Search Engine Optimization Basics you Need to Know

Even though it’s in everyone’s mouth in 2019, it’s always good to look at search engine optimization basics and see what you might be missing. This fundamental practice of digital marketing is a complete deal breaker for every website and thus, every business disregarding its industry. Getting traffic through the search engines is mandatory for every marketer. It drives two of the most wanted goods for a company: sales and brand awareness.

Beginners or those who are barely starting to understand what SEO is about usually take some time to understand the concept. This is like that because search engine optimization is in a continuing change. Search engine algorithms updates are the main reason of such changes. So are the constant increase of websites on the internet and user’s conduct. 

Still, the basic idea behind SEO remains pretty much the same: to drive traffic to websites through search terms internet users type into the search engines. Their main goal is usually to find information, products or services. So the more SEO practices fulfill such demand, the better the search engine optimization.

Five Main Search Engine Optimization Basics 

There are five main search engine optimization basics that you always need to keep in mind, as they are the foundation of this practice:

• Content needs to vary from one page to another on your website (this means, avoid duplicate content).
• Use high-quality keywords in your content’s title, subheaders and captions
• Provide original, relevant, quality content that is useful or entertaining to your target audience.
• Post new content consistent and frequently or update your hyperlinks periodically
• Make sure mobile devices can access your website.

Of course, this is simply put and SEO is way deeper. In the following paragraphs, we will also expand some of these traits and develop a deeper insight.

The Use of Keywords

Keywords are basically terms or phrases that internet users use to find a specific website or content on search engines. Search Engine Optimization intends to anticipate them by using them in your website and thus raise it as a potential satisfactory result for the query related to the keyword. According to Google’s plugin Keywords Everywhere, there are three fundamental factors in Keywords:

• Search volume: which means how many times a keyword or phrase is searched every month. 
• CPC (Cost Per Click): how much is a keyword or phrase worth for paid advertising.
• Competition: how many other sources are using such keyword.

Search volume and competition are the most important of these traits when it comes to SEO. If the keyword has a high search volume and low competition, you’d be having a high-value term that will increase the SEO value of your platform. Ideally, these high-value keywords should be implemented in all your content in a way that is as natural as possible. Otherwise you’d be doing what is called keyword stuffing, which can do the opposite that you want, which is plummet your rankings and discredit your website.

Quality, Consistent Content

After the introduction of Google Hummingbird update  in 2013, SEO started to focus on quality, informative and relevant content. This was one of the most important updates Google implemented on it’s algorithm. With Hummingbird, search engine optimization started to revolve around content that could answer an inquiry the best. So Google’s main intention is to help users understand the content they’re reading and get specific answers, instead of just bringing up exact matches to keywords. So content that is properly written, concise, easy to read, well-edited and useful is more likely to rank high. This is like that because it represents a direct source of information.This content should be posted in a consistent way. Search engines “crawl” through web pages to sort and rank content. Posting new blogs or landing pages periodically allows them to recognize your content as fresh and relevant. This new content will rank higher in SERPs. And thus, new more traffic can be led to your website. 

Mobile Friendliness

Having responsive web design on your digital platform means that your site is flexible for several types of users. It can also lead to more traffic from all those users that navigate through smartphones or tablets. Both factors necessarily lead to higher ranks in search results. Google RankBrain is an algorithm introduced in 2015 that recognizes mobile-friendly pages and their content as more useful than desktop-only. 2018 Mobile First indexing was also determinant at the moment of making responsive sites more suitable for rankings.

An SEO Service for Your Business 

Now that you know more about search engine optimization basics, you may be ready to hire an agency to help you reach the next level. SEO Service Inc can work hand in hand with you, with clear reportings, useful information and our 10 + years of experience as a Premier Google Partner agency.