How Exactly Does SEO Work for Newbies

Have you ever wondered how exactly does SEO work? Read on to find out.

SEO can help boost your website’s visibility and boost your online presence, not just on Google, but also on social media platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok.

When you do it right, SEO can be so powerful and magical. Take it from a girl who has managed to monetize her blog and grow her Pinterest from 4-digit monthly views to 5-digit monthly views in 3 months and the number is increasing daily.

No gatekeeping today because I will be sharing everything you need to know about SEO including what is SEO, benefits of SEO, how long does SEO take to work, how is SEO used, how to know if your SEO is working, and more.

Stay till the end because this article is going to be filled with golden nuggets!

This post is all about how exactly does SEO work.

What is SEO?

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the process of enhancing a website’s visibility in search engine results. By optimising various elements of a website, you can improve its ranking on search engines like Google. The higher your site ranks, the more likely people are to find it when searching for relevant keywords.

Benefits of SEO

Here are 4 benefits of SEO.

Increased Organic Traffic: SEO helps attract visitors to your site without the need for paid ads. This organic traffic is more likely to convert as these users are actively searching for the information or products you provide.
Improved User Experience: SEO practices such as improving site speed, mobile optimisation, and easy navigation enhance the overall user experience. A better user experience can lead to higher engagement and retention rates.
Credibility and Trust: High search engine rankings signal to users that your site is reputable and trustworthy. This credibility can increase user confidence and encourage them to choose your site over competitors.
Cost-Effective Marketing: Unlike paid advertising, the benefits of SEO are long-lasting. Once your site is optimised, it continues to attract organic traffic without ongoing costs, making it a cost-effective marketing strategy.

How is SEO Used?

SEO can be broken down into three main areas:

On-Page SEO: This involves optimising individual pages on your website. Focus on content quality, meta tags, headers, and image optimisation. By incorporating relevant keywords naturally into your content, you make it easier for search engines to understand and rank your pages.
Off-Page SEO: This refers to activities outside your website that impact your rankings. Building backlinks from reputable sites, engaging in social signals, and leveraging influencer marketing are key strategies. These efforts signal to search engines that your site is authoritative and trustworthy.
Technical SEO: This involves optimising the backend of your website. Ensure your site loads quickly, is mobile-friendly, and uses structured data. These technical elements help search engines crawl and index your site more effectively.

How Long Does SEO Take to Work?

SEO is a long-term strategy, and it typically takes three to six months to start seeing significant results. However, this timeline can vary depending on several factors such as the competitiveness of your industry, the current state of your website, and the quality of your SEO efforts. It is important to be patient and consistent with your SEO activities, as the benefits build up over time.

Examples of SEO Tools and Software

There are several tools available to help with SEO.

Google Analytics and Search Console are essential for monitoring and analysing website traffic.
SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz offer comprehensive features for keyword research, backlink analysis, and site audits.
For social media, tools like Pinterest Analytics, Instagram Insights, and TikTok Analytics can help you understand and improve your performance on these platforms.

Content Marketing and SEO

Content marketing and SEO go hand in hand.

Creating high-quality, relevant content is crucial for attracting and retaining visitors. By integrating keywords naturally into your content, you enhance its visibility on search engines.

Effective content marketing strategies include blogging, creating infographics, and producing videos that provide value to your audience.

Case Study: HubSpot

HubSpot is a prime example of successful content marketing combined with SEO.

By consistently producing high-quality blog posts, ebooks, and videos targeting specific keywords, HubSpot has become a leading authority in inbound marketing. Their content not only attracts a vast audience but also ranks highly on search engines, driving significant organic traffic to their site.

Case Study 2: BuzzFeed’s Tasty

BuzzFeed’s Tasty leverages content marketing and SEO on social media.

Their short, engaging recipe videos are optimised with relevant keywords and hashtags, making them easily discoverable on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This strategy has helped Tasty amass millions of followers and drive traffic to their website.

Social Media Marketing and SEO

SEO isn’t just for search engines like Google. It is also especially important for social media platforms.

Here’s how SEO works on three popular social media sites:

Pinterest SEO: Use keywords in your pin descriptions and board titles to make your content discoverable. Optimise your images and use rich pins to provide more context. This can drive significant traffic to your website.
Instagram SEO: Use relevant hashtags, optimise your bio, and include keywords in your alt text and captions. Engaging content that encourages interaction also boosts your visibility.
TikTok SEO: Incorporate keywords in your video descriptions and hashtags. Participating in trending challenges and using popular sounds can also increase your reach. TikTok’s algorithm favours engaging and relevant content.

Case Study 1: Pinterest and Oh Joy!

Oh Joy! is a lifestyle brand that effectively uses Pinterest SEO. By optimising their pins with relevant keywords and high-quality images, they have significantly increased their visibility. Their Pinterest strategy drives considerable traffic to their website, showcasing the power of SEO on social media.

Case Study 2: Instagram and Gymshark

Gymshark, a fitness apparel brand, utilises Instagram SEO to grow their audience. By using targeted hashtags, engaging with users, and creating visually appealing content, they have built a massive following. Their Instagram SEO strategy helps drive traffic to their online store, boosting sales and brand awareness.

How to Know if Your SEO is Working?

To gauge the effectiveness of your SEO efforts, monitor key metrics such as organic traffic, bounce rate, conversion rate, keyword rankings, backlinks, and social engagement.

Tools like Google Analytics and Search Console are invaluable for tracking these metrics. Analysing this data helps you refine your SEO strategies for better results.

Future of SEO

Current Search Trends:

Currently, SEO primarily focuses on text and image searches.

Text search is still dominant, where users type queries into search engines to find information.

Image search is also gaining traction, allowing users to search using images instead of text. Tools like Google Images and Pinterest Lens are examples of how image search is becoming more integrated into our search habits.

Emerging Trends:

Here are some emerging trends you can look forward to:

Voice Search: With the rise of smart speakers and voice-activated assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri, voice search is becoming more prevalent. Optimising for voice search involves focusing on natural language queries and long-tail keywords. For example, instead of targeting “best pizza recipe,” you might optimise for “How do I make the best pizza at home?”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: Search engines are increasingly using AI to improve search results. Google’s RankBrain, an AI algorithm, helps understand the context of queries and deliver more relevant results. Incorporating AI into your SEO strategy can involve using tools that analyse and predict trends or automating certain SEO tasks.

Video Content and Visual Search: Video is becoming an essential part of SEO strategy. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok are search engines in their own right. Optimising video content with relevant keywords, descriptions, and tags can enhance visibility. Visual search tools, such as Google Lens, allow users to search using their camera, making it important to optimise images and visual content for search.

User Experience (UX) and Mobile-First Indexing: Google’s mobile-first indexing means that the mobile version of your site is considered the primary version. Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and offers a great user experience is crucial. Good UX can reduce bounce rates and improve rankings.

To sum up, SEO is a powerful tool for enhancing your online visibility, attracting organic traffic, and building credibility. Whether you’re focusing on traditional search engines or social media platforms, effective SEO practices can make a significant difference.

This post answers the question “How exactly does SEO work?”

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