Happy September! Over the next couple of months we will be diving in to Search Engine Optimization. Specifically, what it is, how it helps, and ways to improve.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): encompasses both the technical and creative elements required to improve rankings, drive traffic, and increase awareness in search engines.
- MOZ.com There are a variety of pieces the fit into the puzzle that is SEO, but to simplify, we will just hit on the more common pieces you should know. Relevancy: First and foremost, browsers look at what websites are the most relevant when searching for what results to list. For example, a pharmacy will probably not appear when someone searches for information on the new iPhone. It is important to provide some information on all of your services on your website so you appear when someone is looking for those services. Quality of Content: Posting regular content such as, helpful articles, videos, and blog posts, can affect your rankings as well. Conversely, posting useless information to try and boost your ranking can hurt your websites listing. Google has been moving further from keyword targeting to long-form content when listing search results. Links: Internal linking within your site making it easier to navigate for your readers. As an example, if you post a blog about medication packaging, include a link to where readers can find information about your medication packaging on your site. User Experience: This includes things such as an easy to navigate website, how quickly the site loads (longer load times can hurt rankings) and if the site is compatible with multiple devices. The easier the browser can read and get information on your site, the better your ranking. Tags: Tags refers to back end SEO (within the code of the website) and includes pieces such as meta descriptions, title tags, alt text and more. These are used to help describe what each item on each page is in the most concise and accurate way. Social: SEO utilizing social media channels is relatively new, however is becoming a big part of SEO. In addition to simply having social media pages, browsers are looking at how relevant your content is as well as how much/well you are interacting with your audience. For questions or ideas on improving your website's SEO contact your GRX marketing specialist.