Does SEO work? A small search engine guide

Does SEO work?

SEO, or search engine optimization, is the key to being found on the internet. It is the process of improving a website's visibility for relevant searches. Why is it so important? Because the first thing most of us do when we need something is Google it (or ask a friend who's googling it).

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Set goals and understand your current traffic

Before you dive headlong into SEO, think about what you really want to achieve. Increased traffic is good, but what about the user experience on your site? Make sure your visitors find what they are looking for and have a positive experience.

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Write for your visitors, not just for Google

Google is getting better at understanding content the way humans do. That's why it's important to create content with your visitors in mind first and foremost. As long as the content is consistent and provides value to visitors, then the other metrics will follow suit.

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Black hat techniques are short-lived and risky

In the past, it was much easier to fool the search engines. At first, keywords were the only thing that mattered, and SEO entrepreneurs utilized game theory and leveraged the metrics to cheat their way to first place and steal traffic from other domains.

Google realized that this destroyed the usability of search engines, and since then has had a greater focus on penalizing this type of behaviour.

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High-quality content: the key to SEO success

Content that is engaging, informative, and valuable to your target audience is what really counts. Also keep in mind these points:

• Use a varied language.
• Avoid typos.
• Write with fluency.
• For articles, stick to one topic per post.
• Be concise and interesting.

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Keywords: don't forget them, but don't overdo it

Keywords aren't as critical as they once were, but it's still smart to include them in a natural way in your content.

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Optimize meta titles and descriptions

If you are going to focus on structure, then these are the important elements:

Include your most important keywords in meta titles, descriptions, URL structures, and H1 titles. This not only helps Google understand your content, but it also improves the user experience by making it clear what the pages are about.

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Semantic search

Google now produces results that emphasize the needs of the searcher. Everything about the searcher counts: the context of the search, the searcher's location, time of day, search history, and the device they are using. Google even checks word usage to weigh the context against the requested search and the quality of the text presented (such as grammar, diction, spelling, etc.).

This is called semantic search, where the software ranks content based on the vague value of the searcher's intention rather than fixed values such as how many times the keywords occur in the text.

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Search intention briefly explained

Search intention refers to the underlying reason or intent a person has when performing a search on the internet.

There are usually four main types of search intention:

• Informative: the user looks for information. This can be anything from simple facts to in-depth knowledge of a subject.
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• Navigational: the search is aimed at finding a specific web page or page. For example, when someone searches “Facebook,” it's probably to navigate to Facebook's website.
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• Transactional: the user intends to perform a specific action, such as purchasing a product or subscribing to a service.
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• Commercial: this is when the user thinks about buying something and searches for more information to make a decision, such as product reviews or comparisons.

Read more about search intention in an article from Semrush here.

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Use of tools to find themes and keywords

Google itself can give you valuable insights with its autocomplete suggestions. This is often all you need to find relevant topics that people are interested in. Paid keyword tools are often an extended and automated version of this.

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SEO reports: when are they valuable?

SEO reports can be useful, but don't let them gather dust. They are a springboard for content creation, not a magic solution.

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Technical aspects of SEO you can't ignore

A fast and technically optimized website is essential for good SEO results. Here are some points you should check:

• Website loading time.
• Mobile friendliness.
• Universal design and accessibility.

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Run the Lighthouse Test

One of the most straight-forward tests comes from Google itself, built into Chrome and chromium browsers. The test can also be run from the web here.

The test provides a quick analysis of website performance, accessibility, best practices and SEO optimization. A perfect starting point.

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Good user experiences for better SEO

Investing in great user experiences pays off not only in satisfied visitors, but also in SEO value.

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Tips for a Responsive Website

Make sure your website works seamlessly across all devices.

• Scalable images
• Avoid static sizes on elements and items
• Customize text size, color and text alignment
• Test on multiple devices
• Make sure content does not overflow the screen width

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Engagement and stickiness

Google favours content that keeps readers interested, which signals high quality and relevance. To improve your digital “stickiness,” make sure your website loads quickly -- preferably in under three seconds -- and create content that captures and retains attention.

Typical tricks like clickbait work to achieve clicks, but if your visitors feel tricked and don't read the content, then you risk being penalized by search engines. Stickiness is measured through metrics such as bounce rate/engagement rate and session durations.

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Remember that SEO is a continuous process, not a one-time event. It requires initial effort, as well as maintenance and customization as algorithms and the marketing landscape change.

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Attribution

Freepik

Freepik