SEO Does Matter Inc.

If you are not familiar with search engine optimization, use this SEO glossary to help you with unfamiliar online marketing terms.

Affiliate Marketing – Affiliate marketing is a process of revenue sharing that allows merchants to duplicate sales efforts by enlisting other web sites as a type of outside sales force. Successful affiliate marketing programs result in the merchant attracting additional buyers, and the affiliate earning the equivalent of a referral fee, based on click-through referrals to the merchant site.

Algorithm – A set of rules that a search engine uses to rank listings in response to a query. Search engines guard their algorithms closely, as they are the unique formulas used to determine relevancy.

ALT Text – Also known as alternative text or alt attribute. An HTML tag (ALT tag) used to provide images with a text description in the event images are turned off in a web browser. The images text description is usually visible while “hovering” over the image. This tag is also important for the web access of the visually impaired

Anchor Text – Descriptive, clickable text in a hyperlink.

Arbitrage – A practice through which web publishers – second tier search engines, directories and vertical search engines – engage in the buying and reselling of web traffic. Typically, arbitrage occurs when such publishers pool client budgets to engage in PPC campaigns on Tier I search engines (Google, Yahoo!, MSN). If the publishers pay $0.10 per click for traffic, they typically resell those visitors to clients who bid $0.20 or more for the same keywords. Successful arbitrage requires that the arbitrageur must pay less per click than what the traffic sells for. The variation called Affiliate Arbitrage involves a web site owner or blogger bidding on keywords from programs such as Yahoo! Search Marketing or Google AdWords, who then links the ads, either to their own web site, or directly to a merchant site displaying ads (from programs such as the Yahoo! Publisher Network or Google AdSense).

Backlinks – All the links pointing back at a particular web page on the owner’s website. Also called inbound links.

CPC – Cost Per Click, advertising where you only pay when your ad is clicked.

Cascading Style Sheets or CSS – An addition to your HTML, a web site’s “cascading style sheet” contains information on paragraph layout, font sizes, colors, etc. A cascading style sheet has many uses as far as search engine optimization and web site design are concerned.

Click Through Rate – The percentage of those clicking on a link out of the total number who see the link. For example, imagine 10 people do a web search. In response, they see links to a variety of web pages. Three of the 10 people all choose one particular link. That link then has a 30 percent click-through rate. Also called CTR. Source: Webmaster World Forums

Competitive Analysis – As used in SEO, CA is the assessment and analysis of strengths and weaknesses of competing web sites, including identifying traffic patterns, major traffic sources, and keyword selection.

Conversion Rate – Conversion rates are measurements that determine how many of your prospects perform the prescribed or desired action step. If your prescribed response is for a visitor to sign up for a newsletter, and you had 100 visitors and 1 newsletter signup, then your conversion rate would be 1%. Typically, micro-conversions (for instance, reading different pages on your site) lead to your main conversion step (making a purchase, or signing up for a service).

Crawler – Automated programs in search engines that gather web site listings by automatically crawling the web. A search engine’s crawler (also called a spider or robot) “reads” page text contents and web page coding, and also follows links to other hyperlinked pages on the web pages it crawls. A crawler makes copies of the web pages found and stores these in the search engine’s index, or database.

Deep Linking – Linking that guides, directs and links a click-through searcher (or a search engine crawler) to a very specific and relevant product or category web page from search terms and PPC ads.

Description Tag – Refers to the information contained in the description META tag. This tag is meant to hold the brief description of the web page it is included on. The information contained in this tag is generally the description displayed immediately after the main link on many search engine result pages.

Domain Name – Refers to the web address you type into the address bar in a browser to get to a website. It is also referred to as the URL. (seodoesmatter.com)

Doorway Page – A web page specifically created in order to obtain rankings within the natural listings of a search engine. These pages generally are filled with keywords and are meant to funnel surfers into the main web site. This practice is generally considered an outdated spam tactic. This term is not to be confused with a “landing page.”

Hyperlink – A method of connecting or moving from one webpage to another webpage. Typically done with keyword(s), graphics, or the web URL address. (http://www.seodoesmatter.com)

Internal Linking – A link pointing to another page within your own web site.

IP Address – Acronym for Internet Protocol. This is the numeric address of a website.

