SEO has changed in many ways over the years, but if you understand where it is now, your business can see some incredible results all while standing out from your competitors. According to Moz, “websites compete for attention and placement in search engines, and those with the knowledge and experience to improve their website’s ranking will receive the benefits of increased traffic and visibility.”

If you think of search engines as a battlefield for websites, where thousands of businesses and organizations are trying to compete for the highest rank and position, think of SEO as the weapon you fight with.

So, what exactly is this weapon and how do we wield it?

Why is SEO a Big Deal?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is the process of narrowing down search results in search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo to show only the most relevant websites. SEO is a big deal because there is an average of only 10 websites on a search results page, and businesses need to find a way to get their name and website so it can be seen in the search results. This is where the magic of search engine optimization comes in.

Businesses now have the ability to achieve higher ranks for their website in search engines through the process of creating specific keywords and key phrases that the search engine algorithms can detect. By focusing on analytics, content creation, social media, and keywords, a business can set itself apart and can increase traffic to their website.

Importance of Link Building with SEO

Another factor with SEO is link building. Recently, Google announced in an article that links are one of the major factors considered in their search algorithm. Having links to other websites that connect with your content actually boosts your ranking in search engines. With modern search engine optimization and search algorithms, link quality is an essential factor when linking to pages.

So what is link quality? Link quality means that Google’s algorithm looks at the authority and ranking of the link to determine if that link is trustworthy and relevant. Low-quality links can actually penalize your website (ouch), while high-quality links boost your page’s ranking and online authority.

What’s Different with SEO Now?

Old SEO had a large focus on a singular keyword and is highly ranking focused. SEO today is more content focused and uses long-tail keywords to seek and provide real value to the reader. The ultimate goal is achieving that wonderful return on investment (ROI).

The mindset of SEO has changed recently because the old SEO didn’t really care about content, but rather idolized the page view and numbers.

Don’t Panic!

If all this information was overwhelming or confusing, don’t worry about it! Search Engine Optimization in a nutshell is a strategy your business can use to help put your online content higher up in search engines so it can be easily seen by potential customers.

SEO for your business can produce some incredible results and can help your business increase traffic to any online resource—such as your website. Increased website traffic means more customers for your business! If you have any questions at all about SEO or want to learn how this incredible tool can be used to help your business, contact us at Vision Advertising!