Search Engine Optimization Basics
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a very broad and multifaceted
term and endeavor that seeks to elevate a web pages in the
organic rankings so that a business will receive more targeted
traffic. Since, many websites, books, blogs and other published
content exists on all of the nuts and bolts of search engine
optimization, what is presented here is just an overview of
the basics so that one may become familiar with what SEO is
and how it works.
Search engine optimization is basically performed in four
parts at the core (though many SEOs will add to or take away
from this core. Search engine optimization contains keyword
research, on-page optimization, link-building and results
tracking.
Keyword Research
Keyword research is the foundation of search engine optimization.
If you don't know the precise keyword phrase that you want
to optimize a web page for, then how do you expect to rank
well in the search engine results pages (SERPs)? Keyword
research will tell you the popular and perhaps even competition
for a particular phrase.
On-Page Optimization
On-Page optimization includes picking a keyword phrase to
center a web page around. Search engine are text animals.
They eat and breath text. If there is no text on a page such
as pages with only images, video or Flash graphics, a search
engine may not be able to read, index and display the results
because it doesn't know what this page is about.
So, in order to let the search engine know the theme of a
page, there needs to be text on it. The page also needs to
have keyword phrases on that page that explain to the search
engine the theme. These keyword phrases need to be in the
body text, headlines, title and meta tags at least for a page
to perform well in the search engines.
Link-Building
Why go to the trouble of putting up a website if no one can
find it. Now it is true that you can do email marketing or
other forms of offline marketing that will direct people to
your website. But, the most effective way to get customers
to come to your site is to put links on other relevant sites
pointing towards your website.
Link-building has the
dual advantage of offering direct traffic through the links
and higher search engine rankings due to the fact that the
SE's count links as a vote for your site and the more votes,
the higher the rankings (in general).
Results Tracking
Now, how about if you do the keyword research, on-page optimization
and link-building for a website, but you don't have a grasp
of how well it is doing? You may see more traffic or sales
or notice some of your keyword phrases in different places
in the rankings, but you still don't have a handle on what's
gone right, wrong and what is lagging and will get better
over time?
Results tracking through search
engine ranking reports offers a method to show customers
how well their pages are performing before optimization, in
the near-term after optimization and in the long-term after
optimization.
These are the basics of search engine optimization. Much more
detail may be found upon this website and our blog, so please
look around and let us know if you have any questions.
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