Keyword / Keyword Phrase – A specific word or combination of words that a searcher might type into a search field. Includes generic, category keywords; industry-specific terms; product brands; common misspellings and expanded variations (called Keyword Stemming), or multiple words (called Long Tail for their lower CTRs but sometimes better conversion rates). All might be entered as a search query. For example, someone looking to buy coffee mugs might use the keyword phrase “ceramic coffee mugs.” Also, keywords – which trigger ad network and contextual network ad serves – are the auction components on which PPC advertisers bid for all Ad Groups/Orders and campaigns.

Keyword Density – The number of times a keyword or keyword phrase is used in the body of a page. This is a percentage value determined by the number of words on the page, as opposed to the number of times the specific keyword appears within it. In general, the higher the number of times a keyword appears in a page, the higher its density.

Keyword Stemming – To return to the root or stem of a word and build additional words by adding a prefix or suffix, or using pluralization. The word can expand in either direction and even add words, increasing the number of variable options.

Keyword Stuffing – Generally refers to the act of adding an inordinate number of keyword terms into the HTML or tags of a web page.

Keyword Tag – Refers to the META keywords tag within a web page. This tag is meant to hold approximately 8 – 10 keywords or keyword phrases, separated by commas. These phrases should be either misspellings of the main page topic, or terms that directly reflect the content on the page on which they appear. Keyword tags are sometimes used for internal search results as well as viewed by search engines.

Landing Page / Destination Page – The web page at which a searcher arrives after clicking on an ad. When creating a PPC ad, the advertiser displays a URL (and specifies the exact page URL in the code) on which the searcher will land after clicking on an ad in the SERP. Landing pages are also known as “where the deal is closed,” as it is landing page actions that determine an advertiser’s conversion rate success.

Lead– Consumer’s information (contact information such as name and email address) collected that is interested in your business/product/service; a potential customer.

Link Farming – The attempt to substantially and artificially increase link popularity.

Link Popularity – Link popularity generally refers to the total number of links pointing to any particular URL. There are typically two types of link popularity: Internal and External. Internal link popularity typically refers to the number of links or pages within a web site that link to a specific URL. External link popularity refers to the number of inbound links from external web sites that are pointing to a specific URL. If you have more “links” than your competitors, you are typically known to have link cardinality or link superiority.

Long Tail – Keyword phrases with at least three, sometimes four or five, words in them. These long tail keywords are usually highly specific and draw lower traffic than shorter, more competitive keyword phrases, which is why they are also cheaper. Oftentimes, long tail keywords, in aggregate, have good conversion ratios for the low number of click-throughs they generate.

Niche – A defined group of people interested in a similar issue or topic; A distinct segment of a market which can be narrowed or broadened.

Organic Search Listings – Listings that search engines do not sell (unlike paid listings). Instead, sites appear solely because a search engine has deemed it editorially important for them to be included, regardless of payment. Paid Inclusion Content is also often considered “organic” even though it is paid for. This is because paid inclusion content usually appears intermixed with unpaid organic results.

PageRank (PR) – PR is the Google technology developed at Stanford University for placing importance on pages and web sites. At one point, PageRank (PR) was a major factor in rankings. Today it is one of hundreds of factors in the algorithm that determines a page’s rankings.

RSS – Acronym for Rich Site Summary or Real Simple Syndication, a family of web feed formats that leverages XML for distributing and sharing headlines and information from other web content (also known as syndication).

Reciprocal Link – Two different sites that link out to each other. Also referred to as Cross Linking.

Robots.txt – A text file present in the root directory of a website which is used to direct the activity of search engine crawlers. This file is typically used to tell a crawler which portions of the site should be crawled and which should not be crawled.

SERP – Acronym for S earch Engine Results Page. The page delivered to a searcher that displays the results of a search query entered into the search field. Displays both paid ad (sponsored) and organic listings in varying positions or rank.

Sitemap – Refers to HTML sitemap and XML sitemap

XML sitemap is specially formatted files that have links to your pages. The XML sitemap can be submitted directly to search engines.

HTML sitemap is a webpage created with links of your own web pages for users looking for direction to specific pages. They can be categorized to fit the need of the website.

Subdomain – Refers to a folder within a domain used for distinct products or topics. (maps.google.com)

Title Tag – An HTML tag appearing in the <head> tag of a web page that contains the page title. The page title should be determined by the relevant contents of that specific web page. The contents of a title tag for a web page is generally displayed in a search engine result as a bold blue underlined hyperlink.

