SEO: what is it, how does it work and what is it for?

MadeinWeb

SEO – an acronym for Search Engine Optimization, which in Portuguese means Optimization for Search Engines – is a group of techniques that aim to place one or more landing pages among the highest search engine results.

In practical terms, it’s like ordering an Uber: you must turn on your cell phone’s GPS so your driver can find you. It’s like that with SEO too. In other words, you need to make improvements to your page’s content so that you can find it more easily for those doing a Google search.

Thus, through SEO techniques, it is possible to optimize the site so that it surpasses the others that occupy the highest positions and becomes one of the first pages of results, thus drawing the attention of users with the most relevant content for your searches. So how do you get top positions for your brand? Read on and learn all about SEO!

How important is SEO?

Every second, millions of searches are made in search engines — especially Google, the search engine that people use most worldwide. Nowadays, users want to answer the most diverse questions in their daily lives, from the hotel with the best ratings for the next trip to more specific and formal matters.

However, it should be noted that, for the most part, you and all other Google users tend to pay attention only to the first results of a search. That’s what SEO is for.

What are search engines?

Search engines are systems made by a series of Google algorithms that have the function of crawling, indexing and ranking web contents to display them in order in users’ searches.

You can also call them search engines, search engines, search engines or search engines (in English).

However, when we talk about search engines, we are talking not just about Google, but also about Bing, Yahoo!, Baidu and other systems. Even YouTube and Pinterest, for example, might be called search engines, as we use them a lot to find content.

But it is clear that Google stands out among them, because it has more than 92% share in the search market.

Each engine has its operating mode and ranking criteria. But the ultimate goal is always the same: to provide the best answers for what the user is looking for.

How do search engines work?

Have you ever thought about everything Google does every time you type in a search? To display a list of pages that answer your question is a long process — although it takes just a few seconds!

Search engines basically operate in three steps:

1. Crawling

Initially, search engines crawl web content. Robots or spiders do this — in Google’s case they are called Googlebot. They follow the paths the links point, looking for new pages and updates.

2.Indexing

Next, the pages that had good rankings are indexed. That is, they go into the search engine’s index, which acts as a large library of web content.

There, the pages are sorted according to the data obtained from the crawl, such as their load time and their main keywords.

3. Ranking

The crawling and indexing processes happen all the time. Therefore, robots are always on the go to find and organize web content.

However, the order in which they appear in user searches is defined at the time of ranking.

What are SEO placement factors?

Although Google doesn’t reveal which are the most important factors for its crawling and indexing algorithms, we know they are over 200, meaning there are many aspects to take into account in an SEO strategy and several details can make the difference in the ranking. So, keep reading and find out what they are!

• Content quality

The first and most important factor of all, even if Google doesn’t talk about it officially, is the quality of the content, that is, the relevance that your page has for a certain search. Because of this, when building an SEO method, this should be the central concern.

Thus, when setting up a page or creating content, it is necessary to deliver useful and relevant information that responds in a real way to the user’s demands and that answers their doubts.

• Responsiveness

Google itself has already stated that it prioritizes the position of sites that are mobile or that have responsiveness. This importance comes from the company’s understanding that it is necessary to deliver the best possible experience to its users, regardless of the device used.

Therefore, it is essential that your company has responsive sites or fully mobile versions, so that Google can better rank your web pages.

• on page

On page are all changes that take place within pages and that are recognized as good SEO practices by Google’s algorithms, as they allow robots to know what your content is about.

There are several elements that must be checked; however, among the main ones, we can mention: domain authority, page performance, site architecture, off page, brand mentions, social signals and backlinks.

What are the types of SEO?

There are two types of SEO: On Page and Off Page. Below we will explain each of them in more detail.

1.SEO On Page

SEO On Page refers to everything inside the page in question, to improve the user experience and make Google’s reading of the site simpler and more intuitive. This process should be considered when producing content, as it is part of Content Marketing.

The main channel to apply On Page SEO strategies is on your website’s blog, since it is the page where the largest number of educational content is concentrated, which has the highest chances of ranking on Google.

SEO On Page is based on some factors, such as:

• User intent

With SEO, you make content that’s exactly what your audience wants to find. For this, you need to do a good keyword search to know what your persona is looking for and improve the position of your page so that it is the first that she is interested in reading.

These keywords vary with each search and some may be seasonal, meaning you need to update the text regularly. It is not enough just to have good content, it must be current and relevant.

In other words, the Content Marketing team’s biggest challenge is to understand the search intentions and deliver to users what they want to find with the research that was carried out.

Google is an expert at this, so the best way to understand the user’s intent is to use the user’s intent. After researching the keywords, you need to search for them on the site and see which content is in the top positions.

• Content size

Text size has a direct impact on page ranking. Longer content with greater depth tends to perform better as it shows users more data and resolves all their queries.

However, it depends a lot on the keyword and the intent of the text. If it’s more educational content, it should be longer. If you focus more on sales, you can be leaner and get straight to the point.

Each persona consumes different and diverse content, and you need to know which one you’re writing for before publishing the page.

• Post volume

The more you post to your blog, the more its position will improve. A regular volume of content is more likely to get a favorable ranking on Google.

But quantity doesn’t mean anything if the text doesn’t have quality. If the keywords are not well defined and the content is not rich, the chances of going wrong are very high.

A more frequent post volume can also help build loyalty and is a way to show Google that you really care about the quality of what is published on your blog, so that it understands that your content is new and always updates itself.

• SEO Content

The main factor you should consider when writing SEO-optimized text is the quality of the content. It must be correct (beware of Portuguese and typographical errors), receive improvements, be reliable, relevant and of interest to the public.

It is also necessary that the text be dynamic and have a fluid reading. Unless your audience is fully technical and knowledgeable about a specific subject, it is necessary that the content be as simple to understand as possible, so that the reader can easily understand the message being conveyed.

These topics will make your text good and get the highest rankings on Google.

• Keyword Usage

It is necessary to place the main keyword in the title, subtitle and throughout the text. That way, Google understands what topic you’re trying to cover and delivers it to people searching for the keyword in question;

• Dynamics and Scanability

It is necessary to create subtitles so that the text has a hierarchy and also for the message to be clearer both for the reader and for the “robot” of Google. To do this, you need to take semantics into account and then create a page that is not only beautiful, but also informative and relevant;

• Importance of URLs

The URL must be clear to your blog’s users and readers and must be descriptive, containing your keyword. So, bet on a short, dynamic URL that is easily interpretable and matches the title of your text;

• Images

Images are essential for your page to rank well and to make the content easier to understand. It also needs to be used for SEO, so that it contains the keyword in its alternative text and the context in which it is inserted in the high attribute;

• Internal Links

It is essential to link to the contact page, to other texts that have complementary subjects and other relevant pages on the site.

2.SEO Off Page

SEO Off Page consists of all the improvements that take place after the content has been published, in order to show Google that your text is relevant and deserves to be among the top positions.

Among the main SEO Off Page strategies, we can mention: link building and follow and nofollow links.

How to apply SEO in my company?

An Inbound Marketing company gives you instant access to all the skills you need: SEO, web design, writing, lead nurturing, content, social media strategy, social media engagement, profit analysis and more.

If you want to know more about all the SEO processes, then get in touch with us and speak with one of our experts. It will be a pleasure to serve you!

Contact us

#Success