SEO Basics

If you’re an online business owner, it’s likely you’ve heard of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). But what does it really mean for you? A solid SEO strategy is the key to standing out and driving organic traffic to your doorstep.

Simply put, SEO is the practice of improving your websites visibility in search engines like Google. But visibility alone isn’t the end goal – it’s about ensuring when our potential customers search for products or services like yours they find you.

SEO involves a lot of moving parts. It includes technical optimisation of your website, building quality links from other sites and crafting content that’s not only engaging but also in line with what users are searching for.

On Page SEO – A User Optimised Experience

On-page SEO deals with the optimisations you make on your website itself. From the title tags and meta descriptions that appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) to the structure of your URLs, on-page SEO fine-tunes the user experience on your site.

Research and Implement Keywords Strategically

Use keyword research tools to identify what your audience is searching for, then strategically place those keywords in your content, headings, and meta data. But beware: keyword stuffing (overloading your content with keywords) can be damaging to your SEO efforts. Instead, focus on natural language that reads well for humans first and search engines second.

Optimise for User Intent

It’s not just about the keywords; it’s about understanding why someone is searching for those keywords. User intent drives search behaviour, so make sure your content addresses the various stages of the buyer’s journey — whether it’s informational, navigational, or transactional intent.

Improve User Experience

A website with easy navigation and mobile responsiveness is favoured by search engines and users alike. From the home page, a user should find the information they need in three clicks or less. Checkout processes should be seamless and each page should deliver the exact information the user needs.

Off-Page SEO – Building Authority and Trust

Off-page SEO refers to the factors that happen outside your website but still impact your search rankings. Central to off-page SEO is link-building — acquiring links from other websites back to yours. These backlinks serve as ‘votes of confidence’ for your site’s authority and can significantly boost your rankings.

Quality Over Quantity

One high-quality, relevant backlink from a reputable site can carry more weight than dozens of links from low-quality directories. Invest time in forming relationships with other businesses and websites in your niche to earn backlinks through collaborations, guest posts, and other meaningful interactions.

Monitor Your Backlink Profile

Tools like Ahrefs and Moz can help you keep track of who’s linking to your site. Regularly monitor your backlink profile to ensure you’re not accumulating spam links or links from irrelevant sites, which can damage your SEO.

Technical SEO – The Backbone of Your Site’s Performance

If on-page SEO is the face of your website, technical SEO is the skeletal structure that supports it. It ensures that search engine crawlers can access and index your content without issues, which is vital for your site to rank well.

Site Architecture

Your site’s architecture should be simple, with clear navigation and a structure that makes it easy for users (and search engines) to find what they’re looking for. Use descriptive categories and URLs to guide the way.

On-Page Elements

Optimise your site’s code, metadata, and schema markup to provide clear signals to search engines about the content of your site. This helps them understand how your pages relate to one another and the overall context of your site.

Page Load Speed

Delivering web pages quickly is an important part of user experience. A slow site can tank your rankings, and increase bounce rates, so invest in a robust hosting solution, compress images, and minimise code where possible to keep things zippy. Free tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights can give you an idea of how your site performs, and adjust your page elements as necessary.

Content – The Heart of Your SEO Strategy

Content is at the heart of SEO. Great content that is valuable to your audience can establish you as an authority in your industry, attract quality backlinks, and improve your site’s rankings. But what makes content “great” from an SEO perspective?

Quality and Relevance

Your content should be well-written, free from errors, and provide value to your audience. It should also be relevant to your business and the interests of your target customers. Use analytics to monitor how your content performs and iterate on what works best.

Formats and Multimedia

Diverse formats like blog posts, videos, infographics, and podcasts can make your content more engaging and shareable. They also open up the potential for ranking in various search engine result types, such as video carousels and image searches.

Measuring SEO Success

Finally, how do you know if your SEO efforts are paying off? Measurement is key to understanding what’s working and what needs adjustment.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

KPIs like organic traffic, keyword rankings, and conversion rates are crucial in assessing SEO performance. Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track these metrics over time.

Experiment with different approaches — such as page titles, meta descriptions, or content updates — and compare the results to see which strategies yield the best outcomes. For a new site, expect SEO to take up to six months to start ranking for target search terms. Some sites rank much quicker than this, sometimes in a matter of weeks, but patience is advised as SEO is a long term marketing strategy.

SEO is an ongoing task rather than a set and forget process. Developing an SEO strategy isn’t just about getting more clicks. It’s about building a loyal customer base and ensuring they can find you when they need you.