SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

Maximize Conversions, Increase Rank & More

The Search Engine Optimization Guide

Overview

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a critical element of any business marketing strategy. It is the process of improving the visibility and ranking of a website or web page in search engine results pages (SERPs).

There are a number of factors that influence SEO, including site structure, content, keywords, and backlinks. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from SEO solutions that are tailored to their specific needs.

At its core, SEO is about making your site more visible and accessible to search engines. By improving your site’s visibility, you can increase traffic and ultimately, sales. With the right SEO solutions in place, your business can reach new heights.

Statistics

• According to a study by Moz, only about 30% of websites are adequately optimized for search engines.
• According to a study by Statista, the average website conversion rate is 2.35%. This means that out of all the website visitors who enter your website, only 2.35% will convert into customers.
• According to a recent study, an estimated 3.5 billion people search Google every day.
• According to a study by Stone Temple Consulting, organic search drives 51 percent of website traffic. This means that more than half of all web traffic comes from search engines, and that a majority of this traffic is driven by the results that are displayed in the organic search results.
• According to recent studies, over 50% of internet traffic is now on mobile devices. This number is only going to continue to grow in the years ahead, so it’s important that your website is designed to be mobile-friendly.

Search Intent

When someone conducts a search, they are usually looking for something specific. This is called search intent.  Understanding where your visitors are in this sales funnel is critical to success.

There are a number of different types of search intent, including informational, navigational, and commercial. It is important to understand search intent when optimizing a website for SEO.

Informational

Informational search intent is when a user is looking for information on a particular topic. This could be anything from researching a product to learning about a new topic. When optimizing for informational search intent, it is important to focus on creating high-quality content that is relevant to the user’s search query.

Navigational

Navigational search intent is when a user is looking for a specific website or web page. This type of search intent is often associated with branded searches. When optimizing for navigational search intent, it is important to make sure that your website is easy to find and navigate.

Transactional

Transactional search intent is when a user is looking to buy something. This type of search intent is usually associated with commercial keywords. When optimizing for transactional search intent, it is important to focus on creating a website that is easy to use and provides a good user experience.

Commercial

Commercial search intent is when a user is looking to buy something. This could be anything from a product to a service. When optimizing for commercial search intent, it is important to focus on creating content that is relevant to the user’s search query and includes calls to action.

Why Search Intent Is Important

Understanding search intent is essential for any business that wants to optimize their website for SEO. By understanding what users are looking for, you can ensure that your website is providing the right type of content. This, in turn, will help to improve your visibility and ranking in search engine results pages.

According to a recent study, approximately 81% of search engine users are in the informational search intent stage. This means that they are using search engines to find information about a product or service, rather than looking to buy something immediately. In other words, you need to be providing the resources and information your visitors are seeking. If not, someone else will.

On Page versus Off Page

There are two main types of SEO: on page and off page. On page SEO refers to the optimization of a website’s content and code, while off page SEO focuses on building backlinks and improving the website’s search engine ranking. Both types of SEO are important for any business that wants to improve its search engine visibility.

On Page SEO

On page SEO includes optimizing the website’s title tags, meta tags, header tags, and content. It is also important to have keyword-rich titles and descriptions, as well as relevant and high-quality content. In addition, the website’s code should be clean and well-organized.

Off Page SEO

Off page SEO entails building backlinks from high-quality websites. This can be done through directories, social bookmarking, article marketing, and blog commenting. It is also important to have keyword-rich anchor text when building backlinks.

Link Building – Off Page SEO in Two Words

Link building is an important aspect of off page SEO. There are a number of ways to build links, including directories, social bookmarking, article marketing, and blog commenting. It is also important to have keyword-rich anchor text when building backlinks.

One of the best ways to build links is through guest blogging. Guest blogging involves writing articles for other blogs in your niche. This is a great way to get your name and website out there, as well as to build relationships with other bloggers.

Another great way to build links is through social media. Social media is a powerful tool that can be used to promote your website and content. By sharing your content on social media, you can attract new visitors to your site and build links at the same time.

Social Bookmarking

Social bookmarking is a great way to promote your website and content. By sharing your content on social media, you can attract new visitors to your site and build links at the same time.

One of the best ways to social bookmark your content is by using a tool like Digg or StumbleUpon. These tools allow users to submit their favorite websites and content. This is a great way to get your name and website out there, as well as to build relationships with other users.

Another great way to social bookmark your content is by using a tool like Reddit. Reddit is a community-based site where users can submit their favorite websites and content. This is a great way to get your name and website out there, as well as to build relationships with other users.

Directory Submissions

Directory submissions are a great way to promote your website and content. By submitting your website to directories, you can increase your search engine visibility and attract new visitors to your site.

There are a number of ways to submit your website to directories, including manually submitting your site to each directory or using a tool like Google’s Site submission tool.

