Follow
You have likely heard the term or the words that this acronym entails, search engine optimization, but now you are in a position where somebody is asking if you have SEO skills. So, what is SEO? Simply put, it is the name given for any activity that helps your website move up the listings provided by search engines. For example, Google places at the top of its rankings websites and web pages that it has determined to be the most authoritative and relevant.
Does This Cost Money?
Directly, no. To be listed at the very top or to the side on the first page of results oftentimes entails paying the search engine a fee in order to be placed there, but being ranked at the top of the organic list of websites that shows up when the user types in a word or phrase does not require any money be sent to that search engine. Of course, it may cost money to do the things required to move up the listings, but none of that will be going to the search engines.
How Does It Work?
The best way to imagine this process is picturing an extremely knowledgeable librarian who knows what’s in every book in the library. A search engine engages in a similar activity by utilizing web crawling, putting spiders out there to look at a website’s content and other aspects of it and determine where it should rank among similar websites. This process has gotten significantly more detailed over the years. For example, search engines originally ranked results solely based on how often the term appeared on the page. Today, things also considered include the quality of the writing and if the website is responsive.
How Can I Improve My Website’s Rank?
This is the magic question. Fortunately, a lot of it is in your control. Incorporate as much high-quality text as possible and make sure that it can be viewed just as well on a mobile device as well as on a laptop and a desktop computer. Update it on a regular basis as freshness matters a bit too. Another important element is links. Not only links that you list on your website, but, more importantly, links that others provide to your pages. The more respected these other websites are, the better, and, if the number of them linking to you is increasing at an impressive rate, the search engines will notice. For that reason, it is important to make it as easy for others to share links to your web pages as possible. More information on search engine optimization success factors may be viewed here.
What is Black Hat SEO and Why You Should Avoid It?
Black hat SEO is focused on abusing these guidelines and generally do not have their visitors at the forefront of their minds. Also, the risks are generally not worth any rewards. Those engaging in this tend to do things like keyword stuffing, garnering a high number of disreputable links and having duplicate or otherwise low-quality content. Those who engage in these activities may receive a jump in the rankings, but, even if they do, this growth will be short-lived, and banning from the search engines is likely.
Many times when you ask somebody what SEO is, you will receive a long, convoluted answer that leaves you more confused than you were before you asked the question. However, at its source, search engine optimization is actually quite simple: have a quality, respected website, and your rankings will improve.
See also: Top 10 Best Online Masters in Business Administration Degree Programs
