This article will offer resources for how to learn the bare bones of SEO (search engine optimization).
You’ve probably heard the term SEO or the phrase, “search engine optimization”. SEO is something I’m asked about all the time. But because I do not offer these services, the following guide has my tips & resources on how you can learn the fundamentals of SEO on your own. Although it may seem overwhelming, you’re basically just going to be shown how to organize your website content in a way that makes it more visible to search engines. There are two best ways do this without hiring a so-called SEO expert.
SEO isn’t the end-all, be-all thing your site needs to succeed
Granted, there are are lot of articles out there in the web that will tell you that seo is a scam or a waste of time. And that as a brand, your main focus for getting a lot of happy website visitors should not be on SEO, but on user experience and other factors. However, every website needs to have some basic level of SEO to start, no matter the type of site you have or audience you want to capture.
1. Learn SEO online
There are basic SEO courses available online, and the main one I recommend is Moz (https://moz.com/). Moz is basically the authority for SEO, no matter what your website is about. They have an SEO Beginner’s Guide right on their homepage, and it’s been there since practically forever, because it’s so popular.
2. Attend an in-person course
Another option is to attend a full- or half-day SEO course. I’d encourage folks who’d prefer to have a more immersed experience to try to attend one in their area. Check your local Business Journal events calendar or look to your LinkedIn network for such events.
Some courses may contain “online marketing” in the title, and not “SEO”. Although online marketing does really encompass SEO, I’d advise checking with the instructor or host to be sure you know what you’re signing up for.
3. Understand and measure
To best measure the metrics and results of your SEO and online marketing efforts: Google Search Console and Google Analytics are the tools you can use. The learn at your own pace style of Moz guides will introduce you to both of these tools, as well as a few others. You will also learn the main web key performance indicators (KPI) to watch for on your content.
4. The bottom line
Some SEO experts may tell you that you must keep up certain SEO efforts to remain relevant, like:
Constantly monitoring keywords you are targeting; writing blog posts every week; purchasing Google Ads or Facebook ads.
Actually, you can simply use the knowledge you’ve acquired as you create content on your site in the future.
There are thousands of articles online about SEO. Many of them try to explain to website owners why SEO is worth their precious time and effort. However, they may not apply to your specific marketing goals or business model.
Now once you learn the basics of SEO. The only things that are really effective in terms of online exposure after this point. You can now focus your efforts on things like:
- Making sure your website is easy to use
- Gated content
- Remarketing
- Targeted and engaging social media campaigns
