Search engine optimization (SEO) has become synonymous with digital marketing success. In fact, 49% of marketers report that organic search has the best ROI of any marketing channel.
The various types of SEO available offer business owners from every industry background a fighting chance to make an impression across major search engines. But if you don't know how to leverage these types of SEO for maximum benefit, then it can feel impossible to enter into that digital arena confidently.
At Up Inc., we're committed to generating growth for brands by focusing on all things SEO. So if you want to learn about these versatile digital strategies, then we recommend you keep reading!
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On-page SEO encompasses anything and everything on your website. More specifically, it aims to optimize these on-page factors that can contribute to your overall rank across search engines:
But before these on-page factors can be optimized, there are a couple of other processes you must go through in order to maximize your on-page SEO efforts.
All on-page SEO campaigns start with researching keywords. This process involves identifying relevant keywords that users are searching for while incorporating those keywords into the content of your website.
There are many benefits to this process when it comes to search engine optimization. Not only can you reach your target audience directly through the keywords they're searching.
But you can learn how to produce relevant content that speaks to the keywords customers are interested in.
53% of shoppers research online before making a purchase.
So, if you know what search terms they're entering into Google, then you can meet them halfway and make sure your brand shows up at the top of their search engine results. Plus, this type of online visibility can actually increase your click-through rate (CTR) while building your website's SEO authority.
Content marketing involves crafting high-quality content that's both user-friendly and optimized for search engines. This means incorporating enough relevant keywords into your content without making it seem like search engines are the primary target audience.
Ultimately, search engines tend to reward websites that offer excellent user experience. So, if your content technically ticks off all the boxes as far as on-page SEO tactics but doesn't actually speak to the customers or readers themselves, then your content isn't going to stand a chance in the search engines.
Instead, the best on-page SEO strategies in regard to content straddle the line between engaging content for users and technically savvy content for search engines.
An average of 75.5% of marketers use keyword research when creating content for consumers and businesses.
And this is yet another way to make sure the content is resonating with your customers or readers. In 2023, it's not enough to simply write a blog post about anything you wish.
There must be a cohesive keyword theme throughout that matches the search queries of Google's page 1 search results.
Internal linking involves link-building across different pages of your website. These pages should be relevant to one another to improve user experience and help search engines understand your website's content.
Many people make the mistake of discounting inner linking techniques in favor of building external links on other websites. But consider this statistic:
42% of SEO strategists claim to be spending an equal amount of time building external links and internal links.
Both types of links have been shown to positively impact how search engines understand a website. So, don't think one is better than the other!
Off-page SEO involves any external online activities that are separate from your website but tell search engines nonetheless that your site is trustworthy and relevant. Off-page SEO can be used for any number of purposes including driving more traffic to your website, improving your brand reputation, and even boosting your search engine rankings.
But perhaps the most important off-page SEO tactics include:
But, like on-page SEO, there are certain processes involved in off-page SEO that can maximize your digital marketing efforts across the board.
Guest blogging is one of the most popular off-page SEO strategies as it serves dual purposes: 1) it allows you to build backlinks from high-authority sites, and 2) it bolsters your authority by virtue of being attached to a higher-authority site.
This kind of off-page SEO process is great for improving your online visibility and authority while attracting more organic traffic to your website. And there's no limit to how many guest posts you can produce.
34.6% of bloggers publish 1-5 guest posts each month.
This off-page SEO technique is also particularly useful for accruing greater website authority. If you have great content but no authority in search rankings, then your great content isn't getting the attention it deserves.
But guest posting offers a unique SEO strategy that allows you to build relationships with other websites in your niche market while bolstering your content and maximizing your brand's exposure to target audiences.
Off-site SEO similarly allows you to analyze competitors' SEO strategies through any number of digital tools. Whether using AHREFs, SEMRush, or any other SEO tool, you can actually examine competitors' backlinks, content, and keywords to gain insight into their own SEO strategy.
