Katie Coen

Simply publishing a website gets you nowhere. In order to be successful online, you need views. Today, you get most of those views from people searching the web on platforms like Google. A simple search can bring you thousands of links right at your finger tips, but how do you get yours on the top of the page? Search engine optimization.

What is SEO?

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a process to make your website more visible on a browser search. It’s all in an effort to get more people to view your site. The hope is that this audience will come back again, as more and more people come across your content online. With SEO, you aren’t paying for advertisements or sponsored pages. Instead, you are formulating your website to fit a certain standard that will improve its standing on a search engine. These improvements to the website’s structure and content make it more easily discoverable. 

Search engines, the most popular being Google, use an algorithm to sort websites when someone searches. So if you search something you want to know, the websites listed first on the page check the boxes of what the algorithm is looking for. All the sites that apply to your search are ordered by quality, relevance, and other factors. Things like consistent posting, words used in titles, and more people engaging in the content rank the website higher.

This means big name websites that are known for producing good content will be at the top of your search. For example, if you search “things to do in Barcelona,” the well-known, credible websites will be the first thing you see.

As you scroll down on a search page, the sites become less known. These sites probably do not think about SEO, therefore they get less clicks.

Why it’s Important

You want your website to be seen. Without SEO, your site will get buried below thousands of other search results. You’ll be less likely to have viewers choose your site when they have too many options. This can hurt your business or set your career back. SEO brings more people to your site, making you more money and getting more views. It also brings credibility to a site. If it is ranked higher on a search engine, it’s known to be more accurate and successful. 

How to Improve SEO

1. Keyword Research

One of the most common ways a user finds your website is by searching a keyword. Depending on what your website is about, they keywords will be different. It’s an important step to find out what people are searching relating to the industry or content your site covers. Once you know what words or phrases will attract viewers, you can incorporate them into your site.

4. Optimize Titles and Meta Descriptions

Every webpage you create has a title. This is the most impactful place to use keywords from your research. You can incorporate them in a natural way. It’s important to only use one major title on a page, and it should be kept to 55-60 characters, including the keyword.

For example, this blog post uses keywords in the title. “Make Your Website Seen with SEO” uses two words that will bring viewers interested in web design. “Website” and “SEO” allow for this post to be found on a search engine when someone wants to learn about it.

You can see another example here. The top websites that come up in a search have titles that match a phrase commonly searched. These websites do keyword research and know they need to display these keywords and phrases in their titles.

Meta descriptions will also attract viewers to your site. This is the description of a webpage that shows up when you search it. It’s a preview of what’s inside the link. This is part of what Google will read and scan when reviewing your site before it is ranked in a search. It’s best to include a keyword and other words that tie into the content. You should also make this a compelling, short blurb, to make someone want to read more.

3. Make Quality Content

Once you know your keywords and use them in your title, it’s time to write. But you can’t just forget about all the previous steps. Keywords need to be used throughout the webpage in a successful way. You need to make sure the content inside the webpage will live up to the standards when someone finds it on Google. The information people are searching for must be included. Explain your keywords more in depth and use them throughout. It is important to note that this doesn’t mean you should write like a keyword robot. Use your own voice and style while incorporating these phrases.

Quality content also means having a website that looks pleasing. There should be no obnoxious ads or other distracting elements. The website should be clean and not overly full. Simple is sometimes better.

4. Use Images

No one wants to look at a website full of only words. Visuals add a whole new level to your content. They not only make it more appealing to look at, but they help people understand. Adding images will help a website grow its standing on Google, but it’s important to optimize them. You can learn about that here.

Without SEO, the internet would be a free for all. You’d never know whats credible and what sites you can trust. Now it’s time to make your site fit the algorithm and get more views.