What is SEO?
A 60 second overview for people that want to know a bit - but not too much - about Search Engine Optimisation.
There’s a lot of misunderstanding around what SEO actually is. Basically, there are several techniques that can be used to improve search rankings and increase organic website traffic. Some overlap and some are specialist fields in themselves, but all come under the umbrella term SEO.
Firstly, the four fundamental types of SEO that all business sites should have sorted:
Content SEO
Content is a crucial component of SEO. Content SEO involves creating high-quality, relevant, and engaging content that aligns with user intent and search engine algorithms. This includes keyword research, content optimisation, content formatting, and content updates.
Mobile SEO
Optimising websites for mobile users is also mandatory. Mobile SEO basically means ensuring websites are mobile-friendly, load quickly on mobile devices (and tablets), and provide a seamless user experience across different screen sizes.
Technical SEO
This aspect of SEO deals with the technical aspects of website optimisation that affect search engine rankings. It includes optimising website speed, site architecture, crawlability, XML sitemaps* and structured data markup**.
*An XML sitemap works on a set of rules for formatting that’s both human and machine readable – basically a roadmap to help search engines understand and index the site.
** Structured Data Markup is a standard supported by major search engines that further helps them understand and index content.
On-page SEO
This involves optimising certain web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. On-page SEO includes optimising content quality, keywords, meta tags*, headlines, and internal linking.
*A meta tag is basically a summary of what a web page is about. It includes information like the page title, description, keywords etc.
Then, a couple of SEO’s specific to business type…
Local SEO
Local SEO is crucial for businesses targeting local customers. It involves optimising a website to appear in local search results, such as Google My Business listings, local directories, and location-specific keywords.
E-commerce SEO
E-commerce websites require specialised SEO strategies to improve product visibility and drive sales. E-commerce SEO involves optimising product pages, category pages, user experience, customer reviews, and optimising for transactional keywords.
And last but not least, SEO’s for those that want to go all the way…
Voice Search SEO
With the rise of voice search, optimising for voice queries is becoming increasingly valued. This involves understanding natural language patterns and optimising content to provide concise and relevant answers to voice search queries.
Off-Page SEO
This focuses on improving a website's authority and relevance by acquiring backlinks from other reputable websites. Off-page SEO techniques include link building, social media marketing, influencer outreach, and guest blogging.