Getting Started with SEO: The Foundation for Online Visibility

What is SEO exactly?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is the process of optimizing your website so that it ranks better in search engines like Google.

Why is SEO important?

Millions of searches are performed every day. If your website is not discoverable, you are missing out on potential customers. SEO ensures that people actively searching for your products or services can find you.

The three pillars of SEO

1. Technical SEO

This covers the technical aspects of your website:

• Speed: A fast website ranks better
• Mobile-friendly: Google looks at the mobile version first
• SSL certificate: HTTPS is a must
• Crawlability: Make sure Google can find your pages

2. On-page SEO

This focuses on the content of your pages:

• Keywords: Use relevant search terms
• Titles and meta descriptions: Make them attractive
• Headings: Structure your content with H1, H2, H3
• Internal links: Link to other relevant pages

3. Off-page SEO

This concerns signals from outside your website:

• Backlinks: Links from other websites to your site
• Social signals: Activity on social media
• Reviews: Positive customer reviews

Practical tips to get started

1. Install Google Search Console - Free tool to monitor your performance
2. Do keyword research - Discover what people are searching for
3. Optimize your most important pages - Start with your homepage and service pages
4. Create quality content - Write for your visitors, not for search engines
5. Be patient - SEO takes time, do not expect immediate results

Conclusion

SEO does not have to be complicated. By starting with the basics and consistently working on improvements, you can gradually improve your online visibility. The most important thing is to start and keep optimizing.

Further reading

Want to dive deeper into the subject? Check out these related articles:

• Technical SEO Checklist - All technical points listed
• Keyword Research Strategy - Find the right keywords
• On-page SEO Optimization - Optimize your pages
• Local SEO for SMBs - Get found in your region
• Core Web Vitals Explained - Technical speed as a ranking factor