SEO Simplified: What You Need To Know When Creating A Website

I didn't learn the ins and outs of search engine optimization (SEO) in college. I mean, how could I when I was too busy analyzing poetry and crafting sociology papers? It wasn't until I started working in content creation at a digital agency that I realized, "Wow... There's a whole world of strategy living behind the scenes of every website."

Coming from a creative writing background, I wasn't exactly fluent in tech speak. But once I connected the dots between impactful content and higher visibility, I was hooked on everything that SEO can be.

If you're a business owner, you don't need to become an SEO expert overnight. However, you do need to understand why it matters. Because when you build a website and don't think about how people will find it and engage with it, you might as well be whispering into the internet void. So, let's get started!

Content Is King, Queen, & All The Knights

When it comes to quite literally every nook, cranny, and corner of your business, content is your best friend. Great web copy and blog posts do more than fill space—they should actually help someone. Perhaps that's answering a common question about your services, offering clarity on your process, or solving specific problems your ideal customer faces.

Search engines prioritize content that's relevant, so you need to focus on value every time you write. The more useful your content is, the more likely it is to attract clicks and keep people on your site once they land there. From how-to guides to checklists to seasonal spotlights, content tailored to your audience will always work harder and smarter for your business.

Stay Winning With Well-Researched Keywords

If you're like me, you Google something (or Safari something) every. Single. Day. It's just so convenient to look up your innermost questions on the internet, right? But the reason why it's as convenient as it is is thanks to the power of keywords.

Keywords come in two forms—short-tail and long-tail. Short-tail keywords are broad, while long-tail keywords get more and more specific. When it comes to creating effective content on your site, you'll want a mix of both so search engines best understand what you do and who you serve. Use them thoughtfully, not just in your copy and blogs, but also in your meta descriptions, image alt text, and page titles.

Another key factor is to think locally. If you offer services in a particular city, make sure your content reflects that. If you serve nearby areas, include those cities too. Adding geographic cues increases your chances of being found by nearby customers. (And yes, that consists of the ones searching "blahblahblah near me.")

Build A Website That's Easy To Love & Navigate

User experience refers to how people interact with your website. Ideally, it should be easy and intuitive. Can users find your contact info quickly? Is your menu simple? Are your services clear? When your site doesn't make navigation an unnecessary point of stress, it keeps those users around longer, which search engines take as a sign of quality.

Improving user experience helps reduce bounce rate. That's the percentage of people who leave your site without bothering to click through to another page, which is exactly what you don't want as a business owner. A high bounce rate could mean your site is too confusing, too slow, or simply not what the user was expecting. You want to maintain a clear, relevant path forward at all times.

Don't Skimp Out On A Mobile-Friendly Design

Every year, mobile internet traffic moves up the ranks in global web traffic. Again, we're looking at the convenience factor. With over 60% of that global total coming from mobile devices, your potential customers are more than likely going to be finding you on their phones. Meaning, if your website is lacking on smaller screens, you're missing out on sales.

Just because your site looks great on desktop doesn't mean it transfers over perfectly. That's why it's so critical to test each web page before pushing it live. You need to confirm that your fonts are readable, that the buttons are tappable, and that the layout doesn't look weirdly stretched. Mobile responsiveness is a necessity for keeping users happy, as well as staying competitive in search results.

The More (Reputable) Links, The Merrier

You may have heard the term "authority" used in the context of websites. As a ranking indicator, authority is the reputation your site has gained from search engines deeming you trustworthy. If other sites treat you like an expert in your field, it's going to speak volumes.

The way this happens is by people linking to your content, aka backlinks. Backlinks signal to search engines that your content was valuable enough for someone to reference, serving as a vote of confidence. From there, you can receive referral traffic, which happens when users click on those links and wind up right back here with you.

Local businesses can earn backlinks by partnering with other organizations, getting listed in legitimate directories, or being featured in community round-ups. You might even feel inspired to submit a guest post to someone else's blog. And of course, it always helps to secure a feature with a magazine or newspaper that has a digital component.

The Front End, The Back End, & In Between

If you are someone who believes that SEO is a one-and-done task, you are already hurting my heart! Don't do that! Your website needs ongoing care to stay in good shape. That's where on-page and technical SEO come into play.

On-page SEO is what users see, like content structure, headings, and internal links. Technical SEO, on the other hand, is what happens behind the scenes, like ensuring your site loads fast, that it's secure, and that none of those links are broken. Both aspects work together to create a site that's functional, helpful, and search-friendly.

Pay Attention To The Analytics Of It All

Businesses just like yours are popping up all the time. And naturally, you want to stay ahead. But the trickiest part of SEO is that the algorithm is always changing, and search engines don't exactly hand out their playbooks. What's working today might not work tomorrow, which can be incredibly frustrating.

However, there are plenty of tools to keep your efforts in check. Google Analytics and Google Search Console, for instance, help you track what pages are getting traffic, how long people are staying, and what they're clicking on. There are also platforms like Semrush that can help you go deeper with keyword research, competitor tracking, and even full-scale SEO audits.

You shouldn't spend every waking moment stressing out about the status of your site in the rankings. That said, your SEO strategy should be proactive instead of reactive. Periodically refer to the data so you can make smarter decisions—and hopefully enjoy the fruits of your labor on page one of Google.

Happy writing!

~Meg