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Search engine optimization is and will always be an important factor for any business’ success. Although there is not one definition of it, SEO is popularly known as an activity or practice that helps make a website easy to find in search engine result pages like Google’s. It uses different strategies and techniques such as utilizing words or phrases that are relevant to a topic, issues, or whatever it is that the website is offering.
Basically, SEO is about making sure website quality is topnotch so audiences/readers get the value they want every time they visit. It is knowing, understanding and making sure they get what they are looking for.
With efficient and effective search engine optimization strategies, web traffic will slowly increase and online visibility will improve. As such, more and more people will become aware of a business’ products, services and whatever else it has to offer.
SEO specifically focuses on creating targeted content, using keywords and phrases, inbound links and backlinks, among others. Additionally, it also takes into account the way search engines work, particularly the algorithms that affect how search engines behave. Likewise, it also considers the things that users search for as well as which keywords or phrases they type in the search engine search box.
The overall goal of search engine optimization is to help a website rank higher in search engine results pages. This can only happen if the website gets a regular load of visitors—the more, the better.
What is a search engine?
In order to better understand how SEO works, it is important to learn more about search engines. What is a search engine?
A search engine is like an answer machine-it has all the answers to the questions you want to ask. It acts as a retrieval system for information. It uses a computer system in looking for relevant information and the results of the search are known as hits.
In search engine optimization, a search engine goes through all content and then checks all these to determine which ones are relevant. What a search engine actually does is crawl and index-discover-all content found on the internet. Once this initial phase is done, it then proceeds to arrange everything according to how they rank—which ones are the most relevant and which ones are the least important.
The basic components of search engine optimization
There are basic elements that help make SEO simple and easy.
Keyword optimization
A search engine optimization specialist will tell you that keywords are a goldmine in SEO. Keywords are all about the terms used in an article. These terms are chosen to match what the target readers or audiences are searching for. As such, keywords help make articles easier to crawl and index because they answer to what readers are looking for.
However, there are times when article become stuffed with too many keywords. This is called keyword stuffing. Posts like this may get flagged by Google because it’s a sign of a low-quality article. Google prefers to see semantic keywords, which are high-value keywords that readers use when they usually talk about or discuss a specific word, term or issue.
The most important thing to remember about keywords is that they should be related to the topic. This means they should include related words/terms.
Articles that want to rank high on search engine results pages (SERP) need to have a good strategy for keyword optimization. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the keywords and then use Google to do keyword research.
Likewise, using programs or apps like Google’s Keyword Planner can be a great help.
Meta description
Search engines, especially Google, like meta descriptions. This short description of what an article or content contains is somewhat like a summary intended to generate reader awareness and interest. In a way, meta descriptions also work as advertisements. They come out on Google search results just below the website title.
It is important, however, to make sure meta descriptions are not keyword stuffed. Overstuffed ones might not get a good CTR or click-through rate, which means they do not encourage a lot of readers to click.
Keyword in titles or title tags
Another important element of search engine optimization is placing keywords in titles. This is what title tags are all about.
Titles should have the right keywords so search engines can properly analyze them. The ideal placement for keywords should be at the beginning of the title. This will help Google to immediately pick up or detect content relevance.
Title tags and keywords, however, are not the only important elements. It is also important to come up with good, compelling headlines—ones that really pique the interest of and encourage audiences to engage with the article or content.
Good, honest, relevant and well-written content
Content is king. Anyone in the SEO industry will tell you that. So, even if you have good keywords, titles and meta descriptions but fail miserably in giving readers and audiences what they are looking for in terms of content, the article won’t matter
High quality content means it talks about issues relevant to the topic, it is targeted to the chosen audience or readers, it is well-written, has the right sprinkling of keywords and uses meta descriptions and title tags. The ideal content should not have more than 1,600 words.
Content types also matter. Product reviews and lists are two of the most attractive content for majority of readers. Product reviews provide a lot of details about the featured product. Lists, on the other hand, are interesting, light and easy-to-read.
These are four of the most important basic principles of search engine optimization. If you do not want to work on your own on this, the best option is to hire search engine optimization services. They’re well-trained, so they’ll know what to do.
What to avoid
Just as there are things to do, there are also things that need to be avoided when doing SEO.
- Make sure you are creating content for your audience, not for Google or any other search engine.
- Avoid using SEO tricks just to ensure high search engine rankings. Stick to SEO rules. As such, never employ black hat SEO, which are strategies and techniques that are intended to trick search engines.
- Do not play with your audience. Treat them like your treasures because without them, your website won’t have anywhere to go.
- Do not copy other websites. Make yours as unique as it can possibly be; don’t be a copycat.
- Avoid keyword stuffing. Choose your keywords wisely.
Why use SEO?
There are many search engine optimization benefits. Here are some of the most important ones:
- Good SEO helps you build your brand. With your strong online presence, your website will attract a huge audience and then eventually build up a solid and specific market. Additionally, it will be easy for them to identify your business and your name because you’ve slowly-but surely-built your brand using optimized content.
- More and more people will see you online because of high search engine results.
As your search engine results rank continues to increase, your website traffic will continue to improve….
An increase in website traffic also means increasing your chances of getting good leads. You’ll have more opportunities of identifying possible target customers. If you continue creating good and optimized content, your customers’ interest and they will keep reading your content. Eventually, this will lead to conversions, which means more profit for you.
- Good SEO helps you understand what your audiences want. This is an essential element in establishing a solid and trustworthy connection with customers. They want to be pampered and given what they need. They appreciate those who exert extra effort in ensuring their convenience and satisfaction.
Understanding who and what your customers are like will help you come up with better-suited marketing plans and campaigns.
- Most of all, good SEO is the best way for your target audience to find your website and then invite a regular stream of visitors to also try out what you’ve got.
The best thing about SEO is that it gives you more as the time goes on. Your investment can turn to gold over the years because your article’s value goes up, you’re also bound to get more dividends.
Search engine optimization is a big help not only to businesses but also to individual marketers. If you focus solidly on it, you can achieve favorable results in any given time-and even in the shortest, fastest period possible. With excellent strategy and good execution, SEO can very well help your business grow.
