If you have got a website, e-commerce store, or blogger; you must have heard that search engine optimization would help you to improve your ranking and generate traffic on your platform. But you have no idea how to do search engine optimization. Today, we’ll discuss what is SEO; and how SEO works.
What is SEO?
SEO (search engine optimization) is a process of generating natural search, editorial, and organic traffic from the search engine. It focuses on improving the ranking of your blog or website in the searches or the search results. You should keep in mind that if your website appears top of the searches, then it would attract the attention of more people. A good SE optimization comprises performing the following activities;
- Recognizing relevant keywords that have the potential of generating good search traffic
- Developing well-optimized, useful, and high-quality content for your target audience and the search engine
- Adding relevant high-quality web links
- Measuring the results
SE optimization has become an important element of marketing nowadays.
Components of SEO
SE optimization strategies have been evolving and changing, and it requires you to keep yourself updated and stay at the top of your game. The three main components of SEO are as follows;
Technical Optimization
Tech optimization comprises performing various activities on your website, their focus is on SE optimization, and they’re irrelevant to the content. It is such work that remains behind the scene.
On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization is when you make sure that your website has got relevant content and offers a great user experience. It comprises focusing on the right keyword in your content, and you can do so with a good content management system. However, Expression Engine, Shopify, Magneto, Joomla, Drupal, Wix, and WordPress.
Off-Page Optimization
Off-page optimization is when you amplify the ranking of your website by performing activities outside of the website. Largely, it comprises of adding backlinks that would establish the good reputation of your website.
How SEO Works
The algorithms of search engines comprise computer programs that focus on finding the clues and delivering people the exact result that they want. The search engine depends on algorithms to look for the web pages and choose the best one to rank against the specific keyword. However, some of the main steps on how SEO works or how search engine works are as follows;
Crawling
Crawling is the first stage when the search engine sends crawlers to look for the new web pages, and record and document information about them. Sometimes, we call those crawlers ‘robots’ or ‘spiders.’ Their goal is to look for the existing new pages, and check the content on them periodically whether the pages have changed and updated the content or not.
The search engine keeps on crawling the web pages by tracking the links that it has found. If you have got a website and it has got linked with your homepage. When the search engine crawlers visit your homepage, they would follow the links to the new page and new blog posts.
Indexing
Indexing is the second step when the search engine chooses whether to use the content that it crawled or not. If the search engine considers the web page trustworthy and noteworthy that it has crawled, then it would add it to its index. However, the search engine would employ this index in the final ranking of delivering the search results.
When the search engine indexed the specific webpage or the content, then it stores and files it in its database for retrieval later on. Many websites that offer valuable and unique content, find their place in the index. A new website won’t make its place in the index if it has the following;
- Domain or page has got limited inbound links
- Can’t be crawled by the crawlers of search engine
- Spammy or cheap valued content
- If it finds the content duplicate
Ranking
The ranking is the third and most significant stage. It would only occur if the search engine has completed the crawling and indexing stage. If the search engine has crawled and indexed your website, then it would start ranking up.
There is roundabout over 200 ranking signals and techniques that the search engine employs to rank and sort out the content. The content has to comply and fit with the three main components of SEO; off-page optimization, on-page optimization, and technical optimization. Some of the main elements that the search engine employs for the ranking of the website are as follows;
Reputation of Website
The website has a good reputation for the specific topic that people are searching for
Loading Speed of the Website
Mobile-friendliness and website or web page loading speed should be quick
Keyword Presence
The content should have the right amount of synonyms and keywords both in the title and body portion.
Conclusion: What is SEO? How It Works
After an in-depth study of what is SEO; its components, and how SEO works or how the search engine works; we have realized that search engine optimization is highly important for your online business. If you want to improve the SEO of your website, then you should either learn SE optimization or hire some tech professional to do it for you.
Ahsan Ali Shaw is an accomplished Business Writer, Analyst, and Public Speaker. Other than that, he’s a fun loving person.