Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of improving the visibility of a website in organic search engine results. By optimizing our on-page elements and off-page links, we can help search engines understand our content and determine its relevance to user queries.
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO refers to optimization of elements within our control on the website itself. We should focus on four main areas:
Content: The words on our pages are extremely important. We aim to create helpful, informative content using the site's target keywords naturally and at a human reading level. Length, updates, and multimedia like images and videos can also boost engagement.
Title Tags: The
Meta Description: The meta description provides a brief overview of the page for search engines and should encourage clicks. It appears under the title in search results.
Internal Linking: Internal links between pages pass relevance and help search engines understand the site structure. We should link to important pages and avoid excessive orphan or doorway pages.
Off-Page SEO
Off-page factors refer to external elements outside our website. Building links from other high-quality, relevant websites is very effective.
Guest Posts: We can contribute articles to other sites in our industry and include a brief bio link at the end. This passes authority while providing value.
Social Shares: When others share our content on social networks, it signals that the information is useful and credible. We should actively promote sharing.
Forums/Q&A Sites: Answering questions and participating in online communities demonstrates our expertise. Links in quality responses and signatures are very powerful.
Directories: Google searches for relevant directories and considers inclusion valuable. We can submit our site to appropriate directories.
By focusing on both on-page and off-page optimization techniques, we can help search engines understand our site's topical authority and better serve our target audience. Over time, this comprehensive approach can lead to improved organic search performance.