September 27th, 2021 Jake Smiley
What is SEO and how do we optimize it?
SEO stands for search engine optimization, which is a set of practices designed to improve the appearance and positioning of web pages in organic search results.
Anytime you search for something using a search engine they will have ad links appearing before the organic links. Organic search results are distinct from these ads in that they are positioned based on the search engine’s organic ranking algorithms rather than advertiser bids. You can’t pay for your page to rank higher in organic search results.
Why use SEO?
The most attractive feature of SEO is that it is free. Unlike paid search ads, you can’t pay search engines to get higher organic search rankings. With that being said, you will have to experiment and learn which tips work best for you and your website to use SEO to its fullest potential. When you understand what your website users want, you can then implement that knowledge across your campaigns, across your website, across your social media properties, and more.
I have 3 tips for you to have SEO work for you and your website.
Don’t change URLs
Simple changes to your URL, such as changing domain, adding or removing punctuation, or adjusting capitalization in your directory can have serious implications on your SEO. Doing so makes your site susceptible to 404 errors and broken links, which means it’s nearly impossible for Google to properly index your site.
If you have to change the URL for one reason or another, one of the most important things you need to do is a 301 redirect. 301 redirects tell Google that you are permanently moving one page from one URL to another.
Use image alt text
Search engine crawlers that scan your site can’t understand your images unless they include alt text descriptions. Also, alt text is a best practice for creating an accessible website. Screen readers can pick up on alt text when converting screen elements, ensuring that all of your site visitors have a consistent browsing experience.
All alt-text should be descriptive, contextually relevant to the page content, and short.
Update Old Pages
Search engine optimization (SEO) is not a one-and-done process. Google updates their algorithm often to ensure that users are getting the best content possible. his means it’s essential to regularly update your webpages as well as your SEO strategy. Keywords play an integral part in the success of your SEO campaign, as search patterns change, you’ll want to update your keywords. You’ll also want to add keywords that you may not currently be targeting.
You can also update the old pages title tags, remove/fix broken links, link internally and use keywords in meta descriptions
I hope that you are a little more comfortable with SEO and how to use it properly!
