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What Is SEO - Search Engine Optimization?

Sam Weil

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve most likely heard of SEO.

But what exactly is SEO, and why is it important to businesses?

In this article, we'll break down the basics of SEO and provide you with practical tips to improve your website's online visibility.

What is SEO and How Does it Work?

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). 

The goal is to make your website as relevant and valuable as possible to the search engine algorithm so that it appears higher in the search results when someone types a search query into a search engine like Google.

SEO takes into account several ranking factors, including:

  • Keyword relevance 

  • Quality and relevance of website content

  • User experience and website performance

  • Links and backlinks

  • Social media engagement

The 4 Types of SEO 

There are four main types of SEO:

1. On-Page SEO 

  • This refers to optimizing your website's content, HTML, and structure to make it more search engine-friendly. 

  • On-page SEO includes keyword research, title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and internal linking.

2. Off-Page SEO

  • This refers to optimizing your website's external factors, such as link building and social media engagement (think YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook engagement).

  • Off-page SEO focuses on increasing your website's authority and credibility in the eyes of the search engine algorithm.

3. Technical SEO

  • This refers to optimizing your website's backend infrastructure, such as website speed, mobile responsiveness, and XML sitemaps. 

  • Technical SEO ensures that your website is easy for search engines to crawl and index.

4. Local SEO

  • This refers to optimizing your website for local search results. 

  • Local SEO includes optimizing your Google My Business profile, getting listed in online directories, and using location-specific keywords.

How to SEO Your Website

Now that you know the different types of SEO, let's dive into how to optimize your website for search engines:

1. Conduct Keyword Research

  • To identify the most relevant and valuable keywords for your website's content, use keyword research tools like Semrush or Ahrefs.

  • You can also use Google search to see what queries are actively being searched and have a high search volume.

  • Filter between top-sales funnel and bottom-sales funnel keywords. Understand that some keywords are purely informational, while others have more commercial intent.

2. Optimize Your Content

  • Insert the target keywords into the content of your website, such as title tags, meta descriptions, and headers, and then internal link your content to your other relevant blog pages.  

  • If you want to rank for a specific keyword, enter it into Google to view the top ten results. Take note of the headings, subheadings, and target keywords for which each article ranks in the SERPs. This will help you develop a content map for your own website.

3. Build Quality Backlinks

  • Focus on building high-quality backlinks from other reputable websites in your industry.

  • You can use tools like HARO to connect with relevant publications and apply to write articles in your niche for those websites with high domain authority and ranking.

4. Engage in Content Marketing

  • Create valuable, high-quality content that will attract and engage your target audience.

  • This includes not only writing blog posts but also setting up a Facebook page, a Twitter profile, an email newsletter, and a YouTube channel to share your expertise.

The Main Goal and Objectives of Using SEO

The primary goal of using SEO is to rank higher on search engine results pages, which increases the visibility and credibility of your website. 

SEO's three main goals are increased visibility, traffic, and conversions. 

You can attract more organic traffic and increase your chances of converting visitors into paying customers by optimizing your website for search engines.

This means you can use less cold outreach and paid marketing strategies to acquire customers, which will save you a lot of money in the long run. 

What Makes SEO Successful? 

Successful SEO is based on several key factors:

1. Quality Content

  • Create valuable, engaging, and relevant content that's optimized for search engines and human readers.

  • Use tables, graphs, personal experiences, and custom graphics to make your content standout.

2. User Experience

  • Focus on creating a seamless and intuitive user experience, including website speed, mobile responsiveness, and ease of navigation.

  • You can test your page speed here.

3. Mobile Optimization

  • Optimize your website for mobile users, including responsive design and mobile-friendly content.

4. Local SEO

  • Optimize your website for local search results, including Google My Business profile optimization.

5. Meta Tags

  • Use descriptive and relevant meta tags, including title tags and meta descriptions.

6. Search Intent

  • Focus on understanding the search intent of your target audience and creating content that meets their needs.

  • If you want to generate conversions, focus on writing content targeting longer-tail keywords with lower search volume but higher commercial intent to increase lead conversion rates.

7. Google Algorithm 

  • Keep up with the latest updates to the Google algorithm and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly. You can view the updates here.

How to Create SEO Goals

Creating realistic SEO goals is important for any business with an online web presence. 

Here are a few tips for setting SEO goals:

1. Analyze Your Current Traffic

  • Use website traffic analysis tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics to understand your current traffic levels and identify areas for improvement.

  • Figure out which pages are getting the most traffic and rank on page 1 or 2 of Google. Understand click-through rates (CTR) and how best to increase them in the SERPs with article title changes, etc.

2. Set Specific Objectives

  • Set specific objectives for increasing website traffic, improving rankings, and increasing conversions.

  • For example, an objective could be to increase organic traffic by 25% within the next 6 months.

3. Establish a Timeline

  • Set a realistic timeline for achieving your SEO goals. In most cases, it takes a brand new website 6–8 months to fully rank for a keyword on the SERPs.

4. Track Progress

  • At a minimum, create an Excel file with columns for the article or page title, meta description, URL, publishing date, target keywords, and the date of the last edit.

  • You can also track backlinks, keywords gained or lost, and domain ranking with tools like Ahrefs.

Maximizing Your Website's Potential with SEO

In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for the success of any business.

By implementing effective SEO strategies, you can improve your website's online visibility, attract more organic traffic, and ultimately increase your revenue.

In this article, we’ve covered:

  • What is SEO, and how does it work?

  • The four types of SEO

  • How to SEO your website

  • The main goal and objectives of using SEO

  • What makes SEO successful?

  • How to create SEO goals

Whether you're a small business owner or a website owner, SEO can help you achieve your business goals and stay ahead of the competition.