Hello and welcome back to Part 2 of “Answers to the SEO Questions That You May Have Been Too Afraid to Ask”. If you’ve found yourself here having not read Part 1 <<< Simply click on that little link and we’ll bring you up to speed. (Ref Part 1 – Question 7 – Internal links for the sake of improving the readers’ experience)
And without further a due…
9 – What is Robots.txt?
As you’re already aware, there are an awful lot of confusing technical terminology and keywords that you encounter when exploring SEO, and ‘robots.txt’ is one of them.
Basically, robots.txt is an element within your website that allows search engines access to information about the pages that a company would like indexed or crawled.
10 – What is the Sitemap.xml File?
Think of a sitemap like the index of a book; it acts as a quick reference for Search Engines and their robots to navigate the content on your website that you want indexed.
No idea what Crawling or Indexed means? No worries, we’ll cover that for you next.
11 – What’s this Crawling and Indexed Malarkey All About?
Crawling isn’t the prettiest of terms, though it is certainly the most apt when explaining what it actually is. Just imagine that your website is a towering pile of papers that some intern has just knocked all over the floor. Now, in order for a search engine to be able to index all of that information; they’ll need to crawl through it.
However, not all of the content is indexed. Search Engines will go through and cherry pick the content that they will and won’t index as they go through the crawling process. This is of course, something that can be influenced via the robots.txt – if there is information that you would prefer not to be indexed.
12 – Why Do You Need Alt Text on Your Images?
As amazing and innovative as Google is; they can’t yet read images, though they can certainly read text. The reason why Alt Text is so important for your images, is so that the likes of Google can figure out what the images are all about. It’s not only helpful for the relevant Search Engines; but it is also ideal if a page isn’t loading properly, so that viewers will know what the image was by reading the Alt Text.
They say a picture can paint a thousand words…which is lovely, but if you’re out of paint than words will have to do.
13 – When Can I Expect to Start Seeing Results from SEO?
I wish I could tell you that by the time you wake up tomorrow, your website will be at the very top for all of your relevant keywords; though unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. That being said; there are a few things that will determine how quickly your results will come.
It all boils down to how much fresh and unique content you create; the quality of that content; how the content engages and resonates with your target audience and whether you’ve a small or a large site with more authority.
Bigger websites tend to see more traffic, as the smaller ones get crawled less frequently. This doesn’t mean that just because you have a small website that you’ll not succeed; just remember that SEO is a marathon that takes time and patience to master. Stick to the golden rules and create as much unique content as you can, and the results will come.
Either way if you’re in the process of setting up an SEO campaign; then you’re a darn-sight closer than you ever were to seeing some results.
14 – Should I Pay Someone to do my SEO?
If you’re reading this then the answer is probably yes. Don’t get me wrong, SEO isn’t impossible to tackle on your own, though it is in and of itself an industry of its own, so it could be worth hiring someone internally or externally to take care of it for you.
Just make sure that you take the proper precautions and ensure that you are hiring someone who knows exactly what they’re doing. The rules are forever changing, and it is important that you safeguard yourself.
15 – What Goals Should I Set for my SEO Campaign?
Again, SEO is a marathon, so just make sure that you’re in the race to start with. Then it’s important to remember that it isn’t going to happen all at once. The problem that people face, particularly when hiring somebody to take care of their SEO is that you’re not purchasing a physical product. SEO isn’t some tangible item that you can measure or weigh in your hands.
Don’t think about your SEO campaign as simply driving more traffic through your website, but bringing the right traffic through your website. It’s all very well having thousands of extra hits per month, though if these aren’t converting into sales then what’s the point?
The point is, when planned and executed properly, SEO can transform even the smallest of companies into a successful giant. It’s about taking the correct approach, not looking shortcuts and creating relevant and unique content that serves a purpose to both your audience, and your own business.
Thank you for reading Part 1 and 2 of “Answers to the SEO Questions That You May Have Been Too Afraid to Ask”. If you’re still a little confused, or you have any further questions that you would like to put forward to us than please feel free to either comment below, or get in touch with us directly.