Everyone has heard of SEO. However, if you are still unsure about what SEO is and how it works, read this guide to help you boost your website rankings and drive more traffic.
What is SEO
The abbreviation SEO stands for search engine optimization. You use it to help your content or website get a higher organic ranking on search engines like Google without using the pay-per-click method, also known as search engine marketing (SEM).
Therefore, SEO’s purpose is to get your content as high up on the search engine page when someone types in their search keywords.
On-Page and Off-Page SEO
The core of good SEO relies on a few equally essential elements: content strategy, technical SEO, and on-page and off-page SEO.
Content Strategy – Your content must match the searcher’s intent. Good content at regular intervals requires a good strategy.
Technical SEO – Google, where 75% of all searches begin, also has very high technical criteria. To meet these, you need to improve your website speed, security, crawlability, mobile-friendliness, indexing, structured data, etc.
On-Page SEO – One of the main elements of on-page SEO is the importance of including keywords in your pages and content.
Off-Page SEO – SEO success also depends on earning backlinks to your website or content. Of course, achieving backlinks requires a lot of work since it involves creating shareable content and relationship-building.
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How to Choose Between SEO or SEM for your Business?
SEM also uses keyword research as its starting point, just like SEO, but you create targeted campaigns to target audiences looking for services or products you sell. These ads can include search ads, shopping ads, display ads, Gmail ads, etc., to help your business reach its target audience.
The difference between SEO and SEM is the time it takes to see results. With SEO, you need to give it some time, whereas with SEM, you have better control over driving clicks and conversions. However, you pay Google every time a likely client clicks on an ad.
Similarities Between Paid and Organic Search
There are several similarities between SEO and SEM:
- Both improve your website visibility on search engines using targeted and optimized keywords.
- Both help drive more relevant and qualified traffic to your site.
- With both, you can get a better understanding of your audience.
- With both, you must continuously monitor and tweak to ensure long-term success and improved ROI. However, SEM is easier to test, allowing you to make changes immediately.
Which to Choose?
Several factors will determine the best one to use:
Your Specific Goal – SEM is a good choice for driving traffic to make sales, testing new offers, or giving a slow month a boost. SEO is the strategy best used to drive long-term growth.
Your Current Performance – Supplement strong organic visibility with SEM.
Your Margins – If you aren’t seeing business growth from SEM, paying high click costs doesn’t make sense. In this case, SEO can help drive much stronger returns.
Think of the Lifetime Value of Your Customers – If you find that with SEM, you have higher click costs for LTV (Customer Lifetime Value), then SEO and its lower LTV can be a better strategy.
How Does SEO Work?
Search engine use algorithms to look at the clues provided by searchers and to give precise results from web pages according to the keywords.
During the first step of the process, known as crawling, search engines discover pages with the desired content by following links they have already found. Moreover, these web crawlers constantly check previously visited pages for updates and changes.
In the next stage, indexing, the search engine decides whether the information it has crawled is worth using. Those pages with unique and valuable content get placed in the index. Therefore to ensure indexing, you need to provide original, high-value content that is easy to crawl and has inbound links.
Finally, search engines carry out the most crucial step of ranking content. A successfully crawled and indexed site will get ranked according to the 200+ ranking signals used by search engines.
What Is an SEO Strategy?
Google often tweaks its SEO algorithm, but a good SEO strategy that includes using relevant keywords, creating high-quality content, and having valuable backlinks are part of a good one.
Here are some of the most vital points to remember:
Avoid Black Hat SEO
Black hat SEO entails using dubious tactics. Avoid them and their very short-term results to ensure your site doesn’t get blocked. Some black hat tactics include buying links, keyword stuffing, and duplicated content. On the other end of the scale, white hat SEO takes longer but will provide your business with the desired results for many years.
Use the Right Keywords
Use a tool to help you find your topic’s most relevant keywords. As we have repeatedly written, don’t stuff your content with keywords, ending up with content that makes no sense. Instead, use them sparingly and in the correct context, ensuring you provide your audience with what they want.
HTML and Site Architecture
The SEO marketing puzzle requires careful attention to details like title tags, headers, meta descriptions, and alt text. These tell Google more about the content readers can expect to find on your website.
Additionally, you must have a functional site that’s easy to navigate and loads quickly; otherwise, Google will find it hard to navigate and index.
Website Safety Features and Trust
A website with features like SSL certificates and HTTPS will rank better. However, remember that you also need to win the trust of your audience by showing a perfect level of professionalism.
Links
Links are built and not bought, so build links on sites within your niche. It takes effort and time, but the results will pay off long term.
Social Media
Combine your SEO marketing with social media to boost your ranking – it is amazing what social media shares can do for your business.
Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness
Otherwise known as EAT, it is one of Google’s most important criteria to evaluate your content.
Create Your SEO Strategies with Bold Solutionz
As you can see, SEO is time-consuming and ever-evolving. However, as SEO professionals at Bold Solutionz, we can help you apply the correct formula and best practices to your marketing strategies. We can help you monitor and ensure long-term improved SERP rankings for your website and increased traffic for your business.
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