Natural referencing How can I optimise my SEO?

Natural referencing: How can I optimise my SEO?

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Switzerland is an attractive market for online businesses. With a population of over 8.5 million and a very high purchasing power, this country offers great potential for increasing your online visibility and sales.

However, successful SEO in Switzerland requires a specific strategy and a good knowledge of the local market. The rules of Swiss SEO differ in some respects from those of international SEO.

How can I optimise my SEO in Switzerland in 2023?

In this comprehensive article, discover the best advice and practices from How to optimise my SEO or natural referencing in Switzerland in 2023.

Target local search engines

Although Google dominates the Swiss market by a wide margin, with a 95.% market share, it's essential to optimise for local search engines too. Here are the engines to target as a priority:

Optimise your SEO for Google Switzerland AKA Google.ch

Google Switzerland (google.ch) remains the key search engine to target first. It accounts for the vast majority of searches.

Make sure you analyse your positions on your specific target keywords on google.ch.
Results pages can vary between Google.com and the local Google.ch version. It is therefore crucial to optimise for the Swiss market.

You should also keep a close eye on news from Google Switzerland to detect any algorithm changes early on.

Submit your site to Search.ch

Search.ch is the 2ᵉ most used search engine in Switzerland. Although it only represents 2 % of market share, it can bring in significant additional traffic.

This engine, created by Swisscom, indexes Swiss sites (.ch) and local content particularly well. So it's well worth optimising your search engine optimisation on Search.ch.

Analyse your positions on targeted keywords and track your traffic from Search.ch.

Target the Swissinfo.ch engine

Swissinfo.ch is a search engine dedicated to news and information in Switzerland. Although it only represents 0.5 % of market share, it can bring in highly qualified traffic.

If your content deals with topics related to Swiss current affairs, optimise your presence on Swissinfo.ch. This specialist search engine attracts a relevant readership.

Reference your articles and analyse your positions for queries related to Swiss information.

Other niche engines

Other local search engines can also complement your SEO strategy in Switzerland, including :

  • Search.ch general-interest search engine owned by Tamedia
  • Local.ch: search engine specialising in local searches (restaurants, shops, etc.)
  • Comparis.ch: a popular price comparison engine in Switzerland
  • Anibis.ch: an engine specialising in classified ads

Although more niche, these engines can generate additional relevant traffic depending on your sector of activity.

Translate your site into national languages

Switzerland has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. To reach as many users as possible, translate your site into the three main languages:

German

German is spoken by around 63 % of the Swiss population. It is the main language in most of the country.

At the very least, translate your home page and your most important pages into German. Ideally, create a complete version of your site in German.

Write content that is optimised for German keywords to improve your visibility.

French

French is spoken by 23 % of the Swiss, mainly in the western part of the country. It is the 2ᵉ language in terms of native speakers.

Translate your pages into French or create a French version of your site if possible. Write content that is optimised for French-speaking keywords.

Italian

Although less widespread, Italian is spoken by 8 % of the population. Italian is an essential language in Ticino and certain cantons.

To reach the Italian-speaking market, have your main pages translated into Italian and target keywords in that language.

Optimise your content for local keywords

How can I optimise my SEO without analysing the keywords and making a marketing plan around them? Choosing the right keywords in each language is crucial to improving your SEO in Switzerland.

Here are a few tips:

Identify search intentions

Start with an in-depth analysis of the queries made by Swiss Internet users in your sector of activity.
What are the main questions and intentions behind their research? What problems are they trying to solve?
Targeting these intentions will enable you to create content that is perfectly in tune with what your readers are looking for.

Use the right keyword research tools

You can use tools such as :

  • Google Keyword Planner: search for keywords and estimate search volumes
  • Übersuggest: find ideas for long tail keywords
  • SemRush: find out what keywords your competitors are using
  • Answer the Public to identify frequently asked questions

Compare search volumes and select high-potential terms.

Optimise the keywords in your content

Include your targeted keywords naturally in your titles, domain names, URLs, ALT tags, meta descriptions, etc.

Include keywords in the content itself, respecting a density of 1 to 3 %. Vary the wording to appear natural.

Analyse the competition

Study the keywords on which your competitors are already well positioned and identify complementary niche queries.

Avoid over-optimising hyper-competitive words and focus on longer keywords that are relevant to your niche.

Test and iterate

Test different keyword variations: singular vs plural, compound words, spelling, synonyms, etc. Analyse the results and keep the best-performing terms. It's a continuous process of optimisation.

Quality content for better natural referencing

The quality and added value of your content are crucial to your SEO success.

Here are a few best practices:

Provide complete information

Swiss Internet users are above all looking for practical, in-depth and honest information on a given topic. Create comprehensive guides, detailed FAQs and tutorials that will answer their questions perfectly.

Build on expertise and exclusivity

Contribute your unique expertise in the form of advice, case studies, analyses, etc. Produce articles that don't yet exist elsewhere to offer original and exclusive content.

Adopt an appropriate writing style

Write your content in a clear, simple style. Have your translations proofread by native speakers for an optimised result.

