SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can appear to be very aloof and confusing but at its core, there is a simple explanation.
For the sake of simplicity I will use Google as our sample search engine. Google is the most popular and, arguably, the most robust search engine, but for the most part Yahoo and Bing operate the same way.
When people go to Google to search for “hammers”, Google wants to send their users to the best site on the internet where people can read about hammers, buy hammers, talk about hammers, and even trade hammers. If they send their users to the best hammer sites, those people will be happy and will use Google for their next search. This is money to Google. The more people use Google, the more advertising Google can sell and thus, the more revenue they can generate.
If someone searched for “hammers” on Google and was given a list of sites that sell lamps, well, that person would no longer use Google… and Google would lose a customer.
Here’s a simple explanation of SEO :
People find what they are looking for on Google + People use Google over other search engines = More Advertising Revenue
Google will rank your website very high in a search for “hammers” if:
- Your website IS about hammers
- Have great information (content) about hammers
- Consistently post new information about hammers
- Code the backend of your site (the mind boggling code that can make your eyes get tied in a knot) with SEO markup, tags, and metta data.
- Drive tons of organic traffic to your site (ie. through email and social media marketing
- Have viewer interaction on your blog and review
The tricky part of SEO
The tricky part is that Google, as well as the other search engines, do not tell anyone what their algorithms are for determining a websites search ranking. That is why SEO professionals are always testing and analyzing various techniques to see what can affect search rank.
There are MANY other factors that can affect your search ranking with Google. Discussing these factors would be next to impossible as many experts believe Google changes their algorithm over 500 times per year. (Find out why in my next blog post “Why Google Changes Their Algorithm So Much.”)
Need a nerd?
So as aloof and confusing as SEO can be, I can help. I enjoy following the trends of SEO (insert geek joke here) and I have been applying SEO best practices to websites for over a decade.
Do you have questions about how to optimize your website for better search rankings? I would be glad to have a no obligation free phone appointment with you on how I can help.
Chris Davis