URL – Acronym for: Uniform Resource Locator. It’s the global web address. It can also be called the domain name.

Verticals – A vertical is a specific business group or category, such as insurance, automotive or travel. Vertical search offers targeted search options and PPC opportunities to a specific business category.

Viral Marketing – Also called viral advertising, viral marketing refers to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness. The awareness increases are the result of self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses. It can often be word-of-mouth delivered and enhanced online; it can also harness the network effect of the internet and can be very useful in reaching a large number of people rapidly. Source: Wikipedia.

Here is an updated list:

Here’s a complete SEO glossary covering important terms, concepts, and acronyms used in the world of Search Engine Optimization:

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A

• ALT Text (Alternative Text): A short description of an image, used for accessibility and to help search engines understand what the image is about.
• Algorithm: A set of rules that search engines use to rank websites in their search results based on relevance and quality.
• Anchor Text: The clickable text in a hyperlink. It’s important for SEO because it gives context about the link’s destination.
• Authority: A measure of how credible and trusted a website or webpage is in a particular niche or industry, often reflected by the quality and quantity of backlinks.

B

• Backlink (Inbound Link): A link from one website to another. Backlinks from authoritative sites can help improve a site’s search engine rankings.
• Black Hat SEO: SEO practices that violate search engine guidelines, such as keyword stuffing, cloaking, and using private link networks. These can result in penalties from search engines.
• Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate may indicate that your content or user experience needs improvement.
• Breadcrumbs: A navigational aid that shows the user’s location on a website and helps with both user experience and SEO.

C

• Canonical URL: A tag used to indicate the preferred version of a webpage when there are multiple versions of the same content. This helps avoid duplicate content issues.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of users who click on a link after seeing it in search results. A higher CTR typically indicates that your content is relevant to the search query.
• Content Management System (CMS): A platform (like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal) that allows users to create and manage digital content, including blog posts, web pages, and multimedia.
• Crawling: The process by which search engines systematically browse the web to collect information about websites for indexing.
• Conversion Rate: The percentage of visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
• Cloaking: A black hat SEO technique where content presented to the search engine crawlers differs from what is shown to users, often used to deceive search engines.

D

• Domain Authority (DA): A score (on a scale of 1 to 100) developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs).
• Duplicate Content: Content that appears in more than one place on the internet, which can lead to SEO penalties because it confuses search engines about which version is the original.
• Deep Linking: The practice of linking to a specific, inner page of a website rather than the homepage.
• Disavow: The process of telling Google to ignore certain backlinks to your website, usually because they are low-quality or spammy, using the Disavow Tool.

E

• E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness): A key quality measure used by Google to evaluate the credibility of websites, particularly in the health, financial, and legal sectors.
• External Link: A hyperlink that points to a webpage outside of your domain.
• Evergreen Content: Content that remains relevant over time, continuing to attract traffic long after it is published.
• Engagement Metrics: Data that shows how users interact with your content, such as time on page, pages per session, and bounce rate.

F

• Featured Snippet: A summary of an answer to a user’s query that appears at the top of Google search results, often referred to as “Position Zero.”
• Freshness: A ranking factor that prioritizes recently published or updated content in search results, particularly for time-sensitive searches.
• Footer Links: Links located in the footer of a webpage, often used for site-wide links like privacy policies or contact information.

G

• Google My Business (GMB): A free tool from Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence, including maps listings and local search results.
• Google Search Console: A free tool that provides insights into how a website performs on Google search, including indexing status, search queries, and potential issues.
• Guest Blogging: Writing content for another website’s blog to gain backlinks and reach a broader audience.

H

• Heading Tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.): HTML tags used to define the headings and subheadings of a webpage. The H1 tag is typically reserved for the main title of the page.
• HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): The code used to structure content on the web. SEO professionals use HTML to optimize content for search engines.
• Hidden Text: Text that is invisible to users but still visible to search engines, often used to manipulate rankings. It’s a black hat SEO technique.

I

• Indexing: The process by which search engines organize and store content they have crawled so that it can be retrieved when relevant search queries are made.
• Internal Link: A hyperlink that points to another page within the same website.
• Image Alt Text: A description of an image used in the HTML code to describe what the image is about, improving accessibility and SEO.
• Impressions: The number of times your site or a page from your site appears in search engine results, even if the user doesn’t click on it.

J

• JavaScript: A programming language commonly used to create interactive effects on websites. Search engines sometimes have difficulty crawling JavaScript content.

