SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can be defined in many ways, but the easiest way is that it involves optimizing content so search engines can more easily discover it and display relevant results. This can be accomplished in various ways including creating unique URLs for each piece of content (especially products, services and articles), using keywords in page titles and adding keyword-rich snippets into search engine results pages.
SEO covers technical elements like site architecture, CMS systems and hosting; understanding search engine algorithms is required as it determines what they look for when indexing pages; in-house teams or external agencies may often work collaboratively on SEO efforts for marketing managers or business owners.
SEO can assist businesses in connecting with prospective customers early in their buying journey by addressing pain points they are encountering, leading to more engagement on a website, which in turn leads to more leads and sales for your business.
But SEO can be dauntingly complex; it can be hard to know where to begin. That’s why we created this guide on the fundamentals of SEO–to help you understand what it is and how it can benefit your business.
Search engines exist with one goal in mind: providing users with answers or information most relevant to their queries. They accomplish this goal by selecting and ranking pages based on how closely they match up with what people search for based on factors like keywords and topical authority.
As a small business owner, you must identify which of these factors are most critical to your company and then apply them through online content creation. For this task, basic tools like Google Analytics and Search Console will come in handy.
These free tools provide the ideal way to gain an overview of your website’s current performance. They can demonstrate how many visitors are coming in from where and which pages are most popular – helping you determine which aspects need work and which SEO efforts need prioritization.
Make sure you have accurate data regarding the performance of your website to enable informed decisions, which is why establishing and using Google Analytics as well as Search Console’s reporting tools to track progress is so vital.
On-page optimization is an integral component of every successful SEO strategy, ensuring each page contains its own URL, meta description and targeted keyword in its page title. Header tags (H1, H2 etc) can also help structure content and add context for what a page is about but use sparingly as search engines can detect patterns in them that indicate search terms your audience might be using to reach you.