How to SEO (Search Engine Optimization) — A Beginners Digital Marketing Guide
What is Search Engine Optimization?
By definition SEO is the systematic approach to improving your websites ranking on SERP’s (Search Engine Results Pages).
SERP’s are all the webpage results that list up when you type an entry in a search engine, such as Google.
Here’s an example below 👇
Now looking at this image you will notice that the top 4 webpage results are ads.
Google places paid ads at the top of the search results page, usually displaying 4 ads on a desktop computer and 3 on a mobile browser.
There are typically more than businesses vying for the same search keyword, so Google must determine which ads land on the first page of results.
To make that decision, Google considers several factors: the bid amount, the quality of the page folks are taken to when they click your ad, the quality of the ad itself, and the relevance to the search.
If Google concludes that your site is better and more relevant than the competition, you’ll appear on the first page.
Below paid is organic SERP
Organic represents non paid digital media and unless you have loads of money, this is where your SEO skills can make or break your placement on the SERP.
Now, just like ads, google considers factors that will result in where you website gets placed in the SERP.
These factors make up SEO.
SEO best practices
Good Content: Create high-quality and well-written content that people will enjoy reading. Use words that make your writing interesting and include the right words that people might search for.
Key Words: Choose the right words that describe your content. These words are like a map that helps people find your website when they search online.
Catchy Titles: Give your webpages interesting titles that describe what they are about. This helps search engines understand your content and attract more people to click on your webpage.
Short Descriptions: Write short and interesting descriptions that appear under your webpage’s title on search results. These descriptions should tell people what your page is about and make them want to click on it.
Easy-to-Read Web Addresses: Make sure the addresses of your webpages are short and easy to understand. They should describe what your page is about and include important words.
Link Connections: Connect your webpages together by adding links. You can also try to get other websites to link to your pages. This helps people navigate your website easily and makes search engines see your website as important.
Fast Loading: Make sure your website loads quickly, so people don’t have to wait too long. You can do this by making images smaller and using good coding practices.
Mobile-Friendly Design: Design your website to work well on both computers and mobile devices. This way, people can easily view and use your website no matter what device they are using.
Easy to Use: Create a website that is easy for people to use. Make sure it’s easy to find things and navigate through different pages. This will make people want to stay on your website longer.
Share and Engage: Share your content on social media and encourage people to talk about it and share it with others. This can help search engines see that people like your content and make your website more popular.
Why SEO is important
Google wants its users to get the most out of its platform. This means Quality, Value and Relevancy are its top priorities for Google to present to you when you’re punching in a search result.
Google wants the very best of what its data base has to offer on the front lines for you to peruse and as such only the best websites make it to the front page.
There are typically 7–10 websites listed on the first results page, but here’s the punch line:
More than 90% of consumer traffic goes to websites that rank on the firstpage of Google search results.
And as such, ranking at the top of the organic listings is the pinnacle of where you want your website to be.
Why companies value SEO
If you have the ability to navigate the realm of google in a way that puts content at the forefront of peoples attention, then you have a super power.
If a business has a service or product and they have built a website full of content as to why this service or product is something a potential consumer needs, they would want that website to be the first thing they see when they search something relevant to what that company has to offer.
This has the power to significantly put them ahead of their competitors.
In conclusion
Paid ads can secure a prominent position on SERPs, while organic results rely on SEO skills to achieve high rankings.
SEO plays a crucial role in enhancing a website’s visibility and attracting organic traffic from search engines.
It enables businesses to present their content, products, or services to potential customers, ultimately giving them a competitive edge in the online marketplace.