SEO or Search Engine Optimization is defined as the process of improving
(optimising) the visibility of a website/webpage on the Search Engines ,
such as Google, Bing, etc.
The higher your pages appear in search results, the greater the chance of them
being discovered and clicked on. The ultimate objective of search engine
optimization is to entice website visitors who have the potential to transform into
customers, clients, or a loyal audience that consistently returns.
Why do we need SEO?
Suppose you have a website, that deals with either of the following:
Products you sell.
Services you provide.
Information on topics in which you have deep expertise and/or experience.
Now if you don’t do Search Engine Optimization (SEO), lets say your website
ranks at rank 45 in the Google Search results, resulting you in 100 unit
conversions. Now on the other hand, the website ranking on the 1st position on
Google Search for the same product, has a conversion rate of 10,000.
So if you think about it, you are losing around 9,900 potential customers just
because you are not on the 1st position. This is the main reason why we need
SEO.
Performing regular SEO can help:
Increase traffic on your website
Increase conversions for your product
Increase in your Domain Authority
Increase in your CPC
Do all search engines work on the same principle?
Although the basic principle of operation of most of the search engines is the
same there are minor differences between them which lead to major changes in
their results. For example, for search engines like Yahoo and Bing, on-page
keyword factors are of primary importance, while for Google, links and
hyperlinks are more important.
Also, for Google, rankings of a website depend largely on their primitiveness i.e.
how old a website is as compared to Yahoo which gives less or no preference
to the primitiveness of the website and hence to improve the ranking of a
website in different search engine, slightly different procedure needs to be
followed.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the ranking
(visibility) of a website in search engines. The higher (or more frequently) a
website is displayed in a search engine list (like Google), the more visitors it is
expected to receive.
SEO considers how search engines work, what people search for, and which
search terms (words) are typed. Optimizing a website may involve editing the
content to increase its relevance to specific keywords. Promoting a site to
increase the number of links, is another SEO tactic.
Effective search engine optimization may require changes to the HTML source
code of a site and to the site content. SEO tactics should be incorporated into
the website development and especially into the menus and navigation
structure.
Why is SEO important?
1. To help gain more visitors: majority of users click on only the top 4-5 web
pages appearing in search results, so it’s very important for a website to
appear in the top results of a search engine.
2. Important for social promotion of a website: if a website appears in top
results of a search engine such as Google, Bing, etc. then it gains instant
popularity and to some extent trust of a user.
3. It plays an important role in improving the business of a commercial
site: if two websites are selling the same product, for example, both Myntra
and Koovs focus on selling fashion clothing, then the site having a better
position in the search result of a search engine has chances of getting more
users as compared to the other.
4. Improving user experience: SEO doesn’t focus only on improving search
results but also on improving the user experience and usability of a website
so that a website is more appealing to a user.
Basic principles in the working of a Search Engine
Following are majority steps involved in the working of a search engine:
1. Crawling: Process of fetching all the web pages linked to a website. This
task is performed by a software, called a crawler or a spider (or Googlebot,
in the case of Google).
2. Indexing: Process of creating index for all the fetched web pages and
keeping them into a giant database from where it can later be retrieved.
Essentially, the process of indexing is identifying the words and expressions
that best describe the page and assigning the page to particular keywords.
3. Processing: When a search request comes, the search engine processes it,
i.e. it compares the search string in the search request with the indexed
pages in the database.
4. Calculating Relevancy: It is likely that more than one page contains the
search string, so the search engine starts calculating the relevancy of each
of the pages in its index to the search string.
5. Retrieving Results: The last step in search engine activities is retrieving the
best matched results. Basically, it is nothing more than simply displaying
them in the browser.
Do all search engines work on the same principle?
Although the basic principle of operation of most of the search engines is
the same there are minor differences between them which lead to major
changes in their results. For example, for search engines like Yahoo and
Bing, on-page keyword factors are of primary importance, while for Google,
links and hyperlinks are more important.
Also, for Google, rankings of a website depend largely on their primitiveness i.e.
how old a website is as compared to Yahoo which gives less or no preference
to the primitiveness of the website and hence to improve the ranking of a
website in different search engine, slightly different procedure needs to be
followed.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as discussed before, helps in improving the
rank of a website in search engines. The search engines have algorithms
designed for them to get the most desirable results from the World Wide Web
(www). So, basically there are two types of SEO practices that are used for this
purpose:
1. On-page SEO
2. Off-Page SEO
1. On-page SEO
Anything that is done inside the website is a part of On-page SEO. It’s all
about Keyword Optimization, which is a process of using the words that have
the maximum credibility when it comes to getting a good ranking
on SERP (Search Engine Result Page). These keywords are basically what a
user types on the search engine query while browsing the internet. To get an
idea of the popular keywords on a particular niche, keyword analysis tools like
Semrush, longtailpro, etc. are used.
