How do you think search engines like Google ensure their customers receive the best information when they search online? The answer: search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the way in which search engines rank websites and ensure that users are directed to the most relevant, accurate, and up-to-date content on the web. But how does it work? Let’s take a look at this step-by-step guide to SEO to get you started on your own SEO campaign!
SEO from Scratch
To understand how search engine optimization works, we must first break down what SEO is. SEO is an acronym for search engine optimization. Since Google dominates over 70% of all search engines, let’s focus on optimizing our content to rank well in Google searches. It is a set of techniques designed to improve your website’s visibility in search results. This includes organic search results (displayed as natural or earned listings), as well as paid search results (displayed as sponsored listings). If you don't optimize your site for search engines, you won't show up on these lists — meaning fewer people will see your site's content. As a result, you'll have less traffic coming to your site and fewer opportunities to convert that traffic into leads or sales. The ultimate goal of SEO is simple: get more people looking at your website!
The Importance of an SEO Agency
You may have heard about how important it is to invest in search engine optimization, but if you're new to internet marketing it can be hard to understand what that really means. What kind of services do they offer? As you read more about the complexity of SEO, you'll start to realize just how important an SEO agency can be, especially if your business has a lot of competition. Marketing agencies bring expertise, experience and perspective that isn't always obvious at first glance—or even second glance.
Know Your Goals
By knowing your goals before you start, you can ensure that you optimize your campaign for success. Most small businesses’ first goal with search engine optimization is to increase website traffic—and it’s no wonder why. An increased number of visitors to your site leads to an increase in chances that customers will visit or convert into paying customers. But just because it’s a popular goal doesn’t mean it should be your only one.
If you don’t have an exact goal in mind, think about why you want to optimize your website for search engines. What do you hope to accomplish by doing so? Is it to attract more customers or create brand awareness, or are you trying to make money from affiliate marketing? To know your goals means knowing what types of keywords potential customers would use when searching for products or services like yours. These are all different types of goals that could help improve your business.
Optimize the Right Keywords
The first step in gaining traction with your organic marketing strategy is to optimize your site structure. Luckily, optimizing your site structure can be done one section at a time, starting with a few important sections like Homepage, Header Tags, Title Tags, and Meta Descriptions. The more optimized each of these sections are, the more likely you are to rank high in search engines like Google.
Choose the Right Keywords
If you’re serious about getting more online traffic, then choosing keywords that have high search volumes makes a lot of sense. After all, it’s not enough to just write content—you also have to reach potential customers. And in order to do that, you need your content to show up when someone searches for your product or service on Google. For example, if you own a tech firm and want people to find your business when they search for 'tech business San Diego', then that keyword phrase is one of your best bets. In fact, just one keyword with high search volume could get you tons of relevant traffic (provided you have relevant content).
Build Links Between Your Website and Other Relevant Sites Online
Link building used to be simple. However, search engines have changed dramatically over time. In order to get good links from relevant sources, you have to research potential link partners by looking at their profiles on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. If you can't find any information about them online, don't worry about it - many of these agencies will build links for you as long as they see that your website has high value in its niche. For example, if your company sells hair extensions online at affordable prices, then a marketing agency should already know that you're a worthwhile partner since people who wear extensions frequently shop for extensions online.
Publish Quality Content Frequently & on a Schedule
Today’s consumers are internet-savvy. They know a business that doesn’t have a strong online presence isn’t credible or trustworthy. And if they see you haven’t posted anything new in months, they assume your business isn’t relevant anymore (or ever was). Make sure you have at least one new piece of content ready to publish every other day. Post it on your website, share it on social media, and make sure to promote it with some marketing automation software (just for good measure).
Promote Your Blog Posts with Social Media, Email Marketing, & More
One of today’s most underrated marketing strategies involves letting people know about your content. Whether you work for a marketing agency or own your own business, it’s important to do what you can to promote your company's products and services. This may mean writing regular blog posts on topics relevant to your business, setting up email campaigns for current customers, or sharing articles that mention you in social media. With smart planning and consistent effort, anyone can boost their brand's exposure with digital marketing efforts—no matter their background or level of experience.