K

• Keyword: A word or phrase that users type into search engines when looking for information. SEO revolves around optimizing content for relevant keywords to rank better in search results.
• Keyword Density: The percentage of times a keyword appears on a webpage compared to the total word count.
• Keyword Stuffing: An outdated SEO tactic where keywords are excessively repeated to manipulate rankings. It’s considered a black hat practice.
• Keyword Research: The process of discovering and analyzing search terms that people enter into search engines with the goal of optimizing content for those terms.

L

• Link Building: The process of acquiring backlinks from other websites to your own, a key part of off-page SEO.
• Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI): A method used by search engines to identify the relationships between words and concepts within content to determine relevance.
• Landing Page: A specific web page where visitors land after clicking on a link, typically designed to convert visitors into leads or customers.
• Local SEO: The process of optimizing a website to rank well in local search results, often for queries that include location-based keywords (e.g., “dog trainer near me”).
• Long-Tail Keywords: Longer, more specific keyword phrases with lower search volume but often higher conversion rates. For example, “best dog training classes in Columbia SC.”

M

• Meta Description: A brief description of a webpage that appears under the title in search engine results. While not a direct ranking factor, it can influence click-through rates.
• Mobile-First Indexing: Google’s practice of primarily using the mobile version of a website’s content for ranking and indexing.
• Meta Tags: HTML tags that provide metadata about a webpage, including the title, description, and keywords.
• MozRank: A proprietary ranking score from Moz that estimates how well a website will perform in search engines based on its link profile.

N

• NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number): Information crucial for local SEO, particularly for businesses seeking to rank in local search and map results.
• NoFollow Link: A type of link that tells search engines not to pass authority (link juice) from one page to another, often used in comments or sponsored posts.

O

• Organic Search: Results that appear in search engines naturally, based on relevance, and are not influenced by paid advertisements.
• On-Page SEO: The practice of optimizing individual web pages to rank higher in search engines. It includes keyword optimization, meta tags, content, and internal linking.

P

• PageRank: Google’s original algorithm that determines the importance and authority of a webpage based on the number and quality of backlinks.
• PPC (Pay-Per-Click): A type of online advertising where advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked, such as Google Ads. PPC does not directly affect organic SEO but can complement it.
• Pillar Page: A comprehensive piece of content that covers a broad topic in-depth and is supported by related blog posts, known as topic clusters.

Q

• Query: The words or phrases users type into search engines to find information. Optimizing for user queries is the essence of SEO.
• Quality Score: A metric used by Google Ads that influences ad rank and cost-per-click (CPC). It’s based on the relevance and quality of the ad, keywords, and landing page.

R

• Robots.txt: A file used to communicate with search engine crawlers, specifying which pages should or should not be crawled.
• Rich Snippet: Enhanced search results that include extra information, such as reviews, prices, or images, designed to make the listing more appealing and informative.
• RankBrain: A component of Google’s algorithm that uses machine learning to better understand the meaning behind search queries.

S

• Schema Markup: Code that helps search engines better understand the content on your website. It’s used to create rich snippets, such as star ratings or event details.

Why Search Engine Optimization Matters

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) produces a higher rate of return on investment (ROI) than almost any other form of online marketing or advertising.  It is measurable, allowing you to see results.  In today’s economy, having an SEO strategy should not be secondary after TV, radio, or print advertising.  It should be your first marketing plan.

Search Engine Optimization should be considered at the beginning stages of web development.  If you are planning to make a website for your business,  make sure your web developer has the skills and knowledge to implement SEO.  If your web designer is not experienced with SEO, you need to consider the consequences.  If you already have a website but were not aware of internet marketing, don’t worry! Your website can still be successful and achieve improved rankings through a search engine’s organic search results. These results are produced by algorithms that are kept secret by search engines, such as Google.  Achieving positive results requires regular updates and modifications based on current online searches and the competition.

Due to the nature of Search Engine Optimization, you can expect to wait several months to gauge the effectiveness of a campaign. But in many cases, we can substantially improve search engine rankings within weeks, if not days. Not only does search engine optimization improve rankings, it’s also about improving traffic that lead to conversions!

SEO, or search engine optimization, is of significant importance to a dog training business for several compelling reasons, all of which contribute to enhanced visibility, credibility, and client acquisition.

