Are you looking to understand the fundamentals of search engine optimization (SEO) but don't need help knowing where to begin? You may have some familiarity with basic concepts like keyword research, but there's so much more to learn. Don't worry; we've got you covered. We'll walk you through the essential SEO vocabulary you need to know and provide some helpful tips to learn SEO on your own.
SEO Terminology
It's crucial to have a grasp of basic SEO terminology. Let's explore some important keywords:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The tactics you use to optimize your website to ensure you provide the high-quality information searchers look for and rank higher in search results for specific keywords so people can find your content.
On-page SEO: Any optimizations you'd make within your website to improve search rankings, like the keywords used in your content or back-end elements like site structure.
Off-page SEO: Any actions you take to improve your search engine rankings outside your website, like backlinks from other websites or guest blogging.
Link building: Getting links to your website from other high-quality websites to build authority and credibility.
SERPs: SERPs stands for Search Engine Result Pages, and it's the results page after someone conducts a search.
White-hat SEO: Optimization tactics that align with recognized best practices.
Black-hat SEO: Optimization tactics that manipulate search engine algorithms to rank websites higher in SERPs. These tactics are often unethical.
E-E-A-T: E-E-A-T stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trust. It's part of Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines and one of the factors Google uses to determine a page's relevance and authority.
Keyword: Words or phrases users type into a search engine to find content related to their search. As an SEO, you include relevant keywords in your content that align with search intent so your site appears in related searches.
Keyword Research: The process of finding keywords people enter into search results related to your business to help you inform the words to use in your website pages and content.
Organic/Organic results: Any results in SERP that are unpaid and that appear because of a page's relevance to the search query.
Organic traffic: Organic traffic is traffic that comes from organic results.
Rank/page ranking: Where your site falls in SERPs for a specific keyword.
Ranking factor: A ranking factor is an element that impacts where your site may fall in search results, like your page authority.
Search intent: Search intent is why a user conducts a search.
1. Read and watch reliable resources.
Numerous educational resources are available to read and watch, which can help you enhance your knowledge of SEO. Below are some recommendations:
Various search engines are available, but we'll assume that you are primarily optimizing your website to meet Google's quality standards. Therefore, Google is the most dependable and efficient source to learn how to optimize SEO. The Search Central Blog and Search Quality Rater Guidelines are great places to start.
2. Take free courses.
If you prefer structured and guided learning, a structured course can enhance your SEO skills. Moreover, upon completion of these courses, you may receive certificates. Here are some excellent options:
HubSpot Academy SEO Training Certification (free): Best for beginners
Google Analytics Academy (free): Beginner and advanced learning paths
MOZ Academy (paid): Courses for multiple levels
Semrush Academy (free): Courses for multiple levels
3. Stay on top of the trends.
SEO is constantly evolving, algorithms are continuously updated, and new trends are emerging. For example, Google only recently added an E for Experience to the existing E-E-A-T guidelines to ensure that content is helpful, relevant, and created by someone with experience in the subject.
One of the most essential factors in becoming an SEO expert is staying on top of the trends so you can pivot when major industry shifts happen. We monitor the SEO landscape, and Google also maintains a running list of significant updates that can impact your SEO success.
4. Study your competitors.
Studying your competitors can be a valuable method to comprehend the factors that help other websites succeed. By thoroughly analyzing your competitors, you can discover new keywords to exploit, the source of backlinks your competitors are using, and fresh opportunities to capitalize on.
5. Learn by doing.
Once you have gained a strong understanding of SEO, it's time to put your knowledge into practice with a hands-on approach. If you already have a website, you can begin by conducting a competitor analysis and updating your current strategy based on your findings. It's crucial to monitor the metrics to see how you are performing. One of the best things about SEO is that a wide range of tools are available to assist you every step of the way.
6. Use SEO tools.
Given the complexity of SEO, performing specific tasks manually can take time and effort. Fortunately, this is where SEO tools come in handy. They have helped us save time and effort while delivering the desired results promptly. Here's a list of tools we recommend:
Google’s Search Console: help you measure your site traffic and fix SEO performance issues.
Google Analytics: helps you view important metrics to understand your SEO efforts, like the measure of organic vs non-organic traffic.
Check Page Rank: monitors your website’s rank and domain authority
Ahrefs: helps you conduct keyword research and stats their important stats like search volume and CTR
Seobility: analyzes the technical aspects of your site to help you resolve on-page SEO issues
Jasper: AI writing assistant that can help you write SEO-optimized blog posts with target keywords.
Comments