What is SEO and How Does it Work?
A beginners guide to SEO
A Beginners Guide to SEO
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) might sound like a complicated, technical term, but at its core, it's simply the process of optimising your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When people search for products, services, or information related to your business, you want your website to appear among the top results.
Think of it this way: imagine a customer is looking for the best steak restaurant in their city. They will turn to their go-to search engine (Google, Bing, or another search engine) to find the local options. Having strong SEO ensures that your restaurant's website appears at the top of those search results, making it more likely to be clicked by hungry customers.
How Does SEO Work?
Search engines like Google crawl websites all across the internet using complex algorithms to index websites. These algorithms analyse several factors to determine the relevance and quality of each website. Some of the main factors that influence SEO include:
On-Page SEO: This is the optimisation of elements directly within your website's content and code.
Keywords: Choosing and strategically using highly relevant keywords throughout your website content (in headings, subheadings, image alt text, and the body text) is crucial.
Content Quality: Search engines prioritise high-quality, original, and informative content.
Technical SEO: This includes things like website speed, mobile-friendliness, and having a proper site structure. If Google can’t navigate your website, what chance do your visitors have?
Off-Page SEO: This refers to signals that search engines receive from external sources.
Backlinks: Inbound links from reputable third party websites to yours are a strong signal of authority and trust within y.
Social Media Signals: Engagement on social media platforms can indirectly influence your website's visibility.
Brand Mentions: Mentions of your brand or website on other sites and platforms can also impact your search engine rankings.
The Importance of SEO
There are numerous benefits of SEO for businesses of all shapes and sizes:
Increased Organic Traffic: Higher search engine rankings lead to more organic (unpaid) traffic to your website. When your website ranks at the top of SERPs, you’re likely to generate more clicks with a higher click through rate.
Improved Brand Visibility: Appearing prominently in search results enhances visibility of your brand.
Enhanced User Experience: SEO also involves improving website usability and user experience, which has benefits for both end users and search engines.
Competitive Advantage: Implementing effective SEO strategies can help you gain a competitive edge over your rivals by appearing ahead of them in search results.
Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to paid advertising, SEO can be a far more cost-effective way to drive long-term traffic and leads.
Key SEO Techniques
Keyword Research: Identifying relevant keywords that your target audience is likely to be using when searching for your products or services. Using tools like Google Keyword Planner to find high-volume, low-competition keywords can help you strategically select high quality keywords to prioritise.
On-Page Optimisation:
Title Tags: Creating compelling, keyword-rich title tags for each page of your website.
Meta Descriptions: Writing concise and informative meta descriptions that entice users to click through to your website from SERPs
Headings and Subheadings: Using relevant keywords in your headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure your content and improve readability.
Image Optimisation: Optimising images with relevant keywords in their file names and alt text. Compressing images to smaller file sizes will also positively impact SEO by maintaining quicker site loading.
Internal Linking: Linking to other relevant pages on your website to improve site navigation and distribute link equity throughout your site.
Off-Page Optimization:
Build High-Quality Backlinks: Focus on earning natural backlinks from reputable and relevant websites.
Engage on Social Media: Share your website content on social media platforms to increase visibility and brand awareness across wider online platforms.
Local SEO: If you have a physical location, optimise your Google Business Profile and ensure your website is listed on local directories for your services.
SEO is an Ongoing Process
SEO is not a quick, easy or immediate job. It's an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring, analysis, and adjustment. The SEO world is constantly evolving and keeping on top of changes to algorithms is important to help you maximise your organic return.
Track Your Progress: Regularly monitor your search engine rankings and traffic using tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics.
Stay Updated: The algorithms used by search engines to crawl and index websites are constantly evolving, so it's important to stay updated on the latest SEO trends and best practices.
Adapt and Adjust: Based on your data and own analysis, keep making necessary adjustments to your SEO strategy to improve your results over time.
SEO is a highly important aspect of any successful online marketing strategy. By understanding the basics of SEO and implementing these techniques, you can significantly enhance your website's visibility, attract a greater volume of organic traffic, and ultimately achieve your business goals.
Do you need an SEO expert to guide and implement your SEO strategy? Get in touch with us today and see how we can help!