Another great way to submit your website to directories is by using a tool like Yahoo! Site Explorer. This tool allows you to submit your website to Yahoo!’s directory, as well as other directories.

Guest Submissions

Guest blogging is a marketing strategy that involves publishing content on other websites. Guest blogging can be used to build links back to your website, to increase your website’s exposure, and to improve your website’s search engine ranking.

There are a few things to keep in mind when guest blogging. Make sure that the website you are guest blogging on is relevant to your website’s topic. Make sure that the content you publish is high-quality and helpful. Include a link back to your website in your bio or in your blog post.

Guest blogging can be a great way to build links, exposure, and search engine ranking for your website. Keep these tips in mind to make sure that your guest blogging is effective.

Business Listings

One of the best ways to improve your search engine ranking is to get your website listed in as many business directories as possible. A business directory is a website that lists businesses by category and location. There are many different business directories, and the best ones are the ones that are most relevant to your business.

The best way to get your website listed in a business directory is to submit your website to the directory. Most directories will list your website for free, but there are some that will charge a fee. The fee is usually worth it, as it will ensure that your website is listed in the directory.

Profile Creation

When you create a profile for your business on a search engine optimization (SEO) platform, you want to include certain information to make sure your profile is as effective as possible. This information can include, the name of your business, abrief description of your business, your website URL and the keywords you want to target.

On Page SEO

On page SEO is a critical and often overlooked component of an effective search engine optimization strategy.  It includes everything from site speed, internal linking, quality content, mobile responsiveness and more. All of which ensure your site can be crawled and indexed by search engines, while providing an enjoyable and meaningful experience to your visitors.

Website Speed

Website speed is an important factor in search engine optimization (SEO). A website’s speed can be affected by a number of factors, including the size of the website’s files, the number of images on the website, and the complexity of the website’s code.

There are a number of ways to improve website speed, including optimizing website files, reducing the number of images on the website, and simplifying the website’s code.

Title and H Tags

The title tag is the most important on-page SEO element. It tells search engines what the page is about and helps them to determine whether or not to display it in the search results. The h1 tag is the second most important on-page SEO element. It is used to indicate the most important heading on a page, and it should be used to indicate the primary keyword or phrase for the page.

Meta Tags & Meta Descriptions

Meta tags are HTML tags that are used to provide information about a web page. Meta tags do not appear on the page itself, but they can be view in the page’s source code. The most important meta tag for SEO is the meta description tag. This tag is used to provide a brief description of the page’s content, and it should be used to include the primary keyword or phrase for the page.

Alt Tags

Alt tags are HTML tags that are used to provide information about an image. Alt tags do not appear on the image itself, but they can be view in the image’s source code. The most important alt tag for SEO is the alt text tag. This tag is used to provide a brief description of the image, and it should be used to include the primary keyword or phrase for the page.

Robots.txt

The robots.txt file is a text file that is used to tell search engines which pages on a website should be indexed and which should not. The robots.txt file should be placed in the root directory of a website, and it should be named “robots.txt”.

Sitemap

A sitemap is an XML file that is used to tell search engines about the pages on a website. The sitemap should be placed in the root directory of a website, and it should be named “sitemap.xml”.

Website Content

The content on your website should be well-written and keyword-rich. The content should be relevant to the keywords that you are targeting, and it should be helpful and informative.

Website Design

Your website’s design should be clean and simple. The design should be easy to navigate, and it should be loading quickly. To learn more about website design, please read The Website Design Guide.

Mobile-Friendliness

Your website should be mobile-friendly. This means that your website should be designed to be viewed on a mobile device, and it should be easy to use on a mobile device.

SSL Certificate

Your website should have an SSL certificate. This will ensure that your website is secure, and it will also help to improve your search engine ranking.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a free service that allows you to track your website’s traffic. Google Analytics can be used to track which keywords are being used to find your website, where your website’s visitors are coming from, and how long they are staying on your website.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free service that allows you to monitor and track your website’s search engine rankings. Google Search Console can also be used to submit your website’s sitemap, and to request that your website be re-indexed by Google.

Conclusion

SEO is a complex and ever-evolving field. At its heart, though, it is about creating valuable content that meets the needs of your audience. The solutions we’ve outlined should help you get started on the right track to improving your website’s visibility and driving more traffic to your pages.

If you need additional assistance or have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us for help. We are always happy to chat with our clients and friends about all things SEO!

Authored by: Tony Pallotta

As the owner of Up Early Designs, Tony Pallotta is well versed on all things digital.

From SEO to design, speed, security, maintenance, and more you name it, Tony has done it. But nothing happens overnight. Tony has been in the digital world going all the way back to dial up internet. But what really separates Tony from the competition is he has already owned a brick and mortar retail store in Boston for 12 years.

So he brings a truly fresh perspective to all of the projects he works on.

To learn more about Tony and Up Early Designs, please visit our About page.