1. Increased Online Visibility: SEO For a dog training business, appearing prominently in search engine results is crucial. Most potential clients begin their search for dog training services online, often using search engines like Google. Effective SEO practices ensure that your business appears near the top of search results when users search for relevant keywords such as “dog trainer near me” or “best dog training services.” Higher visibility translates into more website traffic, which is the first step towards client conversion.

2. Targeted Traffic: SEO allows for the strategic targeting of specific keywords and phrases that potential clients are likely to use. By optimizing your website for these targeted terms, you attract more qualified leads—individuals who are actively seeking dog training services. This targeted traffic is more likely to convert into paying clients because they already have an expressed interest in your services.

3. Cost-Effective Marketing: Compared to traditional forms of advertising, SEO is a cost-effective marketing strategy. Once a website is properly optimized, it continues to attract organic traffic without the need for continuous investment. This long-term benefit is particularly valuable for small businesses, such as dog trainers, that may have limited marketing budgets.

4. Enhanced Credibility and Trust: Websites that rank higher in search engine results are generally perceived as more credible and trustworthy by users. By implementing best SEO practices, your dog training business can establish a strong online presence, which can help build trust with potential clients. This is particularly important in a field where clients are looking for experts they can rely on with their pets.

5. Improved User Experience: SEO involves optimizing various elements of a website, including site speed, mobile responsiveness, and user-friendly navigation. These improvements not only help with search engine rankings but also enhance the overall user experience. A well-optimized website that is easy to navigate and quick to load is more likely to retain visitors and convert them into clients.

6. Local SEO Advantages: For a dog training business, local SEO is particularly beneficial. By optimizing for local search terms and ensuring your business is listed on local directories and Google My Business, you can attract clients from your specific geographical area. Local SEO strategies, such as optimizing for “dog trainer [city name],” help ensure that your business appears in local search results, map listings, and other geographically targeted searches.

7. Competitive Edge: In the competitive market of dog training, having a robust SEO strategy can give your business an edge over competitors. By consistently applying effective SEO techniques, your business can achieve higher rankings and greater visibility than competitors who may not be as focused on optimizing their online presence.

8. Analytics and Insights: SEO efforts provide valuable data and insights through analytics tools. These tools help track user behavior, understand which keywords are driving traffic, and measure the effectiveness of various SEO strategies. This data-driven approach allows for continuous optimization and informed decision-making to improve your website’s performance and ROI.

In conclusion, SEO is an essential component of a successful marketing strategy for a dog training business. It enhances visibility, attracts targeted traffic, builds credibility, improves user experience, and provides a competitive advantage—all of which contribute to increased client acquisition and business growth.

2/2

Choosing to hire an SEO company can be confusing with so many people claiming to be experts in this field. How do you know who is reliable? How do you get your money’s worth? How do you know you will get good search engine optimization results? There are plenty of SEO scammers! It’s a little like trying to get directions to where you want to go. Whether you know the way or never been to your destination, it can be uncertain and might even be a little scary!

Three steps for hiring the right SEO company include:

1. The first step to choosing a South Florida SEO company to manage your online presence is to identify your specific needs. Most companies offer a wide range of SEO services.  Some specialize in specific areas such as: conversions, management of pay-per-click campaigns, content creation, branding, link building, re-targeting and ongoing SEO services. You must identify your goals first. If you don’t know what is needed, that is OK. You can acquire this information, as you interact with different experts. Identifying your goal will allow you to analyze the success of your business partnership with a company and get the most from this business relationship.

2. Ask a South Florida SEO company if they offer a complimentary first consultation as a way to impress you with their abilities. This gives you an opportunity to find out what the company can do and get a feel for what the people are like and if you can work effectively with them. The company may need a few days to research your industry and review your website, if you already have one. If you are just starting your business, have some ideas of what you would like to achieve and what types of websites appeal to you. After your initial SEO consultation, the company should be able to provide you with a proposal outlining the services you need and the amount you will pay for those services. When meeting with different SEO companies, there is no need to disclose you are shopping around. The main question you want the  company to answer is whether they can successfully help you to reach your goals. Ask them if they have already had success with other companies in your industry. Many SEO companies will specialize with certain industries. If so, you can count on similar results. If the nature of your business means you have unique needs, choose an SEO company that have clients with business models that are similar to yours.

