What Is SEO and How It Works?

You can practice SEO

Yes, it's possible to improve your website's search engine rankings. You may have heard that SEO is dead or that it's just some scammy game of tricks and manipulation. But none of this is true. It has never been more important to learn about good SEO practices than it is today - both for business owners wanting to gain an edge and for users who want to find the right websites using search.

Well, what is SEO exactly?

SEO stands for search engine optimization. It's a process in which you improve your website's visibility on search engines in order to get more visitors (traffic).

So how does it work?

Search  engine rankings are based on a few things:

• Ratings – How many and what type of votes do you get from users? The more relevant votes (i.e. coming from real people), the better.
  
  
• The authority of your site – What sites link to yours and how trustworthy is each of these partners? The more links that point to your page, the more authority you have.
  
  
• The relevance of your content – Are people searching for what your site offers? This is why keyword research and optimization are important parts of SEO. The more appropriate keywords you use on your web pages, the higher traffic you get from search engines.
  
  

So how do I start improving my website's search engine rankings?

The first thing you have to do is evaluate your business. What are its strengths and weaknesses? What are your competitors doing that you don't? How can your site become better than theirs in the areas that matter most for customers (i.e. content, service, etc.)? Once you've identified these things, use them to inform your SEO strategy. Don't just copy what others are doing – improve on it!

What's the best way to learn about SEO?

• The next step is to educate yourself. Find out how search engines work and all the ways you can optimize your site for search engine rankings. There are plenty of good free resources available online, so spend some time searching through them and learn what you can. The better informed you are, the more likely you are to succeed.
  
  
• It's also important to know your audience. The better you understand them and their problems, the better you can create content that people want to read and share.
  
  
• And since search engines are always updating their algorithms, it's extremely important to stay up-to-date on SEO best practices.
  
  
• A great place to find out about changes in  Google search is Search Engine Land. Also, check out Moz. Both are quality resources.
  
  

How long will it take to see results?

Another big misunderstanding about SEO is that you're going to see immediate results (such as the top search engine ranking for a high-traffic keyword). This simply isn't true. The only way you'll get to the top of search results is by acquiring and maintaining a solid reputation for quality content. This takes time and effort. You can't get traffic from good rankings overnight, but you will over time.

Is SEO still important in this day and age?

If your goal is to attract customers, then yes – SEO is more important than ever!

To learn more about how LevelUP Digital Solutions can help you grow your business through happy customers, contact us today at 401-298-9361. Our automated feedback collection, management, and syndication platform makes you the authority for your reputation and turns your customers into your best marketers.