SEO. You’re a start-up and you know you need it – even if it’s just the basic idea that you should be ranking well in Google and other search engines. But what does that really mean? And can you achieve results as a start-up, on a limited budget? And do you need an SEO agency?
Every website owner wants the highest result possible on the first page of search results, but the path to achieving this goal isn’t always easy or obvious.
Google, using this as the example, uses complex algorithms to determine which websites deserve the best spots. And even then, sometimes, it’s still not easy to understand why Google does what it does, when for example, sites that don’t follow the rules seem to rank well.
It’s also important to know that Google doesn’t tell people what it uses to rank. SEO is knowledge gained after decades of trial and error.
Understanding the Algorithms
Think of an algorithm as an instruction manual. The manual shows a series of actions or steps to achieve a desired outcome – perhaps solve a problem or complete tasks more efficiently. Algorithms are how computers process data, make decisions and perform computations.
Search engines use algorithms to determine the ranking of web pages in their search results (SERPs).
In short, your website’s ranking is decided by how well it meets the algorithm’s requirements.
Search engines evaluate, then rank web pages based on various factors to provide users with the most relevant and useful information in response to their search queries.
You search ‘blue jeans’, the algorithm shows you the best websites for ‘blue jeans’. It won’t deliver you a page of ‘red scarves’.
What Does an SEO Algorithm Consider?
Search engine algorithms are complex and use hundreds of factors to determine the ranking of a web page. While the exact algorithms are a well-kept secret, they generally assess elements such as the following:
· The web page content and its relevance to specific search queries. High-quality and authoritative content often ranks higher.
· The presence and relevance of keywords on web pages and how well the content matches the words and phrases users are searching for.
· High-quality links to your content from other reputable sites are seen as a vote of confidence, boosting a page’s credibility.
· Technical factors such as page loading speed, mobile-friendliness and ease of navigation.
· Properly using on-page elements like meta tags, headings and image alt texts make it easier for search engines to understand and index the content.
· Secure websites with HTTPS encryption will rank better in search results.
· General user experience, so click-through rates (CTR), time spent on site, and low bounce rates can influence rankings.
SEO Optimisation Fundamentals
Content Quality
High-quality, informative, and engaging content that answers users’ queries is central to getting good search results. It’s crucial to create content that adds value, addresses user needs, and showcases your expertise in the subject matter.
Keywords
Including relevant keywords in your content, meta tags, headings and descriptions helps search engines understand the information on the page. The more relevant to a user’s search query, the higher it will rank in SERPs. For example on this page, ours is SEO Agency in Essex, but don’t just add a load of keywords into low quality content. Search engines are too smart for that these days.
The Influence of Backlinks
Backlinks, or incoming links from other websites, were one of the founding elements of Google search results. Much like a science paper getting upvoted by peers, a backlink is similar.
Quality backlinks from reputable and relevant sources tell search engines that your content is good. Low-quality or spammy backlinks won’t work and can even result in your site being penalised.
As with keywords, you can’t cheat the system.
On-Page Optimisation
Optimising individual web pages by fine-tuning meta tags, headers, image alt text, and using schema markup, helps search engines understand the content more effectively. For example Google can’t see images, so alt text provides a description for Google to read.
Mobile-Friendly Design
Google penalises websites that aren’t optimised for mobile devices. ‘Nuff said.
Site Speed
Page speed directly impacts user experience. Websites that load quickly provide a better user experience and tend to rank higher. Things like large images can slow down page load times.
Security and Accessibility
Your website needs to be secure, using HTTPS. Additionally, ensuring your website is accessible for all users is important for rankings.
Social Media
It’s considered that a strong social media presence indirectly influences SEO. Better social engagement likely leads to more visibility, more traffic and potential backlinks.
Engagement Metrics
Make sure users are actually enjoying your website and staying there. So watch user engagement metrics like click-through rates (CTR), time spent on site, and keeping low bounce rates – that means users don’t just hit a site then come off straight away – are pivotal.
Final Thoughts
There are reckoned to be hundreds of factors that affect rankings. And while they are secret experts generally see the above factors consistently.
By applying these principles to what you do and keeping an eye on algorithm updates, you can improve your ranking in search results.
