Search engine optimisation (or SEO to those in the know) can be a difficult concept to grasp if you are not entirely sure what it entails. But the truth is, you do not need to be a digital marketing genius to learn the basics. You can master these skills easily, giving you a better insight into what your digital agency is implementing for you.Â
SEO is a vital part of all digital marketing services and understanding the various processes is equally as important. SEO best practices are continually changing, due to the algorithm updates that search engines are constantly implementing. However, if you understand the basics, you will have a head start. Keep reading below for the top 6 SEO basics that you need to master.Â
Love Those Links
One of the most important SEO basics that anyone needs to understand are links. Without links, your website search results are going to remain at the bottom of the pile, so it is vital to understand the mechanics of linking. Links from high-authority websites send a signal of trust to Google and other engines, helping to improve your rank on search engine results pages.Â
The most important part of linking to master is backlinking, which is the process of acquiring links from other websites to your website. There are some proactive steps that you can take in order to build more backlinks, such as publishing an original study or article that is unique and sharable. Other businesses and industry experts will find it informative and relevant and will be more willing to share it.Â
Create Relevant Content
Your digital marketing agency has likely used the old adage of, “content is king” when working with you. And while this is a cliche, it is very true. If you neglect the content on your website, you are going to find it difficult to rank on search engine results pages. Creating content might sound difficult, but any digital marketing agency worth their caffeine addiction can create it easily and effectively.Â
Content is what keeps consumers on your website, especially if it is relevant, original, and valuable. It sends a signal to search engines that your site is active and that you are providing authoritative information. Your content should use keywords that are related to your business and industry, in order to make it searchable by both consumers and search engines. Content includes both written, textual content as well as visual content, including videos and infographics.Â
Keep Up With Keywords
Content cannot exist without keywords, and keywords are one of the top five SEO basics that everyone needs to master. Keywords can be thought of as what your customers are searching for, and what you need to target in any blogs, articles, and website content. You cannot optimise your website for SEO if you have not chosen the relevant keywords for the content.Â
You can use tools such as Google Keyword Planner or Keyword Tool to help you find keywords with the highest search volume, such as “digital marketing agency in Cape Town” and use these in your articles. Another method is to use the “people also ask” function on Google for alternative keyword usages and phrases, so that you have longtail keywords (these are simply phrases) to use in your content to make it more relevant to search engines. These keywords will also provide you with topic ideas for a blog or article that answer the questions your audience has been asking.Â
Magical Meta Descriptions And Headlines
When you hear the words “meta descriptions”, it likely sounds a little too technical and difficult to understand. However, a meta description is simply the words that Google will show to users when your website appears on their search engine page results. While your meta description is not the main ranking requirement form search engines, it does hold importance to how easy your website is to “find” online.Â
Meta descriptions and headlines help people who are searching to engage with your website. This helps to improve the traffic to your website, as users will be able to see exactly what it is all about. You should always be sure to optimise your headlines and meta descriptions using the same keywords you used in your content. This will ensure that your website climbs in rank for that keyword and that more internet users are able to find your content.Â
Update Your User Experience
An important part of SEO is ensuring that your website is accessible to both humans and search engines. This can be done by updating and improving your user experience (UX) because search engines gather data about how users interact with your website. If the website does not provide an optimal experience, your SEO ranking will be directly affected.Â
Any digital marketing strategy will include auditing your website for improvements relevant to SEO, as well as tp both bots and humans. And while bots are becoming more “human”, it is important to provide a positive experience for both. The elements you will need to improve on include the page loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and an SSL (or site safety) certificate. UX is a vital part of any SEO strategy.Â
Grab Interest With Infographics
Infographics are some of the most shared content on the internet today, and this is because people are becoming increasingly visual in today’s age. An infographic is a piece of visual content that uses both images and words to explain an idea, concept, or even to explain a process.Â
According to popular infographic maker Visme, infographics are shared up to three times more than other content. This is because these tools can make information come to life and become more engaging, encouraging interaction from readers. A useful and relevant infographic will drive more traffic to your site due to the shares and links to it from other authoritative sources. NetMechanic offers infographic creation services that can help you to boost your website traffic and increase your SEO rankings, while also providing relevant content to your audience.
Final Thoughts
Search engine optimisation might sound like something mystical from the marketing world, but it can be understood even by those who are not in the know. Start by perfecting your backlinking strategy, then move on to finding keywords and creating content. Your meta descriptions and headlines should also be optimised, as well as your UX.Â
If you would like to boost your SEO strategy or need the help of an expert digital marketing company to create one for you, contact NetMechanic today for more information. Â
