Have you ever wondered how some websites seem to magically appear at the top of your search results?
The answer isn’t wizardry; it’s SEO, or Search Engine Optimization. And knowing how to optimize your website for search engines is crucial.
Welcome to the beginner’s comprehensive guide on SEO services, brought to you by Getfluence, your marketplace for sponsored content campaigns.
Here, we’ll dive into what SEO services are, SEO best practices, and how you can navigate the labyrinth of SEO Audit to benefit your website’s ranking.
What are SEO Services?
SEO services encompass a wide range of techniques aimed at optimizing your website for search engines like Google.
Their role is to ensure that your website gets noticed by search engines, and by extension, potential customers.
These services often include keyword optimization, content development, and crucially, backlink services, which are really important in your digital marketing strategy.
High-quality backlinks are votes of confidence from other websites, signaling to search engines that your site is a credible resource.
Agencies specializing in SEO can improve your on-page elements and can also implement backlink strategies that bolster your site’s authority.
If executed correctly, SEO can substantially boost your site’s organic traffic, improve brand recognition, and ultimately contribute to increased revenue.
It’s an investment that can offer exponential returns, shaping the foundation for your company’s online presence.
Examining the Case of Zapier
Let’s talk about the case study of Zapier, for example.
Its product had like 200 monthly searches in the U.S., but their blog pulls in 1.6 million organic visits monthly.
As Zapier’s strategy outlines, by writing articles targeting high-search-volume keywords related to your product, you can drive organic traffic.
Inserting a ‘backdoor’ link to another article that explains a specific use case for your product can enrich UX and your SEO.
Zapier employs what’s known as a ‘self-building content hub’ or topic cluster. This strategy involves linking new, related content as subpages to an existing content hub.
For instance, if you have articles about remote work, and you continue to produce more content on that topic, you expand the initial cluster.
The result? A more comprehensive topic cluster, which improves your website’s authority on the subject.
This is exactly what Zapier does: they continually enrich their initial clusters, making them more comprehensive over time.
This demonstrates the potential of a well-executed SEO strategy that goes beyond initial search demand.
Why Conducting an SEO Audit is the first step to leverage your website?
Conducting an SEO audit is crucial for laying the groundwork to leverage your website effectively.
Think of it as a thorough medical check-up, but for your online presence. An SEO audit will identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in your website’s search engine performance.
It provides a comprehensive analysis of factors like site architecture, backlinks, content quality, and much more.
These insights are invaluable because they not only highlight what you’re doing right but also pinpoint areas where improvement is needed.
With the data from the audit, you can formulate a targeted SEO strategy, focusing on areas that will give you the best return on your investment.
Conducting an SEO services audit involves multiple steps and various tools to get a comprehensive view of your website’s SEO health.
So, now that you understand the importance of an SEO audit, what are the threeSEO services essential components that this audit will examine? Read on to find out.
What are the 3 main components of SEO?
The three main components of SEO are: Technical SEO, On-Page SEO, and Off-Page SEO. They form the cornerstone of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.
- Technical SEO is the backbone, focusing on optimizing the website’s architecture to ensure it is easily crawlable and indexable by search engines. This includes elements like site speed, mobile optimization, and secure, accessible website infrastructure.
- On-Page SEO, on the other hand, zeroes in on content optimization, from keyword placement and meta descriptions to the quality and originality of the content itself. It’s about making your web pages as relevant as possible for users and search engines alike.
- Lastly, Off-Page SEO revolves around strengthening your website’s credibility and authority. It includes strategies like building high-quality backlinks, enhancing social signals, and other activities that occur away from your website but significantly impact its ranking.
Together, these three pillars not only enhance your site’s visibility but also contribute to a more engaging and trustworthy user experience.
Let’s explore this in more detail.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO may sound daunting, especially if you’re just getting started in the world of online marketing.
However, it’s a crucial piece of the puzzle if you’re serious about elevating your website’s performance and search ranking. It focuses on the backend structure of your website.
In general it includes:
- Website Speed: Slow-loading websites are not only frustrating to users, but they also have a negative impact on your SEO. A Technical SEO audit often starts with optimizing your site speed.
