Key Takeaways
Understand the “what” and “why” of SEO (and SERP).
Comprehend the 3 main types of SEO.
Discover some tools and habits to step up your SEO game.
SEO has a reputation for being complicated and expensive. But it’s like any other aspect of DIY digital marketing. It’s not a one-time task that you can set on auto-pilot. Instead, it’s a habit that you cultivate and gradually start seeing returns on. You do a little bit of SEO work at a time, continually improving and refining your website item by item, to achieve and maintain a better SERP ranking.
SEO is not a one-time task that you can set on auto-pilot. Instead, it’s a habit that you cultivate and gradually start seeing returns on.
Defining SEO and SERP
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of working on your website to rank on page one for words or phrases your customers or clients enter into their favorite search engine. SERP, on the other hand, is an acronym for Search Engine Results Page. So, when we say “SERP,” we’re really just talking about the page that search results appear on. This page displays URLs when a search engine like Google responds to whatever query was entered into the search field. The URL could be for one of your brand’s blogs, a landing page, FAQs page, or another type of page on your website.
SEO and SERP are crucial for small businesses because they determine how easily potential customers can find your business online. A good SEO strategy ensures your business ranks high in the SERP, meaning more visibility and more visits to your website. It’s like having a well-placed storefront in the digital world, allowing customers to easily walk in and explore what you have to offer.
The Role of Ranking Factors
“Ranking Factors” is a phrase that’s commonly thrown around in the world of SEO. If you’re not familiar with this term, it simply means the criteria that a search engine like Google uses to rank your page on the search results listing. It’s a way for the Google bots to know which pages should appear higher up on the SERP than others.
And, while there is a spectrum of ranking factors, it’s important to understand four key values behind all of them: EEAT. This stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s four general qualities a web page must have for Google’s site crawlers to consider putting it on Page 1 of the SERP.
What is Involved with SEO?
Good SEO practices have to do with transforming your website’s pages to align with Google’s EEAT values. Ranking factors typically fall into three different SEO categories, though: on-page, off-page, and technical. It’s essential to have a mix of all three types to truly dominate when it comes to optimization.
1. On-page SEO:
Think of this as everything you do on your own website to help people and search engines find you. For instance, optimizing individual pages on your site in terms of content and HTML source code. On-page SEO includes making sure the words you use (keywords) are what people are likely to search for and making sure each page on your site is talking about one main idea.
2. Off-page SEO:
This is what happens away from your website but still affects how you appear in search results. It’s mostly about getting other reputable websites to link to your site (we call these backlinks). Acquiring backlinks and posting to social media channels are two examples of this type of SEO.
3. Technical SEO:
This is the behind-the-scenes stuff that helps boost your site’s ranking in the SERP. For instance, making sure your website functions properly, loads quickly, and is easy to navigate on both computers and mobile devices. This makes both Google and your visitors happy and helps them find what they’re looking for easily.
3 SEO Tools We Recommend
Google Search Console is one of the best free tools out there for evaluating your site’s SEO performance and gleaning insights on what needs to be improved and how to do it. But, if your business’s budget allows, we highly recommend the following two reasonably-priced SEO tools: Bright Local and Ubersuggest. BrightLocal is specifically designed to boost your rankings in local search results pages. Ubersuggest, on the other hand, is an SEO tool that not only generates keyword suggestions based on what keywords are trending on Google, but it informs your keyword and content strategies by letting you know which keywords and topics are ranking well on your competitors’ websites.
2 Good Habits That Lead to SEO Success
Here are two practical steps you can take today to boost your website’s SEO.
1. Get into the habit of daily and monthly reviews.
Each day, set aside 15 minutes to spend with just one page of your website. It’s important to know what you have before you can know how to make it better. When you’re on the page, think about what someone would’ve typed into Google to arrive at this page. Does the page answer the questions that this person had and give the person a good experience?
2. Listen to and follow the SEO experts.
Industry resources like Google Search Central Blog, Think with Google, and Search Engine Journal are just a few of the reputable sources we recommend to our clients to help them stay on top of SEO trends and updates. But if you have a marketing mentor or SEO specialist you work with, you also want to be receptive to their insights in this area.
Want a good place to start with SEO? Each day, set aside 15 minutes to spend with just one page of your website. It’s important to know what you have before you can know how to make it better!
Does Your SEO Need SOS?
Know that your website’s SEO could be better but not sure which areas need to be strengthened or how to go about making these improvements? Take advantage of a Digital Audit package from Technology Therapy® Group. Our pros will home in on your site’s SEO performance and provide actionable recommendations, so you can start seeing the results you’re wanting!
