Across the internet, SEO blogs fight for what pillars and what items remain critical for SEO. This blog is going to give you all five main categories of search engine optimization that you need to employ to be successful on the web:
- Content
- Keyword Research
- Keyword Mappings
- Redirects
- Backlinks
In that exact order…
Content Is Everything
Content makes the internet function. If you are not writing good, original, and informative content that helps the user get what they want, do not waste your time trying to rank. Content is like the foundation of a home – and a home without a foundation is a home no person, reader, or user ever wants to visit.
Keyword Research To Target Your Audience And Match Intent
Keyword research does two things: it allows you to target your consumer and it allows you to understand the intent behind your potential consumer. Keyword research, like all things in SEO, must be done with a purpose. You are looking for keywords to reach your user and complete the function: (user’s search, which is your keyword) + (your page) = (user’s listing, or search engine results page).
A 1-to-1 match of your keyword, consumer search intent, and page mapping fulfills Google’s prime directive to streamline the user’s search experience and give the user the page they want to find.
Mapping Keywords To Your Page Effectively Labels Them
Whenever you have complex functions and algorithms at work to ensure your page appears for your consumer, you have to think, speak, and keyword map like the user would if they were in charge of your post, article, or landing page.
Your keyword research is complete, but now you need metadata. Metadata encompasses the URL string, title tag, meta description, and H1/H2s. If your content is the body and foundation of your website, think of keyword mappings/metadata as the skeleton or bones.
Let’s do a quick example for a blog about weightlifting and a post on bicep curls:
URL: “www.hypotheticalfitnessblogwebsite.com/arm-workouts/how-to-do-bicep-curls-maximum-effect-growth/”
Title Tag: “So, You Want Bigger Arms? Here’s How To Perform The Perfect Bicep Curl”
<h1> / Primary Header: “Let’s Begin Your Quest For Bigger Arms With Our Guide On How To Perform The Best Bicep Curl”
Meta Description: “At hypotheticalfitness blog, we bring you the best method and guide on how to perform the best bicep curl for maximum growth and effectiveness during your arm-day workout.”
Redirects To Make Your Website Have A Clean Organizational Structure
Redirects, also known as 301 redirects, offer an exceptional opportunity to sunset old content, reinforce new content, and consolidate content that overlaps (which prevents content cannibalization). Using 301 redirects correctly consolidates your website’s authority, and makes it easier for Google and users to navigate.
Backlink Building Still Matters
While there are whispers on the internet that backlink building does not matter from an SEO standpoint anymore (jury is still out on that one), backlinks can and will always be important for the user. If a user is on another website or domain and sees a link to your website, it offers an opportunity to leave the site they are on and head to your article. Furthermore, backlinks offer a small stream of authority from that other website to your own, compounding the growth of your domain authority, which builds trust across the World Wide Web.
Each Pillar Breaks Out Into Sub Pillars: Why You Need An SEO Specialist
Each of these five, critical SEO pillars branches out into sub-pillars of action items and best practices to make them more effective. When you are looking to employ effective SEO, it is the right move to go with a search engine optimization specialist if you have the budget. An effective foundation built by an expert saves you time, effort, and frustration – and brings traffic to your website.