Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps websites rank higher on search engines like Google. To understand why this is so important, consider how you look for information on the internet.
If you have a question or are undertaking research for a project, you’ll generally type some keywords into a search engine, then click through the first few posts. It’s unlikely you’ll start at page five of the search, though you may end up there if the topic is especially interesting to you!
In other words, when your website is one of the first listed in search rankings, you receive more traffic to your site. Search engine optimization helps that happen. Your organization can organically increase its visibility by doing keyword research and developing helpful, compelling content to include on your website. The more people that see your products and services, the more likely you are to make a sale!
There are numerous methods for implementing effective SEO practices. This includes link building, keyword research, and technical optimization (how fast your website loads and whether it’s engaging to visitors). The more specific components of SEO are discussed in more detail below.
Components of SEO
Three primary components make up an effective search engine optimization strategy: technical SEO, on-page SEO, and off-page SEO. Each of these elements is discussed in more detail below.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO measures how your website is operating overall. This includes the length of time it takes a website to load, the site’s bounce rate, and its responsiveness when being accessed on a mobile device.
If your website takes too long to load, people will leave before they even get the chance to see your content. This means that fewer people will see the content on your website, but it can also negatively impact your bounce rate. Search engines consider bounce rate when ranking web pages, so a high bounce rate doesn’t help attract new visitors to your business!
In addition to factoring in your site’s bounce rate, Google and other search engines “crawl” websites and index pages. While “crawling,” these search engines identify how easy it is to navigate your website. When developing a website, one of the most important things to pay attention to is how your decisions will impact the overall user experience of your site. You want your website to be as straightforward and intuitive to navigate as possible.
Another component of technical SEO is whether your site is mobile-friendly or not. Because people are searching for information on the go now more than ever, making your website mobile-friendly is vital to ensuring as many people as possible can visit your website.
On-page SEO
On-page SEO is where the rubber hits the road, and you start carefully considering how the written content within your site can help you rank in search engines. In particular, individuals who are trying to improve on-page SEO will undertake keyword research and a robust content development strategy to ensure they’re successfully targeting keywords.
When thinking about on-page SEO, you should consider things like:
- Text
- Keywords
- Images
- Tags
- Internal links
As you write content for your site, consider the common questions people might have and then answer them front and center on your site. Information on your website should also establish your organization as a subject matter expert with solid industry knowledge. Over time, this can help build trust in your brand.
Off-page SEO
Much goes on behind the scenes when it comes to search engine optimization, and off-page SEO is one of those things. Off-page SEO refers to how other websites may be contributing to your organization’s search engine rankings, including social media.
Backlinks to your website are also vital to improving your off-page SEO. The more that other websites link to your own, the more reputable your website appears to Google. In other words, when sites link back to your own, it indicates that you have valuable information worth sharing.
Who Uses SEO?
Search engine optimization is helpful for anyone who owns a business or manages marketing initiatives on behalf of an organization. A successful SEO strategy can help generate leads for an organization. Over time, this can improve sales and increase revenue.
In particular, SEO is a skill required for success in roles like Digital Marketer and SEO Specialist. Digital Marketers lead efforts like email marketing, social media marketing, and both paid and unpaid search marketing to advertise products and expand the reach of their organization. Digital Marketers can ensure that these efforts are highly-visible to an organization's target audience through search engine optimization.
SEO Specialists are hyper-focused on improving the visibility of an organization's content. Individuals in these roles will conduct keyword research, review site analytics, and track search engine rankings to determine how best to optimize an organization’s reach. Then, they’ll develop a strategy to implement changes designed to help these sites rank higher.
Small business owners, especially those who don’t necessarily have a marketing team, can also benefit from learning and implementing search engine optimization strategies. Even basic knowledge of keyword usage and improving technical aspects of a website can pay off when it comes to increasing the reach of your small business.
Learn About SEO
There are numerous ways to learn SEO, including enrolling in an interactive course. NYIM offers SEO classes in small groups, enabling individuals to receive individualized support as they practice search engine optimization strategies.
In particular, individuals might consider NYIM’s SEO Bootcamp course, which meets for 12 hours over two days and teaches the basics of SEO. The bootcamp is particularly helpful for business owners, marketers, and front-end developers. Those who don’t have two days to dedicate to professional development may instead consider NYIM’s SEO Level 1 class, which covers the absolute basics of getting started with search engine optimization in just one day.