Okay, really, what in the world is SEO?
We all cruise through the internet almost every day, don’t we? Have you ever noticed how some websites just magically keep topping the search results while some probably got lost in Oblivion? Well, my friend, that’s SEO for you, short for Search Engine Optimization. Before we dive into some technical jargon, let’s just say that SEO is the dark arts that the council of website recommends you to use to make sure your website gets the attention it deserves. Now, with no further ado, let’s camp in the magical dimension of SEO -absolutely no wand required!
Does SEO really matter?
Oh my, sure it does. It’s like getting a fantastic party out there but you skipped out on inviting anyone. It’s just food and drinks getting soggy everywhere while killer bits are going on with no one vibing to them. Yeah, that’s your website with no SEO done. SEO is crucial because it acts as the ultimate party invitee, ensuring your site gets noticed, attracts visitors, and converts them into loyal fans who are gonna be the mainstays. It boosts visibility, credibility, and, ultimately, profitability. Who wouldn’t want their website to be the life of the (search) party?
Fine but how does Search Engine Work?
Take search engine as your grumpy lookin’ local librarian but for the internet. They crawl through websites, index their content and rank them based on relevance and authority. It’s like they are conducting some popularity contest using seemingly complex algorithms and everyone wants to get a share of the top cake. And to get that, they better learn how Search Engines operate. Actually, if you’re an SEO know-it-all then in a way you could say that YOU make them operate.
Alright, so make me an SEO know-it-all!
Nothing’s beating the basics so let’s guide you through the kinds of SEO out there:
On-Page SEO: You can catch it from the name, it’s a process that deals with making on-page changes to your website so that they can flow better with search engines. Here are some tips that you should know about regarding this.
- Content Quality: Remember, content is king (or queen!). High-quality, well-researched, and relevant content keeps visitors hooked and coming back for more, and mediocre or outright bad ones will shoo readers away. Reminds me of a time when I went to some pop culture site and it called Breath Of The Wild a turn-based JRPG (Gross!)
- Keywords: Think of keywords as the secret herbs of SEO. Do some keyword research using tools like Google Keyword Planner or paid tools like Semrush to find what people are searching for, and sprinkle them naturally throughout your content. That could work as good bait for the Search Engine Overlords (or fishes) to bite onto!
- Meta Tags: These are like the headlines that grab attention. Craft compelling meta titles and descriptions to entice users to click on your site. But don’t clickbaity. Go to any clickbait YouTuber’s video and see what the comment section thinks about stuff like that.
4. URL Structure: Keep URLs clean and descriptive. A tidy URL is like a well-organized closet—everyone loves it (and perhaps remembers it too!) An unorganized, gigantic, and confusing-looking URL is more likely to scare folks away. Like, come on, pretty sure you once asked for a link from your friend of some site and they sent you something that looks like an HTML code. You don’t want that happening to your URLs!
Off-Page SEO: It’s the complete opposite of On-Page SEO. It focuses on optimizing traffic that occurs outside your website. Let’s get some wise on this one as well.
- Backlinks: Backlinks are like votes of confidence from other websites. Or like a really credible referral. The more quality backlinks you have, the more popular you become in the eyes of search engines.
- Social Platforms: Social media isn’t just for cat videos and memes. It impacts your SEO too! Engage with your audience on Facebook, Instagram, Twi-sorry, we meant X, and others. Letting them know about your content and responding to their queries will help you build a stronger reputation and that’s the currency in the SEO realm.
- Guest Blogging and Influencer Outreach: Remember backlinks and their importance from like a few sentences ago? Collaborate with influencers and guest blogs to build your authority and gain valuable backlinks. It’s like networking but without the awkward small talk (or there could be, prepare for the w̶o̶r̶s̶t̶ best).
These are just a few of the many ways of Off-page SEO!
There you go, now you know a bit more about SEO than before and you can perhaps school someone a bit on this who has no idea about the topic. And to better that, here’s some more knowledge for you on some Technical aspects of SEO:
- Site Speed: Speed matters. If your site takes longer to load than a snail crossing a finish line on sleeping pills, you’re done for. Like hey, would you fancy visiting such a site on your own unless you had a fidget spinner to your head? Using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to turbocharge your site can salvage this.
- Mobile-Friendliness: With everyone glued to their phones, a mobile-friendly site is non-negotiable. No one wants to pinch and zoom to get to a simple hamburger menu on the top corner and if they are forced to do so, they won’t have nice things to say about the website.
- XML Sitemaps and Robots.txt: These are your website’s blueprints. They help search engines navigate and index your site efficiently based on content priority. Think of them as your site’s personal GPS.
Well, we have been yapping about the what’s-of-SEO for a while now so why not go through some what-not-to’s of SEO? We got you covered so here are some common SEO-related mistakes you should AVOID:
- Keyword Bloating: Overusing keywords is like wearing all your clothes at once—it’s uncomfortable and doesn’t look good. They aren’t gonna bring you the organic traffic you’re looking for, instead, it’s gonna be a bloated mess.
- Plagiarized Content: Copy-pasting content is a huge no-no. Unique content is your key to standing out. Especially, if you get caught, there’s no end to how bad the consequences could be.
- Ignoring Analytics: Hitting blind isn’t wise. Monitor and analyze your SEO performance to stay on track. I know looking at statistical breakdowns is a bit uncool but trust us, they are gonna help you out a lot.
SEO may seem like a complex puzzle to you but once you’re done sorting the pieces, it becomes your greatest weapon. Remember, the more effort you put into SEO, the closer it brings you to being the top dog of the search engine show. So, get on with optimizing now and let your website shine like a diamond in the rough (or at least on the first page of Google)!
