SEO FAQ
SEO. If you’ve come here looking for the State Electoral Office you are in the wrong place. If you’re here to learn more about Search Engine Optimisation, you are exactly where you need to be.
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General
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It is a marketing discipline that aims to increase traffic to your website through organic search listings. Including both technical and creative arms, successful SEO will increase rankings, drive traffic and increase awareness.
There are many elements to a successful SEO campaign from the content on your site to the optimised keywords used within that content. This extends to the way other websites link to yours too.
At its core, SEO is about building websites that appeal to humans and to search engines. Sounds like a challenge? At Search It Local, we love a challenge.
How does SEO work?
Search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo provide results that best reflect the search queries of search engine users. The websites that take up the valuable real estate on the first page of these search engines are deemed relevant to the query, with useful and valuable content, built on easy-to-use website designs, and come with trusted domain authority.
Search engines use crawlers to index sites and gather information which is filtered through search engine algorithms to decide which sites make the first page. The information they use to make that decision? That’s what SEO provides.
I’m already doing AdWords, why do I still need SEO?
Two forms of advertising are better than one. Combining these two different marketing strategies provides greater exposure and greater brand awareness. When you get more visitors to your website, you’ve got a greater chance to convert curious clicks into new customers.
While AdWords offers immediate visibility, SEO is a long-term strategy. Used in conjunction, SEO and AdWords are two sides of the same coin – search marketing to increase visitors to your website.
How do you choose the keywords to target? Can I choose my own keywords?
We’ll choose keywords based on your industry and the services you provide. Our SEO experts leave no stone unturned in researching your industry and understanding the customers you wish to target. With competition fierce for places on Google’s first page, we’ll find specific long-tail keywords and work towards helping you rank for them. By targeting specific keywords, we’re able to place your website in front of people who are searching for a specific product or service and are the most likely to convert into a paying customer.
Should I hire an SEO company that guarantees number one rankings?
In short, no. While it would be a fantastic marketing tool to guarantee results to every client, it would be misleading and totally against our company values.
Google officially warns against guarantees, stating “No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google”. SEO takes time and dedication, something we have in spades. What it does not take is a special relationship with Google, or a quick-fix. If an SEO company provides guarantees that sound too good to be true, they most likely are.
How long does it take for SEO to work?
‘How long does it takes to rank #1 on Google?’. We hear this almost as much as ‘Why can’t you be more like your brother’ or ‘What fantastic features you have!’. The truth is, there is no single timeline for SEO success. With so many variables including website strength, competition and budget, it is impossible to definitively say when SEO results will be seen.
It’s important to note that in many ways, SEO provides immediate benefits. While rankings may not change overnight. The influx of fresh content, website design and website development, and a new focus on user experience will improve your online presence quickly. Which can only be good for business.
While true SEO results can be seen across the 3-6 months following your on-site and off-site optimisation, the truth is SEO is a marathon and not a sprint. So results will occur over time.
Why do I need so much content on my website?
Adding quality content to your website serves two broad purposes.
Firstly, more content shows more value, and provides compelling reasons for people to visit your site for information, or to purchase products and services.
Secondly, more content allows for more opportunities to utilise relevant keywords, and direct more traffic to your site through search engine listings.
Is buying backlinks safe?
Buying backlinks is against Google’s webmaster guidelines. So it’s definitely not a good practice. This falls into the category of ‘Black Hat SEO’ which is sort of the equivalent of dark magic. Our web design team love wearing black, but we’d never jeopardize your website with black hat SEO techniques.
Why do you have to change my site map or add extra pages?
Our SEO experts will recommend changes to the structure or layout of your website, typically adding pages, which allows you to better express the range of services you offer. More pages equals more opportunities to insert keywords equals more chances to attract the attention of potential customers.
Does good content = higher rankings in Google?
Yes! As a ranking factor within Google’s latest algorithm, it’s important that your website has enough content. ‘Thin Content’ is actively punished, so we’ll put our copywriters to work to ensure your website says all the right things, and that the benefits of your products and services are front and centre.
How do I know if my SEO company is actually helping me?
Our convenient monthly reports come with all the information you could possibly want. We’ll break down the data into bite-sized pieces that are easy to digest. We’ll show you who’s been clicking on your site, where they’re from and how long they stayed. Our SEO experts will work with you to set goals for your business which will be tracked too. SEO does take time, so we take the worry out of the equation with information showing you when things are heading the right direction.
How do I know if my SEO company is actually helping me?
Our convenient monthly reports come with all the information you could possibly want. We’ll break down the data into bite-sized pieces that are easy to digest. We’ll show you who’s been clicking on your site, where they’re from and how long they stayed. Our SEO experts will work with you to set goals for your business which will be tracked too. SEO does take time, so we take the worry out of the equation with information showing you when things are heading the right direction.
How often do I get progress reports?
We know your busy. You’ve got things to do and people to see. So we won’t bombard you with information. Our SEO experts compile simple, easy to understand reports which we’ll send out to you monthly.
Can social media help me with SEO?
While Google’s ranking algorithm does not yet take into account social media, it is still a highly valuable SEO tool. Why? A healthy social media presence encourages engagement through sharing or referral traffic to your website. Which means more clicks and more time spent by people browsing your products and services. This is within Google’s ranking algorithm, which makes social media an important weapon in your SEO arsenal.
My rankings decreased. Why?
When your rankings go down, it could be the result of several factors. These are the most common scenarios:
a). Google has released a new algorithm update that might have affected your site’s ranking. b). Your website has lost some good backlinks, causing your domain authority to decrease. c). Your website was penalized/filtered by Google as a result of violating Google’s guidelines. (Check your Google Webmaster Tools account to see if you have errors or messages related to this issue.) d). Your competitors have improved their SEO and have outranked you.
While there are a variety of reasons your website rankings may have decreased, the good news is they are all reversible! Our SEO services can get you back on top if you’ve found yourself on the slide