3. The best South Florida SEO company can share their experiences . Asking for stories provides you with greater insight into the company’s vision. Asking for references will only provide a certain amount of information. Much of that information is likely available on the company’s website or social media profiles. This is good information to have but you need to ask for more! Asking for stories, you will find out about the company’s best and worst client experiences and discover how they have dealt with various challenges.

Have you hired the right company yet? Identifying your goals, requesting free consultation and bids from multiple SEO companies, following up on references and listening to the company’s experiences will provide you with the tools you need to choose a reliable South Florida SEO company to work with your business!

There were many SEO changes in 2013. So what lies ahead for the future of SEO? What 2014 search engine ranking factors should we focus on? Here are a few SEO tips I recommend for 2014. More importantly, always be flexible in what changes Google might make in the future and what new search engine ranking factors can change from month to month!

• Social Media – It is not a surprise with the wide spread use of social media that getting your business involved with social media is very important this year. Google Plus and Youtube are both owned by Google so these websites are particularly important to Google searches. Successful companies should also be active in other networking site including: Facebook, Twitter,  Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Merchant Circle.
•  Mobile Sites – With the growing use of smart phones, more and more people are using the internet on their mobile phones. This brings up another key search engine ranking factor. Make sure your website is mobile compatible.
• Local Search – Google and other search engine sites continue to try and personalize your search results for your needs. This also means that when they know where you are located, they will try and bring up local search results to meet your specific needs. Hence, local search will continue to be important for your business.
• Links – Although the entire link building techniques have changed, in 2014, search engine ranking factors continue to find valuable trustworthy websites that link to your website will increase the authority of your website. Don’t link with just anyone, because that can only damage your reputation with search engines. Link with similar areas of business that you know that are good reputable companies.

Search Engine ranking factors in 2014 can be guaranteed to continue to evolve. Why? Because search engines are smart and technology continues to find better methods to produce better search results. Always be ready to adapt to new methods and continue to have your SEO monitored and maintained!

Many times a person might focus on one piece and wonder why their website doesn’t rank well in search results. But Google uses over 200 puzzle pieces! You need to look at the entire puzzle, not solely one piece your puzzle.

As an SEO firm, we look at the big picture of your website puzzle while adjusting small pieces. Sometimes, it’s only by looking at the big picture that you really know what little puzzle pieces need to be corrected. This can sometimes take awhile, hence using SEO is not a one time deal. It can take months to figure out the entire puzzle!

How is SEO like a puzzle? Let’s look at the different aspects of your website. Each piece of your website puzzle represents different components of search:

• structure
• meta tags
• navigation
• anchor text
• robots.txt file
• XML sitemap
• HTML sitemap
• mobile friendly
• authoritative links
• image optimization
• video optimization
• fresh unique content

Currently, the border of your website puzzle is what connects it all together with:

• Google+
• Google Local
• Google Authorship
• Interactive Social Media

Let’s imagine you are trying to put together a 200 piece puzzle. If you only have a few center pieces or a few border pieces, it can not be a masterpiece. You might be able to see what the puzzle looks like, but it still won’t be complete. All the pieces of the puzzle need to be in place in order to produce a perfect puzzle!

As you continue to put together SEO variables and create your website, the picture becomes more clear. Once your SEO professional gets all the pieces of the puzzle, the borders help tie it together. Google adds the tape to the back of your website “puzzle” and knows how all of your profiles are connected…just like a finished 200 piece puzzle!

In SEO, the more pieces you put together the easier it is for Google and other search engines to know what you offer and get the right search traffic to your website. The larger and more unique content, (complicated puzzle pieces put together) the more valuable puzzle you’ll own! Have you opened up the box to your SEO puzzle?

Photo credit: jared / Foter.com / CC BY

Search engine ranking factors are constantly changing. What is new today becomes old tomorrow. Google’s recent algorithms this year, were aimed at getting rid of websites that spam the users. Social media is also changing how the game is played when it comes to SEO. The search engine ranking factors include social media and quality content.

Google authorship, introduced in 2012, helps people build an online brand as well as a reputation. Google authorship lets authors claim the content that they write. This is done by the authors who simply connect it to their Google account. Google looks at this very favorably.  Today it is important to take advantage of this snippet for search engine ranking factors!

Social media is also a great way to get your website noticed especially since social media is the way that people stay in touch and informed. You should always have a share button on your site so that any information can be shared with others. Word of mouth has always been a great way to advertise. You should also create your own accounts on social media sites and link it to your website. Google+ is the social media owned by Google. As you can imagine, today involvement with this site is crucial for your search engine ranking!

