Key Things You Need to Know About SEO

Ever ask yourself, “what does SEO stand for?” Do you find yourself staring blankly when your peers mention SEO? You’re not alone, and there’s no need to learn every nitty gritty detail all at once. This article well help you catch up by covering the basics of SEO.  

Let’s start from the beginning…

What is SEO and what does SEO stand for?

Imagine yourself as a hungry fisher in a sea of other fishermen and fisherwomen that are just as eager to eat. Your target is a certain species of fish – let’s say tuna. To ensure that you eat well every day, you’ll need to understand tuna’s behavior, schedule, whereabouts, diet and what drives them. By using proper timing, location and strategy, you soon learn how to distribute their favorite meal strategically. Your tactics help lead them away from the other fishers and directly to you. The more bait, the more tuna. 

In the marketing world, that is how SEO works. 

SEO stands for search engine optimization. Simply put, a search engine is a site used to find an infinite range of information, including businesses. As the word “optimization” implies, SEO is about doing everything you can to make sure your target clients find you when searching for similar businesses online.

Why does SEO matter?

The Power of Google.

According to SEOtribunal, Google accounts for over 90% of the world’s search engine market share. It has become such a staple in the search engine world that it is commonly used as a verb when describing an online search (ie. Google it!). Google is the new business directory and one of the most trusted referral systems. With over 63,000 Google searches per second on a daily basis, and with the average individual “Googling” 3-4 times a day, it’s difficult to dismiss the power of Google and other search engines.

What’s in it for you?

As you can imagine, the easier it is for people to find you online, the higher your chances of gaining clients and revenue. Your potential viewership is hard to measure. However, there is a major obstacle: the countless competitors that are also listed and found on Google and other sites. You will need to choose keywords that have a lower difficult score.

If used methodically, SEO can help your business stand out in an incredibly crowded space. When your SEO ranking rises, you could be found by more people that search for keywords associated with your business.

What is a SEO ranking?

If you’re a florist and you search for “florist near me,” you may find that certain businesses are listed on the first page.

Wait, where is your business?

These businesses are not there by coincidence or luck; they’ve likely been working on their SEO for quite some time. They are considered businesses with a high SEO ranking because of how easy it is to find them using a simple search phrase. 

How do you increase your SEO ranking? 

Now here is where SEO gets deeper. Your SEO ranking confirms your legitimacy and strengthens your credibility. It is based on a complex web of data that is constantly evolving. Since the purpose of this article is to give you a bird’s eye view, here are the most commonly used SEO tools for increasing your ranking:

Get keyword-savvy.

Sprinkling highly-searched keywords and phrases, that are relevant to your business, throughout your website will help boost your place in the search engine hierarchy. Including them in your landing page title, URL, copy and even blog posts will help kick up your SEO. If you’re willing to take it a (technical) step further, you can also use those words in your meta tags, internal and external links, and even in the file names of the images on your website.

Go beyond your website. 

Create a social media profile on every platform. List yourself on Yelp and other review-driven sites, such as TripAdvisor (if applicable to your business). If you have a good relationship with a vendor or client, ask them to recommend or refer you on their website. The more you make your company name known online, the higher your chances of elevating your SEO ranking.

Links, links and more links! 

Once you’ve put yourself “out there” on other consumer-heavy sites and social media, don’t forget to always include links that will direct people back to your website or a specific landing page. Not only will this increase traffic to your page, it will also add to your online presence. Throwing a link into your email signature and marketing emails also helps.

Localize your business. 

If you are a local business, attaching your location to keywords gives you a great advantage. Prospects that live near your business are low-hanging fruit. They will be inclined to become your customer if you’re not too far from them. In fact, it’s common for people to search for “[business] near me.” If you have an ice cream parlor, claim to be Seattle’s best ice cream or that your ice cream flavors are inspired by Seattle’s culture. By connecting “Seattle” repeatedly to your business, you will give yourself a better chance of popping up when searched for by Seattle residents.

What is an SEO agency and what does an SEO consultant do?

An SEO agency is a company that specializes in helping businesses grow their views and web traffic using SEO services. Much like a marketing agency or advertising company, their goal is to increase your sales. They utilize their own skills and knowledge to create a well-designed SEO plan for your business.

If your budget permits, hiring an SEO agency is a phenomenal way to boost your visibility. A good SEO agency, or SEO consultant, is an SEO analyzer that will include monitoring your progress and periodic reports in their SEO services. If you can, try to find a local SEO company that will better understand the market within your geographical area.

With technology continuously changing at an astonishing rate, SEO will continue to change and develop with it. But with a basic understanding of what SEO is and how it works, keeping your business flourishing will become increasingly effortless as time goes on.