So that we can better learn how to get started in SEO, it would be handy to break down what SEO really is and why it matters so much in today’s digital-first world.
As a website owner and content creator, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is your golden ticket to visibility and relevance on the internet. Imagine if no one could find the content you’ve painstakingly created; all your effort would be for nought. SEO ensures this doesn’t happen by making your website more attractive to search engines and, by extension, to the people using them.
In the olden days, this may well have been no more than cramming keywords into your pages. Nowadays though, it’s a whole different story. It’s about embracing a comprehensive strategy that puts people first – you need to align your SEO techniques with Google’s E-E-A-T principles.
E-E-A-T you say? Yes, that’s right:
- Experience
- Expertise
- Authoritativeness
- Trustworthiness
These four words are a component of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines which are utilized by individuals known as “Quality Raters,” whose job is to “help make sure that search is returning relevant results from the most reliable sources available.”
The bottom line is that as a creator, you should create content that not only answers people’s questions but does so in a way that establishes your site as a credible source of information.
It is crucial to understand that this is a two-part game: on the one hand, we must cater to the nitty-gritty demands of search engine algorithms, and on the other, we must keep our human audience engaged and satisfied. It’s a blend of the technical with the humane; a marriage of codes and emotion. Whilst the algorithms index and rank our content, we must make sure that it’s crystal clear, accurate, and valuable content.
Let me reiterate that, SEO isn’t just about pleasing algorithms, it must resonate with humans too. We’re going to move on, now, to the nuts and bolts of SEO: on-page, off-page, and technical optimization. As we do, so, please keep in mind the overarching goal – always align your SEO practice with our ultimate goal: providing useful, trustworthy content. That’s how we play the game to win.
The Pillars of SEO: On-Page, Off-Page, and Technical Optimization
If you’re looking to get a solid start in SEO, understanding its fundamental pillars is crucial. These are on-page, off-page, and technical SEO, each contributing uniquely to a comprehensive strategy. Let’s unpack each one.
On-page SEO: this is all about what your website visitors can see and interact with, aka quality content, or the heartbeat of your site. Content is the king. Content should inform and engage your readers. Of course, the relevant keywords need to be there, grammatically correct, built into the flow of your content, but not overstuffed. Your content needs to be structured with appropriate header tags (i.e., headings), and you must have compelling meta descriptions. Even your images images need to be optimized with descriptive alt tags.
Off-page SEO: This isn’t just about your website; it’s also about your digital footprint across the web. Off-page SEO could be said to consist of three elements: backlinks – essentially getting a nod of approval from other reputable sites. It’s a vote of confidence that can significantly boost your site’s trustworthiness. Then we branch out into social media posting which links back to your site and guest posting – where you write content for other people’s websites, and they allow you to link to your site as part of that content.
And finally, there’s technical SEO: This is about making sure search engines can crawl and index your site efficiently. Consider your site’s speed for a better user experience; make sure your site is mobile friendly – more than half of the web’s total traffic is now flowing on mobile devices, and secure your site with HTTPS. Don’t overlook site architecture either; a well-organized site encourages longer visits and easier navigation.
The pillars work in concert, but they require careful conducting. On-page and off-page SEO can bring visitors, but if your technical SEO isn’t up to scratch, those visitors are likely to bounce faster than a rubber ball on concrete. And you really don’t want that. Therefore, make sure you give each pillar due attention.
To finish this section, keep in mind that SEO isn’t a do-once-and-forget task. It’s an ongoing effort, like painting both or either the Forth Road Bridge and/or the Golden Gate Bridge. You can get a great start with these pillars but be prepared to adapt and adjust as necessary. Next, we’re going to look at more nuanced and targeted SEO strategies.
Crafting Compelling Content: Keywords and Content Marketing Strategies
Echoing my earlier points about human/algorithm symbiosis we are now going to see that content marketing is, by definition, a blend of valuable content and SEO success. First up is keyword research, a cornerstone activity in SEO. This is where you get into the heads of your audience to understand what they’re searching for. Once you know what they’re looking for, your job is to provide quality content to address that need. Your content strategy is informed by the results of your keyword research.
