SEO Optimization: Everything you need to know
SEO optimization is one of the most effective digital marketing strategies to increase website visibility, traffic, and conversions. According to a study by BrightEdge, 68% of online traffic comes from organic search engine results.
Therefore, it is essential to know and apply the best SEO practices to improve the positioning of your website and outperform the competition.
In this article we will explain what SEO is, what SEO optimization is, what its benefits are, how search engines work and what aspects you should optimize to achieve good SEO.
We will also give you some tips for optimizing content for SEO, the differences between SEO and SEM, the importance of local SEO, and how to choose an SEO agency for your business.
Google's global revenue growth from Q1 2008 to Q1 2024
What is SEO in Marketing
SEO is the abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization. It is the set of techniques and strategies focused on optimizing organic positioning in Internet search engines.
Some examples are Google, Bing, Baidu, Yahoo!, Yandex, DuckDuckGo or YouTube.
The goal of SEO is to increase quality traffic, attract relevant visitors, and improve the authority and relevance of a website online.
Authority refers to the extent to which a website is considered trustworthy and high-quality by search engines and other websites. It is based on the quantity and quality of backlinks or inbound links pointing to the website from other relevant and reputable pages. These links act as votes of trust and popularity towards the website.
Relevance refers to how relevant a website's content is to users' search queries. Search engines look at different aspects to determine a website's relevance, such as keywords, tags and descriptions, site structure, and the relationship between pages.
Relevance is achieved by creating high-quality content and optimizing it for relevant keywords. To do this, it is important to understand users' search intentions and provide useful answers to their queries.
What is SEO optimization?
SEO optimization encompasses a series of tactics with the purpose of raising the position of a website or blog in non-paid results, also known as natural or organic results, in search engines such as Google and others.
SEO optimization involves implementing various techniques and strategies to optimize different aspects of a website, both internal and external.
Internal aspects refer to elements that directly depend on the website, such as code, design, navigation, content, images, metadata, etc. External aspects refer to elements that depend on the website environment, such as inbound links, social mentions, online reputation, etc.
Benefits of applying SEO to your website
Applying SEO to your website has multiple benefits that will help you improve your online presence and achieve your business goals. Some of these benefits are:
Increase visibility and organic traffic : By improving your positioning in search results, your website will be more likely to be found by users looking for what you offer.
Improve user experience : By optimizing your website for SEO, you will also be improving the usability, speed, design and content of your website. This will make users have a better experience when browsing your website and will make them stay longer, reducing the bounce rate and increasing loyalty.
Build trust and credibility : By improving the authority and relevance of your website, you will also be building trust and credibility with users and search engines.
Reduce costs : By getting organic traffic you won't have to pay for each click or impression, as is the case with online advertising. In addition, SEO has a long-term effect, as the results are maintained over time if the appropriate maintenance and updating actions are carried out.
Increase ROI – By getting more quality traffic and improving conversion, SEO will help you increase your website’s ROI. SEO is one of the digital marketing strategies with the highest ROI, as it has a relatively low cost and high benefits.
Understanding search engines to be able to do SEO
Search engines are computer systems whose main function is to provide users with the most relevant and useful results for their search queries.
To do this, search engines perform three main processes: crawling, indexing and ranking.
Crawling – This is the process of searching for new or updated web pages. Search engines use programs called crawlers or bots that follow links from one page to another, gathering information about the content and structure of each page. Crawling is done periodically to keep the index up to date.
Indexing – It is the process of storing and organizing information collected by crawlers in a database called an index. The index contains the data of each web page such as title, description, keywords, images, links, etc. The index is where search engines consult to display search results.
Ranking – This is the process of ordering and displaying search results based on their relevance and authority for each search query. Search engines use complex algorithms that evaluate hundreds of factors to determine each web page’s position in the results. These factors can vary depending on the type of search, device, location, language, etc.
7 points to consider when optimizing SEO on your website
To do good SEO, it is necessary to optimize different points that affect the performance and quality of a website.
These points can be grouped into two categories: on-page SEO and off-page SEO.
On-page SEO
On-page SEO refers to the actions carried out within the website to improve its positioning. Some of the most important points to optimize are:
Keyword research
It consists of identifying and selecting the words or phrases that best describe the content and purpose of each web page, and that match the search intentions of users.
Keywords should be relevant, specific and have a good search volume.
