SEO or search engine optimization is a process in which websites optimize their web presentation in order to get a higher ranking in Google search results and search results in other browsers. Of course, Google is the leader in setting the rules of what it means to have good, first-page worthy content – see more about that here.
Over time, they have changed their algorithm and made it so that only the best articles, the most useful ones, can get up there.
But it’s not all about the written word either. SEO has rules for web design, loading speed, popularity and so on. It’s a framework with several guidelines and different stages.
Why does SEO matter?
SEO is a complicated subject and people often want to give up because of its complexity. In those moments, they wonder why this is necessary and if it could be avoided. But the truth is, it’s crucial and it can’t be missed.
Search engines serve the people, not websites. They need to deliver the most valuable content at the right time to the right place and only a selected few can get to the consumer. People are always looking for answers through googling, and you have to present the best one in order to win this game.
And why does it matter which spot you take on the search results?
Well, because 65% of people click on the first five links only. This means that your chances of success and reaching people depend on being one of those five businesses or websites. You also have to deliver a good presentation when people arrive at your website. If it’s poorly designed and hard to navigate, your ranking will suffer.
At the same time, if you overload your page with heavy items and it loads slowly, that lowers your ranking too. Plus, most users won’t wait for a slow website to load. Search engines also place high value on mobile friendliness, especially after their update which made it extremely hard for websites that are not designed for mobile to reach that first page.
Users place a lot of trust on the search engine, and they won’t question the answers it provides. This is why search engines have a strict policy that can penalize or ban anyone who doesn’t respect it.
But SEO is not just for them, it’s also good for you. As a set of guidelines, it can be used to control and standardize the content on your website, especially if produced by multiple authors. It can also give you a boost ahead of your competitors and attract more customers to your page.
Of course, optimization is complicated for beginners. There’s so much to learn and so much to apply. And after all, it’s not a one-and-done thing. You have to keep improving, keep applying the rules and changing your strategy after each update.
There are three types of SEO, so to speak:
- Technical which ensures that the search engine crawlers can find your website and index you without running into problems.
- On-site which means applying the optimization rules related directly to your website in order to make it appealing to search engines and audience
- Off-site which means promoting your pages in order to get better rankings in the search results
Let’s start with technical optimization.
It doesn’t have much to do with the actual content on your website, but more to do with the settings on your own site. As covered already, it’s all about creating an environment that the crawlers can easily find and index. Crawlers are bots sent out by the search engine to check out websites, simply put.
Once you do it properly, you will most likely not have to change it again. This is a static part of the process. But, if done poorly, it can affect your entire website ranking.
This is the part where it’s usually best to call in experts, since it’s so important.
The next part would be the on-site SEO where you optimize your content and everything else on the pages of your website.
This part is supposed to signal to the crawlers what your site is all about, what the context of what you do is. They won’t read the page like your audience, but rather just go over it to find its meaning.
On-site optimization includes finding keywords, creating good titles and headings, building internal links, optimizing images, structuring data and so on. You can see more on SEO Expert Lists Top 4 On-Page Optimization Tips. If done well, you will get the credibility you need, and a high usability score.
This is the part that you could do yourself if you are extremely knowledgeable about this subject, but it’s often best left to a professional as well.
Finally, your off-site SEO is a process which relates to promotion, link-building and so on. It’s a really important part of the process, and one you will have to repeat constantly to stay on top.
What this essentially means is that you are trying to build authority by showing the crawlers that you are a valuable, useful source of information. And there are many ways to do this.
Why is this important?
Well, when someone googles something, the algorithm will show the best pages to get the answers. One of the most important factors they take into consideration is the number of links pointing to your site. To search engines, backlinks mean trust – you are trustworthy enough that other websites are including you in their content.
While they can be excellent when done well, performing this aspect poorly can doom your website and your ranking. For example, if your backlinks come from websites that have bad reputation or have been penalized in the past, your ranking can shrink. It’s risky because you can’t always be sure what that website will do.
Also, if you think that this is easy to solve by paying for the links, putting them in various directories and farms, Google could penalize you and your ranking will fall.
So, in essence, it’s best to perform optimization according to the guidelines and with a professional than to make a mistake and harm your ranking.