If you’ve heard of SEO before, you probably know the term stands for Search Engine Optimization. But what does that mean? The easiest way to explain it is by referencing the biggest search engine of them all- Google. SEO also applies to other search engines like Yahoo or Bing but Google is the main one you’ll want to focus on.

When we say search engine optimization, we are talking about designing your website in a certain way so that it ranks higher on search engines. Let’s say you own a plumbing business in Los Angeles. When someone goes onto Google and types in “plumber Los Angeles”, you want your website to be the first search result that shows up. And getting into that first spot takes a lot of work. But, just being on the first page of results will still significantly increase your chances of your ideal customer finding your website.

How does Google Decide What Results Show Up First?

There are a lot of different factors. But Google’s main priority is to serve the searcher with the most relevant results. So, if someone searches plumber Los Angeles and a bunch of fashion websites showed up, well that wouldn’t be very relevant. Right? So, Google tries to find the websites that are as relevant as possible to the keyword that the person is searching for. Now to do this, Google reads all of the content throughout the sites on the web – just not in the same way that you do. Google only reads text. Meaning, if you have images or videos and they aren’t tagged in the correct way, Google cannot see that.

It is up to you as the website owner to create content that’s really good, relevant to the keyword you want to rank for, and is optimized so that it can be easily read by Google. Now in addition to great, optimized content, Google also prefers websites that are secure, load quickly and have other websites throughout the web linking back to that site. This helps show Google that your website is an authority and reputable. Obviously, a lot goes with SEO. But, to get started with it, here are a few SEO tips.

Use tools like Ubersuggest, SEMRush and even the section at the bottom of a Google search that says “searches related to…”. This will give you a good idea of the keywords your audience is searching for.

If you are using a website builder like Squarespace or Wix, utilize the SEO tools that they have built in. If you are using WordPress, download the plugin Yoast SEO. When it comes to creating the content for your pages, make sure to optimize for one keyword, or phrase. Do not forget to fill each page or new post with the keyword that you want that page to be ranked for. That said, don’t overstuff the keyword into the content. Search engines like Google have become advanced enough that they can identify synonyms and related phrases, so repeating the same exact phrase over and over again within your content can actually backfire on you. See to it that the content is really good and enjoyable for the reader because quality and user experience are still the priority.

GMB is really important to showcase your business, your hours, and your website, even more so if you are a local business with local customers. Set it up and fill it out completely.

Do guest blogging on other sites, do collaborations, list your business in other online directories and get yourself out there in as many places as you can.

SEO is definitely a process and it usually takes several months to see results. But once you start getting good, organic results with it, it can be a serious game changer. If you are looking for SEO services done for you, our team does a wonderful job in helping you rank. Check out our website services if you would like to learn more.