Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of making websites more visible to search engines through optimization techniques such as making content more easily found through organic searches and complex algorithms used by each search engine to index web pages and rank them for visibility. Each search engine employs its own algorithm.
SEO can be a complex subject. In this article we cover its fundamentals – Keywords, On-page optimization and Link building will all be addressed.
Keywords
Keywords are words or phrases people type into search engines to find information, making them one of the most vital parts of an SEO campaign and should be carefully considered prior to posting any online content.
Selecting the ideal keywords can make generating traffic to your business an effortless process. When selecting keywords, make sure they accurately reflect what people are searching for; avoid broad or too narrow categories – for instance “electric bicycle” would likely not cover all potential users that might be looking for it.
Google’s Keyword Planner can also be an effective way of selecting keywords. It will enable you to determine search volume and competition for each keyword while providing related search term suggestions – making this particularly effective when it comes to long-tail keywords, which typically have lower search volume but account for 70% of all searches.
On-page optimization
On-page optimization refers to the practice of improving both the content and structure of a website to increase search engine rankings. This encompasses various techniques, such as optimizing meta tags, writing relevant title tags and descriptions, using keyword-rich URLs, structuring content appropriately and making sure all images and alt text have captions or alt texts as well as improving internal linking structures on-site.
Title tags are an effective on-page SEO signal that help search engines and visitors understand the relevance of a page. It is best practice to include both target keywords as well as an informative yet captivating description in the title tag for optimal performance.
Meta description tags are an on-page SEO signal designed to attract searchers to click your listing, encouraging searchers to visit your listing. When writing the meta description tag for each listing, be sure to include targeted keywords and a call-to-action within it, along with a descriptive sentence which sums up its content. Including targeted keywords as alt text images is another key aspect of on-page optimization.
Off-page optimization
As a rule, pages with numerous backlinks tend to rank higher in search results, as off-page optimization helps search engines evaluate relevance and trustworthiness of pages more effectively as well as assess popularity and traffic numbers for the page in question.
Off-page optimization remains essential in today’s digital marketing climate, even as SEO best practices change and adapt. It includes title tags, content marketing strategies, social media management services and influencer outreach – in addition to techniques that make websites more user-friendly.
Off-page SEO refers to everything done outside your website in order to increase its ranking on search engine result pages, from blogging and guest blogging, to forum participation or commenting, or creating content for platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Off-page SEO activities can help e-commerce businesses build online exposure while simultaneously raising brand recognition; but it should be remembered that off-page SEO alone will only ever represent half the equation.
Link building
Link building is a key part of any SEO campaign. Links help search engines understand what your site is about, as well as affecting how well it ranks in search results. There are various tactics and strategies you can employ when it comes to building links, but the key to successful link-building lies in creating high-equity links.
High-equity links are critical in helping your website rank well in search results, providing it with a crucial vote of confidence from search engines and giving it a significant ranking boost. The best way to secure high-equity links is to produce valuable, popular, and relevant content for readers to interact with and link back to.
Link building requires time and effort. To avoid violating Google’s guidelines and create natural links that stand up over time, any manipulative tactics are strictly forbidden; such as buying links. In order to promote organic growth, use these five proven link-building tactics instead.