Understanding SEO : The Basics

We know it can be hard to grasp all the different digital terminology, especially as technology keeps advancing, but it is important to make sure can understand the basics of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) if you own your own business. SEO is a fundamental marketing strategy regardless of the industry you work in. The internet and digital marketing is such a huge part of our world that all businesses should be doing whatever it takes to ensure they have a substantial online presence. One of the most effective ways to do this is with SEO.

How SEO Works

Before we get into the fundamentals of understanding SEO, it’s imperative to understand how search engines themselves work. Search engines such as Google, Yahoo! and Bing, are known to be the primary use of navigation for most internet users. If you have a query about a shop location, want to know the filmography of your favourite actor or the lyrics to a song you heard on the radio, most people will seek the help of a search engine. From the most basic queries to educational research, search engines help internet users discover the answers to whatever question they pose. Results or answers to these questions are stored in databases to be accessed whenever searched for – ready in a fraction of a second.

Search engines are always trying to improve the way they crawl the web to deliver the best results. There are certain rules and limitations everyone must follow in order to not get buried or penalised. The results are formed via computer-programmed algorithms that take into account what people are actually searching for, including certain keywords and the popularity of those pages.

The best way to envision this is by seeing the web as a map, and on that map are roads that lead to landmarks. Those landmarks are documents (web page, JPG, PDF and other files) and you have to somehow navigate your way to them, sometimes without even knowing what exactly the landmark is. You will do this by going to a search engine and typing in certain keywords that might relate to that landmark, words that will tell the search engine what you are looking for. The search engine will then scour the web finding the right pathway that leads to the potential landmarks you are looking for. The answers will then be ranked according to relevance and popularity.

So, What Is SEO?

The goal of SEO is to help your document reach the top of that list, so more people will see it. SEO is organic content, meaning that it’s unpaid for and therefore when done effectively, it can be an excellent ROI. Optimising a website for SEO can blend the technical and creative sides of marketing. To increase the relevance of certain keywords, a website may need to have its content edited and HTML and other coding done.

To build SEO, you can add content to your site and use backlinks or internal links that target specific keywords; a company blog works well for this. You will also need to make sure you claim your Google My Business page with all the relevant key information about your business, this will ensure you get ranked. Setting up your site on Google’s Webmaster Tools will also help you to see your site the way Google sees it, thus helping you to improve your SEO.

As your ranking rises, you will receive more visitors, which will result in more sales. Many companies decide to hire an external creative agency that specialises in digital marketing to handle SEO since it can be a time-consuming process.

SEO is not a one-time job. The web is continuously expanding, and your business should understand the updated trends.

If you are seeking help or need guidance, when it comes to digital marketing and SEO then we have the solutions for you. Get in touch to discover more.