To carry out good keyword research you can use tools such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush or Ahrefs.
Metadata
These are the data that describe the content and structure of each web page. The most important metadata for SEO are the title, description, and tags. The title should contain the main keyword and be attractive and informative.
The description should summarize the content and purpose of the page and include a call to action. Tags should indicate the hierarchy of the content and use headings H1, H2, H3, etc.
Loading speed
This is the time it takes for a web page to be fully displayed in the user's browser. Loading speed is a key factor for user experience and SEO positioning, as it affects dwell time, bounce rate and conversion.
To improve loading speed, you can apply techniques such as reducing the size and optimizing images, using a CDN (Content Delivery Network) service, enabling compression and caching, minimizing HTML, CSS and JavaScript code, etc.
Content quality
It is the extent to which the content meets the needs and interests of users and provides them with added value. The content must be original, relevant, useful, up-to-date and well-structured.
In addition, it should be optimized for the selected keywords, using appropriate density and avoiding stuffing. The content should be long enough to cover the topic in depth and detail.
Internal linking
It consists of creating links between pages of the same website, in order to improve navigation, the distribution of link juice or authority and indexing. Internal linking must be coherent, natural and relevant, using an anchor text that describes the content of the link and avoiding excess or lack of links.
Off-page SEO
Off-page SEO refers to actions that are carried out outside the website to improve its positioning. Some of the most important points to optimize are:
Linkbuilding
It consists of obtaining inbound links from other relevant and quality websites that point to the website. Inbound links act as votes of confidence and popularity towards the website, improving its authority and positioning.
Link building should be natural and organic, avoiding spam or black hat techniques that can penalize the website. To get good links, you can use strategies such as guest posting, content marketing, public relations, social mentions, etc.
Technical SEO
It consists of optimizing the technical aspects of the website that affect performance, security and indexing.
Some of the most important aspects are using HTTPS, implementing a sitemap and robots.txt file, optimizing for mobile devices, fixing 404 errors and other status codes, removing duplicate content, etc.
How to optimize content for SEO
Content is one of the fundamental pillars of SEO, as it is the means by which you communicate with users and search engines. That is why it is important to create quality content and optimize it for SEO.
Some tips for optimizing content for SEO are:
Define the purpose and target audience of the content : Before creating the content, it is important to be clear about the purpose of the content and who it is aimed at. This will help focus the content on the needs and interests of users and choose the right keywords.
Conduct keyword research : As we have already mentioned, keywords are the terms that describe the content and match the search queries of users. To conduct good keyword research, you must take into account factors such as relevance, specificity, search volume, competition, and search intent. It is recommended to use long-tail keywords, which are more specific and less competitive than generic ones.
Create an attractive and informative title : The title is the most important element of the content, as it is the first thing that users and search engines see. The title should contain the main keyword and be able to capture the attention and interest of users. It is recommended to use formulas that generate curiosity, benefit or urgency, such as questions, lists, guides, tips, etc.
Write an engaging introduction : The introduction is the part of your content that aims to grab the reader's attention and motivate them to continue reading. The introduction should briefly summarize the content and its purpose, and include a call to action or hook that entices the reader to continue.
Structure your content with headings : Headings are the tags that indicate the hierarchy of the content and make it easier to read and understand. Headings should use H1, H2, H3, etc. tags, depending on their level of importance. The H1 should contain the title of the content and there should only be one per page. H2s should contain the subheadings or main sections of the content and include secondary or related keywords. H3s should contain the sub-subheadings or subsections of the content and include long-tail keywords or variations.
Write original, relevant and useful content : the content must be unique and not copied or duplicated from other sources. The content must be relevant to the topic and objective of the content, and provide added value to the user. The content must be useful in resolving the user's doubts or problems, providing truthful, up-to-date and verified information.
Use clear, simple, and natural language : Content should be written in clear, simple, and natural language that is easy to understand and read. Content should avoid using jargon, technical terms, or complex words that may confuse the user. Content should use a tone appropriate to the target audience and its purpose, whether formal, informal, fun, serious, etc.
Add visuals that complement the content : Visuals are resources that help improve the presentation and appeal of the content, such as images, videos, infographics, charts, etc. Visuals should be related to the content and provide additional or illustrative information. Visuals should be SEO-optimized, using an appropriate size, a supported format, a descriptive name, and alternative text containing the keyword.
