SEO is short for “search engine optimization,” and it’s how search engines (like Google) know which sites to show you when you type something into a web browser. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? But you may have noticed that when you look for something online, the resulting list of websites are ranked. Ideally, you want your own site to appear on the first page, not the thirtieth. Optimizing your website is the best way to generate free web traffic for your business, so we’ve put together this simple SEO guide to explain the basics.
Even if you don’t consider yourself tech-savvy, you can still begin to implement some changes to make your website easier for people to find.
Search Engines Are The Gatekeepers
Search engines use algorithms to decide how to sort through results. In the simplest terms, an algorithm has been compared to a recipe, a finite sequence of instructions meant to accomplish a task. But they don’t all use the same algorithm, so some search engines will prioritize sites differently.
First and foremost, search engines are responsible for serving their users. If they don’t deliver consistent results, people will just stop visiting them. But how do search engines know what’s relevant? Basically, they scan the Internet for keywords and phrases to show you the best options. The amazing thing is all of this happens in a fraction of a second.
SEO Guide: Example
SEO helps organize the vast amount of information on the Internet. For example, if you wrote a blog topic on “Dog Grooming Tips for Poodles,” you’d then need to optimize the post in order to make it visible in rankings. Dog lovers who search for the key phrase you select, for example: “grooming tips for poodles,” will be able to find your content.
Using the phrase naturally throughout your blog post will make it more attractive to search engines. You want to rank somewhere near the top of search results. No one has time to scroll to page thirty to read low-ranking content, even if it’s brilliant. It just ends up in a dark corner of the web.
Your Digital Marketing Team
The Internet didn’t even exist fifty years ago, but the World Wide Web has since become an integral part of business marketing. SEO allows us to reach more potential customers through engaging content, all while adding value to people’s lives.
If you’re curious about how your website can be updated to charm search engines, please contact our digital marketing team at (925)855.3282. We want to see you succeed.
