Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the art and science of getting pages to rank higher in search engines such as Google. Because search is one of the main ways in which people discover content online, ranking higher in search engines can lead to an increase in traffic to a website.
Why is SEO Important?
In today’s competitive market, SEO marketing is more important than ever. Search engines serve millions of users per day looking for answers to their questions or for solutions to their problems. If you have a website, blog, or online store, SEO can help you get free targeted traffic from search engines.
Types of SEO
SEO can be categorized into three main types:
On-Page SEO: This type of SEO focuses on all the content that exists “on the page” when looking at a website. By researching keywords for their search volume and intent (or meaning), you can answer questions for readers and rank higher on the search engine results pages (SERPs) those questions produce.
Off-Page SEO: This type of SEO focuses on all the activity that takes place “off the page” when looking to optimize your website. The number and quality of backlinks pointing to your website are amongst the many factors search engines use to rank your website.
Technical SEO: This type of SEO focuses on the backend of your website and how your pages are coded. Image compression, structured data, and CSS file optimization are all forms of technical SEO that can increase your website’s loading speed — an important ranking factor in the eyes of search engines like Google.
How does SEO Work?
SEO works by making certain changes to your website design and content that make your site more attractive to a search engine. You do this in hopes that the search engine will display your website as a top result on the search engine results page.
SEO Near Me in Charlotte, NC
For businesses in Charlotte, NC, local SEO is crucial. It involves optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. These searches take place on Google and other search engines. By including region-specific keywords like “Charlotte” and phrases like “near me,” businesses can improve their visibility to local customers and clients.
SEO is a fundamental part of digital marketing because people conduct trillions of searches every year, often with commercial intent to find information about products and services. SEO is the primary source of digital traffic for brands and complements other marketing channels. Greater visibility and ranking higher in search results than your competition can have a material impact on your bottom line.