Introduction to SEO

Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is the process of attempting to raise the position of a single or set of results in search engines.

When searching for something using Google or another search engine (Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo etc), their algorithm/systems look at every page on the internet that they know about and try to deliver back the most relevant results based on that search.

Google uses bits of software called Googlebots that open and save information about every webpage they can find.

For example, they will go to bbc.co.uk and save all the images and text from that page and use complex algorithms to give that page authority on any number of words or phrases. Once the page has been reviewed (this is done very quickly) the Googlebot will click all the links and send new Googlebots to each page to review them too.

This whole process creates what Google and other search engines call the index, and it's this index that is used to reference when you make a search on your phone, at work or walking down the street.

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The index is where it all started for Google. This gargantuan list of sites and links and images and keywords is their bread and butter. It's what has made them the business they are today.

They use markers to give pages and websites authority on certain topics and words. This authority determines their position on certain topics that are searched.

For example, if you search for "electric cars" you will get some adverts and then, more than likely, a Wikipedia page about electric cars. We say more than likely because Google is getting more complex all the time.

Think about it, Google need you to think they are the best search engine out there so you keep coming back to them rather than competitors. As such they now use so much information about you as an individual (where they can) that they try and personalise search results for each individual person.

This might sound crazy, but it does make sense. We're based in Cheltenham and will get different results for a "local plumbers" search than someone in London.

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So how do you ensure your website appears as close to the top of Google as possible so that as many people see it and click the link as possible?

That is the £Billion question!

Noone, apart from certain people at Google know how the Google algorithm works, and that's the way they like it. But there are a lot of factors they give clues about and some that are obvious, plus there are some things you should never do. Here are a few examples;

1. As described above Google want to be the best and part of that is serving the most authoritative and relevant content to searchers. If you have lots of very useful, relevant content to a certain topic on your website then the chance you will be ranked higher than someone else increases.
2. Ensuring that your website meets all the current guidelines is extremely important. You need good easy to read code, a fast website, proper headings and easy to read text - Google might use bots and code, but part of this will be the ability to actually read text on the screen. We know this because Google now push out their bots to mobile versions of your website and if buttons or text are too small they might give you warnings.
3. Don't create spammy links back to your site. If Google determines that a site that links to you in spammy they can penalise you and push you all the way down the listings, or remove you altogether.

SEO Summary

Be the best version of your business you can be. Give people information on what you do, be an expert in your field. This will be seen by Google and they will rank you higher in turn...for keywords that are relevant of course.

There are lots of things you can do as a business to ensure you are in the best position to rank highly. If you would like some help, MeanDigital is here.

We have a personalised, monthly report that we build just for you, by hand so that you are in the best position to rank higher than ever before. This includes keyword ranking reports, backlink reports, competitor analysis and technical SEO recommendations.

Why not contact us today and we'll work through a report with you and let you know what you can get, even if it's just a small report to check another agency isn't lying to you.