SEO is a buzzword we hear a lot these days... Something we all should have, but what actually is it?

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This article will be covering absolutely everything you need to know about SEO, what it is, how it affects your website and more importantly, what kind of results it can deliver.

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What is Search Engine Optimisation?

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a process that aims to improve the visibility and ranking of a website in search engine results pages (SERPs) - Such as Google, Yahoo and so on. It involves optimising a website's content, structure, and other technical aspects to ensure that search engines can easily crawl and index the site, and that it appears high in relevant search results.

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SEO is an essential digital marketing strategy that can help businesses attract more visitors, generate leads, and increase revenue. However, it can be a complex and ever-evolving field that requires ongoing effort and investment. In this article, we'll explore the fundamentals of SEO and some of the key factors that can influence a website's ranking in search engine results pages.

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Saint Global is helping Construction Businesses around the globe with effective SEO Strategies that are putting them on top!

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Keyword Research

One of the most important aspects of SEO is keyword research. This involves identifying the keywords and phrases that people are searching for in relation to your business or industry. By understanding the keywords that your target audience is using, you can optimise your website's content to ensure that it appears high in relevant search results.

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Some of the key factors to consider when conducting keyword research include:

• Search volume: The number of searches for a particular keyword or phrase can indicate the level of demand for that term.
• Competition: The level of competition for a particular keyword or phrase can indicate how difficult it will be to rank for that term.
• Relevance: The relevance of a keyword or phrase to your business or industry is essential to ensure that your website appears in relevant search results.

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Correct Keyword Research is "key" to a successful SEO campaign.

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Site Architecture

The architecture of a website is another crucial factor in SEO. Search engines use algorithms to crawl and index websites, and they prefer sites that are well-organised, easy to navigate, and provide a positive user experience.

Some of the key factors to consider when optimising your website's architecture include:

• URL structure: The structure of your website's URLs can influence how search engines perceive the relevance and authority of different pages on your site. Using descriptive, keyword-rich URLs can help improve your website's ranking in search engine results.
• Site structure: Organising the content on your website in a logical and hierarchical manner can help search engines understand the relevance and authority of different pages on your site. Using header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) can also help indicate the importance of different sections of your site.
• Site map: Creating an XML sitemap can help search engines crawl and index your website more efficiently.

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On-Page Optimisation

On-page optimisation involves optimising individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. It includes optimising both the content and HTML source code of a page.

Some of the most important on-page optimisation factors include:

• Title tag: The title tag is an HTML element that specifies the title of a web page. It's one of the most important on-page SEO factors, as it tells search engines what the page is about.
• Meta description: The meta description is a brief summary of the content of a web page. It appears in search engine results pages and can influence click-through rates.
• Header tags: Header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) are HTML elements that indicate the importance of different sections of a web page. Using header tags can help search engines understand the structure of a page and the relevance of different sections.
• URL structure: The structure of a URL can influence how search engines perceive the relevance and authority of a page. It's important to use descriptive, keyword-rich URLs that accurately reflect the content of a page
• Keyword optimisation: Including relevant keywords in the content of a web page can help search engines understand the topic of the page and its relevance to specific search queries.
• Content quality: Creating high-quality, informative, and engaging content that meets the needs of your target audience is essential for on-page optimisation.
• Image optimisation: Optimising images for search engines by using descriptive file names and alt tags can help improve the relevance and accessibility of your content.

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Off-Page Optimisation

Off-page optimisation refers to the activities that take place outside of your website but can influence your website's ranking in search engine results pages. One of the most important factors in off-page optimisation is link building, which involves acquiring backlinks from other websites.

Backlinks are essentially how search engines determine the trustworthiness of your site (for the most part at least) - Each trustworthy link that is going towards your website makes search engines like Google think hmm, if these trustworthy people are linking to them, they surely must be okay right?"

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For example, if you had BBC linking to your website, Search Engines are well aware that BBC is a well established, authoritative and trustworthy site, so that link would pass some trust down to you (Technical term is "Link Juice" - It's weird... We know...)

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So, it's clear to see that not all backlinks are created equal, and search engines take into account the quality and relevance of the sites that link to your site, so it's important to keep a close eye on that.

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Some of the key factors to consider when building backlinks include:

• Relevance: The relevance of the linking site to your business or industry is essential to ensure that the backlink has a positive impact on your website's ranking.
• Authority: The authority of the linking site is also important, as links from high-authority sites can have a more significant impact on your website's ranking.
• Anchor text: The text that is used to link to your website can also influence your website's ranking. It's important to use descriptive, relevant anchor text that accurately reflects the content of the linked page.

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Technical Optimisation

Technical optimisation involves optimising the technical aspects of your website to ensure that it can be easily crawled and indexed by search engines. Some of the key technical optimisation factors include:

• Site speed: The speed at which your website loads can influence its ranking in search engine results pages. Optimising images, compressing files, and minimising HTTP requests can help improve site speed.
• Mobile optimisation: With the increasing use of mobile devices for web browsing, it's essential to ensure that your website is optimised for mobile devices. This includes using responsive design, optimising images for mobile devices, and ensuring that the site is easy to navigate on a small screen.
• Schema markup: Schema markup is a type of structured data that provides additional context and information to search engines about the content of a web page. It can help improve the relevance and visibility of your website in search engine results pages.

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SEO Metrics

To measure the success of your SEO efforts, it's essential to track and analyse key metrics. Some of the most important metrics to monitor include:

• Organic traffic: The number of visitors that come to your website from search engines.
• Keyword rankings: The position of your website in search engine results pages for specific keywords.
• Backlinks: The number and quality of sites that link to your website.
• Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of users who click on your website's link in search engine results pages.
• Bounce rate: The percentage of visitors who leave your website after viewing only one page.

By monitoring these metrics, businesses can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their SEO strategy and make data-driven decisions to improve their website's ranking and visibility in search engine results pages.

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That's a wrap

Search engine optimisation is a complex and ever-evolving field, but it's essential for businesses that want to attract more visitors, generate leads, and increase revenue. By focusing on keyword research, site architecture, on-page optimisation, off-page optimisation, and technical optimisation, businesses can improve their website's ranking in search engine results pages and achieve their digital marketing goals.

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it's important to remember that SEO is a long-term strategy that requires ongoing effort and investment. It's essential to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in SEO and to continually optimise and improve your website to stay ahead of the competition. With the right strategy and approach, businesses can achieve significant benefits from SEO and establish a strong online presence.

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This article briefly touched on the basics of the SEO world, if you have any questions or would like to work with Saint on your SEO, get in touch with us here.

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