Search engine optimization (SEO) aims to make your business visible at every step of the customer journey by producing high-quality content that is aligned with the user’s search and engages prospects at every stage of the marketing funnel. Done properly, SEO can increase ecommerce sales, generate leads, and capture TV ad traffic.
Why SEO matters for your business
A successful search engine optimization strategy improves your website’s visibility in organic search results and helps visitors find you on the first page of Google. The process is time-consuming and involves business and technical decisions, but SEO can bring long-term results. To maximize the benefits, you need to understand your target audience, their needs, and the best solution for your business.
How does conversion rate optimization fit in?
Conversion rate optimization uses A/B testing to see which changes affect the number of visitors or sales. Many successful search marketers know that traffic alone is not enough; their success depends on how well they convert that traffic into sales. Conversion rate optimization used to be time-consuming, but tools like Optimizely make it quick and easy with a visual editor, so you can make changes to your site without learning complicated web code.
What SEO factors stay consistent over time?
Search engine algorithms are always changing, but a few factors remain consistent. Pagespeed is one of the most important. Google ranks websites based on page speed because it wants its users to have an excellent experience. Use Google Pagespeed Insights and Ahrefs’ Site Audit to improve page speed. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, as this helps increase your ranking on Google.
Why is link building so important?
Search engines use complex mathematical algorithms to determine which sites to rank high. The more inbound links a website has, the more likely it is to rank highly on Google. High-quality links also make it more likely that a searcher will land on your site. Focusing on link building can make or break your online business.
How should you handle URLs?
Avoid making drastic changes to your URLs when optimizing your site for SEO. URLs should not be optimized solely for SEO, and if you have to make a change, use the proper redirect. Instead of a 301 permanent redirect for pages with similar content, use a canonical URL so your new URL gets indexed by the search engines.