SEO for Beginners

How do Search Engines work?

It is an Internet database of webpages that gives Internet consumers the opportunity to explore info located on sites housed in the database by searching for “Keywords”. Internet users will search for “keywords” which are words or phrases that pertain to a certain topic. Every search engine has their specific keywords, which have their unique characteristics that match a topic. For instance, the phrase “What happens in Vegas” would match materials for entertainment, hotels, etc. in Las Vegas.

How does a Directory work?

Similar to a search engine, it is an avenue to find information on the Internet. However, directories utilize people to edit and rank the sites that have given their information to the databases. For example, DMOZ.org is the most popular of these directories. The directories are focused on categorizing the sites into topics like Sports, Movies, and Travel. The directories then charge a fee before giving a site review to their editors and post them. However, some directories, like DMOZ are free.

What is Pay-Per-Click?

Large search engines like Google or Bing give companies the opportunity to buy a spot in the searches. So the advertisers will pay money when their links are clicked on, paying “per click”. It can be a tremendous opportunity to boost your visibility by being at the top of a search in short amount of time.

How hard is it to get the top ranking?

It is certainly no easy task to get the top ranking in a search engine. SEO takes a lot of work and to do it right requires a wide digital marketing campaign. Additionally, having a deep knowledge of the up-to-date algorithms and guidelines for search engines is a pivotal factor. The only way to work towards the top ranking is to have the full digital marketing campaign run.

Isn’t there just one search engine?

No. Every search engine has its own identity. Search engines are a business. Google is a business with competitors like Yahoo and Bing. They each have to differentiate themselves to attract different consumers. While they may be similar, there is many more than just one search engine.

If my website gets to #1 for it’s keyword search, how can it stay there?

These rankings continuously are in flux. Search engines are constantly changing their algorithms and updating their requirements. Therefore to keep it at the top, it requires expert SEO companies to constantly update and maintain the ranking that has been earned.

Why did my website not get accepted to the search engines?

Whenever you create a website, it is not guaranteed to be listed on a search engine. Search engines are just like any other business and can deny service to anyone for almost any reason. Usually, the search engines will now look for new sites and pick them up. Submitting the websites is no longer as necessary as it was a few years ago. Making sure your site is appropriately optimized with quality links will guarantee your site is listed without even having to resubmit it.

When can I expect to see outcomes?

Since it is a full digital marketing campaign, it can take a couple days or a couple years. Conducting a complete optimization is multi-faceted because you have to take into account the industry, how long the webpage has been up, competitiveness of the ideal keywords, and even more factors. The better the optimization, the better the chances are for a positive outcome quickly.

What are the ways a search engine can find my site?

There are a few different ways, but two main avenues.

First, search engines use “spiders”. They are also known as “bots”. The search engines deploy the spiders to track every link throughout all the different pages. When your website has links pointing to it from other sites, it is most likely going to be discovered by these bots and they will sort through your site at the same time.

The other way is when the search engines accept submissions of websites. Many search engines will have a space on their site to allow for a website designer or host to submit their URL.

How does “on-site” optimization work?

The goal of web on-site optimization works by focusing on making the site easily accessible for the search engine spiders. The activity can simply be some minor adjustments or some significant elements added to the site.

The websites are search engine friendly when they have these certain elements added to the site. That means they will most likely be picked up and ranked as high as possible because the spiders can effectively navigate through the site to gain the critical information.

Why are these adjustments necessary for a site?

The bots are programmed to probe all the URLs associated with the database. It is set up to search for and rank each unique item on every page it goes through. When the SEO adjustments are made and the important characteristics added, then the spiders will rank the site higher because it has what it is looking for.

Why were these not originally placed on my site?

Website design is different than SEO optimization. Many of the designers don’t know what the sites need in order to be recognized. Designers focus on the creative aspect of the site, but not the technicalities to produce a highly effective and searchable site. Additionally, as previously stated, search engines are always switching up what they value. Their algorithms are changing regularly. Having experienced SEO companies run your site, will keep your site functioning continually at a high level because the search engines will be changing randomly and constantly.

Can I just do it myself?

You can certainly try. However, it requires staying current on how the search engines are working and what changes they are making to their algorithms. Gaining this knowledge and then making the adjustments on the sites are critical to optimizing effectively. Once the site is appropriately optimized, it will require updating the systems. If anything is done incorrectly, it can take a long time to figure out why your site is dropping in the rankings. There are so many factors the search engines look for, that if you miss a couple then it can take a long time to find which ones are the culprit. Using SEO professionals, who work on sites everyday, is the smartest way to ensure a high functioning site.