If you are new to the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), the whole thing can be quite confusing with all the terminologies, concepts, and whatnot. If you feel this way, it is nothing to be ashamed of. All the experts that you know of started just like you and see where they are today. That means you can equally do the same thing; all you need is a nudge in the right direction. That is what we seek to provide you with.
In this article, we will share with you some SEO basics you need to know as a beginner. We are sure that after going through this article, you will be able to build on the knowledge you gain here to become the expert that you have always dreamed of becoming.
Without further ado, let’s get started…
What is Search Engine Optimization?
Search engine optimization is the process whereby a website is optimized to ensure that it ranks high in a search result and can get more organic traffic. In other words, this process allows your website to become more visible whenever people run online search queries.
The origin of SEO can be traced to the early 90s. In those days, it was a new concept and not integral to marketing. However, these days, your marketing strategy is not complete without the implementation of search engine optimization. As a result, this industry is experiencing steady growth daily.
Search engine marketing is the general term given to all the activities used to generate more traffic to a website via the use of search engines. This includes search engine optimization and pay-per-click (PPC) optimization.
The major difference between PPC and SEO is that the former is paid for while the latter is not. In other words, you pay to rank higher when you choose to employ the PPC strategy. On the other hand, search engine optimization doesn’t involve any kind of payment but the use of tools to grow a website to the point where it naturally ranks higher in the search results.
Internet users make use of search engines when they look for something online. The website that best answers that query is shown and ranked as number 1. This is why one of the techniques used in the industry is the use of keywords or key phrases.
Due to Google’s dominance as the best and well-known search engine, most of what we regard as search engine optimization is actually Google optimization. Hence, most of the focus in the industry is on how to optimize your website to rank high on Google.
As a business owner, irrespective of what you sell or the services you offer, you need to employ SEO strategies.
Important Factors Necessary for a Successful SEO
One of the reasons many people get tired of this process is because of the numerous components and techniques involved. It is good to know all these things especially if you want to be an expert in the field. However, you don’t have to know everything before you can get your website to rank high on Google.
All you need are the most important factors. When you get a good grasp of these factors, you can then learn about the others. You will have to implement these factors to understand them better which will, in turn,help you gain expertise.
So, what are these important factors? Here they are…
1. Technical Matter
The thing is you can’t shy away from technical aspects of this industry no matter how much you try. These technical aspects are a must-know and they serve as the bedrock for the entire process. Hence, you should cover this aspect. You can go to Queens SEO company you can find out more about the technical aspects of SEO.
2. Quality Content
Knowing all the technicalities is not enough if your content ends up being poor. You need to know that the content is what is beneficial to internet users. They don’t get to see the technical things you have done. They can only rate what they see which is your content.
Hence, your content plays an integral role: If your content quality is low, it equals low or no ratings.
3. Excellent Backlinks
High-ranking sites thrive on backlinks. This is what gives your website the authority it needs to rank high. If you have the technical aspects covered and great content, but low authority, your website will still rank lower than a website that has little technicality and average content, but high authority.
Hence, you should work on getting more backlinks to your site as this is the final ingredient required to ensure your SEO yields the results you desire.
Common Terminologies
No industry can exist without their unique jargon and this industry is no different. Therefore, below are some important terminologies you need to know as you continue on your journey to becoming an SEO expert:
1. On-page SEO
This refers to all the activities done on your website which involve technical content optimization. It includes:
- Keyword research
- Title tag optimization
- Content optimization
- Internal linking
- Page performance optimization
2. Off-page SEO
This refers to all the activities involved in getting excellent backlinks to boost the website’s value and authority. The techniques used here include:
- Email outreach
- Guest blogging
- Broken link building
3. White hat SEO
This deals with all the acceptable and ethical techniques and rules laid out by Google’s Webmaster that are used in search engine optimization. Click here to read the Google Webmaster Guidelines. This strategy is usually long-term based.
4. Black hat SEO
As you might have guessed, this refers to all the unethical practices that are used to boost a website’s ranking. In most cases, these techniques are spammy and are short-based with the goal of getting you to the rank high very quickly.
However, as a result of the breach of the set guidelines, these websites end up being banned or penalized by Google.
Conclusion
The above is just an introduction to the world of search engine optimization. If you want to know more, you’ll have to do a lot of research and even take some online courses. Look for free materials online and get the paid ones as well if you can afford them.
