Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website or designing your content so search engines like Google can display it near the top of the page. This makes your online assets rank ‘organically’ higher on Google, which means that it is not a paid spot. The higher a website or content ranks in the search engine results pages (SERPs), the more likely it is to be visited by your target audience.
There are several approaches to SEO that can drive qualified visitors to your website, and as such is an essential part of digital marketing. In this blog, we’ll briefly look at the basic types of SEOs, before diving into its benefits and myths.
Basic types of SEO
Let’s look at the 3 basic types of SEOs:
1. On-page
This sort of SEO is concerned with all of the content that appears ‘on the page’ when viewing a website. You can answer queries for readers and rank better on SERPs by analyzing keywords for their search volume, intent or significance.
2. Off-page
When it comes to optimizing your website, this kind of SEO focuses on everything that happens ‘off the page’. How highly you rank for the keywords or topics you would like to be known for, is influenced by the number of publishers who link to you and their relative authority around the subject.
3. Technical
The backend of your website and how your pages are coded are the focus of this form of SEO. Technical SEO techniques such as image compression, structured data, and CSS file optimization can all help your website load faster, which is a key ranking factor for search engines like Google.
Main benefits of SEO
There are many benefits to optimizing your website and content in a way which helps your target customer to find you when they are searching for the information they need. Here are three of the best reasons to adopt SEO in your digital marketing strategy:
1. Targets quality traffic
Search optimization is an effective feature of inbound marketing, which allows your target audience to find you when they need you the most. This not only makes life easier for customers, but it also generates more qualified leads for your business.
2. Puts you ahead of the curve
Improved SEO and online presence are important for businesses today, which means that your competitors are already working to get those top search rankings. With a search optimization strategy, you can tactically get ahead of the curve and remain competitive in your niche.
3. Builds credibility
Search engines consider a website that ranks high on search engine results pages to be trustworthy and of high quality – this adds to your business credibility. It pays in the long run to spend some time earlier to research keywords, and keep the information & content of your website updated and optimized for performance.
Classic myths about SEO – busted!
One of the greatest myths about SEO is that it's difficult and time-consuming. However, this is simply not true. While it does take some time and effort to optimize your website, the results are totally worthwhile.
Let’s look at some of the usual misconceptions about SEOs:
1. Backlinks supersede content
While backlinks may validate and bolster the credibility of your website, especially if they connect to reliable resources and are relevant to your content, they may not be the sole reason why a prospect chooses to stay on your site. Content is and will remain king, till the foreseeable future. A good practice is to couple a smaller quantity of high-quality links, that can create more traffic than a large number of low-quality ones, with high-quality content that engages visitors and as a result, has a higher chance of quality conversions.
2. Mobile optimization is unnecessary
For your website to gain traction, it is very crucial that your website is optimized for viewing on mobile. We know that the number of mobile device users (globally) is growing exponentially. Over the years, Google’s algorithms have evolved, keeping in lieu this same trend. If your website is not optimized for mobile, it will not show up in the search results, even if your target customer looks up the exact keywords or topics your business is known for. This will result in a loss of traffic to your site, which we know is not good for business at all.
3. Top priority should be to rank no.1
It’s undeniable that majority of the people searching for something specific, rarely go beyond the first results page. However, it’s important to point out that the top three spot in ratings, does not automatically imply increased revenue or traffic. The key is to know your customer so well that you understand their intent behind the search. This will help the search engines address their query by showing them the most relevant content, and that should always be the highest priority.
4. Rankings are influenced by meta descriptions
Meta descriptions help your target audience find you, when they need you the most. However, they have no direct impact on rankings and are quite insignificant for search engines. All they’re concerned with is the user's experience and the time they spend on your site, because it’s not about using powerful keywords; it is about being relevant and valuable to your target customer. Search engines will notice if your meta descriptions drive the right traffic, and this will boost your ranking.
5. Exact keywords must be chosen at all times
Although keywords are important, you do not need to use keyword phrases exactly because search engines can predict what someone’s search really means. Think about how your target audience would phrase the question and customize it a bit. Google can then connect your keywords to the high-ranking keywords. Instead of focusing on specific keywords, create great content using keywords that are close enough to make a natural link.
As you can see, there are many benefits to optimizing your website for search engines. Because it’s not just about generating traffic when it comes to SEO; it is also about offering a good user experience. To get the results you want, set aside those illusive myths and focus on what your audience needs.
In the comments below, let us know:
Is search optimization part of your digital marketing strategy; if so, how has that helped your website visibility?
What are the most common obstacles you ran into while optimizing your site and how did you resolve them?
Did you come across a myth for search optimization, that you discovered to be totally the opposite?