SEO – what’s the big deal?

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The word "SEO" written in vintage, dirty metal letterpress type on a whitewashed wooden background with ink and paint stains.

Are you new to SEO? Do you hear the terminology thrown around the office but not sure what it means? Or perhaps you need to brush up on your knowledge? So, what is Search Engine Optimisation and what’s the big deal?

SEO focuses on growing the visibility in organic search engine results and looks at both technical and creative elements to improve your rankings

The benefit of SEO and why your website needs it…

All major search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo, have primary search results. This is where web pages and other content such as videos or local listings are shown and ranked based on what the search engine considers most relevant to users. SEO is a marketing function which focuses on growing the visibility in organic (non-paid) search engine results and looks at both the technical and creative elements required to improve your rankings, drive traffic, and increase awareness in search engines.

Although social media and other types of traffic can generate visits to your website, search engines are the primary method of navigation for most Internet users. This is true whether your site provides content, services, products, information, or anything else.

Search engines are unique because they provide targeted traffic – the people who are looking for what you have to offer. They are the roadways that make this happen and get people to your site. If search engines are unable to find your site, or don’t have the ability to add your content to their databases, then you could be missing potential new business opportunities. 

What’s the detail behind SEO?

There are several different aspects to SEO. Here are some to consider when structuring your page to boost your SEO:

  • Key focus words on your webpage: Make sure your keyword is included in your SEO title and meta description, as well as the main page.
  • Provide internal and external links to help people navigate content.
  • Consider the length of the copy on the page. A minimum of 300 words is a good page length.
  • Include images where you can and ensure they have alt attributes.
  • Ensure you have a site map that’s easy to follow and structured in a way that search engines will understand.
  • Consider how other websites are linking to your site. Do you have clients or suppliers that can reference you on their own websites? Can you maximise this exposure and provide them with the key wording that will influence your search potential?

the right SEO can drive potentially thousands of visitors to your site

Why search engines can’t figure it out without SEO…

Although search engines may be smart, they need help. The major engines are always improving to ensure they return better results to users. However, there is a limit to how search engines can operate. The right SEO can drive potentially thousands of visitors to your site and give you the increased attention you’re aiming for. But the wrong strategy can hide or bury your site deep within the search results, giving you minimal visibility.

In addition to making content available to search engines, a successful SEO strategy will help boost rankings. This means your content is placed where searchers can easily find it. As technology improves, the Internet will continue to become increasingly competitive; companies which perform in SEO have a significant advantage over those which don’t.

The big question – is it easy to manage yourself?

The world of SEO is a complex one. Yet most people can grasp the basics if they have the time. Even a small amount of knowledge can make a big difference.

Depending on your time commitment, willingness to learn, and the complexity of your website(s), you may decide that SEO is out of your remit.  Don’t feel you are alone. If you need specialist to support to drive SEO within your overall marketing strategy, we’re here to help as little or as much as you need.