Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is the process of editing a website or webpage to make it rank higher with internet search engines. Google is the largest and most well known search engine, but there are alternatives, including Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Brave Search and Startpage.
Search ranking is affected by a myriad of factors, including: the security of your website and host server, the speed at which the webpage loads, how many people view your page, how many other sites link to yours as well as many others.
Some factors will have a major impact on ranking and some may be moderate or minor. Search engines never publicise the actual (regularly updated) algorithms they use to rank pages, as people would simply abuse the system in order to inflate their rank. Their intent is to ensure searchers receive genuine, helpful results; and not something contrived.
The ‘optimisation’ part involves editing or improving elements such as:
- Technical elements of a website (meta data, loading speed, size of images, text to code ratio, etc)
- Content (Is the content easy to read? Is it relevant to your topic?)
- Other websites that link to your site, and their quality.
- Other websites refer to your brand.
- Interaction on & references to your site by social media sites.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) doesn't stop when you’ve completed building a website...
SEO is an ongoing process of improving the performance of a site, and developing targeted content.
Produce the best user experience possible and search engines will reward you for it.
Search engines are constantly evaluating your website against your competitors to see how many visitors you receive, how quick it loads, how much users engage with the content and how well you talk about relevant keywords (along with literally thousands of other factors) to determine where you rank on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
Trouble Free Computing can offer expert guidance on improving your page rank and develop clear SEO strategies for improving your search position and conversion results.
Why is ranking important?
Since search engines (especially Google) account for such a huge percentage of internet traffic, it makes sense to get in on the action. A site who ranks number 1 on Google is will attract visitors and customers even if they conduct zero additional marketing activities.
In addition, people who are searching for a service or product are either considering or intending to purchase, making them very high value visitors to your website.
Thirdly, if search results are showing users a long list of your direct competitors, you are likely to want to be visible in the mix.
Why does my website need SEO?
Your search ranking will be constantly affected by your competitors, as they create new websites or improve existing ones, your stagnant site will simply slip further and further down in rank over time.
In order to stay competitive in page rankings, optimisation is needed on an ongoing basis - there is actually no end goal, as the finish line will constantly move in response to your competition.
SEO Terminology
Talk to us about the TROUBLE FREE way to optimise your website today.
