What is SEO?
When using a search engine to look for a specific product or service, consumers are the instant recipients of millions of search results. These results are carefully targeted based on data sets compiled by marketing professionals. Using this technique, marketers manipulate search engines to display highly relevant content. We call this process search engine optimization, or SEO for short.
But how does it work? What are the components of a successful SEO strategy? Our team of experts are here to answer these vital questions. Keep reading to learn five fast facts about SEO and how it can grow your business.
Keywords Still Matter
Keywords are words or phrases that represent an individual’s search queries and help match the user to content. Using keyword research tools such as Semrush, Google Trends, and Google Ads, marketers can create and tailor relevant content to their target audience.
For SEO to be successful, a list of keywords should represent the niche interests and attitudes of the target audience Unfortunately, many marketers have adopted the practice of keyword “stuffing” – a spamming technique used by some brands to repeatedly fill or “stuff” a web page with long-tail keywords. This practice is not only unethical, but Google’s algorithm can actually prevent a site from ranking successfully.
It’s important to note that keywords are only one part of the SEO equation. As the content marketing landscape continues to evolve, so do the search engine bots that crawl, index, and rank your content. Still, understanding the power of keywords in your content marketing strategy is crucial to understanding your target audience in their entirety.
Higher Rankings = More Credibility
Once your brand has achieved rankings, take a look at where the results are placed. Are they second? Third? Fifth on page two?
Ideally, a business should display on the first of millions of search engine results pages (SERPs). Being ranked on the first page gives your brand instant credibility.
It also establishes trust among the 28.5% of users who click the first organic result.
The psychology behind it is simple – the user views your brand as an influential and trustworthy authority figure.
Evergreen Content is Ageless
Evergreen content is another critical component of SEO.
Think of a forest in the dead of winter. While other trees appear lifeless after shedding their leaves, the evergreen retains its color. Because of its timeless presence, the evergreen tree is a symbol of eternal life and immortality in most cultures.
The same concept applies to specific pieces of content.
Evergreen content remains relevant and “full of life”, regardless of the day, month, or year.
Examples of evergreen content include news coverage, checklists, “how to” guides, case studies, and historical texts.
Evergreen content greatly benefits your SEO by increasing the chance for backlinks and achieving high search engine rankings. Because its relevance never goes out of style, it will also continue to drive regular organic traffic.
