Search Engine Optimization Basics
This just in: the Internet is not going away. But you already knew that, so you're thinking about a career in web development, mobile applications or maybe in SEO. SEO, or search engine optimization, is an exciting career choice for a variety of reasons. For one, it's hard as hell to master. In fact, most SEOs will laugh at you if you consider yourself a master at all.The rules (if there are rules) change so frequently that it's hard to keep up. And you may be keeping up with the wrong information. Reading a book on SEO? Throw it out, it's already outdated.
So how do you get started? And where do so-called pros get their information? In my opinion, the best way to learn SEO is by doing it. Inbound marketers have a variety of different opinions about what matters most to Google, what tools should be used and where to get the latest SEO information.
For me personally, starting out as a web developer creating basic HTML pages was a huge help. It was several years of CSS, Javascript, various server technologies and actual web design before I ever heard the term SEO. Who knew you could improve where a page ranked on Google just by making websites faster, more relevant and more popular.
In my experience, the best way to get started in SEO is by establishing a baseline. It may sound crazy, but there are some SEO best practices that many in the industry actually agree on. One of the greatest SEO resources online is SEOMoz.org, an SEO consulting company turned SEO community that has a wealth of information and is a meeting ground for some of the most prominent SEOs in the world.
Before you dig too deep, begin your SEO journey by watching this 3 minute introductory video from Search Engine Land. And then visit SEOMoz to take the beginner's tour of SEO, which can be done completely online or downloaded as a PDF.
Content for SEO
When optimizing your site for Google, do not use "semi spam" copy. Recent Google algorithm changes penalize not only obvious spam (e.g. "Get X@naX from 0verseas"), but also low quality content that has no useful purpose other than to drive visitors to a site. Articles spun by computers are a good example of this kind of content.Google has fast become the world's most popular search engine. Making sure that people can find information on your company via Google is vital. If someone searches for your company via Google and finds no relevant information, they assume your company doesn't exist. Buying advertisement space on Google searches is a great way to be seen.
While you should be using keywords for your site, do not fill your site to the brim with keywords. Search engines such as google have sophisticated system that can determine between a normal sentence typed by a human and a sentence filled with so many keywords that it feels artificial. The more human and realistic your content sounds, the better the chances are that it will achieve a higher rankin the SERP.
Find the right keywords to list your website with Google. You can use the Google Keyword Tool for that. You should use a keyword that gets over a thousand searches a month, and that correspond to websites that do not get as much traffic as you do. This way, your website will appear on top of the search results.
In order to see if your SEO efforts are working, check where you stand in search engine rankings. There are many programs and tools that do this, like Google Toolbar and Alexa. If you don't, you might be wasting your time assuming that your SEO is working while it isn't.
If you are looking to get more traffic to your site, a great way to do so is to list your site on a pay per click program like Google AdWords. With programs like this, your site gets advertised at the top of searches for a small price per visitor.
One of the easiest ways to optimize your presence in search engine results is to register with The Open Directory Project, or the "DMOZ." When you register, you have a chance of showing up higher in user results, since websites like Google and AOL use the DMOZ to strengthen their database.
You should always write good meta description tags for each of your pages. Description tags provide good value, because Google uses them to create short blurbs that are displayed under a page's title on its search engine results pages. A very good description can be beneficial to you, as it may help lure visitors to your site instead of the competitions.
Utilize the AdWords tool kit from Google, to increase the effectiveness of your keyword selections for SEO. By using these tools, you can increase traffic to your site and increase traffic that translates into sales. You can search by specific keywords or type in a specific URL to discover the keywords that drive those particular searches. Choosing effective keywords boosts your ranking in search engines and increases your sales.
Consider search engine optimization as a way to enhance your internet advertising. Search engine optimization allows you to take advantage of keyword searches on websites like Google, bringing your page closer to the top of the results for targeted content. This way, you'll reach broader audiences and maximize your advertising expenditures.
Search engine optimization is ideal for businesses that conduct their business locally. Google and other search engines offer ways for you to edit your own business listing, making it ripe for search engine optimization. This way, people searching for specific keywords on a local search will be more likely to find your business.
To get search engine traffic from your images, make use of the ALT tag. The ALT tag allows you to add text to the image's description, which means your image can be appropriately indexed by search engines. A high ranking in Google Image Search will draw many users to your site, and the ALT tag is the best way to achieve this.
Although there are many search engines out there, you should focus on the big three and leave the rest alone, to start. Google, Yahoo and Bing are the big boys on the block, with Google controlling the lion's share of the market. So when optimizing your site, stick to the types of things a search engine like Google appreciates. There's no sense in optimizing for Ask or MSN, when there's really no money there.
Know who you are selling to. Find out everything you can about your target market. One of the first things you should know is how many people make up your target market. You can get a good idea of this by searching your product on Google's Free Keyword Tool. It will give you some likely keywords along with the number of people who have searched using those keywords.
You will need to make your website pop up in the google search results. Build a really solid website and use search engine optimization to get it found. If other local businesses in your area don't have this, you will stand out like a shining star from the crowd.
When you are deciding what phrases to use throughout your site, use this quick Google test to see if your page has a chance of being a "top result." Search each of your potential key-phrases (in quotation marks) individually. Choose the key-phrase that retrieves the least amount of results. This way, you will have less competition within your search result pool.
How to Choose the
Right Initial SEO Methods for your Company
Once you have grown familiar with each of the
aforementioned SEO platforms, you will want to take the time to break down how
you want to approach each one. As was discussed before, there are many available
options when it comes to deciding how you will run your company's search engine
optimization. While each avenue of SEO can potentially bring in high volumes of
traffic to your business' website, not every tool at your disposal may work for
your company.
How you take the first steps towards making your company
search engine friendly will determine the momentum of your traffic. High page
rankings, and consequently more potential customers, result only when you play
to your company's strengths.
If you manage a business that has been around for years
and has a good deal of local renown, you can use that to your advantage with social
media. Clever company owners will be able to convince local and loyal customers
to subscribe to them on Facebook, Google+, or Twitter. Usually this can be done
with an enticing incentive. Try offering a price reduction on your business'
services or a buy-two-get-one-free deal on any products you may sell in
exchange for a Facebook "like" or a Google "+1." More often
than not, satisfied customers will subscribe to your social media feed based
off loyalty alone.
If your company is a start-up or entrepreneur business,
try to focus on getting its website designed for SEO prior to engaging in
social network development. A well-run Facebook campaign is incredibly effective,
but can be very difficult to develop without a solid starting pool of
followers. Meanwhile, implementing SEO practices into a site can take
significantly less time and requires only minimal upkeep.
