We all want to rank as high as possible in Google. But how do I achieve that without placing expensive online ads? It’s a question that many companies don’t have an immediate answer to. Placing online ads (SEA) is a way to quickly rank higher in Google. For the long term, it is advisable to invest in SEO. In this article, we’re going to explain to you what SEO is and how it works. Want to know more? Then read on!
What is SEO?
Before you get started with SEO, you want to know what it is. The abbreviation SEO stands for Search Engine optimazation. It is a collective term for actions that contribute to ranking higher in Google’s organic search results. Various (ever-changing) algorithms classify a website based on keywords, content, link building, and technique and give it an edge over others in search engine rankings.
But how does SEO work?
To explain how SEO works, we are first going to explain which actions ensure an SEO optimized website. After all, it is more than just a few small action points. Optimizing your website consists of several actions that together ensure that your website ranks higher in Google. These acts consist of the following:
- Find out the most important keywords and incorporate them in a good way in the texts on your website
- Writing relevant content for the target group
- Link building
- A clear META structure
You now know what SEO is and how it works. In the SEO manual below, we provide an additional explanation of the above actions. Still have questions after reading the additional explanation? Please feel free to contact us for more information about what SEO is and how it works.
#1 Keyword Analysis
To find out information, Google users enter keywords. It is important that you know which keywords your target audience is searching for. Are you active as an administration office in the Dordrecht region? Then you probably want to be found on the keywords Administratiekantoor Dordrecht. With the (free) tool of Ubersuggest, we see that this search term is searched 90 times every month. With an SEO difficulty of 27/100, it should be possible to rise in Google in a short period of time. A common mistake is that people tend to choose a search term with the highest search volume. There is a good chance that the competitor has also chosen this search term. Sometimes it is better to choose a search term with a lower search volume. Because the competition is often lower, you can rise faster in search engines.
#2 Relevant content
In the early stages of SEO, stuffing the texts on your website with keywords was enough to rise in search engines. Nowadays, it’s important that users of your website appreciate your content. Google analyzes this by measuring how long users are active on the web page and to what extent they click through. Is the content on your website rated as relevant and interesting by Google? Then your website will be prioritized in Google’s organic search results over the competition. In addition to sharing relevant content, link building is at least as important.
#3 Link Building
Of course, you can confidently claim that you have the answer to the questions of the target group. But of course it’s better if others say that about you. In addition to content, link building is very important. In link building, other websites cite your article as a source. That takes a lot of time and reason for many companies to buy backlinks (or have them bought). Our advice is not to do that. Why not? If the number of backlinks increases too quickly, Google judges this to be not obtained fairly. As a result, your website will drop in search engine results.
#4 Meta-structure
Search engines use so-called web crawlers to assess the content on your website. For this, a good META structure is very important. By this we mean the structure of the website, minus the content. Make use of unique title tags and meta descriptions. Unique title tags and meta descriptions help to increase your website’s ranking in search engine results. It’s important to include your most important keywords in the meta description as well. It’s also important to have a well-written meta and alt text tag. These help search engines differentiate between critical and non-critical keywords on your website. Do you have a WordPress website? Then the Yoast plugin can help you set up the META structure and the sitemap.
What is a good SEO strategy for my business?
Hopefully, you now know what SEO is and how it works. Do you still have questions after reading this article? Or want to know more about the best SEO strategy for your website? Please feel free to contact us for more information. By using our SEO analysis, you will get direct insight into direct improvement actions to rise in Google. Want to get to the top of Google together? We are ready!
