There are 5 main things that control where your site ranks in Google for a given search phrase (keyword). Read more below about the main search engine optimization concepts that control where a site ranks in search engines.
- On page optimization (Organic)
- Backlinks
- Directories
- Social Media
- Competition
If these parts of the puzzle work well all together you have a better chance of your website ranking well in a Search Engine. Here is a SEO webinar I did with Molly from Make it as a Dog Trainer
On page optimization has to do with the changes and work you do to each page of the website.
Here are some important parts of the on page optimization process (in order of importance):
- Having the Keyword phrase in the meta title and meta description tag
- Having the Keyword phrase using the <h> tags on the page
- Having the Keyword phrase throughout the page
- Having as little html code as possible – use external css control
Another part of on page optimization is what should be on the homepage. Many people are told by their web designer to put their personal or “about us” information on the home page. The issue isn’t so much that your info shouldn’t be on the home page it is WHERE on the homepage. Above the fold should be what you can do for your client, not anything about you. No one cares about you, your credentials or resume. They only care about what you can do for them. So above the fold should no be about you. I wouldn’t have your info on your about page. Once a visitor is hooked, (thinks you can help them) they can click on the about page to learn about you. I hope that explains it. PM me for more info.
Do you feel lost when it comes to the topic of SEO? Are you looking for a SEO 101 guide? Then you have come to the right spot. This blog was created for people just like you who are interested on this subject but tend to need to know the very basics of SEO.
Let’s start with some simple FAQ’s:
What does SEO mean? – SEO stands for search engine optimization. This term means a web page that’s been modified so that search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, or a host of other ones, will pick what they think is the best website to match a users’ search words.
What is the purpose of SEO? – To market your website on the first page of search engine results, but also:
1. The user will click on your website.
2. The user likes your website and returns!
3. The user supports your site (this could be multiple ways, but ultimately it’s financially supportive)
4. The user shares his/her enthusiasm about your service or product to others. Many times this happens on social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.
Why does SEO cost so much? – That’s a very good question. As anything, you must compare and contrast what is being offered and make sure to get good optimization. Cost can vary, but SEO can cost a lot because: SEO gurus need to research the terms people are using in your field and research which keywords have the least amount of competition online. For better SEO results, ongoing maintenance is needed since search engines are always looking for new web pages and people tend to change what they are searching for.
How do I start SEO? – My question back to you would be, do you already own a website or are you just in the thinking stages of creating a site? This has a great deal of importance of what to do next. Email me with the detail.
Can I do SEO myself? – If you are beginning to comprehend search engine optimization, you also need to know that Google has over 200 variables that determines what results they choose. This means that are a lot of small (and big) issues which need to be looked at if you really want to do well in search engines. Why waste time trying when after six months you give up and choose a professional who knows the ins and outs. I’m not trying to be mean, but it’s like comparing your need for surgery. I’d never suggest you have your spouse or neighbor try repairing your broken arm or worse yet, giving you gall bladder surgery. Get my point?
So what do I do next? – After reading this post, if you want to read more of my posts, click on Basic SEO category written for the beginner. If you read these and are still thirsty for more, click on our SEO RSS and get notified when I add new posts! Also, learning the terms will help as you read. Click on the SEO glossary and get familiar with the terms that we have put together.
Any by all means, if you have a question or comment, email us or create a comment and we’ll help guide you with any SEO 101 information! No question is ever a dumb question. Just smart people learning to be smarter. 🙂
Competition (online)
Competition is the hardest part of the equation to deal with. If you have it, you have to work very hard to rank well in a search engines, if you don’t have it, the seo work is very easy.
A simple way to check for your online competition is to place quotes around it and search for it in Google. For example when you search for – “Broward roofer” the results on the right say there are only five other sites in Google that have that exact phrase. So the competition is low. This would be an easy site to get to the first page of Google, (waterproofroofer.com is my work). If you search for “Police Stuff“ you will see that there are 21,000 other sites in Google with that phrase. That phrase would be much harder to optimize for, (Policesites.info is my site).
Finding a phrase that people are searching for, using a keyword tool combined with using the term in Google with quotes will help you find a good keyword.
Backlinks or inbound links are links pointing at a particular web page.
The amount and value of inbound links are a primary way that Google places value on your site.
Google measures this value as PageRank. A web site’s PageRank can bee seen using the free Google toolbar.
This is an example of a Dog Training backlink, the words, “Dog Training backlink” link to an SEO website explaining backlinks.
The better the inbound links (determined by Google) the higher the PageRank. The higher your PageRank, the easier it is to improve your ranking in Google.
Backlinks and inbound links refer to the same thing. They are links from one website to another and are an essential part of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Backlinks help improve your site’s authority, relevance, and ranking in search engine results.
What Are Backlinks (Inbound Links)?