Insert visual and interactive elements

Illustrate your articles with images, videos, quizzes, tables, infographics and so on. This will increase engagement and your natural referencing.

Update regularly

Obsolete content is punished by Google. Check and update your old articles regularly and update content that has changed in the meantime.

Ask your audience

Carry out surveys or studies to identify the expectations of your Swiss readership. Then produce content in response to these needs.

Get backlinks from Swiss sites

How to optimise my SEO without getting backlinks? Impossible, because backlinks are the fuel of natural referencing. For optimum SEO in Switzerland, obtain backlinks from quality .ch sites, preferably related to your business, for greater impact on your search engine rankings. natural referencing.

  1. Create partnerships Swiss websites: Approach Swiss websites that are complementary to your theme to propose collaborations. You can exchange guest articles or content links.
  2. Write guest articles Offer to publish blog articles written by you on target sites. Make sure they add value for readers.
  3. Sponsor events Become a sponsor of Swiss events in exchange for a backlink on the event website.
  4. Social networks : Interact and place backlinks on the profiles of popular social networks in Switzerland such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and any others that are relevant to your business.
  5. Local directories and portals : Submit your site to Swiss web directories. Publish content on authoritative local portals.

Optimise for conversion

To turn your traffic into customers, optimise your pages to encourage visitors to convert.

  1. Test your landing pages Create dedicated pages for each keyword with appropriate wording, offers and CTAs. Test several variants.
  2. Improve your calls to action Test the wording, size, colours and placement of your CTAs (Call To Action) to maximise your conversions.
  3. Reduce distractions : Remove any obstacles to conversion: limit distractions, speed up loading, minimise steps, etc.
  4. Insert elements of trust Add consumer reviews, guarantees or certifications to reassure web users and encourage them to buy. Important information to answer your question: How can I optimise my SEO in Switzerland?
Natural referencing: How can I optimise my SEO?

How to optimise my SEO for mobile

The majority of searches are carried out on mobile devices, so check the user experience on mobile and tablet devices.

  1. Optimise the mobile experience With more than 80% of Swiss searches carried out on mobile devices, it is vital to optimise for these devices and to have a responsive website.
  2. Check the loading speed Test the loading speed of your pages on mobile and compress your images if necessary. The loading time should be < 2 sec.
  3. Choose a responsive design Your site must be perfectly adapted to all mobiles, tablets and computers to offer an optimal experience.
  4. Simplify navigation Display a mobile-friendly menu as soon as the page is loaded. Include an internal search engine and a site map.
  5. Optimise forms Make your forms easy to fill in on the go. Enlarge the size of fields and buttons.
  6. Allow calls and clicks Enable clicks on phone numbers and call buttons from the mobile version.

Keep abreast of news and algorithm updates

The algorithms of Google Switzerland differ slightly from those of Google.com. Follow the news specific to Switzerland to react quickly to changes. This is one of the most important elements that will help you answer your question: How can I optimise my SEO?

  1. Keep a close eye on the Google Switzerland blog News from Switzerland : Google will publish all the latest news about Switzerland on this blog. Subscribe to be kept informed of changes.
  2. Consult local specialist websites Websites like Searchmetrics and Netidee analyse in detail the evolution of Swiss algorithms. You can also follow our blog where we share tips on how to make your website perform.
  3. Read local SEO forums : Forums such as seoswiss.ch or webmaster-fr.ch cover SEO news in Switzerland.
  4. Ask the positioning tools : Tools such as SEMrush or Ahrefs alert you to major fluctuations in rankings.

Analyse and test continuously

To make the right decisions, analyse your SEO indicators in Switzerland in detail:

  1. Keep track of your positions Track your positions on targeted keywords to detect progress or regression.
  2. Measure traffic trends : Look at the evolution of traffic from search engines to measure the impact of your optimisations.
  3. Analyse visitor behaviour Study the bounce rate, page views, customer journey, etc.
  4. Optimise your conversion rates : Accurately measure your conversion rates by keyword to identify high-potential pages.
  5. Test changes Test new keywords, content, pages, etc. and keep what works best.

Have your SEO audited by our Web agency greeNative

In addition to your in-house actions, have an SEO audit of your site carried out by an agency like ours, which has a perfect command of optimisation in Switzerland.

We will analyse in detail all the technical and content factors influencing your visibility in Switzerland.

We'll provide you with a list of priority optimisations to put in place to boost your traffic and conversions.
Investing in a professional Swiss SEO audit will save you precious time and help you avoid mistakes that could damage your search engine optimisation.

How can I optimise my SEO in Switzerland?

In conclusion, although the Swiss market is highly competitive, it offers great opportunities for visibility for websites that are prepared to make an effort to optimise locally. How can I optimise my SEO in Switzerland?

By following these tips for adapting your SEO strategy to the specific characteristics of Switzerland, you'll maximise your chances of success in the country. Take the time to carry out an in-depth analysis of the Swiss market, optimise your site from top to bottom, and produce quality content that fully meets the expectations of local Internet users. A rigorous approach, a good knowledge of the terrain and constant efforts to improve will enable you to reach the first pages of the Google.ch !