What is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization. SEO is a process for improving a website to increase its visibility when people search for products or services.
Search engine optimization attracts clients to you, increasing your rank in search engines as a credible source of information. SEO helps your brand attract more business. Ultimately, search engine optimization helps us find credible answers to the questions we search for daily.
Why is SEO important?
4 Foundational Pillars of SEO
Keywords
Website Optimization
Consistent Valuable Content
Linking Strategies (Backlinks and Internal linking)
Primary Keywords- The primary keyword is the main focus of your content. Have one primary keyword per page when possible.
Secondary keywords - The secondary keywords support the main topic. You can place multiple related secondary words on a single page.
Seed Keywords - Keywords with one or two words are called seed keywords. They are also called short-tail keywords and are the starting point for most keyword research. (example seed keyword: content marketing)
Long-form Keywords - Long-form keywords or key phrases are longer and more specific than seed keywords. Long-tail keywords receive intentional search traffic, and lead to a higher conversion rate, as they are more specific search queries. (ex long-form keyword: How to build a content marketing strategy)
Keywords
A keyword is a general category or idea of what your content is about.
How to optimize your website for SEO success?
Make sure your site is easily understood by search engines. Your site architecture should be easily indexable by search engines by using proper heading tags.
Design your website for a positive user experience. Consider page load times, build mobile-friendly sites, and make sure to write alt text to increase accessibility.
Use linking strategies to connect related information.
Website Optimization
Consistent Content
Consistent content brings more traffic and is the beast that feeds the SEO machine. Quality and consistency are top-ranking factors for what makes a great SEO meal.
The Google algorithms are looking for expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (EAT). EAT takes time to build and the content you craft creates new opportunities to establish it.
Internal Linking
Have you ever started reading an article or blog only to click on an interesting link contained in the, and the next thing you know you're 3 hours in, with 42 open tabs, all connected to the same website? I call it falling down the rabbit hole. In the SEO world, this phenomenon is called interlinking or internal linking.
Internal linking occurs when you use hyperlinks to link one page on your site to another page on your website.
Linking Strategies
Backlinking
Backlinking is another important factor for site ranking and domain authority. It encourages search engines to view you as a credible source of information that others are willing to share.
Back-linking occurs when an incoming hyperlink from an outside page leads to your website.
SEO Checklist
from Cheltenham’s SEO Foundational Guidebook
How to know if your SEO is working?
Crafting an effective SEO strategy and seeing results will take time. Realistically it may take 3-6 months to see results.
An increase (or decrease) in organic search traffic
An increase in conversions on your pages
Positive metrics that align with your business objectives and smart goals like clicks, impressions, and ranking position.
SEO Success
Use your content to drive brand growth
Using SEO effectively increases your brand’s visibility when people search for products or services related to your business. Are you ready to establish your brand as a trustworthy and positive client experience? Use SEO to build expertise, authority, and trust and develop a comprehensive content marketing strategy.