What is SEO?

1. On-Page SEO (Optimizing Individual Pages)

On-page SEO focuses on improving individual pages to make them more search-engine-friendly.

Key Aspects of On-Page SEO:

 Title Tags:

• The title should be under 60 characters to avoid truncation in search results.
• Example: “Best Running Shoes for Beginners | Top Picks & Reviews”
• Use primary keywords early in the title.

 Meta Descriptions:

• The 160-character snippet below the title in search results.
• Should be engaging and contain target keywords.
• Example: “Looking for the best running shoes? We compare top-rated shoes to help you choose the perfect fit!”

 Header Tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.):

• H1: The main title of the page (should contain your primary keyword).
• H2, H3: Subheadings that organize content for readability and SEO.

 Keyword Placement:

• Place primary keywords in the first 100 words.
• Use synonyms and LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords naturally.
• Example: Instead of repeating “best smartphones,” use “top mobile phones” or “high-quality Android devices.”

 Internal Linking:

• Links between your own pages improve navigation and ranking.
• Example: If you’re writing about “Best Running Shoes,” link to “How to Choose the Right Running Shoes.”

 Image Optimization:

• Use compressed images (WebP, JPEG, PNG) to improve load speed.
• Alt text: Descriptive text that helps Google and visually impaired users understand the image.
• Example: “Nike Pegasus 40 – Lightweight running shoe with breathable mesh upper.”

 URL Optimization:

• Keep URLs short, descriptive, and keyword-rich.
• Example: yourwebsite.com/best-running-shoes instead of yourwebsite.com/post12345xyz.

 Mobile-Friendliness:

• Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check.
• Ensure buttons and text are easy to click and read on mobile.

 Page Speed Optimization:

• Use Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to test speed.
• Compress images, enable browser caching, and use a Content Delivery Network (CDN).

Best On-Page SEO Tools:

 Yoast SEO (for WordPress) – Helps optimize title, meta, and readability.
 Google PageSpeed Insights – Checks page load speed.
 Surfer SEO – Suggests keyword placement.

2. Off-Page SEO (Building Authority & Reputation)

Off-page SEO involves everything done outside your website to improve rankings.

Key Off-Page SEO Strategies:

 Backlink Building (Link Building)

• High-quality backlinks (links from authoritative websites) improve rankings.
• Guest Posting: Write articles on other blogs with a link back to your site.
• HARO (Help a Reporter Out): Get links from media outlets by answering journalist queries.
• Broken Link Building: Find broken links on other sites and suggest your content as a replacement.

 Social Media Signals

• Shares, likes, and comments indirectly influence rankings.
• Promote blog posts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

 Brand Mentions & PR

• Even if unlinked, Google recognizes mentions as a trust signal.
• Get featured on news websites, forums, and online communities.

 Influencer Marketing

• Partner with influencers in your niche to get backlinks and traffic.

 Local SEO (if you have a local business)

• Claim and optimize Google My Business (GMB) listing.
• Get local citations from directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Bing Places.
• Collect positive reviews on Google and Yelp.

Best Off-Page SEO Tools:

 Ahrefs – Analyzes backlinks and finds link-building opportunities.
 Moz Link Explorer – Checks backlink quality.
 Google My Business – Essential for local SEO.

3. Keyword Research (Finding the Best Keywords)

Keyword research helps you find the best search terms to target for traffic and conversions.

Types of Keywords:

 Short-Tail Keywords:

• 1-2 words, high search volume, high competition.
• Example: “running shoes”

 Long-Tail Keywords:

• 3+ words, lower search volume but higher conversion rate.
• Example: “best running shoes for flat feet”

 Transactional Keywords:

• Show buying intent.
• Example: “buy Nike Air Zoom Pegasus online”

 Informational Keywords:

• Used for research or learning.
• Example: “how to clean running shoes”

Best Keyword Research Tools:

 Google Keyword Planner – Free tool for finding search volume and competition.
 SEMrush – Analyzes competitor keywords.
 Ubersuggest – Finds long-tail keyword ideas.

4. Analytics & Reporting (Tracking SEO Performance)

• Google Analytics: Tracks visitors, conversions, and traffic sources.
• Google Search Console: Monitors clicks, impressions, and site issues.
• Ahrefs/Semrush: Tracks keyword rankings and backlinks.

5. Site Audit (Finding & Fixing SEO Issues)

A site audit identifies errors that affect rankings:
Broken links (404 errors).
Slow loading pages.
Duplicate content issues.
Mobile usability problems.

 Best SEO Audit Tools:
 Screaming Frog – Scans websites for issues.
 Sitebulb – In-depth technical audits.