You have probably heard the term SEO used when discussing your website needs. But what does it really mean and how do you make sure your website meets all the right SEO criteria?
What Is SEO
SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the process of creating the right search terms for your website. This is done by creating content that uses the right ‘keywords’ that match what potential website visitors would be searching for when looking for your services.
To achieve a high SEO ranking you mainly need to have three key elements in place.
- Keyword research
- Title tags and meta tags
- Optimized content
Using these tools will help increase your ranking on web browsers like Google so that you appear higher in the search.
How Does SEO Work?
SEO teaches search engines how to find your business on the internet. Search engine bots crawl the websites to create an index. This index of information is sorted by relevance so that when someone looks for something online the results that are most relevant to them will appear first based on the search terms used. This is done using algorithms that review this information and then determine what will appear on the search engine result pages.
Why Does Your Website Need SEO?
There are billions of web pages on the internet offering information to users. SEO optimization ensures that your website appears at the top of search results. It is the most cost-effective way of getting web traffic to your site without having to rely on pay-per-click models.
Users can choose to pay to get their business ranked higher on search engines. These are often identified by an ad icon. When someone clicks on the site, the advertiser pays for the search assistance.
Raise Your Website To The Top Of Search Results
Working with a web developer is one of the best ways to help move your website to the top of search engine results pages. Web developers work on the back end of your website to ensure your content is search engine optimized through title tags and meta tags. They can help make sure your content fits search engine algorithms.
Creating The Right Content
To help maximize your SEO optimization, it is important to have the right content to reach the top of search engine results. This means building content that is detailed and includes the right search terms your audience is using to find your business.
Eg: Your potential site visitor is looking for a company that makes homemade cookies in New York City. The visitor searches for “homemade cookies in New York City” and hundreds of companies appear. To ensure your business ranks at the top of the list, it is important to have content on your website that matches these search terms. These terms should appear on your homepage as well as other locations on your website. Your site should also have varying combinations of these search terms as well as others your potential customer may use when trying to find homemade cookies in New York.
- Homemade cookies in New York City
- Homemade cookies for the holidays in New York City
- Fresh homemade cookies in New York City
- Fresh cookies in New York City
- Homemade cookies for gifts in New York City
The more keywords you include on your website, the higher you will rank on the search engine because you offer more opportunities to be found. Use these search terms to see where other businesses rank on the search engine results then improve your keywords based on what these other businesses are using for the search terms.
Search Engine Intent
Search engines produce results based on keywords. But also based on user intent.
- Is the user trying to buy something?
- Is the user looking for product information?
- Is the user doing product research?
Your content needs to address the intent of searchers so that your services will appear in the search results.
Keep Information Up To Date
Your website is never fully complete. As your business changes, your website should too. Keep the content on your website current at all times.
- Make sure information is accurate
- Fix broken links
- Update statistics and other important data
This allows search engines to continue to offer your website site as a result because it has the latest information and data users are seeking.
Tips For Creating Great Content
Titles
Include a meta title and heading on every page. This helps the search engine locate your site.
Copy
Make sure your information is accurate, current, and beneficial to the user. Phrase content in the same way that it would be used in a search query.
Multimedia
Create multiple information sources within your content such as videos, images, and sounds.
Internal Linking
Internal linking identifies which content on your site is important.
Outbound Linking
Make sure the outbound links you are using for sources are credible and valid. Search engines use this to determine if your content is factual and relevant to the searcher.
The web development team at Net Pear can help you create a website that is SEO optimized with the right content and back-end functionality that will move your site up the search results ranking faster.
A site built using quality SEO can enhance marketing efforts and get your brand in front of customers. Contact us today to learn more.