Include internal and external links that enrich the content : links are connections that direct the user to other web pages related to the content. Internal links are those that point to other pages on the same website, and serve to improve navigation, authority distribution and indexing. External links are those that point to other pages on other websites, and serve to support the information, increase credibility and generate relationships with other websites. Links should be coherent, natural and relevant, using anchor text that describes the content of the link and avoiding excess or lack of links.
Write a conclusion that summarizes the content and encourages the user to take action : The conclusion is the final part of the content that aims to summarize the main points of the content and encourage the user to take action. The conclusion should reinforce the main message of the content and the benefit to the user. The conclusion should include a call to action or an incentive that prompts the user to take a desired action such as subscribe, purchase, share, comment, etc.
SEM and SEO: what are the differences?
SEM (Search Engine Marketing) and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) are two digital marketing strategies that aim to improve the visibility and traffic of a website in search engines.
However, there are some differences between both strategies that are worth knowing.
+ SEM refers to the use of paid ads to appear in search results. + SEO refers to the use of organic techniques to improve natural positioning in search results.
+ SEM involves a cost for each click or impression of the ad. SEO involves an initial cost for the implementation and maintenance of optimization techniques.
+ SEM allows you to get immediate results and control the budget, target audience, geographic location, schedule and keywords of the ads. SEO allows you to get long-term results and improve the authority, reputation and loyalty of the website.
Google and local SEO
Local SEO is a variant of SEO that focuses on optimizing the positioning of a website for local searches. Local searches are those that include a geographic reference or are made from a specific location. For example: “restaurants near me”, “dentist in Mexico”, “clothing store in Polanco”, etc.
Local SEO aims to improve a website's visibility and traffic for users searching for products or services near their location. Local SEO is especially important for local businesses that have a physical presence or offer home-based services.
Google is the most used search engine in the world and has a huge influence on local SEO. Google uses different factors to determine the local ranking of a website, such as:
Relevance – refers to how relevant the website is to the user’s search query. To improve relevance, you should optimize your content with local keywords, include contact details, and information about the products or services offered.
Proximity – This refers to how close the website is to the user or location specified in the search. To improve proximity, you should optimize your website for mobile devices, use a CDN service, include your business address and map, and request customer reviews and ratings.
Authority – refers to how trustworthy and high-quality the website is. To improve authority, you should get inbound links from other relevant local websites, create profiles on social media and local directories, and generate valuable content for local audiences.
Google also offers a free tool called Google My Business , which allows you to create and manage a business profile that appears in search results and on Google Maps.
Google My Business allows you to add information about your business, such as your name, address, phone number, hours, website, photos, offers, etc. Google My Business also allows you to interact with customers by responding to their reviews, questions, and messages.
How to choose an SEO agency for your business
SEO is a complex and dynamic strategy that requires technical knowledge, experience and constant updating. For this reason, it is often advisable to hire the services of an SEO agency that is responsible for optimizing the website and improving its positioning.
However, not all SEO agencies are the same, nor do they offer the same services or results. That is why it is important to choose an SEO agency that fits the needs and objectives of the business.
Some tips for choosing a good SEO agency are:
Research the agency's reputation and success stories : Before hiring an SEO agency, it is a good idea to research their online reputation, references, testimonials, and success stories. You can also ask the agency to show some examples of websites they have optimized and the results they have achieved.
Compare the agency's services and prices : Another way to evaluate an SEO agency is to compare the services and prices it offers with other similar agencies. It is important to keep in mind that SEO is not a cheap or fast service, but rather requires a medium or long-term investment. Therefore, you should be wary of agencies that promise immediate or very inexpensive results.
Communicate with the agency and set clear objectives : Finally, before hiring an SEO agency, it is important to communicate with it and set clear and realistic objectives. A method of monitoring and evaluating the project should also be agreed upon, including regular reports on the actions taken and the results obtained.
Written by Moises Hamui Abadi : I am an entrepreneur, founding partner of Viceversa and SoyMacho. After leading several digital businesses and advising several other businesses, I decided to form MHA Consulting, a digital marketing consultancy dedicated to growing and empowering digital businesses in more than 7 countries and generating more than 1,500 million pesos.
If you want more information on this topic or are looking for other options to profile your ideal client, you will find the solution you need at MHA. Schedule a call.