What Is Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and Is It Important?
Search engine optimization: what is it? Is search engine optimization (SEO) important or not? Is SEO important for small business owners to invest in? I hear questions like this all of the time online from entrepreneurs.
I used to work for an SEO agency, so in this blog, we're diving in deep. But don't worry! I'm going to explain what is meant by search engine optimization in layman's terms. At Selah Creative Co., we like to keep things simple. So, we'll start with the basics, then jump into some more technical language.
By the end of this blog, you'll understand the principles of SEO and what it means, so you can make informed decisions about your online marketing strategy.
What is SEO?
SEO is short for "Search Engine Optimization." It's the process of getting your website to rank higher on search engines like Google for relevant queries organically. “Organically,” meaning you haven’t paid for that position via Google Ads or another form of search engine marketing.
The purpose of an SEO strategy is to help make your website more friendly to Google (and other search engines) so that your site shows up when people search for relevant topics.
What is a SERP?
A SERP is a page where all of the results display after you search for a particular phrase or question on any search engine. ("SERP," meaning: Search Engine Results Pages).
What is a query?
A query is a question or term that a user might type into the Google Search bar.
For example, in order to find this blog, you probably typed a question into your preferred search engine such as, "What is search engine optimization?" (That's a query.)
Queries contain keywords you want your website to rank for, so your site shows up in the results when people type them into Google. For example, in the above query, the primary keyword is "search engine optimization" because that's what this blog is talking about.
What are keywords and phrases?
Keywords are individual words or phrases that people search for on search engines.
Keywords are important because they tell Google what a web page’s content is all about. For example, as a Squarespace website designer, I want to attract clients looking for Squarespace web design. Hence, the primary keyword I use on my website design page is "Squarespace Web Design."
The result of strategic keyword usage is your website or blog post showing up in the top ten results of any search engine. For instance, if you type that string of keywords into your Google Search bar right now, you'll see my website pop up on the first page results! (Towards the bottom, but I promise it's there).
What are header tags in SEO?
Header tags, or heading tags, improve the readability of web pages by providing structure to written content. Header tags rank content in order of importance, starting with H1 and going all the way to H6. For a website to be read and understood by search engines, headings must be properly placed.
A helpful way to think about heading tags is by comparing them to a book's table of contents.
What is an H1 tag, H2 tag, H3 tag, etc.?
H1 tags are the title of a book.
An H1 tag introduces the page's topic, giving context to Google, and readers, about what the page is all about—similar to how the title of a book gives you a general sense of what to expect when you read it.
H2 tags are the chapters within a book.
H2 tags are secondary headings that break down the content of a webpage into comprehensive sections. H2 tags are like chapters within a book that create section breaks.
H3 tags to H6 tags are subheadings within each chapter.
When the content displayed under H2 tags needs more detail, H3 tags help organize the topic(s) into sub-sections. H3 tags through H6 tags are subheadings, further delineating information just as books may be split into multiple sub-topics.
How does SEO work?
Search engines use algorithms to determine which web pages to display for any given query. Search engine algorithms take thousands of ranking factors into account, so it's hard to boil them down into a concise list. However, there are three core metrics that search engines use to evaluate the quality of a site and its ranking:
Three Pillars of SEO
1. Link building
Internal links, external links, and backlinks all play crucial roles in how Google and other search engines rank a website.
• Internal Link
An internal link is a link used on your website that connects content within your own site (I.e., linking to your service page on your homepage).
• External Link
External links are links you add to your website that connects your content to someone else's website content. Linking what you’re saying (in a blog post, for example) to another reputable website’s content helps validate your content/claims by using a reliable outside source.
• Backlinks
A backlink (or inbound link) is a link on another site that sends users to your website when they click on it (I.e., a website linking their readers to your blog content). Think of a backlink as a vote from other websites. Website owners only want to link their site to other equal or higher quality sites than their own.
You want to procure as many backlinks as possible from reputable sites because it helps your site gain authority in the eyes of search engines, especially if they're seen as authoritative by Google.
2. Content creation
Creating relevant content is a major factor in SEO. Search engines analyze every web page to determine if it provides relevant information to display as an answer for any number of search queries. Therefore, a good SEO strategy involves creating valuable blog content that answers questions using keywords that people are searching for on search engines like Google and Bing.
3. Page structure
Web pages are written using a coding language called HTML. The way the code is structured matters to search engines. Remember when we discussed keywords and organizing page content with heading tags? Here's where they come into play. Websites should use relevant keywords in page titles, headers, and URLs to increase the site's chance of getting listed higher on SERPs.
Is SEO important for a small business?
SEO helps you improve your website’s ranking on SERPs by using relevant keywords and phrases related to your products or services that your target audience is searching for online.
97% of people use online media to shop locally, so in short, yes—SEO is a powerful tool for small businesses to invest in. You need SEO to truly elevate your website online and get in front of your target audience. When you make your small business website SEO-friendly, you reap the benefits.
More website traffic = More exposure = More leads = More sales = More income.
Now that you understand the key principles of SEO, it's time to start investing in an SEO strategy! Are you looking for a small business SEO company to help you out? I happen to be a Squarespace SEO expert. As a Squarespace web designer, I use my extensive knowledge of SEO to set up your Squarespace website for success.
Contact Selah Creative Co. to inquire about Squarespace website designs and SEO packages.