Think of it this way: your competitors' SEO strategy has to do with building a sustainable foundation for growth. So, if you can tap into those strategies yourself, then you have a greater ability to level the playing field while giving them a run for their money in organic search.
In fact, 53.3% of all website traffic comes from organic search.
So, there's plenty of competition out there for you when it comes to Google. But identifying the competition’s off-page and on-page SEO strategies can help to inform your future SEO endeavors.
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Technical SEO involves optimizing your website from the backend to make it easier for search engine crawlers to navigate your website. Whether you're working with a digital marketing company or investing in SEO services, technical SEO is an integral part of making sure Google continues to recognize your website and index it properly.
Technical SEO can optimize your website in the following areas:
Each area, no matter how seemingly insignificant, contributes to your overall SEO strategy. So, don't think you can sleep on technical SEO without consequences.
Mobile SEO involves optimizing your website for mobile users. This includes everything from making sure that the elements of your webpage load quickly to ensuring the design of your website stays intact when accessed through mobile devices.
More than 60% of Google searches are done via mobile devices.
So, it's not enough to perform technical SEO on a desktop alone. Instead, search engine optimization seeks to optimize the user experience from all digital platforms, including phones and tablets.
Earlier, we mentioned how search engines crawl through your website. Well, we mean they literally crawl through every single page your website has published.
Google's website crawlers have indexed hundreds of billions of web pages.
And if there's an issue that hasn't been resolved on a published page, then search engines may be prevented from accessing that website content, decreasing your chances of being indexed properly.
Crawl errors include everything from broken links to missing pages. But fixing these issues before they pose negative consequences is a crucial part of technical SEO and making sure that your overall visibility doesn't suffer.
Keywords are no doubt a crucial factor in any SEO strategy. But stuffing keywords into your content unnecessarily for the sake of ranking in the SERPs can actually do more harm than good.
Stuffing keywords is the most common reason for receiving a Google penalty.
In fact, this technique is a common practice used in black-hat SEO which exploits the weaknesses in Google's search algorithm in order to rank higher in the SERPs. While you may see instant results from these techniques, they can ultimately do more harm, negatively affecting your website once Google detects these black-hat SEO techniques.
Site load speed is something many business owners don't often think about. But if it takes forever for your website to load, users will automatically back out and sometimes never return.
Luckily, there are ways to optimize your load time so this doesn't happen. Because, ultimately, a faster load spend lends itself to a more positive user experience.
Conversion rates are 3x higher for eCommerce sites that load in 1 second.
Online marketing has become about convenience and ease. So, make sure your website doesn't make it difficult for a customer to follow through with their purchase!
Local SEO is one of the best types of SEO for local businesses. It can help businesses gain greater visibility while helping them analyze their local audience's behavior to inform future strategies.
46% of all searches on Google include local intent.
Suffice it to say that the desire to discover local hidden gems is there. To make sure your local business shows up in the search results, make sure you work with SEO agencies that are versed in local SEO and can place you on the site map (literally).
But perhaps the best SEO company to work with is one that's versed in all types of SEO, including eCommerce SEO. At Up Inc., we've dedicated our 35+ years of experience to doing exactly that while perfecting our optimization strategies for all types of SEO.
From 2020-2021, we managed to 35x one luxury beauty company's organic visitor growth, resulting in 605 unique organic sales in 10 months and ranking them for 6,500 keywords in Google's Top 100 results.
So, if you want to see your business show up in the top search results, make sure you go with a reputable SEO company that knows its way around the SERPs.
While this isn't an exhaustive list of the various types of SEO out there, understanding these main types of SEO first can give you a leg up on the SEO competition.
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Up Inc. eCommerce Agency is a digital marketing agency based in Los Angeles, CA. Founded in 2021, Up Inc. specializes in eCommerce, generating growth for brands by focusing on visibility, customer loyalty, and digital revenue. For more SEO tips and industry insights, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
