What Does SEO Mean, Anyway?

by Brandon Kosters

3/10/2023 · Comments

For small business owners, the term SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can be a bit intimidating. But in simple terms, SEO refers to the practices and techniques used to help your website rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Think about it this way: when you type something into a search engine like Google or Bing, you get a list of results. The websites that appear at the top of the list are generally the ones that have the best SEO.

Why is SEO important for small businesses? Because it can help you attract more traffic to your website, which can lead to more customers and more sales. By optimizing your website for search engines, you make it more likely that people will find your business when they search for products or services like yours.

There are many factors that go into good SEO, including:

Keyword research: This involves identifying the words and phrases that people are searching for in relation to your business. By targeting these keywords in your website content, you can increase your chances of ranking higher in search results.
On-page optimization: This includes things like optimizing your website's title tags and meta descriptions, using header tags to structure your content, and ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.
Link building: This involves getting other websites to link back to your site, which can help to establish your site's authority and improve your search rankings.
Content creation: Creating high-quality, relevant content that provides value to your audience can help to improve your search rankings and attract more visitors to your site.

While SEO can be complex, there are many resources available to help small business owners improve their search rankings. By focusing on the basics and creating a website that is optimized for search engines, you can start to see the benefits of SEO in the form of increased traffic, leads, and sales for your business.