Search Engine Optimisation: Getting Started

As businesses, we're all very aware of the need for Search Engine Optimisation (or SEO).

​It helps people find us and therefore boosts the amount of organic traffic to our websites which leads to customers.

But SEO can often feel like voodoo or a bit of an enigma! So here are some basic tips and information to get you started.

Dispelling the magic of SEO

SEO! SEO! SEO!

It's the buzz word of the century for businesses. It's not surprising, given that all of our customers (us included) go straight to search engines to find answers. This means that businesses need to be there too.

So, off we go to improve our SEO ranking. But, as it can be a bit of an intimidating project, most of us naturally reach out to a specialist who can help us.

At this point, we've all had SEO consultants telling us exactly what to change on our websites by throwing all of their opinions and jargon at us. Sound familiar? However, as most savvy of business people know, you should never just take things at face value; at least familiarise yourself with the topic, so that you are not blindly lead through unknown territories.

Knowledge is power!

​This is of particular importance in ever-changing areas such as SEO, as it can have such a significant impact on your business' results. Unfortunately, there are a lot of shady practices in the market (known in the industry as 'black hat' operators) out there, ready to pray upon the unsuspecting business.

Well, the reality is, as soon as you do a bit of research, you will discover that it isn't rocket science or a magic formula at all: it's just common sense.

Of course, when I say "common sense", I mean that it makes logical sense after you've heard a professional white-hat trainer explain it. I admit, it isn't something you can just guess at or stumble upon, but once an expert explains the main key points, it becomes quite intuitive.

SEO can be simple but always labour intensive

I will note that good SEO appears to be a mammoth task for most businesses, hence why larger businesses often (or should) employ or outsource a single person to specifically look after improving website content and SEO, as the commercial advantages are far worth it (as you will see from the SEO Cycle below).

The SEO Continual Cycle: good business sense

One of the most important key pieces of information I took from my SEO training was that effective and correct SEO activities don't just improve your search rating on engines like Google; they also improve your website for your customers- which makes perfect business sense and kills two birds with one stone. Actually, I think 'two birds with one stone' is incorrect: I think it's better to say 'go hand in hand'. 

In actual fact, you should start with improving your customer experience, and see SEO is secondary, as the search engines aren't buying from you- people and businesses are. If you do the former right, the latter naturally falls into place.

To put it simply, it is a cycle.

• Your business has a website
• You fill it with content
• Customers occasionally venture to your website
• Then you improve and update the content for SEO 
• Your SEO ranking improves 
• More customers find your website
• They stay longer and enjoy the higher-quality content 
• You further continue to improve your content 
• Customer satisfaction goes up
• SEO ranking improves
• and it goes on and on. 

It truly goes to show how much Google intends to improve its search results to benefit its customers: all of us. After all, they are a profit-making company.

This cycle also emphasises how large a task it is to continually keep the cycle spinning. However, if a business wants to be profitable and capitalise upon their digital assets, customer satisfaction should always be at the forefront.

SEO Quick Tips

I decided to put together a quick list of SEO tips. They are, by far, not the 'be all and end all', but they certainly will help send you in the right direction.
​

1. Google says "Stay away from shady black hat 'rogue' SEO specialists". Be wary when using SEO consultants!
2. Google looks for high quality content pages that are around 500 - 2000 words long. 
3. Blogs are an amazing way to boost your SEO rating!! Google looks for FRESH QUALITY CONTENT that is regular and relevant
4. Make sure you know about 'back-link strategies'!
5. Remember that Google is a 'for profit' business, so they aren't advertising its competitors like Facebook on its general searches.
6. Make your website user-friendly
7. Ensure your website page loads fast by reducing media size
8. Constantly update and refresh your website content

How Can Melotti Media Copywriting Help You?

To engage your customer and achieve ongoing business success today, you need quality copywriting and consistent content. However, we understand that this is easier said than done.

You’re time poor and spread thin, and writing isn’t your expertise. So, focus on what really matters, while we take care of all of your copywriting and content marketing needs!

For more information or to speak to a quality copywriter to get the results you’re business deserves, contact me now at chris@melottimedia.com.au.

I can sharpen your words to achieve your goals, today!

Christopher Melotti

Melotti Media Copywriting and Marketing Solutions
www.melottimedia.com.au
 
Click here to view the Copywriting FAQ page for all you need to know ​​​