I’m going to level with you here; when I encountered SEO for the very first time I had absolutely no idea what on Earth it was – not even the faintest idea. I had experience in Sales and was desperate for work at the time, so I sent out a tonne of job applications in the hopes that something would come up soon. Sometime later an SEO company came back to me saying something about Optimising Engines? So, naturally I assumed I’d be selling car parts, which I was really excited about.
To my disappointment (at the time), I couldn’t have been more wrong. Though I discovered a whole new area of marketing that was as fascinating as it was alien to me. And so, my journey into online marketing began.
The reason why I wanted to share my experience with you, was to demonstrate that there is absolutely no shame in having questions – particularly when traversing the minefield that is SEO for the very first time.
Luckily for you, you don’t have to go it alone. In fact, we’ve decided to answer some of the most frequently asked ‘silly questions’, in the following two articles for you. Have a read and hopefully we’ll be able to help shed a little light on the subject for you.
Search Engine Optimisation – Let’s Cross the Minefield Together
1 – What is SEO?
SEO or Search Engine Optimisation has nothing to do with improving the performance of your motor, but of your website. In a nutshell, SEO refers to techniques that are used to help your website climb the ladder in search engine results (such as Google), so that ‘ready to spend’ customers who are actively searching for the services that you provide will find you before they find your competitors.
2 – What is the different between paid results and organic SEO ?
Organic results are what you find when you type a search phrase into Google and are given a list of links. The top 3 or 4 of which, are typically paid results which can be recognised by the ‘Ad’ next to the link. These paid, or inorganic search results only appear at the top or the side of the page because the companies have paid to be there for those phrases.
3- What on Earth is a Meta Description?!
Now, I’ve never met a description, but if I did, they’d probably tell me that they’ve heard the same rubbish joke a million times before. That being said, a great way of remembering what a Meta Description is; is that you meet them every time your search results appear in Google.
The Meta Description is the text which appears below every link in a search engine result. (as seen in the image above) Believe it or not, this text is one of your most powerful tools for attracting customers to your website. A clear and concise Meta could be the difference between customers following your link, or a competitors’ instead.
4 – Should You Include Keywords in Your Domain Name?
No. To put it bluntly. If your company name already happens to have a keyword, then that’s great; though I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to purchase a domain name filled with keywords for the sake of it. It’s essentially pointless and in some cases; it can actually hurt your SEO campaign.
5 – How Many Keywords Should You Have on Each Page?
In truth, there is no real right or wrong answer to this question (unless of course you go all Bart Simpson and write: “We sell the best carpets in town; We sell the best carpets in town; We sell the best carpets in town”)
You must approach your keywords as naturally as possible in order to get the best results. Of course, it is important to work in your keywords as often as you can, though doing so in a way which does not raise suspicion.
Search Engines such as Google will invariably penalise companies for evident keyword congestion, though if you bear your reader in mind and produce content as wonderful and engaging as ours – well, then you’ll surely find the optimum number of keywords instinctively.
6 – Internal and Inbound Links? Eh?
The easiest way to remember and differentiate between these two technical terms is by putting yourselves in the shoes of a mailman for a big office building.
First thing after your morning coffee you’ll likely want to sort through the Inbound mail. These are essentially letters that have come from elsewhere, to you in-house.
Once you’ve finished sorting all the Inbound mail you can now move onto the Internal mail. The Internal mail are letters that are being sent in-house from one person to another. For example: a letter of resignation from Sue in Sales to Dave in HR.
Both Internal and Inbound links are incredibly valuable when it comes to SEO and improving your online awareness.
7 – How Many Internal Links Should You Include on Each Page of Content?
The same rule applies here as it does to Question 5. You should try to avoid littering your content with Internal links for the sake of it. It’s a wonderful tool for helping visitors traverse your website and find the relevant pages easier – so in a nutshell; only create a link if it serves a purpose and will improve the readers experience.
8 – Do you Need to Know Code to do SEO?
In parts, a basic understanding of code will certainly help, though it is definitely not essential. That being said; there is so much to SEO and the rules are forever changing, so if you’re unsure it may well be worth seeking professional guidance.
Continue Your Journey into the World of SEO
If you are finding this article particularly useful and would like to continue exploring some of the most frequently asked questions about SEO that most people are too afraid to ask; simply click here to check out Part 2.