The process of keyword research involves identifying potential terms your audience might enter into search engines around your website’s topic – something that you have chosen. It’s about understanding the languages and phrases they use. That’s going to include a mix of short-tail keywords that are broader and long-tail keywords that are more specific and often easier to rank for. And remember, your website; your passion, so these terms are going to be something that resonates with not just your audience, but also with your brand’s expertise and offerings.
As we have already learnt, it’s not just about sprinkling the results of your keyword research throughout your content. Your content must be genuinely helpful and informative; it must be content that Google wants to rank highly because it’s effective in answering people’s queries. What you write must strike the perfect balance between being search engine-friendly and user-friendly.
Of course, this must be related back to the E-E-A-T principles. If you recall, they are Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, and they play a significant role in your content’s value in the eyes of Google.
Here’s the deal: your content should showcase your expertise, assert your position as an authority in your field, and come across as trustworthy. All are underpinned by your lived experience of the topic – the first ‘E’. Hit all four bases and your content therefore stands a far better chance of ranking well. It’s crucial to craft content that not only targets the right keywords but also bolsters your reputation in these four areas.
A lot is happening very quickly in content marketing, so staying on top of trends while maintaining a core of quality is key. Just don’t focus too much on perfection – revisions are good on many levels. Your first attempt doesn’t need to be your last. It’s a journey of continuous improvement and adaptation – an exciting one if I might add!
Local to Voice: Catering to Niche SEO Practices
If you’re focusing solely on the general principles of SEO, you might be missing out on a treasure trove of opportunities. Let’s take a moment to hone in on the nuanced areas of Local SEO, Mobile SEO, and Voice Search Optimization. You must embrace these specialized practices to stay ahead in a competitive digital environment.
For Local SEO, it’s all about community. In this instance, you will need to optimize your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. This includes setting up and optimizing your Google Business Profile listing, gathering reviews, and ensuring your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) consistency across various directories. Moreover, local SEO is not just about being found; it’s also about providing a seamless local experience with localized content and targeted promotions.
In terms of Mobile SEO, remember that more than half of the total internet traffic is conveyed via mobile devices. Consequently, it’s not just about making a site look good on mobile; it’s also about making it function smoothly. Your site should be mobile responsive, have touch-friendly interfaces, and load lightning fast. These are all components which contribute to better rankings and a more engaging user experience.
Then we have Voice Search Optimization. With more and more people using voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, optimizing for voice search has become the new frontier. A strategy I like to utilise in this area includes focusing on natural language – how do you speak to your Voice Assistant? Think also about using FAQs and featured snippets which voice assistants often pull from for quick answers.
Incorporating these niche strategies isn’t an option anymore; they should all play a part of your SEO practice. Choose strategies that resonate with your target audience and business goals. Don’t worry too much about getting everything perfect from the start – you can always adjust your approach down the road.
Advanced SEO Tactics and Analytics: Beyond the Basics
I’m going to wrap up with a look into some sophisticated SEO practices and analytics that can set you apart in a crowded online space. Remember, SEO isn’t static; you must keep learning and adapting.
You must understand and stay current with search engine algorithms. The algorithms are constantly evolving; keeping up with these changes helps ensure that your strategies remain effective. Staying informed can be as simple as following key SEO news sources or engaging with online communities of experts. One great idea is to set up a Google Alert to have an email sent to your inbox when new content on the topic is published.
It’s often been said, because it’s true, but when it comes to metrics and performance, Google Analytics is your best friend. It provides a wealth of data to better understand your site’s visitors and their behaviours. By tapping into this resource, you can pinpoint what’s working well and what areas might need a little more attention. Click here to set yourself up.
I’ve touched on it already under the topic of mobile SEO, but user experience (UX) is becoming increasingly important in the realm of SEO for a website viewed on any platform. If navigating your website feels like a chore, visitors will not stick around for long, and search engines will take note. Fast page speeds contribute significantly to UX – no one likes to wait, so optimizing for speed can significantly improve your site’s performance, both in terms of user satisfaction and SEO rankings.
