When it comes to creating a successful website, one of the first things you will have to think about is SEO (or search engine optimization). In short, SEO is the process of optimizing your website so that it is easily discoverable by search engines; Google, Bing, and other search engine algorithms. If your website isn't optimized for users, search engines, and other online users who may be interested in your content or services, then it won't be discovered by anyone. In fact, it's estimated that as much as 80 percent of Internet users find websites by searching for keywords rather than through advertisements or other methods that are used to bring traffic to websites. The key to SEO is being found by people looking for your product or service. However, in today’s digital world, SEO isn’t just about finding websites, it’s about finding websites that are relevant to your business. The goal is to not just get your website noticed by search engines, but by the right people at the right time.
Know What SEO is
Before you get started on your SEO plan, you need to understand what SEO is and why it’s important. SEO is short for search engine optimization, and it’s the process of making your website easier to find by search engines. When someone types a search term like “shoe store” into a search engine, Google will display search results based on what it considers most relevant for that search. If you don’t have a website or blog, then those results will include websites and blogs that have been built by other businesses. To increase the likelihood that your business will appear in the search results, you will need to make your website and/or blog more appealing to search engines.
Keyword Research
The first step to any SEO campaign is identifying the keywords or search terms that your customers use to find products and services like yours. Google will suggest keywords based on the content of your website, so it’s important to regularly monitor your website and add new content to keep it fresh. One of the best ways to find out which keywords your customers are using to find your business is to use a tool called Google Keyword Planner. You can also use free websites like Hubspot and Moz to help you find keywords that customers are using.Once you’ve identified your target keywords, it’s important to use them throughout your website and blog. When you're creating content, make sure that it includes the right keywords to help your website rank higher in the search results.
Page Content and Architecture
The next step is to make sure that your website is easy for search engines to crawl, or in other words, that it is structured in a way that allows search engines to understand your website. There are several things that you can do to make your website more crawlable, including:- Adding internal links to other pages on your website - This will help search engines understand the content of your website better.- Using descriptive titles and heading tags - This will make it easier for search engines to understand what your website is about.- Using an image alt text with descriptive keywords - This will make it easier for search engines to understand images on your website.
Backlinks and Inbound SEO Strategies
Another important aspect of SEO is having other websites and blogs that link to yours. When other websites and blogs link to your website or blog, it tells search engines that your website or blog is important, and they should rank it higher in the search results.There are two types of links that you can get: - Outbound: In this case, you’re linking to another website or blog. - Inbound: In this case, another website or blog is linking to your website or blog.
Conclusion
Now that you know what SEO is, you can begin to plan out your SEO strategy. To do this, start by creating an SEO plan and making sure that it includes a focus on all of the important aspects of SEO. Once you have your SEO plan in place, it's important to monitor the progress of your website and adjust as needed.