How to use SEO on your website

SEO stands for ‘search engine optimization’, and is essential for discovery of your website by the right people. Read on for a guide for how to optimize every element of your website, to help you get as many visitors as possible.

1) How does SEO work?
Search engine optimization is done through a number of techniques, a few of which are listed below:
i)  Keywords For a search engine to find a website, there must be lots of relevant content on it that the search engine can match. For example, if you are a travel agent, you should include the words ‘travel agent’ in your top copy and not just concentrate on the words ‘holiday,’ ‘destination’ and ‘flight.’ Important keywords placed in headings and subheadings will also grab the attention of a search engine.
ii)  URLs An easy-to-read, friendly URL (the link at the top of the search bar) also makes it easier for Google and other search engines to read. Links that contain question marks and numbers do not work as well, as they are less easily located by a search engine.
iii)  Title Tags This is given to each webpage and is found when the mouse icon is hovered over the tab in your browser webpage. It is one of the first things that a search engine reads so it is worth spending time working on the words to use here.
 
2) What does SEO mean?
This stands for search engine optimization. It is when a website appears as high up as it can on a search engine list. The more visibility a website has, the more people will see it and the more traffic it will receive as a result.

3) Do you need to use google search terms?
A search term is when someone types in a service, company or general information into a search engine (like Google) to receive content. For example, if a person searched for ‘takeaways in Wimbledon,’ if you owned a takeaway shop in that area, your website should appear high up on that list (depending on whether you have used the relevant key words).

4) How to use google analytics:
Google analytics is one of the most common ways to track how many visitors you have had to your website and displays all the details on those visitors; for example: –  What country they are from –  What web browser they are using (Chrome, Safari etc) –  What screen size they are using (tablet, mobile, or PC – this information helps you to then optimise your website so people can view it on any device) –  What pages they visited on the website and for how long –  The bounce rate (when someone clicks on a website from a search engine, but click back out straightaway) –  The days and times your website received the most traffic

5) What is a search engine?
The internet consists of lots of different search engines, including Google and Yahoo. They are programmes that allow users to search for items and documents on the internet.

6) What is the importance of SEO?
SEO is extremely important if you want to drive traffic to your website. It helps to improve your ranking in the search engine list, which will in turn ultimately promote your site by increasing its visibility.

7) How to do SEO:
It is important to keep up to date with the processes used by search engines, as they frequently change. If you’re going down the do-it-yourself route, research lots around SEO and key-wording. If you’re getting the professionals in – leave it up to them!