A website's Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process by which a webmaster seeks to improve the visibility of his or her site in search engine results pages. The goal is to achieve high-ranking placement for keywords that are relevant to the content of the site, and low-ranking placement for keywords that are not as relevant.
There are several components to this system, including keyword research, page optimization, link building, and on-page SEO. In addition, there are off-page SEO strategies such as article marketing and guest blogging.
Keyword Research
The first step in any SEO campaign is to perform keyword research, so you know what terms people are using when they search. This will help you identify potential words with high search volume and also words that have little competition for the same phrase. You can then use these keywords throughout your site for more effective SEO.
You should perform keyword research using two different tools. One tool is Google's AdWords Keyword Tool. Just enter your keywords into the tool, and it will give you statistics about the number of searches per month and the cost per click (CPC). The other tool you'll want to use is Google Analytics. If your site has been up and running for a while, Google Analytics will already be installed. Click the Site Content section from the left side navigation bar, and then choose All Pages under Traffic Sources. You will now see how many visitors come to your site each month, broken down by source, and by location. There is also an option to view traffic sources by language.
Once you've determined keywords with high search volumes and few competitors, you can perform some simple calculations to determine how much you would need to spend to rank for those keywords. For example, if you're targeting a keyword with 500 monthly searches but you only get 10 clicks per month, then you only need $500 to rank for that keyword. However, if you get 50 clicks per month, then you only need $50 to rank for that keyword.
Page Optimization
After you have identified keywords with high search volume and little competition, you can begin optimizing your pages for them. When developing a page, keep the following guidelines in mind:
· Keep the content readable at all times -- the text on your pages must be easy to read and understandable. You don't want to confuse readers with too much information.
· Use descriptive titles and page headings -- titles and headings should contain no more than 60 characters, and should be descriptive enough to entice the reader to click through to your site. Page headings should appear near the top of every page.
· Include keywords -- use your chosen keywords whenever possible. It is best to use the most important keywords first; however, make sure your content is still clear and accessible.
· Make sure your content is unique -- don't copy and paste content from another site. Also, avoid the "keyword stuffing" technique -- place large amounts of the same keyword over and over again, either within the title tag or in the body of the page.
· Add images -- images can add visual interest to a page and increase its chances of being clicked.
Link Building
One of the most difficult aspects of any SEO campaign is finding high-quality links back to your site. A website's backlink profile is the set of links pointing toward your site. The higher the quality of these links, the better position your site will have in the search engines.
You should focus on creating relationships with other sites that may benefit from linking to yours. These could include directories, blogs, forums, social media profiles, and article submission services.
Off-page SEO Strategies
Although off-page SEO strategies are generally less important than on-page SEO strategies, they still play an integral part in improving your rankings. An off-page strategy involves building authority and credibility outside of your primary domain. You accomplish this by writing articles about topics related to your industry, submitting your work to article directories, participating in forum discussions, and commenting on related blog posts. Your off-page efforts will ultimately strengthen your relationship with other websites, and these relationships will carry weight with search engines.
Another way to build off-page authority is by becoming active on social media platforms. Social Media Marketing is a popular method of gaining exposure online. To ensure that you remain visible across multiple platforms, you should set up accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, and others.
When performing your off-page SEO activities, remember to include your target keywords. Doing so will allow both you and the search engines to recognize you as an expert in your field.
To sum up...
There are several factors that affect search engine ranking. On-page factors include the content and organization of your site, as well as the overall look and feel of your pages. Off-page factors that influence a page's ranking include the amount of time it takes to load, the number of backlinks available to your site, and whether or not your site appears in search engine "spiders." As a webmaster, you must understand these concepts and take advantage of them when working to optimize a site.