So you’ve probably heard of SEO – or else you wouldn’t be here. But there are so many questions surrounding the concept of SEO: what is it, do you need it, and how do you even get started with it? It can be overwhelming to dig through all the information.
Luckily, you’ve come to the right place for the answers!
Today, you’ll learn all about what SEO is, and why it is the key piece that’s missing from your marketing strategy.
You see, you can have the best product, the best service, or the best blog content of all time…
And no one will see it.
Unless you master SEO, that is. So…SEO: what is it exactly?
Let’s dive right in.
SEO: what is it?
What is SEO? SEO stands for “search engine optimization.”
But just the name alone doesn’t explain what SEO is as a concept. So let’s imagine a scenario.
You need a new product for your house, or a service for your business.
What’s the first thing you do? YOU GOOGLE IT.
Then, Google gives you a list of results related to your search query, and you can proceed with your research or purchase.
SEO is the process of ensuring your business shows up on that first search engine results page (here-on-out referred to as “SERPs).
Because, and this is important, more than 75% of people do not move past the first page of search results.
That means whether your website is sitting on page 2, 3, or 23, it is as good as INVISIBLE.
So again…what is SEO? SEO is visibility for your business. It is the art of ensuring you are linked with the exact right-fit customers, and that they find you over your competitors every time.
And it should be noted that this is FREE organic traffic. SEO does not use pay-per-click ads, costly Facebook ads, or any other paid media to achieve this.
So then, how do you use SEO to get on page one of SERPs?
How does SEO work?
All search engines from Google to Bing use bots to crawl each and every page on the web. As a bot visits a page, it collects information about it and puts it in an index. You can think of this index like a massive library covering every topic under the sun.
So…how does one find a book in this library?
Well, special algorithms are used to analyze each page in the index, taking over 200 factors and signals into account to determine where (and in what order) these pages and websites should be arranged.
These ranking factors include:
- Content quality
- Readability
- Site speed
- Number of broken site links
- And much, MUCH more.
The ranking factors help catalog every page so that (still using the library analogy) when you type a term into the database search bar, you will only be given the book titles that best match your query.
SEO is the process of optimizing a website so that you rank well for all those factors – essentially allowing you to choose exactly where you want to go in that database.
And when it comes to the Google database, you want PAGE ONE.
So how do you get there?
Well, there are a bunch of methods that SEO strategists use, and these tactics fall into two main categories: white-hat and black-hat.
What is the difference between white-hat and black-hat SEO?
White-hat SEO uses honest and trusted ways to rank higher on the SERP pages. In this post, we will be covering exclusively white-hat SEO tactics.
Black-hat SEO tactics are shady ways you can trick the search engine’s algorithms into ranking you higher. Some examples of black-hat tactics include:
- Using hidden text (such as text that is the same color as your web page background) to target keywords
- Paying for inauthentic links from other websites
- Using misleading redirects
- Keyword stuffing to the point that it hurts readability
- And creating duplicate content on your website (multiple pages with very few changes between them)
While you may see good search engine rankings for a while, if you choose to use black-hat SEO, what is it going to do to your website in the long run?
It’s going to get you blacklisted.
If Google catches you using black-hat SEO tactics, you can be banned from the search engine altogether. And, since Google accounts for more than 90% of all web searches, you REALLY want to avoid that.
So ESPECIALLY if you are new to the world of SEO, and even once you’re a total pro, we strongly recommend the use of white-hat SEO tactics. These SEO best practices are tried and true methods to help you dominate the SERPs.
These SEO practices are broken down into three key components: On-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO. Let’s take a deeper look at all three.
On-page SEO: what is it?
On-page SEO techniques change the way search engines – and readers – view your content.
Of course, search engines don’t read your page the way a person would. And, when they comb through the HTML code of your page, you can use special tags, headers, and keywords to help the crawlers to better understand and rank your content.
