Common SEO Questions Answered

Q: What is SEO and why should I care?

A: SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization: the process of optimizing a website to increase its visibility and ranking on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

This is important for businesses because a higher search engine ranking can lead to increased traffic, brand awareness, and ultimately, conversions and sales.

76% of consumers use Google to find local services. If you’re not in the top rankings, that means your competitors are.

Our SEO experts create and optimize a search-friendly website using best practices to increase your website visibility in search results and local map rankings to drive growth for your business.

Q: Any DIY SEO tips you can give about SEO best practices?

A: Of course. There are a few SEO best practices that, when done right, will increase your visibility in the search engines.

• Keyword research and optimization: Determine the keywords relevant to your business and target audience, and include them in your website content and meta tags.
• Content creation: Create high-quality, relevant, and valuable content that provides a positive user experience and addresses the needs of your target audience.
• On-page optimization: Ensure that your website is properly structured with descriptive and relevant title tags, header tags, meta descriptions, and image alt text.
• Link building: Acquire links from high-authority websites to your site, as this can positively impact your search engine ranking.
• Mobile optimization: Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, as a large percentage of internet traffic comes from mobile devices.
• Technical SEO: Ensure that your website is technically sound and free of any crawl errors or broken links, which can negatively impact your search engine ranking.

By following these best practices, you can improve your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines, and ultimately drive more traffic, leads, and sales to your business.

Q: What’s On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO?

A: There are two main types of SEO: on-page SEO and off-page SEO.

On-page SEO refers to the optimization of individual web pages in order to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. On-page SEO includes optimizing elements like the page title, header tags, meta descriptions, content, internal linking and images.

Off-page SEO refers to the activities performed outside of a website in order to improve its ranking in search engines. Off-page SEO includes backlink building, which is the process of acquiring links from other high-authority websites to your site. It also includes activities like social media marketing, content marketing, and influencer outreach, which help to promote your website and build brand awareness.

Both on-page and off-page SEO are important for a comprehensive SEO strategy, as they work together to improve your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines.

Q: What is local SEO and why is it important for my website?

A: Local SEO refers to the optimization of a business’s online presence for a specific geographic location to attract more local customers from organic search results as well as local map rankings.

Local website optimization involves on-page and off-page elements, Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business), optimizing the website for local keywords and phrases, and building local citations, reviews, and local backlinks.

Additionally, it is important to have accurate and consistent information about your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) across all online directories and platforms.

By optimizing for local search, your website can increase its visibility to potential customers in local area and drive more in-person traffic to your physical stores.

Additionally, local SEO can also help to build trust and credibility for a business by providing information such as business hours, contact information, and customer reviews. This can ultimately lead to increased engagement and conversions for the business.

Did you know?

54% of consumers search via smartphone for business hours.

53% of consumers search via smartphone for directions to local stores.

Local SEO is a crucial component of a comprehensive SEO strategy for businesses that are looking to target customers in their local area and drive more in-person traffic to their physical locations.

Q: SEO always talk about keywords and rankings. How important are keywords for my website?

A: Implementing the right keywords on your website is the key to unlocking your website’s potential. An in-depth keyword study involves identifying the keywords and phrases that are relevant to your business and target audience. It is important to choose keywords that are not only relevant, but also have a high search volume and low competition.

When your website rank for relevant keywords, you attract a highly engaged audience who is searching for exactly for you have to offer.

Once you have identified the keywords, they can be included in various elements of your website, such as the page title, header tags, meta descriptions, content, and images. However, it is important to avoid keyword stuffing, which is the practice of including too many keywords in a website’s content. This can have a negative impact on the website’s ranking and user experience.

Q: What is the importance of backlinks in SEO?

A: Backlinks, also known as incoming links or inbound links, are links from other websites that lead to your website. They play a crucial role in SEO as they act as a “vote of confidence” for your website, indicating to search engines that other reputable websites consider your content to be valuable and relevant.

Backlinks can positively impact your search engine ranking and visibility, as they signal to search engines that your website is credible and trustworthy. The more high-quality, relevant backlinks you have pointing to your website, the higher your website is likely to rank in search engine results pages (SERPs).

However, not all backlinks are created equal. It is important to earn backlinks from reputable and high-authority websites in your industry, as these are the ones that carry the most weight in terms of improving your search engine ranking.

Links from low-quality or spammy websites, on the other hand, can negatively impact your ranking and damage your online reputation.

Q: What is content optimization? Is that part of your SEO services?

A: Content optimization refers to the process of improving the quality and relevance of a website’s content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) to attract more organic traffic. This involves optimizing various elements of the website’s content, such as the title, meta description, header tags, images, and internal links.

Content optimization is an important part of an effective SEO strategy as it helps search engines to understand the content of a website and determine its relevance to a user’s search query. Additionally, high-quality, relevant content can also attract more organic traffic, engage visitors, and ultimately lead to increased conversions and revenue for a business.

“Content is king.” I’m sure you have heard that repeatedly in your search for SEO services. It was true 25 years ago and it is still true today. Creating and maintaining top-notch content can be a challenge, but the rewards are worth it.

Your content is what sets you apart from your competitor. An optimized content is like your virtual sales reps, working tirelessly to promote your brand and attract potential customers. Whether it’s a blog post, product description, or social media update, your content speak volumes about your business. It showcases your expertise, builds trust, and ultimately drive sales.

Parichatra, My Local Start

When optimizing content, it is important to focus on creating valuable and informative content that provides solutions to the problems or questions of your target audience. Additionally, it is important to include relevant keywords and phrases in your content, but in a natural and non-spammy way.

Q: What is technical SEO and why is it important?

A: Technical SEO refers to the optimization of a website’s underlying technical infrastructure and architecture to improve its ranking in search engines and provide a better user experience. This includes optimizing elements such as website structure, site speed, mobile responsiveness, and security.

Technical SEO is important because search engines use technical signals to crawl, index, and rank websites. If a website has technical issues such as slow loading speed, poor mobile responsiveness, or security vulnerabilities, it can negatively impact its search engine ranking and visibility.

Additionally, a well-optimized technical infrastructure can also improve the user experience on a website. For example, a fast-loading website with a mobile-friendly design is more likely to provide a positive user experience and keep visitors on the site for longer.