What is SEO?
What the heck is SEO? If you have your own website you might have heard it mentioned and you may or may not know how much attention to give it. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) doesn’t need to be complicated and just a small amount of effort can go a long way in improving your website’s rankings on Google (and the other search engines!).
So, what does SEO actually do? Well, think of it as the fairy dust that sprinkles some magic on your website, making it shine brighter to search engines when they are looking for results. If your selling or promoting your business online with your website, but no-ones finding it, SEO can give it that boost to get it in front of your ideal clients. Without this your website may as well be invisible to people searching for your services!
By sprinkling your website with the right keywords, crafting great content, and making sure your back of house is clean and tidy, you can make your website shout a little louder beside everyone else vying for clicks!
But that’s not all! SEO isn’t just about getting eyeballs on your site—it’s about building trust and credibility with your audience. When your website pops up at the top of the search results, it’s growing your know, like, trust factor. And for small businesses, trust is the currency of the internet.
So where do I start?
If you’re ready to give your website a little extra boost in the eyes of Google, here are some first steps to get you on the right track:
Keywords, Keywords, Keywords:
Think of keywords as the breadcrumbs that lead potential customers straight to your digital doorstep. Take some time to research what keywords are relevant to your business and sprinkle them strategically throughout your website’s content. Just remember, don’t go overboard and stuff your content with keywords at the expense of making it easy to read!
Optimize Your Content:
Speaking of content, it’s time to give it a review. Make sure your website is full of high-quality content that’s relevant and useful to your audience. From blog posts to product descriptions, every piece of content is an opportunity to show Google why your website deserves a prime spot in the search results.
Speedy Gonzales:
Everyone hates waiting for a website to load. Speed matters in the world of SEO, so to make sure your website is zipping along you should compress those images, minimize those fancy plugins, and trim the fat wherever you can to keep your website loading lightning-fast.
Mobile-Friendly is the Way to Be:
Do you know how much of your website traffic comes from mobile? There’s a good chance that it’s well over 50%. That’s why it’s crucial to make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices. Google loves a mobile-friendly website!
Get Friendly with Metadata:
Metadata might sound like something straight out of a sci-fi flick, but it’s actually a secret weapon in the world of SEO. Take some time to optimize your page titles, meta descriptions, and headers with relevant keywords. It might seem like a small detail, but it can make a big difference.
Links, Links, Links:
Building a network of high-quality links from reputable websites can work wonders for your SEO. Collaborate with other businesses, share your favourites, and link to them from your website to build up your network.
Measure your Analytics:
Last but not least, keep an eye on your analytics. Tools like Google Analytics can give you invaluable insights into how people are finding and interacting with your website. Use this data to fine-tune your SEO strategy and keep climbing the search rankings.
