What is SEO? { Search Engine Optimization } The use of various techniques to improve a web site's ranking in the search engines and thus attract more visitors. - en.wiktionary.org/ wiki/seo The process of configuring Web content in order to gain the highest potential rankings for a given search engine.
What are Keywords? Keywords are what people type into the search box of search engines. Keywords are how people find your content and information. You might think that they are just one word but often they are a short phrase of words, also known as Long Tail Keywords. If the keyword or words do not show up in your content on your page, it is very unlikely that you will show up in search results. Image Google as an index, it uses the keywords to retrieve the content you are searching for. The more relevant keywords you use and the better your site is optimized. The more likely you will show up higher in their search results.
Longtail Keywords Longtail keywords usually consist of 2-5 words and are more powerful to use rather than using a single word. When people Google things, they Google a phrase. It s important to thank what people will Google to find your site or blog post. Once you have some ideas you can use Google s Adwords Tool to see what search results those LTKWs pull. When you use LTKWs you will receive more targeted traffic. They are finding your post because it is exactly what they googled. Preform searches for keywords vs. LTKWs and see what results you receive. You will notice that your LTKW give you more of what you are looking for rather than typing in a single keyword. Using LTKWs will help you rank higher in someone s specific search results.
Elements of Optimizing Your Pages & Posts There are several elements of optimizing your site. We will go over each. Site Navigation Content Title Meta Description Links Anchor Texts Sitemap Heading Tags Images
Site Navigation Your navigation should be simple and easy to maneuver for both your users and search engines. Consider how your visitors will navigate your pages. Create a naturally flowing site. Focus on simplicity. Use categories to organize large groups of pages. If you have to categorize your pages, use breadcrumbs so they can navigate back to the start. Avoid long names for your pages but use something that describes exactly what is on that page so that search engines can index them. Avoid using generic names, extremely long names, & keyword stuffing.
Content One of the best ways to maximize your SEO is to create content. Make sure all of your content is new, unique and on target for what you do. Creating content that is associated with what you do helps you rank higher in search engines. When creating your content, link to past posts that are relevant. Interlink keywords between your articles. Keep it well written and easy to follow but also include keywords throughout your copy to help optimize the content. Don t stuff it full of them but some throughout is the strongest SEO technique. It is important to keep creating new content to keep the the bots coming back to your site every time it is updated. Don t forget to publish your content to the top social media sites to help with your rankings and SEO.
Page / Post Titles Your page title should be descriptive to what the content is on your page or post. Do not stuff your title with a bunch of keywords thinking this will help your rankings. It will actually hurt you. Create unique titles for each of your pages and posts. Have them be short, yet informative. The title tells search engines what the topic of the page is. Avoid using: :: Names that have no relevance :: A single word for your page or post title :: A long title that Google might cut off When naming your homepage consider using your location or business name.
Meta Description The meta description of your page or post is an important part of your SEO. Just like titles, each page can have a description that lets Google and readers know what the page or post is about. Google may also choose to use this to display on their search results if it is relevant. Avoid using a description that isn t relevant with the content. Do NOT copy and paste your content into the description, especially all of it. Also avoid using the same description for multiple pages. You can use Google s Webmaster Tools to see if your description is too long or short.
Images Giving your audience images with your posts will draw in your readers but it also helps with your SEO when you complete the right fields. Your image titles and alt text are another opportunity to optimize your site. Alt tags = Alternative text for your images if they cannot be displayed. You will see this option when you upload your files via Wordpress. Make sure your site structure has a specific folder specified for images uploaded to your site. This helps with the organization for search engines.
Links When publishing your posts, your links should not be overlooked. When you have set your title and description, customize your link with those to keep everything consistent. Make sure your permalink structure is set to /category/postname. You can do this with Wordpress by going to Settings Permalinks.
Anchor Text What is anchor text? The clickable text users see when you create a new link. Create strong anchor texts that tell Google and users what the link is about. This again helps with the SEO of that page. Use descriptive words rather than using click here when creating a link. Create a short descriptive phrase. Format your hyperlinks so that they stand out from your other texts. Make the styling stand out so that people know it is there.
Sitemap Having a sitemap on your website helps Google and other search engines see your pages and website structure. They really like it when you do this. This is also an important action step to take when submitting your site to Google for Sitelinks. Sitelinks listed w/ Google If your website is powered by Wordpress, you can easily install Google Sitemap XML Plugin. This is a powerful plugin that creates a sitemap for you.
Heading Tags Using Headings to format your text isn t just to make it pretty and they shouldn t be used just to make your text stand out. Headings help you create a hierarchy of content for readers and search engines. It also helps to organize your content in an outline. Remember to not use headings for words or emphases, use them for the valuable content you want to highlight. H1 tags start off with your main idea headings, what is most important in your post or page. H7 tags usually have the least important info. Think of it like you are writing an outline for a paper. You use Roman Numerals to organize the content. You use headings in the same way.
Map Out Your Keyword Strategy Brainstorm your Keywords and Topics Find the right words that are targeted to your ideal searchers. 1. Identify your sites target niche. 2. Find your niche s categories that are relevant. 3. Create target keywords for each page. Find the word that essentially describes your brand. That core word. Once you figure out your keyword you can start to build sub categories off of that. These can also be used as your categories of your blog posts too so that you can easily organize your content for the search engines and your readers.
SEO Tools There are tools out there to help you with your SEO. Below are a few of my favorites that I have used for my own sites. Plugins for Wordpress: Simple Google Sitemap XML: Easily allows you to create a sitemap for your site. This will help search engines with the layout of your site. You will also use this with Google Webmaster Tools to help with your SEO and submitting your site for Sitelinks. WP Related Posts Plugin: Helps increase your page views because they will click through to multiple posts. All-In-One SEO Pack: If your theme doesn t have built in options, use this plugin to easily update your SEO information. Scribe SEO: A tool that integrates with WP to make your SEO simple. It helps you format your blog posts properly as well. WP Super Cache Plugin: Caches a copy of your website when someone loads it so that it loads faster and preforms better. Google Keyword Search - This free tool can help you see what LTKWs to use for your sites pages and posts.