SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is often presented as a “mysterious” sort of “expert” knowledge. In fact, the basic principle is very simple: it is getting a website to rank at the top of Google – the “top” being the first position on the first page for any subject on which someone is seeking information.
This is much the same as climbing to the top of Mount Everest. Describing it is very simple, as you have just seen. Actually doing it is not simple. It requires a lot of training, a lot of equipment, a lot of money to buy all the equipment, time to travel to Nepal/Tibet, and so on.
First of all, why do you want to be at the top of Google? Well, it is because you want somebody searching for whatever it is that you do or provide to click on the link to your website. The way to do that is to be at the top of Google, or at least in the first three results. This is because 50% of all clicks go the top three ranking websites on page 1. At the very least, you need to be on the first page. Why? Because only 10% of searchers looking for something ever go to page 2.
The way that you get to the top of Google is through search engine optimization. What does that actually involve? It means that your website has to appeal to Google. If Google likes your website more than any other, it will place it at the top of page 1. Simple.
Google Doesn’t Tell You How SEO Works
Now, the problem that you have here is that Google doesn’t tell you what it wants to see on your website. You can’t just ring them up and ask them what they would like you to put on your website. So, search engine optimization is the art of finding out what Google would like to see and then designing/altering/adding things to or subtracting things from your website so that Google likes it. And that takes a lot of experience, knowledge, and expertise.
Just to begin with, you need to have the right keywords. What’s a keyword? It is a word that someone looking for your products/services types into Google when searching. You might be a bakery making cakes, but nobody is going to search just for “cakes”. They will look for things such as angel cakes, sponge cakes, birthday cakes, and so on.
Then there are long-tail keywords (Huh?). Your website needs to have regular fresh content that appeals to people. And a whole lot more.
Fortunately for you, I am an expert in SEO, and I can change your website around so that Google likes it and puts you where you want to be: on the top of page 1. (Indeed, I even do quite a bit of work as an SEO expert witness, so if you are an attorney reach out for a confidential consultation).
