SEO-Savvy: Climbing the Ranks

If you're looking to increase your website's visibility and organic traffic, you'll have to get savvy about SEO.


 


SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of optimizing a website to rank higher and earn more organic traffic from search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo. Etc. Utilizing a search engine doesn't sound too complex, but the more you explore, the more you learn. There are even around 12 different types of SEO methods and antics. 

SEO practices aim to increase the quality and quantity of website traffic by improving the website's visibility on the SERP (search engine results page). There are some general benefits to investing some time and effort into SEO.  

Five general ways SEO can help a business include: 

  1. Increased organic traffic: SEO helps increase a website's visibility on the search engine results page, which leads to increased organic traffic. This organic traffic is highly valuable as it is made up of users (potential consumers) actively searching for products or services related to your business.

  2. Improved user experience: SEO involves optimizing the website's design, structure, and content to provide an optimal user experience. Removing friction and load times can improve the overall satisfaction of visitors to the website and reduce the bounce rate, which is an important ranking factor. "Bouncing" refers to the phenomenon when a user visits a website and quickly leaves (or "bounces") without interacting. A high bounce rate can indicate a poor user experience and may negatively impact a website's search engine rankings. 

  3. Increased brand visibility: Higher rankings in the search engine results page may increase a website's visibility and exposure to potential customers resulting in increased brand recognition and awareness.

  4. Increased conversion rates: A useful and informative website with a good user experience lead to higher conversion rates. This is because users are more likely to take action on a website that is easy to navigate and provides the information they are looking for.

  5. Competitive advantage: SEO can provide a business with a competitive advantage over its competitors by improving its visibility on the search engine results page. This increased visibility can lead to increased traffic and conversions, helping the business outperform its online marketplace competitors. 

    It's also good to note that Local SEO does operate slightly differently and, depending on the service, may be more important to you. Local SEO focuses on optimizing a website to rank higher in local search results for a specific geographic area like Oklahoma City. 


It's important to note entire businesses do exist to help facilitate this aspect of digital marketing. Still, it is possible to build a successful SEO strategy if you have the time. Let's explore the basic steps you can take to build a successful SEO strategy.

You can improve your website's visibility in search engines and ultimately grow your business by:

  1. Conducting keyword research: Determine the keywords and phrases most relevant to your business and audience and use them throughout your website's content, meta tags, and URL structure.

  2.  On-page optimization: Ensure that your website's design and structure are optimized for search engines and users. This includes using clear, descriptive, and relevant headings and ensuring that your website is tablet, desktop, and mobile-friendly.

  3. Create high-quality content: Regularly publish high-quality content to attract and engage your audience. Including blog posts (like you're reading right now), articles, and other forms of content. 

  4. Build high-quality backlinks: Acquire high-quality backlinks from relevant and authoritative websites to help improve your website's relevance and authority. This can include link-building strategies such as guest blogging, link exchanges, and strategic partnerships.

  5. Monitor your performance: Use tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor your website's performance and track your progress over time. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and optimize your SEO strategy as needed.

    Now you have it, the basic understanding necessary to become a savvy-SEO master! By following basic guidelines, you'll be well on your way to climbing the search engine ranks and making your website rise above the competition.