Backlinks are hyperlinks from other websites that direct users to your website. Essentially, when another website links to your site, it is considered a “backlink” to your site. They are also called inbound links because they bring traffic “in” to your site from external sources.
Example of a Backlink:
If another website writes a blog post and includes a link like this: “Check out this amazing dog training guide here” (with the word “here” linking to your dog training website), that’s a backlink.
Why Are Backlinks Important for SEO?
- Improves Search Engine Rankings: Google and other search engines see backlinks as votes of confidence. If many reputable websites link to your site, search engines view your content as valuable and trustworthy. This can boost your rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs).
- Increases Website Traffic: Backlinks bring direct traffic from other websites to yours. If a well-visited site links to your content, you can receive more visitors who are interested in what you offer.
- Builds Domain Authority: The quality and number of backlinks to your website help improve its overall domain authority. Websites with higher domain authority tend to rank better in search results.
- Helps Search Engines Discover Your Website: When search engines crawl other sites and find links to your website, they follow those links to discover new content. This helps your pages get indexed faster.
Types of Backlinks
Not all backlinks are created equal. Some types carry more weight in terms of SEO:
- High-Quality Backlinks: These are links from authoritative and reputable websites in your industry. A backlink from a respected, high-traffic site like a major news publication or an industry expert’s blog will carry much more value than one from a lesser-known or low-quality site.
- Editorial Backlinks: These occur naturally when another site links to your content because they find it valuable. For example, a blogger might mention your dog training website in a post about effective dog training methods.
- Guest Post Backlinks: If you write a guest post for another website and include a link to your site in the content, this is a guest post backlink.
- Nofollow vs. Dofollow Backlinks:
- Dofollow Backlinks: These links pass SEO value and help boost your search rankings.
- Nofollow Backlinks: These links have a “nofollow” tag, instructing search engines not to follow or pass SEO value. While they don’t directly impact SEO, they can still drive traffic to your site.
What Makes a Good Backlink?
- Relevance: Backlinks from websites that are relevant to your industry or niche are more valuable. For example, a dog training website would benefit more from a backlink from a pet-related blog than from an unrelated site about cooking.
- Authority: Links from websites with high domain authority (DA) carry more SEO weight. Google trusts authoritative sites more, and their backlinks will boost your rankings.
- Anchor Text: The text used to create the hyperlink (anchor text) also matters. Keywords in the anchor text can help search engines understand the relevance of the link.
- Diversity of Links: A variety of backlinks from different sources (blogs, news websites, directories, etc.) looks more natural and helps avoid penalties for manipulative practices.
- Placement: Backlinks that are placed naturally within the content (like within the body of a blog post) are more valuable than those buried in a footer or sidebar.
How to Build Quality Backlinks
- Create High-Quality Content: The best way to naturally earn backlinks is by creating valuable, informative, and shareable content. If people find your content useful, they are more likely to link to it.
- Guest Blogging: Writing guest posts for reputable websites in your niche is an effective way to gain backlinks while sharing your expertise.
- Outreach: Reach out to other website owners, bloggers, or influencers in your industry and ask them to link to relevant content on your site. For example, if you have an informative blog post on dog training techniques, you can ask others in the pet industry to share it with their audience.
- Broken Link Building: Find broken links on other websites that point to content similar to yours. You can offer your content as a replacement, helping the site owner fix the broken link while earning a backlink in return.
- Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with influencers or bloggers who can write about your business and link back to your site.
- Use Directories: Listing your business in reputable online directories like Yelp, Google My Business, and others can help you get backlinks and increase your visibility.
Be Cautious of Low-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks from low-quality or spammy websites can hurt your SEO. Google penalizes websites that try to manipulate search rankings through shady backlink practices, such as purchasing links or using link farms.
In Summary:
- Backlinks (inbound links) are links from other websites to your website, and they play a crucial role in SEO.
- Quality over Quantity: It’s better to have a few high-quality backlinks from reputable websites than many links from low-quality or irrelevant sites.
- Natural and Ethical Link Building: Focus on earning backlinks naturally by providing valuable content and building relationships in your industry.
By focusing on building quality backlinks, you can improve your dog training website’s visibility, drive more traffic, and increase your search engine rankings over time.
Here is one fast way to get indexed in Google. Submit your rss feed to feedage.com. Google visits Feedage.com everyday and if you have an rss feed in their index, it will most likely get indexed by google within a day or two. Read more about it on the feedage.com blog
Since code vs text ratio is one of the many things Google looks at, I believe it is best to keep the code to a minimum. I think 300 – 400 words per page is great. Look at your code or view source. If it seems like there is more code than text, try your best to remove as much code as possible.
This is one reason to use and understand CSS. CSS reduces the amount of code markup so that you have more text then code . It’s easier for Googlebots to understand the content hierarchy and is good for SEO.