While these are the tools a user may have to pay for, there is a free tool by
Google that lets you shortlist keywords in minimal time. The Google crawlers
look for the following things while landing on a website:
URL
Title tags
Meta tags
Category tags
Internal linkings in a website
External linking to other websites
Implementing On-page SEO
To implement On-page SEO to your site, following things can be applied:
Adding Yoast SEO plugin to your WordPress site. This plugin helps in
making the site SEO friendly, which can be installed on any self-hosted
WordPress website.
Take popular keywords from the keyword planner tool and try to apply on
your website. Example: You came across a keyword “SEO checker tools”,
you may add this to the title to make it like “A guide to SEO checker tools” or
even add this keyword at few places while developing the body of the
content.
Using keywords in tags and meta descriptions.
Adding alt text to the images.
2. Off-page SEO
Off-page SEO is generally regulated by links. Pages with the similar type of
contents are linked together. The more the external website add links to your
website, more will be the link popularity, hence the SEO ranking would
improve. These links can usually be of two types:
External links: Links from a credible website to your website.
Internal links: Links within a website. These types of links that help in
spreading the link juice (link authority) around the website.
Link Building Strategy
Natural links: Other websites linking to your content(blogs, images,
products, videos, etc).
Outreach links: Approaching other websites to link to your site.
Self-created links: Writing guest posts, articles, videos for other websites,
providing links to your site.There are link building methods like
One-way: (a website linking to another website),
Two-way: (both websites linking to each other),
Three-way: (websites link to each other in a chain) that help a website in
securing a better rank and a higher page authority. So, these are two types
of SEO practices that are widely used by many website owners to stay in the
competition of getting to the first page of the SERP.
On-Page SEO:
On-page SEO is a technique that is used for optimizing individual web pages to rank higher and earn
more relevant traffic in search engines. In search engine optimization, like Google, Yahoo, and Bing on-
page optimization refers to a factor that affects your website and web page listing in the natural search
results.
Off-Page SEO:
Off-page optimization refers to the technique that can be used to improve the position of a website on a
search engine results page(SERPS). Many people associate off-page SEO with link building but it is not
only that. It is also used in promotion methods like blogging, website design, social bookmarking, etc.
Below is a table of differences between On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO:
S.
No. On-Page SEO Off-Page SEO
On-page SEO includes providing
good content, good keyword Off-page SEO includes link
1. selection, putting keywords in correct building, increasing link popularity,
places, giving an appropriate title for search engine, link exchange etc.
every page, etc.
On-page SEO will analyze the In off-page SEO we will promote
2.
complete website. the website.
On-page SEO we will use internal In off-page SEO we will use direct
3.
linking. linking.
4. On-page SEO is for Content writing. Off-page SEO is for Article writing.
Techniques that are used in on-page
SEO.
Techniques that are used in off-
Publish high-quality content.
page SEO.
Optimize page titles and meta
Influencer Outreach.
descriptions.
Contribute as Guest Author.
Optimize page content.
5. Social Media Engagement.
Headings and content formatting.
Social Bookmarking Sites.
SEO Images and other
Forum Submission.
multimedia elements.
Blog Directory Submission.
URL optimization.
Article Submission
Internal links.
External links.
According to the MOZ website
While on off page it only 30%
6. owners spend about 70% of time on
activity
on-page activity
On-page SEO looks at what your site Off-page SEO looks at how popular
7.
is about. your site is.
8. Factors that impact On-page SEO Factors that impact Off-page SEO
are as follows- are as follows-
S.
No. On-Page SEO Off-Page SEO
Internal Linking
Mobile Friendly
Navigation Social Media
Content Quality Backlinks
Meta Descriptions Mentions
Image Alt Text Google Business Profile (earlier
Page Speed Google My Business)
Core Web Vitals
Title Tags
Both SEO work together in a Both SEO work together in a
complementary fashion to achieve complementary fashion to achieve
Search Engine Optimization which is Search Engine Optimization which
our main goal. We cannot select is our main goal. We cannot select
9. which is more important between the which is more important between
two. But in the whole process, SEOs the two. But in the whole process,
recommend that the focus should be SEOs recommend that the focus
given to on-page SEO before off- should be given to on-page SEO
page SEO. before off-page SEO.
Applying relevant subtopics to
Link Building is the example of off-
10. content is the example of on-page
page SEO.
SEO.
Meta tags are HTML components that offer more details about a webpage.
They are not visible to visitors when they visit a webpage since they are located
in the “head” portion of an HTML document. Instead, meta tags are used for a
number of things, mostly things that have to do with search engines, social
media, and web browsers. There are several types of meta tags, but some of
the most common ones include:
1. Meta Description Tag: This tag offers a succinct summary of the
information on the webpage. This description is frequently displayed by
search engines in search results, so it may persuade readers to click on a
link to the website.
2. Meta Keywords Tag: Historically, the purpose of this tag was to list the
website’s pertinent terms. Due to abuse and exploitation, many search
engines no longer use this tag for ranking purposes.
