SEO Basics: 3 Key Components

SEO is a word you might have come across several times before, but what does it mean?

Particularly, Search Engine Optimization, also known as SEO, is a terminology that is widespread in the digital marketing industry. SEO is a set of strategies and techniques that help increase your website’s positioning organically in the search page of search engines, such as Google and Bing. 

Why is this so important?

When your website has better visibility in the search results, it increases the attention and user’s propensity to visit your website. Eventually, this leads to customer purchases and this is suitable for the sales volume of your business.

Since it plays such an essential role for business, greater attention needs to be given to the basics of SEO: the components. SEO is interdependent on three key elements: technology, content, and link-building optimization. Hereafter, you can choose better strategies to maximize its effectiveness. 

Let’s dive into the SEO basics by having a closer look at each component’s role and what easy tricks you can do right now to optimize the ranking of your website.

SEO: Technology Optimization

SEO Technology optimization involves the tasks that improve the technical aspects of a website to increase the page positioning in the search engines. For instance, having structured and descriptive content allows the search engine bots to crawl more efficiently and effectively through your content to provide a fast response to the searches by users. 

So, what can you do? Here are five critical tips for the first SEO basic component, technology optimization:

1. Choose the right domain name:
   choose keywords that are aligned with your website’s content and business activities

2. Include meaningful keywords in the URL:
   include specific keywords in the website address

3. Always think “mobile-first”:
   optimize user experience by designing the website for mobile interaction

4. Include 301 Redirects:
   informs search engines that the content has changed location

5. Provide detailed website information on the search page:
   for instance, consider pictures, location, rating, phone number

SEO: Content Optimization

SEO Content optimization is about the techniques to increase the readability surrounding the content of your website. While the information on the website is crucial, the use of appropriate keywords, headings, meta and title tags, and relevant links need to be taken into consideration. Specifically, it helps to better match the user’s search criteria with the most relevant websites on the search engine, thereby reaching the largest target audience.

So, what can you do? Here are five critical tips for the second SEO basic component, content optimization:

1. Insert a Title Tag:
   HTML code that represents the title of the website on the search page

2. Include a meta description:
   an HTML element that provides a summary of the website on the search results page of the search engine

3. Have Alt Text on images:
   describe the image, just in case the image cannot be loaded and viewed

4. Include keywords in the text:
   enhance search ranking by integrating relevant keywords

5. Offer freshness, quality, and structure
   remember to maintain focus, structure the text with headings and paragraphs, and stimulate engagement by inserting visuals and videos.

SEO: Link Building Optimization

SEO Link building optimization is the process of increasing the effectiveness of link provision from one website to another website and vice versa. The aim is to achieve the highest quality links directed towards the site. Also, it will signal that the website is a trustworthy source, and therefore, it is considered an essential element in the ranking calculation. 

So, what can you do? Here are five critical tips for the third SEO basic component, link building optimization:

1. Content Promotion:
   create unique and compelling content that encourages other websites to link your website

2. Reviews and Sharing:
   allow for easy sharing by including social media buttons to increase reach

3. Page the link that is aimed at:
   let the link not be directed to your homepage, but select a sub-page more aligned with the content on the other website’s page

4. Anchor Text:
   link your website based on a relevant keyword instead of the title of your website

5. Quality of linking page:
   please make sure the linking page is a reliable and quality source as it counts higher in the ranking calculation.

In conclusion, the basics of SEO have multiple elements to consider when you want to maximize the positioning of your website on search engines. Having a better understanding of the three SEO components, technology, content, and link-building optimization, you can now formulate effective strategies surrounding the SEO basics to benefit from a higher number of visitors optimally.

Sources

• Campaignmonitor. (2019, September 13). What is content optimization? Retrieved from https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/glossary/content-optimization/#:~:text=Content%20optimization%20is%20the%20process,title%20tags%2C%20and%20relevant%20links
• SearchEngineLand. (2021, June 14). What is SEO / Search engine optimization? Retrieved from https://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo
• SemRush. (2021, July 12). The complete guide to content optimization (+Infographic). Retrieved from https://www.semrush.com/blog/content-optimization-guide/
• Sevwebdesign. (2020, April 13). SEO basics: Three parts of SEO. Retrieved from https://sevwebdesign.com/seo-basics-three-parts-of-seo/
• WordStream. (2021, December 1). Learn the basics of quality link building for SEO. Retrieved from https://www.wordstream.com/link-building#:~:text=Building%20links%20is%20one%20of,build%20links%20to%20your%20site
• Yoast. (2021, January 5). What’s technical SEO? 8 technical aspects everyone should know • Yoast. Retrieved from https://yoast.com/what-is-technical-seo/