Another thing that has changed greatly with search engine ranking factors is that of backlinking. In the past backlinks could make your website rank higher even if the backlinks went to junk/spam websites. Today things are different. Backlinking is still important, but it is the quality of the backlinks and not the quantity. The backlinks that will help your site rise in the rankings are links from respected websites that Google considers of authority. One great way to do this is to guest blog on websites that are already established and use your authorship.

Multimedia has always been important. In this day and era, multimedia continues to grow and develop. Today websites like Vine and Youtube make it even more popular and important! Multimedia will also bring more visitors to your site. Adding pictures along with video is a great way to do this. You will want to have pictures since sometimes users don’t take the time to watch the video. Pictures and other great forms of graphics are available. You need to quickly grab peoples’ attention when they have so many website choices to choose from.

One newer important aspect of search engine ranking factors is the need to build websites for mobile users. With the advancement of the smart phone, this means if you want your site to be user friendly you have to have a mobile website. Many internet users are on the go and use their phone instead of a desktop computer to do things such as banking, researching products, online shopping, and accessing social media. You can see this evident all around you!

SEO is in a constant state of change. Search engine ranking factors help get rid of those who just want to place spammy websites on the internet. Who likes to search for something on the web to click on a junk website? I don’t think anyone does! As Google and other search engine ranking factors change, we hope it helps business owners creating valuable websites with high quality well worth it. Don’t you agree?

People who do not have much experience in SEO may first find the search engine ranking process mind-boggling! The following are some search engine ranking tips that may help you to improve your website for major search engines.

Structure is crucial
A good website structure is crucial to search engine spider bots. This is how the website is created. Don’t take this lightly. We use WordPress because it is search engine friendly and can have good structure. Organized pages generally tend to rank better in search engines than haphazardly designed ones.

Many times people believe the design is important. It can easily win the visitors’ trust and will earn you more links, but a good-looking website , in and of itself, is not what gets your website ranked well in search engines!

Diverse Optimization
Over-optimizing your website may backfire and can affect you search engine ranking negatively. Choose diversification in place of over-optimization. Including structured data on every single webpage also helps attract more traffic. The following optimization, strategic operations are essential to structured data:

• Authorship
• Business Information
• Events & Reviews
• Google+
• Facebook

On-page optimization
You can find on-page optimization resources and search engine ranking tips at many relevant forums and sites. Read them to gain a better knowledge of the process. You may also learning and getting some basic SEO training to gain an in-depth knowledge of the matter and to understand which search engine ranking tips will work best for you.

Link building
The importance of link-building and all search engine ranking tips will include a word about this. There is no end to link building for professionals. Many people think link building is dead. do not link with poor websites that are using inappropriate SEO methods or aren’t adding good content to their website. Try linking your website to professional websites which bear relevance to your subject. If this is done in the right manner, search engines will give your webpage better rankings. Know more about the importance assigned by Google to hyperlink names. Page rank is greatly influenced by the number of valuable links coming from other websites to your website!

Good keywords
The principal thing of effective keyword research is to find the right keywords which would convert into significant traffic. The most frequent mistake regarding keywords is to try to rank a single keyword at a time. One should, instead, look to rank a select number of long-tail keywords.

Value to your content
Your content must have value to avoid getting branded as scam. You can create value in different ways. Factors like, point of view, emotional response, and utility are important.

Depth of subject
Go deeper into the topic you are writing about. The relevance and length matters, but so does the depth of the piece. You will create more value to your content by deeper exploration of the topic. Unique and quality content will help you better your ranking and will get you more links.

Google’s bot spiders are known to scan your content regularly in an attempt to gauge the relevance of your topic to search queries. Paragraphs, visual images, and headings are regularly examined to understand your webpages.

I hope these search engine ranking tips help you! Google and other search engines are continually trying to improve their formula (algorithm) to produce the best search results for their users. Google states…

Google answers more than one billion questions from people around the globe…15% of the searches we see everyday we’ve never seen before.”

People tend to only look at the first page of search results and rarely, if ever, look past page three! Ranking well with your website is crucial if you want to gain traffic and sales for your business!

As a business owner, you should learn how to do onpage SEO for your website blogging articles. Onpage SEO will help you get higher rankings! You should familiarize yourself with them and begin using them as you add content to your site. Once you know how to do onpage SEO, you can get better rankings in search engines!

