SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of optimizing a website to be suitable for searches through search engines like Google, to rank higher in search results. Good SEO practices increase the chances of your website being more visible. Let's take a look at how beginners can start optimizing their SEO.
Choose the appropriate keywords.
Keywords are words or phrases that users often type into search engines. Good keywords should be relevant to the content of the website and consist of terms with high search volume.
Tips for choosing keywords.
Start with keywords related to your business: If you are in the shoe-selling business, think of the terms that customers would search for to find your business, such as "buy shoes online."
- Use keyword research tools: You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or Ahrefs to find keywords with high search volume.
- Choose low-competition keywords: If your website is just starting, opt for keywords that are not too difficult to compete with, such as "affordable men's shoes" instead of using broad terms like "shoes."
On-Page SEO Optimization
On-page SEO refers to the optimization of various elements on a webpage to help your website rank higher.
Elements of On-Page SEO
- Title Tag: The title of each page should include the main keyword and be short, concise, and engaging.
- Meta Description: Write a description that summarizes the content of the page and includes important keywords.
- URL: The URL of each page should be short and include keywords, such as www.yourstore.com/mens-shoes.
- Heading Tags: Use H1 for the main title of the page, and use H2 and H3 for secondary headings that are important and relevant to the content.
- Content: Write quality content and incorporate keywords naturally, ensuring that the content is of appropriate length (at least 300 words) and focuses on providing useful information to the readers.
Adding Alt Text: Include a description of the image (Alt Text) that relates to the keywords to help the image appear in image search results.
Create a clear website structure.
A well-structured website helps search engines and users easily understand how the content is organized and makes navigation straightforward.
Tips for building a good structure.
- Categorize the content: Organize the website with clear categories, such as About Us, Services, Products, and Contact.
- Use Internal Linking: Linking content from one page to another on your website will help both users and Google understand which pages are important.
- Use Sitemap: Submit the Sitemap file to Google Search Console so that Google can better understand the structure of your website.
Creating backlinks (links from other websites)
Having backlinks from other reputable websites to your site helps improve your SEO score and increases the chances of your site ranking higher.
Tips for Creating Backlinks
- Guest Blogging: Writing articles on other websites related to your business, including a link back to your website.
- Joining online communities: Share links in forums or social media related to your business.
- Requesting reviews or recommendations from reputable websites: Ask relevant or authoritative websites in your industry to review or recommend your products and services.
Use free SEO tools to track results.
There are free tools you can use to check and improve your website's SEO.
Recommended SEO tools.
- Google Search Console: A free tool from Google for tracking website performance in search results and submitting sitemaps.
- Google Analytics: Used to monitor website traffic and user behavior.
- Yoast SEO (for WordPress): A plugin that helps you easily optimize SEO, including adding keywords, adjusting Meta Tags, and more.
Basic SEO setup for beginners is not as complicated as you might think. Just choose the right keywords, optimize the elements on your webpage, adjust the URL, Title Tag, and Meta Description, use keywords in the content, ensure your website loads quickly, and create backlinks. By doing this, you can enhance your website's visibility, improve your chances of ranking in Google search results, and effectively increase traffic.