As marketeers, we love crafting well-written content but if we haven’t covered the SEO basics, it’s unlikely anyone will see it (without social media promotion anyway).
SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, helps search engines understand what your website is about before showing it to the people who are searching for what you offer.
In this beginner-friendly guide, we will break down the SEO basics into easy-to-follow steps.
What is SEO?
SEO is the practice of optimising your website to improve its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). The higher your website ranks, the more organic (unpaid) traffic it can attract.
Why is SEO important?
Before we go further into the nitty-gritty details, we think it’s important to first understand why SEO is crucial for your online presence.
- Enhances visibility: When your website appears on the first page of search engine results, it increases your visibility to potential customers.
- Drives organic traffic: With effective SEO strategies, you can attract organic traffic to your website without relying solely on paid advertisements.
- Builds credibility: When your website ranks higher on SERPs, it builds trust and credibility among users, as they perceive top-ranked websites as more relevant and reliable.
- Boosts user experience: SEO involves optimising various elements of your website, such as page loading speed, mobile-friendliness and user-friendly navigation, which leads to a better user experience.
Getting started with SEO basics and some tips for beginners
Now that we’ve understood the importance of SEO, let’s discuss some actionable tips to help you kickstart your SEO strategy and how to get the best out of it.
- Define your goals
Start by setting clear and measurable goals for your SEO efforts. Do you want to increase website traffic, generate more leads or boost online sales? Having well-defined goals will help you stay focused and track your progress effectively.
- Perform an SEO audit
Conducting an SEO audit of your website will help you identify areas for improvement. This includes analysing your site’s technical aspects, such as site speed, mobile-friendliness and crawlability. Audit your content to check how relevant people find your content and its relevance for your audience, as well as identifying any opportunities for optimisation.
- Research your target audience
Understanding your target audience is crucial for effective SEO. Conduct market research to identify your audience’s needs, preferences and search behaviour. Use this information to tailor your content and SEO strategies to meet their expectations.
- Research relevant keywords
To optimise your website for search engines, it’s crucial to identify and target the right keywords. Start by conducting keyword research using tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush or Ahrefs. Look for keywords with high search volume and low competition to maximise your chances of ranking.
- Optimise your website structure
Make sure that your website has a logical and organised structure. Use clear and descriptive URLs, create a user-friendly navigation menu and categorise your content into relevant sections. This makes it easier for search engine crawlers to index your site and improves user experience.
- Create high-quality content
Content is king! Produce informative and engaging content that adds value to your target audience. Incorporate relevant keywords naturally into your content and optimise your titles, headings and meta descriptions.
- Optimise meta tags and descriptions
Meta tags and descriptions provide brief information about your web page’s content to search engine users. Craft meta titles and descriptions that will make users click. Include your target keywords naturally but avoid keyword stuffing, otherwise you will get the opposite result.
- Build high-quality backlinks
Backlinks are links from external websites that point to your site. They establish credibility and indicate to search engines that your content is valuable. Focus on getting backlinks from reputable and authoritative websites within your industry.
Connect with influencers, participate in industry forums and engage in guest blogging opportunities. Remember, quality matters more than quantity when it comes to backlinks.
- Ensure mobile-friendliness
With the increasing use of mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is essential. Test your website’s mobile compatibility using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. Optimise your site’s layout, font size and buttons to provide a seamless mobile experience.
- Track and analyse your SEO efforts
Monitor your SEO progress regularly using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Analyse key metrics such as organic traffic, bounce rate and keyword rankings. Use this data to make informed decisions and fine-tune your SEO strategies.
Remember, SEO is an ongoing process that requires dedication and consistent effort. Keep up with industry trends, adapt to search engine algorithm updates and continue optimising your website to stay ahead of the competition.
Conclusion
And that’s a wrap (for now). You’ve gained a solid understanding of SEO basics and have some actionable tips to get started. Remember that SEO is a long-term strategy and it takes time to see significant results. Stay patient, consistent and keep learning as you navigate your SEO journey.
Stay tuned for the next blog in our series, where we’ll explore another exciting aspect of digital marketing. Until then, happy optimising!
