By: Rachel Granholm – Project Manager and SEO Guru
Find the tools you need in SEO 101 to help your blog or business be found online. Stop being invisible and thrive!
Maybe this sounds like you… you’ve built a great website, designed a beautiful logo, and you’re ready for customers. But, where are they? It’s like having a beautiful store tucked away on a forgotten street. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence for many businesses that build websites yet struggle to get traffic. But, don’t fret! In this SEO 101 article, we’ll break down SEO into simple steps by explaining what it is, why it’s important, and how you can start making your website more visible to gain prominence and revenue!
Imagine Being Invisible Online (And Why You Don’t Want To Be!)
This is where SEO comes in. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.
It’s basically the process of making your website as attractive as possible to search engines like Google. This is vital so that those search platforms will show your website to more people who are looking for what you offer.
From a human perspective, Google’s main goal is to help people find exactly what they need quickly and easily. They’re constantly improving their search to serve up the most useful, relevant results. SEO is how you make sure your website speaks the same language as both Google and your visitors. By optimizing your site, you’re helping Google understand your content better so it can connect real people with your business — making the whole search experience better for everyone.
SEO 101: Beyond Invisible! Your Business’s Path to Being Found Online
In this day and age, most people start their search for anything and everything online. So, if you’re not showing up, you are missing out on traffic, which also means you are missing out on revenue. Plain and simple… the more visibility your blog or business has, the more people will visit your site! The ultimate goal is more business, right?
Why Does Being “Findable” Online Matter So Much?
Appearing higher in search results goes hand in hand with making people trust your business. Knowing your stuff and being an expert in what you do signals to Google, or other search engines, that you have authority and relevance. And, note here too that small businesses can totally compete with larger ones by having strong SEO.
Finally, SEO is free traffic. Once you start ranking on search engines, that traffic keeps coming without per-click costs.
How Does Google (and Other Search Engines) Actually Work?
Liken Google to the world’s largest, most organized library. Google has “bots” that are constantly exploring the internet, working hard to find new and updated pages. Those bots then crawl, or read, your website’s content.
After your site has been crawled, Google stores important information about your page, like subject matter and content, in its massive library. This process is called indexing.
Next comes ranking. This is like Google recommending the best book to someone who is searching for a book related to a specific topic or genre. You see, when a person searches online, Google doesn’t just show any old page. It tries to show the most relevant and highest quality pages in response to that person’s query.
This is why SEO is SO important and how it can help you get to the top of the ‘recommendation list’! The ultimate goal, for any business owner, entrepreneur, or anyone with a website, is to make it easy for Google to crawl, understand, and love your website enough to recommend it to others.
The Four Pillars of SEO: What Google Looks For (And How to Help It)
When it comes to basic SEO speak, there are four important ‘pillars’ that are effective at gaining momentum online.
Pillar 1: On-Page SEO (What’s Actually On Your Website)
This is literally the content and structure directly on your website pages.
This pillar includes things like:
- Keywords: these are specific words or phrases people type into Google. Use them naturally in your page titles, headings, subheadings, and throughout your content. DO NOT OVERUSE OR STUFF THEM! Google does not like that. Example: If you sell antique lamps, keywords might be “vintage table lamps,” or “restored antique lighting.”
- High-Quality Content: it must be helpful, informative, and engaging for your readers. Google wants to show the best answer to a user’s query. Longer, detailed content, referred to as long-form content, often performs better because it covers a topic more in-depth.
Titles & Descriptions – these are like your storefront window.
- Page Title (or Title Tag): this is the clickable blue text that comes up in search results. It needs to be compelling and include your main keywords.
- Meta Description: the short summary below the title. It’s your chance to tell people what your content is about and why they should click on your link.
Pillar 2: Off-Page SEO (What Others Say About Your Website)
This refers to any activity outside your website that boosts its authority.
- Backlinks: are like votes of confidence. It’s when other reputable websites link to your website. Google sees these as “votes” for your site’s credibility. The more high-quality votes you have, the more trustworthy you appear. To get them, create good content that others want to link to.
- Online Mentions & Social Signals: mentions of your brand name (without a direct link) or activity on social media can contribute to your regarded authority.
Pillar 3: Technical SEO (How Well Your Website Works Behind the Scenes)
This pillar ensures search engines can easily find, crawl, and understand your website.
- Website Speed: humans, (and Google), loathe slow websites. A fast site provides a better user experience. Be sure all your images are optimized and that you have a healthy host or server.
- Mobile-Friendliness: most people search for things from their phones. Your website must load quickly on all devices including tablets, laptops, and smartphones.
- Site Structure & Navigation: a clear and organized website makes it easy for both users, and Google, to find information. Make sure that your navigation menu, tabs, and categories make logical sense.
- Security (HTTPS): your site needs be secure (look for the padlock icon in the browser). Google prefers secure sites and it is usually required now. It’s an easy and basic SEO principle.
Pillar 4: User Experience (UX) (Making Visitors Happy)
While not traditionally a separate off-shoot of SEO, Google is increasingly prioritizing how users interact with websites. We all want to make our website visitors happy, right?!
- Readability: use clear fonts, have contrast between text and images, and don’t use too much text in one block.
- Easy Navigation: ask yourself “can users quickly find what they are looking for?”
- Engaging Content: do people stay on your page? Do they interact? How do they interact (ex. do they click around from page to page?) You want visitors to come and stay awhile. High bounce rates, which means people who come and leave quickly, can be a negative signal to search engines.
Common SEO Misconceptions
- SEO is Not Magic: It’s a continuous, ever-evolving process, not a one-time fix.
- SEO Takes Time: You will not see results overnight. It’s a commitment that pays off over months and years, not days.
- ‘Keyword Stuffing’ Doesn’t Work: Trying to trick Google by repeating keywords will hurt, not help. Focus on natural language that flows effortlessly throughout your website and/or blog posts.
Getting Started with SEO: What To Do First
- Start with Your Content: Focus on creating genuine, helpful, and comprehensive content that answers your customers’ questions.
- Think Like Your Customer: What would they type into Google to find you? Use those words. Check out the FAQ sections of Google to look up what humans are actually asking!
- Make Your Site Fast & Mobile-Friendly: Use Google’s own tools such as PageSpeed Insights or Mobile-Friendly Test. Alternatively, SEOptimer is also helpful.
Feeling Stuck with SEO? Partner with >Greater Thought Design + Marketing
SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. As your business grows, SEO can become more complex and time-consuming.
This is where a team at an agency like >Greater Thought comes in. We stay on top of the latest algorithm changes and have the expertise in design, content, and technical SEO to build a robust online presence for your business.
We help you not just appear in search results, but genuinely connect with your ideal customers, allowing you to focus on what you do best.
Unlock Your Online Potential and Thrive!
SEO can be confusing and overwhelming but, with the correct steps, you can make your website visible to the people who need you most. Every step you take, no matter how small, helps you get found.
So, are you ready to stop being invisible and start thriving online? Explore our services or contact us today to see how >Greater Thought can elevate your digital presence.