SEO – What it Means and Why You Absolutely Need to Know About It

You may have heard this buzz word thrown around. Business owners and marketers talking about ‘their SEO.’ What they’re doing for SEO – how their SEO is workin’ for them.  But what does it even mean? And why does it seem so complicated?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. This is the art and science of having your website rank high in the unpaid section of a search engine. The organic results, not influenced by ads.

When you google something – the amount of results is insane. You can literally click through endless pages. But do you? The truth is, most people hang out on the first page of google to find what they’re looking for. In fact, 75% of searchers never go past the first page of search results (HubSpot) There’s a running joke out there … Where’s the best place to hide a dead body? The second page of google. Ha… Okay not super funny but you get the point.

The first 5 organic results in a search engine account for 67.6% of all clicks. (Zero Limit Web) Without SEO, your content is less valuable. The point of writing something is so someone will read it. The higher you rank in a search engine – the greater the likelihood that someone sees your content. But how is this determined and what control over it do you even have? Getting to know google’s algorithm will help.

The SEO Algorithm

Google’s algorithm is complex. And no one truly knows exactly how rankings are determined. Google is secretive and keeps it covert. They don’t publically share the components that will be best for the ranking of your website. Helpful, right? But there is plenty of speculation and people who spend a lot of time trying to figure it out. According to Backlinko – Google uses over 200 factors in their algorithm to rank websites. This is a lot more than just keywords!

So what are some examples of these factors?

• 1. Dwell time. The amount of time someone spends on your page after clicking on a Google result. (Search Engine Roundtable) This means you want people interested in your content. If it’s boring, irrelevant, or unsubstantial – odds are that people are leaving in a hurry.

• 2. Loading time. Pages on sites that load quickly rank significantly higher than pages on sites that load slowly. (Backlinko) Make sure your site isn’t lagging behind.

• 3. Amount of content. Organic search results that rank on page 1 of Google contain an average of 1,890 words. (Backlinko) Quality, meaty content makes a difference.

SEO Writing Tips

We’ve determined a few things about SEO. It’s complex and impacts everything we see online. It’s controlled by a secret algorithm, and no one really knows how it works. Sounds like part of the plot to a weird sci-fi thriller. Although it seems unattainable to grasp, there are some concrete things you can do to make a big difference.

So what are some tangible tips you can focus on when writing content for your website?

• Article length – most SEO experts agree that 1,000-1,500 is the ideal length. This is what you want to shoot for – but don’t use a bunch of filler words and fluff to get you there. Google is only interested in high- quality content. Stuffing your content to achieve a specific word count will do more harm than good. Which leads us to….

• High Quality – This is crucial for SEO.Quality and relevance. The greater the quality, the higher likelihood that people will stay on your page longer. This helps with that dwell time. It’s also more likely that people will share your page, or link to it – which also helps.

• Trustworthy resources. You want to link out to resources that give your content credibility. Wikipedia doesn’t count. Reputable sources – scientific journals to back up facts, like PubMed.

• Consistency. It takes time to build up SEO. It’s not an overnight sensation that will bring you results after one thought-out blog post. Two blogs per month is the bare minimum you should consider to get by. One a week is what you should shoot for – and more if you can. This can be tough, which is why working with a copywriter is a game-changer for any business owner looking to grow their online presence.

• Effective keyword use. The phrases and keywords you use throughout your content is what helps people find you when they search on google. They define what your article is about. Target keywords that people would be typing into google to find your blog.

Let’s say you’re promoting your new vintage clothing boutique. Using ‘clothes’ as your keyword may seem like a good idea- that what you’re selling, right? But you have no idea what people who type ‘clothes’ into google are looking for. Plus, you’ve got some hefty competition. Big department stores like Kohl’s and Nordstrom are going to beat you out everytime. Focus on “vintage clothing in (city you live).” It’s more specific with much less competition, making it easier for you to rank higher in google.

• Catchy headlines. Powerful headlines matter – as much if not more than your article. A compelling headline has a higher chance of grabbing someone’s attention and encouraging them to click and read on.

• Easy to read formatting. Have you ever clicked onto a web page only to be accosted by a mile long block of text? Or received an email from a coworker that is so long and dense you’re exhausted just thinking about reading it? Not formatting your work so it’s appealing and flows well is going to scare people away. Draw them in with appealing, well-formatted text that invites them to stay and read.

Ok did that help a little? Not quite so mystifying anymore? 

As a business owner, it’s good to have some basic awareness and knowledge of SEO. With so much expansion and business done in the online realm, SEO will continue to be a key part of your digital marketing strategy. Employing these tactics is where it could get dicey if you don’t consider yourself a decent writer. Not to mention if you just don’t have the time to do it. Working with a health and wellness copywriter who is knowledgeable in your industry and educated in SEO will make your life easier.