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What is SEO | Short Guide

Learn what Search Engine Optimization(S.E.O) is and how it plays a big part in long-term, consistent website traffic.

Written By: 

Erick Leon

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What is SEO: SEO Expert Introduction

Many people wonder what search engine optimization even means or how SEO can help your website land on the first SERP(search engine result page). Search Engine Optimization refers to the process of increasing your site's probability of popping up on the first search engine result page(SERP) on Google or Yahoo. No matter the size of your business, SEO is a digital marketing tactic you can't afford to ignore. An SEO expert helps come up with an SEO strategy and SEO content plan. With a great understanding of SEO basics and SEO techniques, an SEO specialist will be able to deliver quality content with relevant keywords that ensure a high search engine ranking. Whether you create your own content or get an SEO service you must first understand the SEO basics, SEO factors, and the purpose of SEO marketing.

What is SEO: SEO Purpose

The purpose of SEO is to get curious customers on your website and increase its organic traffic. These customers are usually unaware of your product or service. A great SEO strategy will anticipate the questions or interest a potential customer might have that's relevant to your business. People usually start by asking a search engine like google, a question.  Google's algorithm then takes that questions and looks for the most relevant search result. The search engine then takes the top website pages and puts them in a ranking based on many SEO factors. These SEO factors include:

- Relevant Keywords

- Local SEO proximity

- Backlink

- Inbound links

What is SEO: Target keyword

One SEO technique that's essential in every piece of content is keyword or key phrases. Increasing the use and frequency of keywords helps google's algorithm and every search engine connect potential customers with your content faster.  People don't look for companies, they look for solutions. With a good understanding of your target market and keyword research, an SEO expert can quickly suggest SEO content that has a high probability of ending up on the first search engine results page (SERP). What happens when people come across your business on their search result? Well, you get more clicks which leads to an abundant amount of benefits. Although keywords are a crucial part of a great SEO strategy, they aren't everything.  A great SEO expert knows that a good keyword is just the beginning. If you want SEO marketing that works, the next step is producing valuable, high-quality content.

What is SEO: SEO efforts

In order to take full advantage of your SEO efforts, you must understand what's involved in a high-quality piece of SEO content. SEO content that keeps people engaged naturally increases your search engine results page(SERP) ranking over time. Some key things Google's algorithm and many other search engines rely on besides keywords are:

Word count:

Most often, the longest form content wins. If your competitors have a 500-word article, you need to make a 1000-word article. Make sure your SEO writing isn't all fluff either. The best content is long and provides the most in-depth information about that topic.

Local SEO:

If someone types "near me" or is in a highly competitive geographical location then some search engines like Google's algorithm will always put the local businesses first on the search engine results page(SERP) usually by the maps. This is very hard to beat especially if you don't physically have a location there.

Backlink or inbound links:

When other people or businesses have a link to one of your website pages that is called having a "backlink" aka "inbound links". These inbound links help your website's SEO by telling Google's algorithm or your preferred search engine that your website is credible and should be trusted. This is because each and every backlink is a vote of confidence from every single website page that isn't your own. Great SEO content will be high enough quality that others will want to link to it as a reference on their website. PROTIP: Did you know that posts and reposts on social platforms like Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter all count as a backlink for your website? This means anytime someone posts with a link to your site it counts as a backlink.  

What is SEO: SEO Benefits

Nothing has more potential to boost your brand value than strong SEO. When prospective customers find you online, they learn about your products or services and become aware of who you are in the marketplace. As your company gains exposure and recognition, you might find that customers start coming to you first when they need your type of product or service. That's brand value at work!

Improve Your Organic Search Results

When you get better rankings for your site, you get more organic traffic, which means more visits from searchers who clicked on your business link on a SERP. This organic traffic is often more valuable than paid search results because people don't have to pay for it; they come as a direct result of your SEO work. Your company is also less likely to get filtered out in the long run, which means you can save money and build brand awareness at the same time.

What is SEO: Benefits

Building a brand takes time; building awareness takes even longer. However, if you're lucky enough to rank high on the search engine results pages for something that highlights your brand, you'll gain more awareness in a short time than you ever could with paid ads and without all the costs. As your company gains traction, people will talk about you and share the link to your site with their friends and social media contacts.

Improve Your Business's Reputation

Your business's reputation is at stake when you ignore SEO. Customers, clients, and prospects are more likely to research you online than in person or over the phone. In other words, what people see online is what they'll think of your company - good or bad. If negative information is available about your brand in the SERPs, it can have a really undesirable impact on your business. Using SEO techniques to get a good ranking ensures that people are more likely to find positive information about your company online. This improved reputation will do wonders for your business!

Increased Revenue

More customers, more conversions, and increased brand value all translate to more revenue for your business. Why? These things boost your company's goodwill with consumers, which in turn makes them more likely to purchase from you when they're ready.

SEO isn't simply about getting "found" online; it's also about turning that traffic into customers.

Boost Business Growth

In the long run, the more you boost your company's search engine rankings, the faster you'll grow. People will stumble upon your content because maybe there was a keyword in your meta description. As your content gets discovered it will be posted about on social media which starts link building.  Sometimes you will be a solution to a problem people didn't even know there was a product or service for. Your business grows as well as your page SEO content is.

Enhanced User Experience

SEO isn't only for businesses; it's also good for users. When you get better rankings for your site, you give users a better online experience because they can quickly find what they want. Visitors will be more likely to stick around and explore when they don't have to wade through loads of unrelated content or hunt down the information they need to make a decision. Instead, they'll want to come back to your website again and again.

Get the Most Out of SEO

SEO is a lot like building an attractive house - your results won't be that great unless you're willing to put in some work. The more effort you put into optimizing your site, creating content, building links, and other tasks that come with SEO, the higher your site will rank. If you really want to see great results and get more people clicking on your website in search engine results pages, you need to put in some work. There's no way around it; if you want results, you have to work for them.

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