Originally published February 25th, 2020. Updated for May 18th, 2021.
When you’re working to build your business, there are many areas you need to understand. SEO is one of them. You may wonder, what does SEO stand for? SEO is the acronym for search engine optimization. Understanding SEO and how it works will bring people to your site. It’s used to increase the quality and quantity of people coming to your site by raising your organic search results.
Parts of SEO
Algorithms
Google’s (or any other search engine) algorithm determines where your site ranks. While the algorithm itself is top secret, there are two areas that you can start with to understand how it works.
On-page SEO factors are the things you can influence from within your website. These things are both technical aspects and content-related aspects. Like your choice of keywords, if your site is mobile-friendly, or if your site structure is clean.
Off-page SEO factors also play a role. These are things besides your website. For example, marketing, social media, and links from other websites. The more high-quality and relevant sites that link to yours, the higher you’ll rank on Google.
Your competition also factors in. These are the businesses in your particular niche. It can be harder to rank on some niches than others. The competitiveness of your market affects your chances of ranking.
Holistic SEO
This idea focuses on being the best possible search result. This is about using a long-term strategy instead of trying to fool Google. Your website will rank higher if your website is of high quality. Google makes money by making sure people get to the right place when they search.
How to rank well
Develop an extensive SEO strategy
You need to have an extensive SEO strategy that focuses on your website and marketing. It’s important to look at all the pieces to bring up the quality of your website.
Focus on user experience and content
Both user experience (UX) and content are essential in building a high-quality website. You need to balance user experience and SEO.
Don’t overuse keywords
Keywords are helpful for bringing people to your website. This can be a section of focus for your content. But make sure you don’t overuse these keywords. It’s called keyword stuffing and it will actually hurt your ranking in search results.
Now that you can answer the question, “What does SEO stand for?” You need to understand how to use it. Building an effective strategy to drive traffic is crucial. When you understand SEO, you can work to make your site the best it can be. And if you want help, contact Technology Aloha today. We are a seamless extension of your business — like an in-house marketing team without the full-time commitment.
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