One of the first things that might come to your mind if you do a Google search for SEO Dallas and look at the results is that the people that manage the websites that are at the top of the list are good at search engine optimization. The truth is that you are absolutely correct. Websites do not reach the top of the search engines because of luck. High-ranking search results are an ongoing project that takes planning, strategy, and lots of footwork.
Table of Contents
What is SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization. When a website is optimized for maximum search engine visibility it has a much better chance of appearing in search results for targeted keywords.
Some of the key elements for effective search engine optimization are:
- Keyword research
- On-page SEO structure
- Off-page SEO outreach
- Backend technical SEO
Each one of the above bullets involves a significant amount of knowledge and expertise to carry out. Although with a little bit of hard work and understanding it is possible for a person with an abundance of intelligence to figure out how it all works, the combination of implementing an SEO campaign is a full-time effort and will leave little room for anything else…including running a business.
Causing a website to rank high in the search engines is much more than building a site with keywords stuffed into the pages. In order for a site to become dominant in search results, the developer has to create an environment both on the site, and off of the site that is conducive to high-ranking results. When there is a lot of competition for keywords, the campaign has to be better than the rest of the competition’s campaigns.
Fundamentals of Keyword Research
In order for a website to have the greatest chance at success, you can’t simply assume that you know the exact keywords that people will use to find what your site has to offer. There are several variants that could come into play when people do searches.
One great example is the term “CBD.” Although CBD has a very high search volume, and people do look for it quite often, another term that people use to find CBD products is “hemp extracts” or “hemp products.” If a company wants an opportunity for everybody to find their site with different keywords and key phrases, it has to do the research and discover the true keywords that are most beneficial for success.
Keyword research will uncover some sobering facts such as:
- Keyword search volume
- Keyword difficulty
The keyword search volume is how many people actually search your keywords on the internet per month. This is an important piece of information that could help with the structure of the site immensely.
A company that offers painting services will quickly see that there are several different ways that a customer could search for a painter on the internet:
- Painting contractor
- House painter
- Painting services
- House painting services
This list could go on to show hundreds of variations, but the ones that are the most important are the ones with the highest search volume and the lowest keyword difficulty.
The element of keyword difficulty pertains to how difficult it would be for the particular keyword to rank high in the search engines. So, for instance, if you have a keyword that has a 30% keyword difficulty rating and another one that has an 80% keyword difficulty rating, it is wise to start off by targeting the lower difficulty one first.
If you have a high search volume with a low keyword difficulty you have the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the situation by aggressively implementing a keyword campaign.
On-Page SEO Structure
An extremely important factor for effective search engine optimization is to correctly structure each page of the website for search engine results. Once you have done your keyword research you should know which keywords to implement and strive for, and which ones not to.
On-page SEO consists of:
- Strategic page titles
- Strategic page headings
- Strategic content
The titles of the pages are one of the most important factors for effective SEO. When search engines scrub the web to look for answers to questions that users ask they look for relevant, quality content that will most likely answer the questions that users are asking.
One way that search engines know how to find the answers is by the URL, the page titles, the page headings, the alt text tags in the images, and the content on the page.
If you structure your pages in a way that makes it easy for search engines to decipher and find information, it helps your chances of being seen in the search results. Think of it as the difference between skimming over a well-organized report that has correct titles, headings, and content that helps you to easily glean information without slowing you down. So it is, in concept, with the search engines.
It is important to understand that each pillar keyword in your campaign will most likely need a landing page of its own to properly structure and present to the search engines, and visitors.
It is not good practice to stuff several different keywords into the titles and headings of pages. When you do this it makes it more difficult for search engines to interpret exactly what your pages have to offer, and for visitors to get a clear idea of what they are going to get information about when they visit your pages.
The Importance of Off-Page SEO
Although the on-page structure is imperative for search engine results, you have to go a step beyond and create a backlink profile that leads back to your site and gives search engines a reason to choose your site above other sites.
When you create an environment outside of the website with backlinks from highly respected websites back to yours you make your website look important. Just like if you choose to hang around people with good reputations you might get a good reputation as well, so it is with the search engine world.
Some of the best ways to get high-quality backlinks are:
- Post blogs and articles on high domain authority websites
- Submit your business and URL to business listing sites around the internet
- Reach out to other websites and ask if you can share content with backlinks
The off-page side of SEO forces the developer to go beyond the desk and reach out to other entities that will allow posts and business submissions. The more quality backlinks that point to the site, the higher the domain authority and the more chances of search engine dominance in the future.
The Importance of Content
Content, both on and off-page is extremely important. Although many companies will try and litter the internet with content that has been automatically created by AI, the best way to provide content is to write it or have it written in a way that is beneficial to other people and structured for SEO.
Nobody wants to read a bunch of words strung together that do not make sense, Create interesting content that has value so that when people read it they get something out of it.
Do not be mistaken, the search engines are smart and if they detect shoddy content, they will skip right over it and find something better to present to users that are searching for answers.
Conclusion
When it comes to search engine optimization there are several factors that go beyond general knowledge. Good SEO takes skill and outside contacts. The average person that does not have an understanding of how the world wide web works will have a difficult time implementing a successful SEO strategy because they do not understand how everything works together. The best way to get the most out of any SEO endeavor is to hire a professional to get things kicked off so you can continue to run your own business without losing time and money.