Understanding basics of SEO - First Steps to Gain Organic Visibility
Understand the Basics of SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and it refers to the ongoing process of optimizing a domain to achieve organic visibility.
Every single business that exists online wants to attract users from Google. But how can you actually achieve this? Well, there are a couple of ways. You can invest in paid ads or SEO (or both!).
Paid campaigns are fine, but they only work as long as you keep investing. The moment you turn them off, you lose the traffic (and clients). SEO, on the other hand, is a more long-term strategy, and it will continue working for you indefinitely if implemented correctly.
Nowadays, almost every business has its own website. Hence, it's hard to stand out among millions of other businesses. This is where SEO comes in handy.
In this article, we will cover the basics of SEO that can help your business grow organically. Bear in mind that these are just starting points; SEO is much more complex.
Without further ado, let's dive into the things you can do for your business.
Optimize Title Tags
No matter if you run a portfolio page, a corporate website, or an e-commerce store, your title tags must be optimized for both users and search engines.
Title tags appear in three crucial places:
- Search engine result pages
- Browser tabs
- Social media shares
The most important aspect from an SEO perspective is the appearance in SERPs.
You can think of title tags as the digital equivalent of a book's cover - they are your first opportunity to attract potential visitors and communicate the intent of your page. Hence, this is also important for SEO, as you can add your main keyword to the title tag.
How to Create Effective Title Tags
Crafting effective title tags involves a blend of:
- Relevance to the page's content
- Inclusion of primary keywords
- Clarity and readibility
Key components of a strong title tag are: primary keyword and clear intent - you can add your brand if you wish.
Examples of Good vs. Bad Title Tags
Let's take a look at a couple of examples to show you how good and bad titles look like.
Good Title Tag Examples:
Bad Title Tag Exaples:
To wrap up, when creating title tags, aim for an optimal length of 50-60 characters, with a maximum of 70 characters. Beyond this length, search engines like Google will truncate your title, potentially cutting off important information.
The golden rules for creating effective title tags include naturally incorporating your primary keyword, avoiding keyword stuffing, and ensuring each title is unique.
Ensure that your title tag accurately reflects the page's content.
When possible, include your brand name, but always prioritize writing for humans over search engine algorithms.
A well-constructed title tag should be clear, compelling, and provide a genuine snapshot of the page's content.
Be sure to check our title tag optimization service.
Meta Description Optimization - Chance to Include Soft CTA's
If title tags are the headline, meta descriptions are the compelling movie trailer that makes people want to watch the entire film. These brief snippets of text appear underneath your title in search results and play a crucial role in attracting user attention.
While meta descriptions don't directly impact search rankings, they are instrumental in influencing click-through rates. Think of them as your website's persuasive elevator pitch – you have just a few seconds to convince someone that your content is worth their time.
Crafting an effective meta description requires a mix of creativity, clarity, and strategic communication.
You're not just describing your page; you're solving a potential problem or promising value. A meta description should feel like a personalized invitation, speaking directly to the user's needs or curiosities.
Consider the difference between a generic description like "Our services page" versus "Transform your digital presence with custom web solutions that drive real business growth. Free consultation available." The latter speaks directly to potential client desires and offers a clear value proposition.
Feel free to check our meta description optimization service - we can write engaging descriptions for you.
Take Care of Internal Links
Internal linking is often overlooked, yet it's a powerful strategy that serves dual purposes: enhancing user experience and helping search engines understand your website's structure.
Imagine your website as an intricate museum, where well-placed signs guide visitors seamlessly from one exhibit to another, creating a coherent, engaging journey.
When implemented thoughtfully, internal links do more than just connect pages. They create a narrative flow, helping users discover related content and spend more time exploring your website. For search engines, these links act like a comprehensive map, revealing the relationships between different pages and the overall hierarchy of your site.
The key is to link naturally and contextually. Instead of forcing links, focus on creating genuine connections that provide additional value to your readers. A blog post about digital marketing might include a link to a more detailed guide on social media strategies, offering readers a deeper dive into the topic.
We're offering SEO internal linking optimization - be sure to check our offer, if you want to have it optimized by an SEO expert.
Add Alt Texts to Your Images
In the digital world, not everyone experiences content the same way. Image alt text is a critical accessibility feature that ensures your visual content is understandable for everyone, including users with visual impairments who rely on screen readers.
Beyond accessibility, alt text plays a significant role in SEO. Search engines cannot "see" images in the way humans do.
Descriptive, context-rich alt text helps search engines understand the content and relevance of your images, potentially improving your page's overall visibility.
Writing effective alt text is an art of balance. You want to be descriptive without being verbose, informative without feeling forced. The goal is to provide a clear, concise description that captures the image's essence and its purpose within the content.
Check our offer for optimizing alt texts for you - https://shopyourseo.com/products/optimize-images-alt-text.
Improve Page Speed
In our fast-paced digital era, speed is more than a technical metric – it's a critical aspect of user experience. Modern internet users have increasingly shorter attention spans, and a delay of mere seconds can mean the difference between capturing a potential customer and losing them forever.
Search engines recognize this and have made page speed a significant ranking factor. A slow-loading website not only frustrates users but also signals to search engines that your site might not provide an optimal user experience.
Improving page speed involves a holistic approach. It's not just about technical optimization but about creating a streamlined, efficient digital experience. This might involve strategies like optimizing image sizes, leveraging browser caching, minimizing complex scripts, and potentially investing in a content delivery network.
If you are struggling with the page speed, check our Page Speed Optimization offer - we can help you achieving better speed results.