We live in a world that is constantly connected. The internet has become the place where we go to find all types of information, but plenty of things go on behind the scenes to help deliver that accurate information.
This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. SEO can be a great tool for businesses and consumers alike, but it can be difficult to understand if you are new to the industry. This is especially true if the explanations are all given in marketing jargon.
So, to help, here are some basic explanations of SEO and how you can use it.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization is a method for boosting a company’s online visibility. But SEO is not just one technique; it is a collection of different best practices that anyone can use to help their website appear higher on search engine results (like Google or Bing).
Considering that the average consumer will go online to look at a company before they buy, it is pivotal for any business to try their hardest to show up on the first page of Google’s search results. Nowadays, this is how you can outperform your competition.
There are four main pillars of SEO: content optimization, keyword optimization, link building, and technical SEO, which all work together to optimize the website as a whole. Below is a breakdown of these four pillars.
Content optimization
Content is king when it comes to search engine optimization. Think of it this way: the only reason people are coming onto your page is so they can learn more about who you are and the products/services you offer.
So it makes sense that you create quality content which explains who you are and why any potential customer should choose you. The best thing about creating content for SEO is that your content can be versatile; marketing copy, blog posts, infographics, videos, or even social media posts all fall under the “content” umbrella.
Keyword optimization
Once you have the right content for your website, you need to ensure that you are being read by the right audience. This is where keyword optimization comes into play.
Keywords are the words that potential customers type into the search engine bar when they want to find a business. As a rule of thumb, a good keyword would be a word that describes your company, plus their location. For example, “HVAC provider in Brooklyn” and “Orlando SEO” are good keywords.
There are plenty of ways you can research what keywords to use within your content, depending on what demographics you’re trying to target.
Link building
Not all websites are created equally, and a good indicator of a website’s quality is checking which other websites are linking to them. There is a scale that measures the quality of websites, known as a domain rating (or DR).
When higher DR websites have a link to a lower authority website, they pass what many like to call “link juice.” The passing of this “link juice” causes the lower authority website’s DR to grow, as they slowly become seen as a higher trusted website in their field.
And if your website has a higher domain rating, it’s more likely to appear higher up on Google searches.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO comprises the web development side of a website. A website must have a good “back end” to be ranked well by Google, and technical SEO is meant to help. Some components of technical SEO include fixing broken links, adding HTML formatting, and ensuring the website is mobile friendly.
While SEO is much more complex than just these four main pillars, a good understanding of content creation, keyword optimization, backlink building, and technical SEO is a good start. With this information, anyone can be successful at understanding the world of digital marketing and SEO.
