You probably already have a general idea of what SEO means. Still, it helps to define it clearly before we go deeper.
Search engine optimization is the process of improving a web page so it can earn more organic traffic by showing up more prominently on search engine results pages (SERPs). Today, that can include traditional search results, local results, featured snippets, and AI-assisted search experiences.
Organic traffic is also referred to as ‘free traffic,’ but I like to call it earned traffic because whether it costs you labor or cash, you’re still paying for it.
The Goal of SEO
Your main objective with SEO is to increase the quantity and quality of website traffic that comes from search engines to a given site.
- Quantity – This is the number of visitors that come to your website from search engines. Generally, the more traffic you get, the better!
- Quality – Just because you’re getting traffic doesn’t mean that it’s the right kind. For instance, if you’re a local plumber in Ottawa, ON, but all your traffic is coming from Calgary, AB, there’s a problem. You won’t sell anything because you’re receiving the wrong audience. Similarly, if you sell shoes but Google thinks you’re a shoe repair company, there’s a debacle that needs addressing.
The Purpose of Search Engines
Search engines are designed to find, organize, and return information from across the web. Think of them as large software systems that use other software tools to do that work.
Bots and algorithms are software systems that help search engines discover, organize, and rank information.
Quick note: We’ll cover AI in more detail later in this course because it’s becoming a more important area of understanding for SEO.
How Search Engines Get and Sort Content
Crawlers (a kind of bot) scour the web for content and bring all that data back to the search engine’s index. Several algorithms process the index and match data with a user’s search query.
How People Use Search Engines
We use search engines to locate information, much like how we would use our neighbourhood library. However, search engines are more than a good old-fashioned library because people also use them to find products and services that they want.
How Businesses Use Search Engines
Companies use search engines to reach consumers, similar to how they use TV, radio, social media, and other marketing channels to get in front of customers.
Capturing attention is a huge part of marketing. If someone is watching, listening, or reading, you have a chance to move them closer to action. Just make sure you’re sending the right message that’ll lead them towards becoming paying customers or whatever goal you have.
If you have questions or want SEO recommendations for your website, email us here.
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Gabriel Nwatarali is a copywriter, SEO expert, and the founder of Tech Help Canada. He helps founders attract the right kind of search traffic through SEO strategy, content that ranks, and conversion-focused copy. In one project, a single copy tweak helped a brand increase downloads from a few hundred to 10M+. Want a second set of eyes on your site? Reach Out Here
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