This is measured by your site’s bounce rate, a metric showing the percentage of unengaged sessions on your website. Aspects affecting your bounce rate include sessions which last for less than 10 seconds – perhaps, your visitor can’t be bothered waiting. Then there are visits where there’s no conversion event or visits when there is no navigation to another page on your site. Bounce rate can help you understand how well your site attracts and retains users. If it’s high, you will need to improve your offering.
And remember, your first attempt at optimizing for SEO probably won’t be your last. You should use search engine page (SERP) analysis tools like Google Analytics to continuously refine your approach. By studying the top pages in search results, you’ll gain insights into what content resonates with audiences and how to structure your own to compete effectively.
In conclusion, then, I believe that your SEO strategy should be treated as a living, breathing entity, always growing, and adjusting to the changing digital ecosystem. Choose a strategy which resonates with your brand, commit to continuous learning and improvement, and watch as your efforts lead to quantifiable success.
Hi Simon,
I just finished reading your guide on getting started in SEO, and it was quite informative! Your approach to breaking down SEO into manageable components makes the subject much less daunting for beginners like myself. The emphasis on balancing technical optimization with creating content that resonates with humans struck a chord with me. Could you share insights on the most common oversight newbies make when embarking on their SEO journey? Thank you for your work and for sharing this invaluable guide!
Warmest regards,
Makhsud
Thanks, Makhsud. SEO can be daunting for the beginner. Here’s what I would say in answer to your question:
SEO newcomers seem to underestimate the importance of comprehensive keyword research and are a little over-reliant on high-volume keywords. Your instinct is to target popular keywords – that’s where the traffic is. However, competition with these keywords is fierce, so it’s harder for a new website to rank on search engine results pages (SERPs).
On that point, newbies often neglect long-tail keywords. These are longer and more specific phrases that visitors are likely to use when they’re closer to the point of purchase or when using voice search. Although they usually have lower search volumes, they have correspondingly lower competition and higher conversion rates. The key is to incorporate a mix of high-volume keywords and long-tail keywords into your content strategy to create a more balanced approach to SEO.
Another oversight is the neglect of the user experience (UX) offered on their website. Because the biggest proportion of traffic is nowadays conveyed via mobile devices, Google increasingly prioritizes sites that provide a good user experience, especially around mobile responsiveness, fast loading times, and easy navigation. It’s a common misconception that you should optimize for search engines. This is all well and good, but the end users are humans, not machines. An optimized site that ranks well but provides a poor user experience can result in high bounce rates and low conversion rates, negatively impacting SEO efforts over time.
Harking back to the point, it’s humans who read your content and they want quality content. As a beginner, it’s sometimes easy to forget that and to focus too much on keyword density and backlink strategies without ensuring the content is valuable, engaging and answers the audience’s questions. Quality content is the cornerstone of good SEO because it drives engagement, reduces bounce rates, and encourages backlinks naturally.
In addition to the points mentioned, SEO newcomers need to understand the concept of topic clusters. This idea sees your posts as a body of work, not as individual entities. The skill is to create interlinked content pages organised around a central theme. This is structured with a main “pillar” page that provides a broad overview of the topic and more specific “cluster” pages that delve into related subtopics. This approach helps in organizing your content more effectively. It is also extremely beneficial in terms of your content writing strategy.
Topic clusters benefit your SEO efforts by demonstrating to search engines that your site is a comprehensive resource on a particular topic. The links you make between your related content help search engines more easily understand the structure of your site and the relationships between different pieces of content. This approach can lead to higher rankings for each page within the cluster. Moreover, topic clusters improve the user experience by making it easier for visitors to find the information they need, thus increasing engagement and the likelihood of conversion.
Finally, it’s often said, that patience is a virtue. SEO is a long-term game, and significant improvements in rankings can take months or even years. Consistency, patience, balance in your approach, continuous learning, and adaptation to SEO best practices are crucial for success.
Furthermore, keeping up to date with SEO trends and algorithm updates is also crucial, as what works today may not work tomorrow. By focusing on these areas, newcomers can significantly improve their chances of achieving sustainable, long-term success in their SEO endeavours.
Simon