- Mobile Optimization: With the majority of searches happening on mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly site is non-negotiable.
- Meta Tags: These are snippets of text that describe your site’s content but don’t appear on the website itself. They help search engines understand what your site is about.
- Site Architecture: A well-structured website makes it easier for search engines to crawl your website, which ultimately improves your ranking.
But, it also includes other key points.
Web Structure and Navigation
Before diving into the technicalities of crawling and indexing, you must first ensure that your website has a well-planned structure.
A poorly designed website can lead to a host of issues, hampering not just user experience but also search engine performance.
- Flat & Organized Web Structure: Always aim for a flat web structure where all web pages are just a few clicks away from each other. This makes it easier for search engines to crawl your site and prevents the creation of orphan pages, which are pages without any internal links pointing to them.
- Consistent URL Structure: URLs should be logical and readable, giving clues to users about their location on your website. This is not just user-friendly but also aids in the page’s SEO performance.
- Breadcrumb Navigation: Also known as ‘fil d’Ariane’ in French, breadcrumb navigation provides a trail for the user to follow back to the starting or entry point. This not only enhances user experience but is also considered SEO-friendly.
Search Engines and Website: Crawling, Rendering, and Indexing
Your website must be easily crawlable and indexable by search engines like Google. This facilitates better visibility on the Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs).
- Ensure All Pages Are Crawlable: Use tools like Google Search Console and various SEO Audit Services to identify pages that are difficult to crawl. Make these pages accessible for better SEO.
- Effective Internal Linking: The closer a page is to your homepage, the higher the chances of it being crawled and indexed. Effective internal linking strategies can ensure even your deep-lying pages get noticed.
- Sitemap XML: Create an XML sitemap to guide search engines through your website. It helps search engines understand the structure of your site and is considered an SEO best practice.
On-Page SEO (or Content SEO)
On-Page SEO is what most people typically think of when discussing SEO best practices. It revolves around the content on your website.
Key elements include:
- Keyword Optimization: Strategically placing relevant keywords throughout your content helps Google understand what your page is about. But remember, don’t overdo it. Aim for natural usage of keywords.
- Content Quality: Poorly written, uninformative content won’t get you far in search rankings. Quality matters, and it needs to be original, insightful, and actionable.
- Internal Linking: Properly linking your content to other pages on your site can provide value to users and enhance your SEO.
Let’s take a look.
Keyword Optimization
Keyword optimization is a pivotal aspect of on-page SEO that focuses on embedding relevant and targeted keywords naturally within the content.
The aim is to make the web page more easily “discoverable” by search engines for the keywords you’re targeting.
Beyond merely sprinkling these keywords throughout the content, keyword optimization should be a strategic endeavor.
For example, placing keywords in headings, sub-headings, meta descriptions, and URLs can amplify their impact.
Additionally, tools like Google’s Keyword Planner, Semsursh, Seobserver, Ahrefs can help you identify high-performing keywords relevant to your industry or subject matter.
Here some SEO best practices about keywords:
- Long-Tail Keywords: Opt for long-tail keywords that are less competitive but more specific. These can drive high-quality traffic and are generally easier to rank for.
- Keyword Density: Aim for a balanced keyword density—overuse can result in penalties for keyword stuffing, while underuse will make it hard for search engines to identify the focus of your content.
- Keyword Placement: Make sure to include keywords in strategic locations like the title, headers, and the first and last paragraphs. However, keep it natural and readable for humans.
- Use of LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) Keywords: These are the keywords that are semantically related to your main keyword. Search engines use LSI keywords to understand the context and relevance of the content on your page.
Content Quality
Content quality is a cornerstone of any effective SEO strategy and is central to SEO good practices.
High-quality content is original, insightful, and offers value to the reader by either solving a problem, providing new information, or entertaining.
But it’s not just about what you say; it’s also about how you say it. Well-crafted content should be free from grammatical errors, easy to read, and structured in a way that makes it accessible to the reader.
A poorly written, uninformative article won’t align with SEO best practices and is unlikely to rank well in search engines, which impacts both your SEO and your brand reputation.
