures you create content for your customers, instead of content you think your customer wants.
After this, you can now use your keyword tools!
Take your brainstormed list and plug it into those free keyword tools we mentioned
These tools will show you:
- Search Volume: How many people are actually searching for these keywords each month in Kenya (or globally). Focus on keywords with decent search volume, meaning people are actually searching for them.
- Related Keywords: These tools will also suggest more keyword ideas you might not have thought of, often uncovering hidden gems!
- Focus on Long-Tail Keywords for a Quick Win: Don’t just target very broad keywords like ‘shoes’. Go for long-tail keywords, longer, more specific phrases like ‘comfortable running shoes for women nairobi’ or ‘best price men’s leather office shoes kenya’. Long-tail keywords are often less competitive, easier to rank for, and attract customers who are further down the buying process, meaning they are more likely to convert!
Now, if the terms above sound confusing, don’t worry I got you!
Read this detailed guide on What is SEO in Kenya.
I define all the common SEO terms and even some advanced ones.
📜Tip: If you find a keyword that you believe has potential in ranking, USE IT. I can’t count the number of times I have used keywords with zero search volume that ended up bringing in lots of traffic and leads.
3. Content is King – Create Value for Kenyans
Once you know your keywords, it’s time to create content that attracts people searching for those terms!
Remember, good SEO is all about providing value.
If you take away only one thing from this article, let it be this!
So, how do you provide value for your customers?
- Answer Questions, Solve Problems: Think about the questions your Kenyan customers have related to your products or services. What problems do you solve for them? Create content that directly answers these questions and provides helpful solutions.
- Start a Blog or Resource Section: A blog is a fantastic way to regularly create fresh, keyword-rich content. Write articles, guides, tips, and stories that are relevant to your audience and your business. If a blog feels like too much, start with a simple FAQ section on your website or a ‘Resources’ page with helpful downloads or links.
- Mix Up Your Content Formats: Don’t just rely on text! Use images, videos, infographics, even audio (podcasts!). Consider what type of content works best for your audience and is easily accessible in Kenya, taking into account data costs and mobile usage patterns. Short, informative videos or visually appealing infographics can be very engaging, especially on mobile.
4. Make User Experience a Priority – Website Love!
Google cares about user experience, and so should you!
A website that’s frustrating to use will hurt your SEO.
Focus on these basics:
- Website Speed: No one likes waiting forever for a website to load, especially on mobile in Kenya. Utilize tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to assess your website’s speed and receive recommendations on how to enhance it. Optimize images by compressing them and turning them into WebP format. You can do this with a free WordPress image optimization plugin like EWWW Image Optimizer. Or you can optimize your images manually with my favorite tool Squoosh App from Google. apart from that, use website caching. Remember to choose good web hosting, as this also affects SEO greatly.
- Mobile-Friendliness (Mobile-First is Key in Kenya): Make absolutely sure your website looks and works perfectly on smartphones. Use a Mobile-Friendly Test tool like SmallSEOTools to check. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, make it a top priority to fix it!
- Easy Navigation: Make it easy for visitors to find what they need on your website. Use clear menus, logical website structure, internal links, and a search bar if you have a lot of content. Think of good website navigation like clear road signs, helping people get where they want to go without getting lost!
- Clear Calls to Action (CTAs): Tell people what you want them to do on your website! Use clear and compelling calls to action like ‘Contact Us Today’, ‘Shop Now’, ‘Learn More’, ‘Get a Free Quote’. Make it obvious how visitors can take the next step.
5. Track, Analyze, and Keep Learning – SEO is a Marathon, Not a Sprint!
SEO is not a ‘set it and forget it’ thing. It’s an ongoing process of learning, testing, and improving.
- Regularly Check Google Search Console & Analytics: Keep an eye on your Google Search Console and Analytics data. See which keywords are bringing you traffic, which pages are performing well, where you’re seeing improvements, and where you might be falling behind.
- Track Your Keyword Rankings (Manually or with Tools): Keep track of where your target keywords are ranking in Google search results. There are tools that can automate this, or you can even do some manual checks from time to time.
- Stay Updated on SEO Best Practices: SEO is always evolving as Google updates its algorithms. Follow reputable SEO blogs, resources, and maybe even consider taking an online SEO course to keep your knowledge fresh.
- Be Patient and Persistent: SEO takes time to show results. Don’t expect to reach Page 1 overnight! Focus on consistently implementing best practices, creating quality content, and providing a great user experience. Over time, with consistent effort, you will see your SEO pay off and your Kenyan business grow online!
What Metrics to Track
As you have seen, tracking is one of the most important elements of any good SEO campaign in Kenya.
Remember, every business in Kenya is different. So what I track may not be necessary, what you track.
But here are the basics website metrics to track in Kenya.
- CTR (Click-Through Rate): Imagine your website shows up in Google search results 100 times, and 10 people click on your link to visit your site. Your CTR is 10%. CTR is the percentage of people who see your search result and actually click on it. A higher CTR indicates that your titles and meta descriptions are compelling and relevant.
- Bounce Rate: This is the percentage of visitors who land on a page of your website and then leave without interacting further, such as clicking to another page or filling out a form. A high bounce rate can indicate that your page isn’t relevant to what users are searching for or that your website isn’t engaging.
- Dwell Time: This is how long people spend on your webpage before going back to the search results page. A longer dwell time usually indicates that users find your content valuable and engaging. Google uses dwell time as a signal of user satisfaction.
- Organic Traffic: This tells you how many people are visiting your site through unpaid search results. You can track this using Google Analytics. If your organic traffic is going up, your SEO efforts are likely working. It’s one of the clearest signs that your visibility in search engines is improving.
- Keyword Rankings: This metric shows where your site ranks in Google for specific keywords. You can track your rankings using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or even Google Search Console. If your rankings are climbing, you’re doing something right with your content and backlinks.
- Pages per Session: This tells you how many pages a visitor views on average during one visit. It’s a great indicator of how engaging and well-structured your site is. If visitors are exploring multiple pages, it means your content is pulling them in and your internal linking is on point.
That’s It! By following this 5-step process, you can elevate your Kenyan business with SEO. No fancy tools. No jargon and LinkedIn-like bravado.
Just practical and patient SEO tactics.
Need Some Help?
Now, I understand that SEO Kenya is not for everyone. After all, you are a business person looking for clients, not an SEO expert trying to figure out Google’s latest algorithm changes.
That’s where we come in.
At AM Digital KE, we handle SEO so you can focus on running your business.
Whether you need better rankings, more traffic, or just someone to make sense of all the data, we’ve got you covered.
The best part?
You can start with our free SEO analysis to show you exactly what you need.
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