The Basics of Search Engine Optimisation

With 93% of online experiences starting with a search engine, it’s crucial to implement an effective SEO strategy for your website.

But what are the basics of SEO? Search Engine Optimisation focuses on increasing both the quality and quantity of website traffic.

Instead of pushing paid ads onto users, marketers implement SEO techniques to organically raise search engine rank. The higher the rank, the more visible the website becomes. And visibility equals web traffic.

Are you new to the world of Search Engine Optimisation? If so, you have come to the right place.

Let’s dive into the importance of SEO for websites and the basic fundamentals of SEO.

What Exactly Is SEO?

First off: What is SEO? And how does it work?

When you type something into the search engine box, crawlers search the internet to gather information. The crawlers create an index based on the information they find.

The index gets fed through the search engine’s algorithm. The algorithm matches data with the search query. It produces relevant results that answer your question.

SEO can be broken down into three divisions: technical SEO, on-site SEO, and off-site SEO.

Technical SEO

Technical SEO techniques are implemented into a website or server to boost its rank on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Examples include:

• Securing your website with an SSL
• Using an efficient website host to increase site page load time
• Having a website that adapts to all devices (desktop, mobile, tablets, etc.)
• Eliminating duplicate content
• Adding a sitemap
• Incorporating structured data mark-up coding into the website’s backend

All of these technical aspects improve the authority and user-experience of a website. Search engine crawlers take these aspects into account when determining what sites to send users to.

On-Site SEO: Optimising Content

On-site SEO is the process of organising content to improve search engine rank.

Examples of on-site SEO include:

• Keywords
• Linking
• Headers
• Readability scores
• Unique and thorough content

On-site SEO makes it easy for search engines to determine what the page is about and identify relevant content.

Off-Site SEO: Building Website Authority and Backlinks

Off-site SEO are actions that occur outside of a website to boost search engine rank.

The most common way to enhance off-site SEO is through backlinks.

Search engine crawlers send more users to websites they deem as trustworthy and credible. When reputable websites link to your page or industry experts promote your website, your site’s authority improves. Higher credibility leads to better website traffic.

How Important Is It for a Website to Have Good SEO?

Search Engine Optimisation benefits a website in three essential ways.

First, SEO organically increases website traffic. With the correct SEO techniques, you can rank higher than competitors. Higher search engine rankings lead to more web traffic and better brand visibility.

Second, marketers implement keywords into the content, headers, and meta descriptions to tell search engines what the website is about. When a user types in words that match the keywords in your content, the search engine sends the user to your page.

This match-making process means your website receives quality traffic. Search engines are sending users to your page that are genuinely interested in your blog’s content or the services on your website.

Third, SEO boosts organic traffic. Organic results are ones you don’t pay for. While between 70% and 80% of internet users ignore paid ads, 51% of all website traffic stems from organic searches.

Is SEO Still Relevant in 2021?

SEO will always be relevant. However, the type of SEO tactics we use change over time.

SEO is not a one-solution math equation. It is a science that we must continue to alter to ensure its effectiveness.

The SEO tactics in 2014 may no longer be relevant in 2021. That’s why marketers must stay updated on industry developments and adapt their SEO to match search query changes.

As we move into 2021, new developments in how users perform searches are changing SEO. For example, artificial intelligence is modifying the way people interact with online content.

This has resulted in adjustments to RankBrain, Google’s AI algorithm. RankBrain reforms itself to ensure high-quality search matches. As RankBrain changes, so do our SEO tactics.

Another way SEO is changing in 2021 is based on how users perform searches.

The emergence and growing popularity of voice searches (like Siri and Alexa) are changing search queries. In 2019, 22% of UK households owned a voice-controlled digital home assistant. That number is predicted to grow as 41% plan to purchase one within the next five years.

What does this mean for SEO? Content needs to be optimised for voice searches. Marketers must apply conversational tones that match phrases people would likely speak into their phones or assistants to ensure high web traffic.

SEO itself will remain relevant. But the types of SEO techniques marketers implement into their content will vary over the years.

Get Started Learning the Basics of SEO

Once you understand the basics of SEO, you can implement it into your website and gain more power over website traffic.

Search Engine Optimisation is a powerful tool. It is one thing to create a well-written blog with useful content. But what is the point if no one sees it? Marketers combine high-quality information with SEO techniques to send premium traffic to your website.

SEO will always be relevant as long as have internet. The type of SEO tactics we use, however, will continue to change with new technological developments.

Does all of this sound overwhelming to you? No worries! At StudioHawk, we’ve recently launched the Hawk Academy – the missing link in SEO Education. Start exploring now.