Optimize your website with onpage SEO with the following factors:

Write Unique Content
Never duplicate content on your own site or from another site. Every page needs to be unique! When duplicate content is used, the site may be penalized and possibly removed from search engines.

Add Meta Tags
The title and description you give your content can help to increase click through when search results are displayed. Make sure to use unique and good keywords.

Optimized Web Addresses
To make your web address readable and easier for search engines to identify the content, they should contain your keywords instead of numbers. Follow this example: website.com/category-name/product name instead of website.com?p=3412

Use Visual Content
When learning how to do onpage SEO, you will realize that visual content can be very helpful for search engines as well as to attract your readers. Examples of visual content include: video, graphics,  thumbnails and clickable buttons.

Use Page Markups
Page Markups (also known as rich snippets) include “extras” that will be seen in search results. These extra page markups can include:

• Breadcrumbs
• Events
• Music
• People
• Products
• Review ratings
• Reviews
• Videos

Interlink Web Pages
Knowing how to do onpage SEO means putting related content on the same pages or posts. This will increase the number of pages that each guest visits. For example, if you are writing about a product, add a clickable link to the page so your reader can view and purchase the product.

Add Categories for Blog Posts
Your home page should have different categories to make it easier for both search engines and visitors to navigate the site. Always add a category for each of your articles you write.

Add Social Media
Always have easy viewable social media buttons on your home page that link to your business profile/page. Allow each blog post to also be shared with your readers to help promote your website. Connecting your website to social media is valuable for search engines as well as your readers.

Search engines crawl websites as part of their ranking algorithm. On-page SEO accounts for about 25% of the overall total score. Although an SEO professional still has 75% off-page SEO work to accomplish, your task is still very important to the end results! Every business owner or web writer needs to know how to do onpage SEO. If your website information is incorrect or missing, search engines will ignore your website or it might not get ranked at all! Make sure you know how to do onpage SEO!

What is keyword research in SEO?

The importance of keywords cannot be overemphasized when considering SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The right keywords should be a priority when trying to get better search engine results. Without keyword research, you could very well be putting in wasted hours and effort not targeting the people searching for your product or service.  Keyword research will help you choose the best phrases people are searching. Insert them into your unique content, and search engines will index them according to those specific search terms!

Proper Keywords

Using only one word as a keyword may seem like a simple and straightforward approach.  But today, many people search specifically for what they want.  The more specific the keywords that you use, you’ll see fewer results but your chances of appearing will be better! Several searched keywords are called a “long-tail keyword.”  Effective keywords will have three or more words together!

For example, if you are a gardening enthusiast and feel you have worthwhile information and knowledge to share, using a simple keyword of “gardening” will not attract the readers you wish to attract. You must follow the trend of other and utilize keywords that narrow things down for searchers. Depending on the focus of your site, you could choose “gardening tools,” or “pruning tips,” or “long blooming annuals” and attract an audience with specific needs, to avoid being lost in a sea of basic gardening sites.

What is keyword research in SEO?

Your keywords must fit the content of your site. A knowledge of your audience can help you determine what “long-tailed keywords” will work, leading searchers to your website.  In addition, your keywords can’t simply reach out to engage searchers; they must also accurately describe what you have to offer. Keywords with a narrower parameter will get fewer hits on the internet, but those users who are searching for specific needs will find it on your website!

Consider the individual who is searching for information on how to rewire an antique lamp. The keywords of “rewiring antique lamp” will probably be more useful to him than a website labeled “antique lamps.” A site with the more generic description could lead a hopeful learner to a site that describes old lamps, with no advice on how to repair them. Consider how this will attract searchers!

Keyword Density

Once you have determined the best keyword(s) to employ, you must decide how often to use them on your website. If you have a site that is loaded with keywords, you have a strong keyword density.  Google’s recent algorithms have penalized websites for too much density. Too many keywords may also create text that sounds forced and unnatural. Many times there are consequences for “keyword stuffing” that may be as harsh as being taken out of search engine results. Keywords need to be naturally used within your unique content.

Conclusion

Optimize keyword research through vigilance, trial and error. You need to find out which words and phrases result in positive results and which ones get little or no results. Make sure to write unique content with your keyword research! Careful analysis of keywords, good grammar and spelling will make your work more noticeable and attract the best readers!