Keywords are the bread and butter of on-page SEO. You can use SEO tools to do keyword research, which will show you exactly what terms your customers are searching for – and how many people are searching for those terms.
This is not only helpful in writing your on-page content – it can even completely inform your marketing strategy.
You can then choose unique and relevant keywords for each of your web pages, following keyword best practices. This primary keyword should also be used to construct metadata for each and every page on your site.
What is metadata? When you type a query into Google, you get a list of results on the SERPs. These results consist of blurbs about each web page, and this is the metadata. Metadata consists of two main components: a clickable blue title (known as a meta title or title tag) and a meta description.
If you’re following SEO best practices, your title tag should be 55 characters or less, and ideally contain the name of your company at the end. This title explains the content of your web page, and should contain the primary keyword for that page.
The meta description should be a catchy blurb or summary of your content that entices the reader to click into your page and learn more. This description should also contain the page’s primary keyword, and shouldn’t be longer than 155 characters – or Google will cut it off.
Of course, keywords and metadata alone aren’t enough for successful on-page seo. What is it that you need to do in addition?
Well, for one, you need to make sure your content is easy to read and understand. AND that it is genuinely helpful to your readers. To make your site easy to read for search engines, you should be including headers (H1, H2, H3) to make an index for crawlers to follow.
You also want to provide new content on a regular basis for your readers, and use a solid linking strategy.
When you work on link building, you should use both internal links and external links.
Internal links are links to other pages or articles on your own website.
External links are links to reputable websites and scientific articles.
Using links helps build up the authority of your website (so long as you aren’t linking to any of your competitors!)
All together, these on-page SEO strategies provide clear and helpful information to both search engines and readers – and help build trust in your content.
Over time, this will work wonders to boost your rankings.
Of course, on-page SEO is only one small piece in the puzzle. You also need to put in work off-page.
Off-page SEO: what is it?
As the name suggests, off-page SEO refers to things happening outside of your website that affect the way it ranks. Off-page SEO is sometimes trickier, as it relies on the cooperation of outside players.
The more people who link to, or share, your content, the more reputable you will seem to Google crawlers. And, therefore, the higher you will be ranked by the search engine algorithm.
For effective off-page SEO, you want to earn links to your site from relevant or reputable websites (called backlinks), and get your content shared across social media platforms.
The best way to earn a large number of backlinks is simply by creating high-quality, useful, and enticing content that people will want to share!
But if you are looking for some other ways to improve your link building strategy, you can reach out to other blog owners about guest-posting, or ask a company for press coverage of your business.
There are also a few things you can do to directly boost your off-page SEO, like linking any of your personal sites to your business website, and ensuring your business is accurately listed on review sites like Google Business Profile or Yelp.
And, there is one more way you can boost your rankings: technical SEO.
Technical SEO: what is it?
SEO improvements that don’t fall into on-page or off-page SEO are all lumped into “technical SEO.” These often have to do with the backend code of your website.
Technical SEO tactics include:
- Fixing any broken links
- Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly
- Optimizing images in the correct size and format
- And boosting your site speed
In short – creating a good user experience
All three types of SEO (on-page, off-page, and technical) are all crucial in creating an effective SEO strategy for your company.
But, once you master SEO, what is it going to do for you, exactly? Let’s answer the question: “What is SEO in business terms?”
SEO: what is it used for in business?
What is SEO in business? It’s EVERYTHING.
Because frankly, if your company doesn’t appear in search results, it doesn’t exist in the eyes of consumers.
Whether you have a brick-and-mortar store or an ecommerce shop, SEO will help your target customers gain awareness of your business and its offerings.
Let’s face it, no matter who your customers are – most of them are shopping online. And it’s your job to decide the best way to reach them. Which is where the marketing debate comes in – do you swing for paid advertising, or push for organic growth?
And how do you achieve organic growth for your company? Let’s take a look at organic vs paid advertising, and how SEO fits into the mix.
