SEO Basics

SEO Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Found on Google 

✅ What Is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of improving your website so it ranks higher in search engine results like Google. The higher your site ranks, the more people will see and visit it — without paying for ads.

🧱 Step 1: Understand How Google Works

Google's goal is to give users the most relevant and helpful content. When someone searches for “best laptops under ₹50,000,” Google:

• Crawls the web (scans sites)

• Indexes pages (stores them in its database)

• Ranks them based on relevance and trust
  
  

👉 Your goal in SEO: Help Google understand and trust your content.

🗂️ Step 2: Choose the Right Keywords

Keywords are the words and phrases people search for.

✅ Example:

• Bad: “My service”

• Good: “Affordable website design in Kanchipuram”
  
  

How to find good keywords:

• Use tools like Google Keyword Planner

• Think like your customer

• Focus on low competition, high relevance

🏗️ Step 3: Optimize On-Page Elements

Make sure your page is easy for Google to read. Focus on:

Title Tag - Include your main keyword

Meta Description - Write a short summary with the keyword

Headings (H1, H2)  - Use structured headings to organize content

Alt Text - Add image descriptions for SEO and accessibility

URL - Keep it short and keyword-rich

🏗️ Step 4: Use Internal and External Links 

Internal links help Google crawl your site better.

Example: Link to other blog posts (like Advanced SEO Strategies)

External links to high-authority sites add credibility.

Example: Link to Google’s SEO Starter Guide

📱 Step 5: Make It Mobile-Friendly

Most users are on mobile. Use a responsive design, readable fonts, and fast-loading images.

Google prioritizes mobile-first indexing — if it looks bad on mobile, it ranks poorly.

🐢 Step 6: Improve Page Speed

Use tools like:

• Google PageSpeed Insights

• GTmetrix
  
  

Tips to speed up your site:

• Compress images

• Minimize scripts

• Avoid heavy plugins\

🔍 Step 7: Set Up Google Search Console

Google Search Console helps you:

• Submit your site to Google

• Monitor traffic and clicks

• Fix errors like broken links or slow loading
  
  

✅ Link: Search Console

📈 Step 8: Track Your Results

Use Google Analytics to monitor:

• Where your visitors come from

• What pages they visit

• What keywords they searched

SEO is not instant — track changes weekly or monthly, and adjust your content based on what works.

🧠 Final Thoughts

SEO takes time, but it’s worth it. Start with the basics, stay consistent, and you’ll build steady traffic to your site.

👉 Coming up next: Advanced SEO Strategies