Strategies and tips for improving content quality:
- Know Your Audience: Understanding who you’re writing for is crucial for seo good practices. Tailor your language, tone, and content to meet the needs and interests of your target demographic.
- Comprehensive Research: Don’t just scratch the surface of a topic. Dive deep to provide thorough insights, statistics, and even counter-arguments to offer a well-rounded view.
- Avoid Plagiarism: Always produce original content. Duplicate content can negatively impact SEO rankings and your site’s credibility.
- High-Quality Media: Use relevant, high-quality images, videos, or infographics to complement the text. Visual elements can break up text, make your content more engaging, and help explain complex topics, all in line with SEO best practices.
- Strong Call to Action (CTA): End your content with a compelling CTA that guides the reader on what to do next. Whether it’s reading another article, signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase, a good CTA can improve engagement and conversions.
Off-Page SEO (or Links)
Off-Page SEO is an essential facet of an integrated search engine optimization approach, complementing your on-page efforts.
While On-Page SEO focuses on optimizing the content and technical aspects of your website, Off-Page SEO centers on external ranking factors that aren’t directly on your website, such as backlinks from other sites.
Garnering quality backlinks from reputable websites can significantly improve your site’s authority, visibility, and reputation.
Off-Page SEO also includes strategies like social media marketing, influencer outreach, and sponsored content, which collectively contribute to your site’s popularity and credibility, ultimately affecting your search engine rankings in alignment with SEO best practices.
One marketplace you can use to bolster your Off-Page SEO is Getfluence, we are specialized in connecting advertisers with relevant publishers for sponsored content and backlinking opportunities.
We connect brands and agencies with the most influential digital media outlets, to increase your visibility and awareness.
How can Getfluence help?
Navigating the world of SEO services can be overwhelming, but with Getfluence, you can streamline the process of acquiring quality backlinks through sponsored content.
As a leading global marketplace for sponsored content, we offer you a comprehensive solution to magnify your brand’s message across a myriad of influential digital media platforms.
With our vast network of over 20,000+ premium media partners, we provide you with unparalleled opportunities to communicate your brand message to the right audiences.
Elevate Your Brand Awareness
At Getfluence, we specialize in enhancing your brand’s awareness by connecting you with top-tier media outlets in a myriad of industries.
Our marketplace allows you to take control of your message and the environment in which it is delivered, a critical factor for building a robust e-reputation.
One of our standout features is our capability to help you gain invaluable ‘DoFollow’ backlinks from high-authority websites.
These backlinks are a cornerstone of SEO best practices and can significantly boost your website’s search engine rankings.
Also, we give you unparalleled control over the content you distribute, empowering you to shape your brand’s public perception precisely the way you want it.
How Wise boosted their SEO with a strategic backlinks strategy?
Wise exemplifies how a solid backlink strategy can elevate a brand’s presence in the SERPs. Even without a dedicated SEO team until 2015, Wise achieved an impressive Domain Rating (DR) of 75.
Their success hinges on two key strategies.
First, by offering a highly valuable and popular product, they naturally attracted high-quality backlinks without the need for active outreach.
Customers and influencers in the industry organically linked back to Wise, vouching for its reliability and cost-effectiveness.
Second, Wise smartly leveraged PR campaigns that resonated with their brand values, gaining them not just media coverage but also valuable backlinks.
These approaches prove that a multi-faceted strategy, rooted in product quality and PR, can create a robust backlink profile that significantly boosts search engine rankings.
Conclusion
SEO can seem a difficult task for beginners, but understanding its various facets—from Technical SEO and On-Page optimization to Off-Page strategies—is crucial for any business aiming for online success.
As we’ve shown through examples like Zapier and Wise, a well-executed SEO strategy can translate into exponential returns, enhancing visibility, brand awareness, and ultimately, revenue.
If you’re not sure where to start, marketplaces like Getfluence can offer a seamless gateway into the world of SEO, providing invaluable services like high-quality backlinks that can significantly boost your site’s authority and search engine rankings.
As you embark on or continue your SEO journey, remember that it’s not a one-time effort but an ongoing process, one that requires diligence, adaptability, and a keen understanding of ever-evolving best practices.