A Basic Introduction to Technical SEO
Google has a long history of famous algorithm updates, search index changes and refreshes, with the most recent change being a new algorithm update called BERT.
It’s important for small businesses to keep up to date on these changes so you can ensure your website still performs well in search engine results.
If you’re looking for a technical understanding of SEO you’ll find this article really useful. We’ve also tried to keep it as simple as possible so you can grasp each element.
Once you understand search engine optimisation you will be in a better position to judge the effectiveness of your chosen SEO company and to ensure your SEO campaign is delivering the results you should be expecting.
Keywords
It’s common for business owners to think that if they include all their keywords as many times as they can within their website content that this will increase their search engine rankings, unfortunately this is not the case.
Google now penalises for over optimising your website with keywords. That’s not to say they are not important, but it’s how you are using them that should be looked at. Michelle is a Digital Marketing Expert at Ditto Digital and agrees that keyword stuffing should be avoided “I don’t suggest that keywords or search terms are no longer important but just that the way in which they are used is completely different to how they were used a few years ago. Google has moved on and so, naturally, have those of us working in the digital marketing world and especially the SEO experts, that niche of digital marketing that many people love to hate.”
I work with many businesses who think they know what their keywords are but haven’t actually done any research to see if these keywords are actually what people are searching for on search engines. It’s so important that you do your research using keyword tools, like the keyword planner on Google Ads and work with the relevant keywords that have the highest volume of search queries.
SEO Principles
When it comes to building the foundations of your SEO there are some key areas to consider:
Michelle provides some great insights into backlinks and how they can support your SEO campaigns.
“Find out how many backlinks already link to your website and the value/quality of those backlinks. Typical measures of backlink quality include Moz Domain Authority (DA) and Majestic Trust Flow (TF).
If the website is well-aged it may have a number of poor-quality links that have built up over time in which case you will need to focus on how to correct the balance of quantity vs. quality.
For newer sites with few existing backlinks focus on generating a range of links from a variety of reputable sources. This can be done by generating content. And don’t forget to aim for predominantly (but not entirely) “dofollow” backlinks.”
Dofollow Backlinks are the heart of SEO. It provides a way for users to find other sources of information on related topics. For search engines, backlinks determine the value and importance of the page.
Dofollow links pass along what the SEO community commonly calls “link juice.” Links are a vote for quality, so great for your SEO.
Keep your Website Fresh
You might have a new website or have just updated it and you rank well for your search terms and keywords, so now you can sit back and let Google continue to do the work.
I’m sorry to tell you, you will need to continue to keep your website looking fresh for Google to continue to rank your website high in search engine results.
This might be adding new website pages, updating your blog/news section or continuing to make changes based on Google’s latest algorithm updates.
Michelle says that having a blog is the best strategy. “There’s a reason so many successful companies have a blog. It is one of the easiest ways to ensure a website has fresh, regular (and unique) content. If you don’t have one – set one up today.”
I hope you’ve found these insights useful and you now have a basic understanding on the Technical SEO elements.
If you have any SEO requirements and need support from an expert, please do get in touch.
Vicky White, Founder & Digital Expert at Vicky White Communications.