3. Meta Title Tag: The title> element, which is frequently regarded as a crucial
meta tag, is typically used to specify the title of a webpage. The title is used
as the primary link text in search engine results as well as in the browser’s
title bar.
4. Meta Robots Tag: This tag regulates how web pages are indexed and
crawled by search engines. It can tell search engine bots whether to index
the page, follow links, or show it in search results.
5. Meta Viewport Tag: It is crucial for responsive web design that this element
be used to specify how a webpage should be displayed on various devices
and screen sizes.
6. Meta Open Graph Tags: These tags are used to advise social media
platforms about the title, description, and image that should show on a
webpage when shared on social media.
7. Meta Canonical Tag: By indicating the preferred version of a page when
several URLs may point to the same piece of content, it helps avoid
problems with duplicate content.
8. Meta Charset Tag: It specifies the character encoding used for the
webpage.
It’s crucial to remember that not all meta tags are created equal for SEO, and
search engines use a variety of other elements to decide where to rank a page.
Additionally, search engine penalties may result from the improper or excessive
use of meta tags. Because of this, it’s essential to use meta tags effectively and
adhere to best practices if you want to increase the online visibility and
effectiveness of your websites.
Do meta tags help SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can be impacted by meta tags, however,
this influence has changed over time and depends on the particular tag in
question. A overview of how meta tags may impact SEO is provided below:
Impact of Meta Title Tags on SEO
One of the most important meta tags for SEO is the meta title tag. As the
page’s primary title in search results, it has a direct impact on search engine
rankings. Including pertinent keywords in the title tag can help with SEO.
Impact of Meta Description Tags on SEO
The meta description tag can effect click-through rates from search engine
results even though it doesn’t directly affect search engine rankings. By
encouraging readers to click on your link, a well-written and pertinent meta
description can help your SEO by boosting organic traffic.
Impact of Meta Keyword Tags on SEO
Although search engine rankings are not directly impacted by the meta
description tag, click-through rates from search engine results can be. A
carefully written and pertinent meta description might persuade visitors to
click on your link, which helps your SEO indirectly by boosting organic traffic.
Impact of Meta Robots Tags on SEO
By regulating how search engines index and follow links on a page, the meta
robots tag can directly affect SEO. You may manage the crawl process
efficiently, stop search engines from scanning irrelevant pages, and avoid
duplicate content problems by setting the right directives.
Impact of Meta Viewport Tags on SEO
The user experience and how effectively a webpage looks on various
devices are mostly impacted by the meta viewport tag. Offering a mobile-
friendly experience can have an indirect impact on SEO, even though it is
not a direct ranking criterion because Google and other search engines take
it into account when determining ranks.
Impact of Meta Open Graph Tags on SEO
Although Open Graph tags don’t directly affect SEO rankings, they can
improve how your material looks when shared on social media. This may
boost social interaction and, inadvertently, increase page visitors.
Impact of Meta Canonical Tag on SEO
The canonical tag is essential for handling difficulties with duplicate material.
You may prevent search engines from penalizing your website for duplicate
content by indicating the preferred URL for a page. By ensuring that search
engines index the accurate version of a page, this indirectly boosts your
SEO.
Impact of Meta Charset Tag on SEO
Although it has no direct impact on SEO, the charset tag is crucial for
ensuring that text and special characters are presented appropriately. An
optimized website can increase user experience, which indirectly influences
SEO.
In conclusion, although some meta tags have a more direct effect on SEO than
others, they are only a small component of an all-encompassing SEO strategy.
Search engine rankings are more heavily influenced by criteria including site
structure, backlinks, and content quality. Although focusing on more general
SEO recommended practices is necessary for improving search engine results
and exposure, employing meta tags correctly is still quite important.
Why do meta tags matter to SEO?
They tell users and search engines alike about the content of a web page, meta
tags are crucial to SEO (Search Engine Optimization). They are essential in
assisting search engines in determining the subject matter of a page and how
pertinent it is to a user’s search query. Because they affect click-through rates,
affect how your pages appear in search results, aid in search engines
understanding your material, and control how your content is presented on
social media platforms, meta tags are crucial for SEO. While using meta tags
alone won’t guarantee excellent ranks, doing so as part of a larger SEO plan
can help increase user engagement and search engine visibility.
How google meta tags impact SEO?
As part of its ranking and search result presentation processes, Google
employs a variety of meta tags. In order to comprehend, classify, and rank web
pages in search results, Google uses information from these meta tags.
Although meta descriptions are only one element of SEO, they can significantly
affect how Google views and ranks your content.
Meta Tags and Search Engines
Meta tags have significant roles in ranking your web pages in SERP. In earlier
times, Google used to rank pages solely on the basis of meta tags on the web
page. Although nowadays, most search engines consider a lot more factors for
ranking a page, meta tags are still important. they play a significant role in how
search engines index and rank web pages. These HTML elements provide
information about a web page’s content, structure, and purpose. Search
engines, like Google, use this information to understand and categorize web
content, which in turn influences how pages are displayed in search results.