Organic vs paid advertising
Paid advertising offers visibility to many companies online. Ads can appear on social media feeds, or at the top of SERPs. Of course, when someone clicks your paid ad, you pay for it.
And, if someone clicks on a link to your website through organic search results, it’s absolutely FREE. What’s more, around 70 perfect of clicked search results are organic, not paid.
That means most users prefer to click organic links over paid ones.
That doesn’t mean paid advertising isn’t beneficial.
Paid ads are a fabulous advertising tool, and are your best bet for promoting a flash sale or seasonal offering. PPC is also a good way to gain instant visibility, which could be important for new businesses.
Because what is SEO in business when you’re first starting out? It’s a waiting game.
That’s because SEO takes time.
Many people expect immediate results when they invest in SEO, but optimizing your website and blog content won’t change your rankings overnight.
In fact, when you get started with SEO, it can take up to a few months for you to see a change in your rankings. So don’t feel discouraged that SEO doesn’t work if you haven’t put in the time.
SEO will be more beneficial and cost effective to push for organic growth in the long run, but in the meantime, PPC advertising is a wonderful tool to support your SEO strategy.
That’s the key here: support.
Because in the end, SEO is worth the wait. Which is why 75% of businesses are already investing in SEO – and you don’t want to get left behind!
Why SEO is fundamental to organic growth
How often do you click an ad when you are scrolling through social media? If you are scrolling through your feed, and being bombarded with pictures of vintage armchairs can feel like a nuisance and distraction more than anything else.
But if you are actively searching for a vintage armchair on the other hand, you will be thrilled to find the exact product you need.
Which is why organic SEO is better for your business than paid ads in the long run. Not only will you have better visibility, but you will have more trusting and happy customers who will return to buy your product or service again.
Because when you provide your customer with exactly what they are searching for, and the exact information they need about it, you can win that customer for life.
And, thanks to keyword research tools and Google Analytics, it’s easy to know precisely what terms your potential customers are looking for, and in what volume.
SEO allows you to specifically target the needs of your potential customers, and meet them exactly where they are at in the marketing funnel.
It can also help you understand your clients better, so you can use a tone of voice, images, and messaging that makes them feel understood on a deep level. If clients feel a connection with your business, they will be more likely to make a purchase or recommend you to others.
SEO is what helps you tap into the potential just waiting in the trillions of search engine queries each year.
And, once you know which search terms to target, your content will bring your customers straight to you, without having to pay for a single ad.
You’ll have to put in some hard work up front with keyword research and content creation, but then your website will start to sell itself while you go about your day, or focus on making a new product or service offering!
Of course, SEO isn’t just great for e-commerce. For example, what SEO is in business may look very different if you are a copy or content writer.
Learning how to get started with SEO as a writer can completely change your career.
Why SEO is important for digital marketers and content writers
As a writer, SEO is an invaluable skill to have in your toolset. Being versed in SEO means you can charge much higher rates for your content – rates that you can back up with measurable results.
It also helps improve your writing. Data from SEO helps you understand the target audience of your articles on an intimal level, so you can craft your copy in a truly compelling way.
You also will KNOW that your content will perform well – every time. No more writing content in the dark that no one will end up reading. You can pitch topics and strategy that are destined for page one of Google – and you can bill that content accordingly!
Having a successful SEO case study portfolio can make a huge difference in your content/copywriting career. It opens doors to big-name companies, and will make struggling to find clients online a thing of the past.
Master the world of SEO strategy
Whether you are a CEO, small business owner, marketing strategist, or blogger, understanding SEO strategy can make or break your business. If you want to learn more about SEO, what it is, and how it can boost organic growth, you’re in the right place.
I’ve been an SEO marketing consultant for years, and now I’m letting you in on my secrets. I’m giving you the SEO blog template that I used to grow my site traffic to 10K monthly visitors – for ABSOLUTELY FREE.
Anyone can learn SEO, and frankly, everyone should! And once you do, you’ll have the blueprint to business success.
