What Is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and in a nutshell, is the practice of optimizing a website to rank better in search engines.
There are several different best practices that are generally recommended by search engines and SEO experts. The truth is though, that there’s no one-size-fits-all guideline to ranking number one for target keywords.
Why SEO Is Important for Business
Recent statics show that 12% of people search for local businesses every day, and 54% search for local businesses at least once a month. Approximately 80% of the population shop for products online.
We all know that online business is continuing to grow and becoming more and more important. Most users will start their search for products or local businesses on search engines like Google or Bing. If you’re business doesn’t show up at the top of search results, you’re missing out.
Where Should I Start?
There are a ton of free tools and resources online that can help you learn more about SEO and take some initial first steps in optimizing your website. But we recommend taking a step back and looking at your site from a neutral standpoint to start.
Look at Your Site From a Visitor’s Standpoint
Search engine algorithms have ranking factors in place in an effort to give users the best online experience. So, from Google’s standpoint, they want to send searchers to websites that will deliver a quality experience and provide the information they’re searching for.
With this in mind, we recommend starting out by keeping things simple and looking at your website from a user’s standpoint. Ask yourself some of the following questions:
- Is it clear what services I offer from looking at my site for 10 seconds?
- Can visitors easily navigate to important pages on the site to learn more and find contact information?
- Does by website load in a responsible amount of time or would I be annoyed with how long it takes to load images if I was visiting my website?
- Is it easy to read through and look at?
- Does my business offer helpful information to website visitors?
The answers to the questions above can provide you with initial insight as to where you need to start with SEO. Not only are you optimizing your website for search engines, but you should be optimizing it for users as well.
Based on what you see, you may need to consider redesigning your site on a mobile-friendly platform, adding more content to your pages, or swapping out colors to more visually appealing colors to start.
Free Resources and Tools to Help
There are a ton of free resources and tools online that can help you run tests on your site to see what needs to be fixed.
Here are some of our favorite tools that will help you get started.
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Page Speed Insights
- GT Metrix
- SEMRush
Should You Outsource SEO?
There are hundreds of different ranking factors that play a part in how well your website will show up on search results for your target keywords. It can be overwhelming to keep up with all of the changes in the SEO industry and keep your website up to date along with running your business.
If you’re ready to prioritize your organic traffic and grow your traffic, outsourcing your SEO to a company that specializes in website optimization can save you time and money in the long run.
Contact us today for a free quote for a monthly SEO package to fit your market and businesses’ needs.