A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization
What is SEO?
SEO stands for "search engine optimization." It is the art and science of optimizing your website, so when visitors browse for terms using search engines like Google and Bing, your site will appear.
Why is SEO Important?
It's not enough to have an attractive website these days. You have to develop and present your website content in such a way that Google can connect it to people searching. You have to optimize it- or make it optimal for those searching. The higher you rank, the easier it is for your visitors to find you. Therefore, SEO is essential for most as it is what drives traffic to your site. It involves activity that is done both on your website (on-site SEO) and off your website (off-site SEO).
On-site SEO
On-site SEO is all activity that you can add or modify to the website itself to improve its search engine ranking. This includes anything that involves your site's overall structure, code, keywords, and content. What's on and in your pages matters, because it's the map telling search engines exactly where visitors should go
- Ideal Content & Keyword Development
. Great content is key. But, just as important is what words your audience would typically use to find this content – or to find you! Research always needs to be done using Google's tools, not your fingers, to determine how your audience searches. Keywords can then be utilized and landing pages can be developed using Google's current best practices for ideal engagement.
Title , Description, Header, Alt Tag Infusion. Keywords have to be present andstrategically infused into site copy, titles, and meta-descriptions used forsearch . These keyword phrases function as road signs to help visitors get to their destination.
- Modern System Functionality. A fast, well-functioning website is important so it can be "crawled" by search engine robots and connect visitors to content. Systematic creation, with ideal naming and indexing, are critical pieces, that when not followed, can mean that your site (or parts of it) may never be found
. Sites need to be done right!
Off-site SEO
Off-site SEO looks at what you can do outside your website environment to raise your rankings. This type of SEO determines how authoritative and popular your site is online. Does your site have authority
- Link Development (quality, keywords, inbound numbers). When you're online, you're a part of the larger web of connections. The more connections or external links that come to you, the more relevant you are. In addition, when search engines see that searchers have found you and appreciate you, this reinforces your value.
- Trust Establishment (authority, history, SSL). Google likes sites that are stable, .urls that have a long history, and ones that follow recommendations for security. Elements such as having a Secured Socket Layer Certificate (SSL) installed that were once optional are now critical.
- Social Connections (reputation, shares/likes, links). Your social connections are key to an ideally optimized site. And, remember, that today's platforms such as YouTube and Facebook are also their own search engines; optimize your content on these platforms as well and always link back to your site.
This is just the tip of the iceberg to ideal optimization; there is so much we can do to improve your ranking and drive traffic to your website. Since search engines are continually updating their search algorithms, SEO best practices and tactics are always dynamic. Business Builders Marketing stays up-to-date on current algorithms and implements today's SEO best practices to gain ideal results. If you have questions about SEO or want to schedule a free web consultation, call today. 309-827-7977