It has never been more imperative for businesses to strengthen their online visibility as it is in today’s internet-driven world. As more consumers utilize smartphones and other devices to research, access, and engage with brands in the digital landscape, advertisers, marketers, and agencies are developing new strategies to connect with target audiences.
Search engine optimization―often referred to as SEO, is among the most important digital marketing strategies for your business. Taking the right approach to SEO can be the difference between your website appearing at the top of the search results page or disappearing well below the competition. Failing to understand SEO and best practices such as SSL certification, clear metadata, title tags, and relevant backlinks can have a detrimental effect on your search engine results page, or SERPs, pushing you out of easy reach of your target customers.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process by which a specific website can generate traffic from the “natural” search results produced by online search engines. Major search engine platforms like Google and Bing have primary search results; a collection of web pages and content―like local listings and videos―that are displayed in a particularly ranked order. This ranking is established using a series of algorithms determining how useful and relevant a specific site is to a user’s search request, useful internal links, and evaluating website characteristics―such as keywords, page, and URL structure.
Ultimately, the goal of SEO is to support excellent search experiences for users, producing a helpful ranking of results that are directly relevant to their inquiry. By helping Google to understand your website, SEO helps Google provide the best search results to the customers that you are looking for.
What is Organic SEO?
Organic SEO is search engine optimization related to organic search engine rankings, in contrast to the more specific “local SEO.” An organic SEO strategy focuses on building relevant keywords into a website’s content, using these keywords in the page’s tags, internal links, blog copy, page copy, and more. These keywords send signals to search engine platforms, communicating what is important on the specific URL and website in general, allowing for optimized rankings.
When creating an organic SEO strategy, the focus is on the overall “health” of the website. This big-picture approach considers not only keywords, but title tags, page indexing, the quality of backlinks, and HTML to content ratio as well. Each of these elements has the power to either help or harm your SERPs, and in turn, directly affect your website traffic.
What's the Local SEO?
Local SEO takes a focused approach to improve a website’s rankings in local listing search results by putting your website in front of geographically-relevant customers. Making effective use of Google My Business, Google Reviews, and Google Maps is key, as is optimizing local listings and making sure your business’ NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) is correct and consistent across the internet. Content such as events can also be added to Google My Business listings to help drive locally-oriented traffic to the brick-and-mortar locations.
Incorporating locally-focused keywords, such as “restaurants near me,” is a specific component of a successful local SEO strategy. Not all keywords will produce a local map result; instead, Google’s algorithm will determine which keywords have a clear local connection. At present, local map listings (when produced for a search term) are displayed in a set of three, with a “More places” link used to reveal additional listings. A major goal of local SEO is to successfully secure a “top three” spot in the local map listings pack.
How Does SEP Benefit Advertisers, Marketers and Agencies?
Implementing an effective SEO strategy produces clear, measurable benefits for advertisers, marketers, agencies, and their clients. By improving search engine rankings and boosting a website’s online visibility, you will be able to drive organic traffic and bottom-line performance.
Exact Digital Media: Your Industry Collaborator for Effective SEO Strategies
Exact Digital Media is your SEO provider, serving as your collaborative partner in the creation and implementation of a smart and effective SEO strategy. From collaboration to execution, we will support you every step of the way, putting measurable growth and success within easy reach. With Exact Digital Media, you will have the platform and tools you need to connect with the right customers at the right time, communicating your message with clarity and purpose.
Learn more about how Exact Digital Media can make a positive difference in your SEO efforts and contact our team today!
Article written by: Gena Hamilton, Founder and Managing Director, Exact Digital Media, LLC
Connect with me: gena@exactdigitalmedia.com
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