A lot of small business owners are not aware of the power of internet and how it can help them boost their business online. While some businesses have a website, web owners do not do so much about them. If you are a small business owner and are wondering how an excellent online presence can help you improve your marketing and increase your sales, here are the basics of search engine optimization that you need to know.

What is SEO?

SEO stands for search engine optimization. It may sound too technical, but don’t be intimidated. It is actually the process of modifying your website according to the standards and factors of search engines in order to rank visibly higher on search engine results and get increased traffic from web users.

How do search engines rank websites?

Search engines rank websites according to their “relevancy” to the search term inputted by users. For example, if a user searches for “maternity clinic in Sydney”, Google will look for websites that talk about maternity clinic in Sydney and rank them according to how relevant they are to the search term. The ranking process of search engines depends on certain factors and is operated by a specific algorithm. These search ranking factors include keywords, website content, internal links, site structure, and site speed.

What is the role of keywords in SEO?

Keywords remain a prominent component of SEO. They are words or phrases that web users input on search engines when making a search. Thus, web owners should be aware of these specific words and phrases in order for them to wrap their website around these keywords. When optimizing your website, it is important that you target certain keywords by including them sufficiently on your website content. Additionally, they must be surrounded by impactful content and placed intelligently with end usability in mind.

What is the importance of quality content?

Search engines consider a website “relevant” if it comes with high-quality content. Thus, in SEO, quality content is king. Avoid stuffing your website with keywords to the point that it no longer makes any sense at all. Instead, focus on creating content that is valuable and engaging, and differentiate yourself from your competitors.

If you need more help in SEO and want to optimise your website according to a specific keyword related to your brand or business, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.