WHAT IS SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION?
As Moz.com puts it, "search engine optimization" is:
"the process of increasing the number of visitors to a Web site by achieving high rank in the search results of a search engine. The higher a Web site ranks in the results of a search, the greater the chance that users will visit the site. It is common practice for Internet users to not click past the first few pages of search results, therefore high rank in SERPs is essential for obtaining traffic for a site. SEO helps to ensure that a site is accessible to a search engine and improves the chances that the site will be indexed and favorably ranked by the search engine."
WHY DOES SEO MATTER?
Without SEO, your customers would be unable to find your business in a search engine. Or, if your site was indexed, a search engine like Google would have trouble determining which sites to list higher than others when presenting a list of search results.
WHAT DOES 5 FOLD DO FOR MY BUSINESS?
We discuss that exact topic in this article.
WHAT ARE RANKINGS?
Rankings are how "high" your site is listed by a search engine for a specific search query. The higher you're ranked (preferably, 1st spot), the higher the chance of potential customers clicking on the link to your website.
A WORD ABOUT RANKINGS
It's actually more complicated than just saying "Oh, I want my business to be listed 1st!" That's because most search engines now custom tailor search results based on location, prior search history, and a host of other factors that have to do with the user.
This trend started when Google stopped showing exact keyword phrases in October 2011, in part to protect the privacy of those searching.
Let's compare two users who search for the same keyword. For Brad, 40, in your town, your plumbing business might be the first result on the page. For Cecilia, 19, who lives in the next town over, it might be third.
Be wary of any marketing company that says they will get you to be "1st" in "all" rankings. In which ones? In Brad's? Sure. But, ranking well is about reaching a higher average of users.
WHAT DID SEO USED TO BE LIKE?
That's actually a topic we cover in this article.
WHAT DO SOME OF THESE TERMS MEAN?
In this article, we share a helpful glossary designed to walk you through a variety of SEO jargon.