SEO
What is Search Engine Optimization
Google processes 2 trillion searches a year, so you may ask how do I get my business to rank higher on Google? SEO is one of the most talked-about conversion factors online because it’s one of the best investments a business can make if done well. Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a strategy of increasing visibility online. Visibility online is often measured by traffic, which has a direct impact on a business’s success. Traffic is determined by a page’s Search Engine Ranking. What leads to a better ranking, you ask? SEO is where it all starts.
How Does SEO Work?
SEO strategies can be divided into two categories: On-Site and Off-Site. On-site strategies are what you might think of immediately. This is because they are factors that a business can directly control. Off-site SEO is a collection of strategies to improve your ranking through external means.
On-Site SEO
Keywords
Keywords are relevant to website ranking because they affect what kind of searchers will come across your page. Understanding your target audience will determine what kinds of keywords your website will prioritize. After you’ve researched what keywords will be the most valuable, they will be incorporated into your website URL, title tags, image alt text, and website content.
Website Content
Content is a top-ranking factor when it comes to a website’s ranking. Creating high-quality content that’s fun, and easy to read (for humans and robots) will make a significant difference in a website’s ranking. Implementing keywords, consistent structure, and length are all elements that come into play when a search engine is grading your website’s performance.
Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions are the HTML elements and physical text that appear when a search is done. Title tags help search engines categorize your website, and thus affect the probability of your site appearing when there’s a search for your goal keywords.
Meta descriptions serve as advertising copy for the viewer. Although it’s a small section, high-quality meta descriptions have been shown to improve click-through rates. Title tags may be the hook, but meta descriptions reel the consumer in.
Meta descriptions serve as advertising copy for the viewer. Although it’s a small section, high-quality meta descriptions have been shown to improve click-through rates. Title tags may be the hook, but meta descriptions reel the consumer in.
URL
A website URL should reflect your keywords and categories and be as straightforward as possible. A clear URL tells the searcher, as well as the search engine, what your website is about. Including keywords in your URL has the potential to improve website visibility. This is not limited to home page URLs. The URLs of your interior pages can contribute to ranking as well.
Internal Links
Internal Links are the pages within a website. These often lead to pages about a business’s products or services and resources for website visitors. These links exist for the user’s ease of navigation and provide a consistent structure that allows the search engine to register interior links. Once a search engine registers these internal pages, each page lends its ranking power to the website as a whole.
Image Alt Text
Alt text, short for alternative text, appears in place of an image in case the image file fails to load for the user. Not only does this help visually impaired users by describing the image, alt text also helps search engines read images on your site. So far, search engine crawlers are incapable of “seeing” images, so having alt text helps them understand the image and its intent, then categorize it accordingly.
Page Speed
A website that takes forever to load is a surefire way to cause frustration. Having a page that loads quickly and efficiently is a good way to please both users and search engines. Load time, or page speed, is one of the biggest measurable conversion factors in determining a page’s conversion rate.
Off-Site SEO
SEO with Second Nature
It’s okay if you need to take a breath. Take a lap, we’ll be here when you’re ready. Digital marketing best practices change constantly. It can be understandably overwhelming for a business to ingest and address Google’s latest algorithm. At Second Nature, we understand the hard work and dedication that it takes to run a business, which is why we don’t take for granted the trust businesses place in us to manage their marketing efforts. We take a hands-on approach to understanding our clients and representing them accordingly online. If have questions about SEO or are looking for a partner in growing your business, give us a call today at 888-772-4393.
FAQ
Google isn’t the only search engine, but since it accounts for about ¾ of all traffic on the internet, it’s the big fish. Google places emphasis on the user experience and prioritizes websites that give searchers exactly what they are looking for. The metrics of Google’s page experience scores can be found in their 2021 announcement and give businesses a clue into what changes need to be made on their website. What isn’t mentioned in the metrics is how users currently interact with a page. This can be addressed by publishing quality content on your website.
Start optimizing your website for search engines by developing your ideal customer profile. Your business should address this profile’s needs. Your website needs to understand their needs, search queries, and preferences on your website. Then format your website to address Google’s search engine ranking factors.
The cost of SEO is determined by a business’s market. The competition for a product or service influences how much work goes into ranking well on a search engine.