SEO, also known as Search Engine Optimization, is crucial in a websites ability to rank organically in major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. You could have the best website in the world, but if it can't be found, no one will know it exists. Let's talk SEO.
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What is SEO?
SEO is an abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization. Be definition, SEO is the process of maximizing the number of visitors to a particular website by ensuring that the site appears high on the list of organic search results returned by a search engine. Organic search results are naturally generated results, not paid for ads.SEO helps to ensure your website is accessible to search engines and improves the chances your site will be clicked.
Why is SEO Important?
Internet users have proven that they are not likely to click through pages and pages of search results, in fact, only 10% of users will click past page 1. Where your website ranks in a search engine is essential for driving traffic to your website and the goal is to be at the top of the list on page 1 for the search terms you have defined. Page 1 placement is where 90% of Google traffic comes from, page 2 is 4.8%, page 3 is 1.1% and it goes down from there.
Organic search results get 90% of clicks. Paid for ads only get 10%. And among those clicks, the number one organic search result gets 33% of them - top three results together capture 61% of clicks. You can see where the importance of SEO comes in right?
"SEO is important! The number one organic search result gets a whopping 33% of clicks. Paid for ads only get 10%." Tweet this
What are my options to increase my search engine rank?
The most basic and easy to implement SEO techniques include adding page titles and page descriptions to your website. This information is coded into the HTML of each web page and is what shows up for the page title and page description in search results. Having quality page titles and page descriptions, that implement your search terms, helps search engines find your web pages and indicates what search phrases your website should show up under.
Link building also plays an important role in increasing ones SEO. Google sees sites with a significant amount of quality, inbound links as an authority in the industry they represent and a website they can trust to show in their results.
Acquiring back links from other websites will increase your SEO. The quickest way to get started on your own, is to list your website with reputable directory listing sites such as Yellow Pages or Angie's List. Your web developer may also be able to suggest directory listing sites that may be specific to your industry or target audience, such as Thumbtack.
Depending on your budget and your SEO goals, there are further options to increase your page rank. Significant time can be spent on researching and analyzing your website, along with desired search terms, website performance and competition within those search terms. These types of services are often part of a SEO campaign or an aggressive SEM, Search Engine Marketing, campaign to obtain that coveted number one spot. SEO may also require ongoing attention to achieve your goals.
What are SEO campaigns?
SEO campaigns are typically focused on a set of search phrases with the goal of increasing your page rank and appearing in your target audiences search results in one of the top 3 spots. There are a number of techniques that are implemented to boost your SEO based on your chosen search phrases within your website, social media, and directory listings.
How to choose and implement search phrases
For instance, if you are a hardware shop with a physical storefront, you may focus your SEO efforts on the search term "hardware store redmond washington" which is a common search term a user may enter into Google when they need hardware and are located near your store. You would not want to simply focus on "hardware store" and here is why.Your goal is to appear high up in the search results. Therefore, you need to ask yourself some questions. What might potential customers search for? What is your primary focus? Next, you need to do your research. Of the search terms you came up with, how many results are returned? Is there a lot of relevant competition in those search terms? You want to choose terms with the lowest number of results and ideally, low competition, which will increase your odds of appearing at the top of page 1.
Returning to our example, if you chose "hardware store" you would be competing with 157,000,000 results. If you chose "hardware store redmond washington" that number reduces to 186,000 results - much better odds. Also, by focusing in on a location you are increasing your chances of showing up in users results who will actually come to your store and make a purchase.
The final step would be implementing your chosen search term anywhere you hold an internet presence; your website, social media accounts, directory listings, and review sites. Often, an SEO report is be conducted 3 - 4 weeks after implementation. This report shows your ranks in search engines, website performance and other stats that may help indicate if there are areas that could further be improved.
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