What Is SEO - Search Engine Optimization?

Search engine optimization of a site in Google SERPs is an effective method of promotion. According to statistics , 53% of website traffic is organic clicks. A company in the top of the issue is able to attract more than half of all visitors in the niche to its web resource. However, many marketers are frightened by the complexity of search engine optimization - incomprehensible ranking algorithms and a long implementation period.

We understand how SEO works and why you need promotion in search engines.

What is SEO and how does it help your business?

SEO (abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization) is a set of measures to increase the visibility of a site in search engines for targeted search queries. Classical SEO is based on key user queries. Google algorithms search the web for pages with the most relevant content to the query. However, it is not enough just to “stuff” the page with keywords. For high positions in the issue, it is required to implement a set of optimization measures, which include:

• Collecting the semantic core. With the help of special services and programs, a database of key queries on business topics is formed.
• Technical optimization. SEO-marketers compose the structure of the resource, introduce the title, description, headings.
• Internal and external optimization. To do this, add cross-references, work on the authority of the resource on the network.
• Control and improvement of user behavioral factors. High-quality interesting content engages users, encourages them to stay longer on the page, click on links, and comment.
• Analytics of results, promotion metrics and making changes to the SEO strategy.

How SEO helps businesses:

• Attracts new clients. If your site is at the top of the search results, your offer will be seen by more users.
• Increases confidence. A useful and user-friendly website increases user loyalty to the brand.
• Helps you get to know your customers better. Analytics services will tell you who your audience is, how they behave and what they are interested in on the brand website.
• An opportunity to express yourself. Unlike conventional advertising, positions in the search results are stored for a long time and do not require additional investments.

Tool Benefits

• Free traffic. Of course, the work of SEO specialists is not cheap, but the company does not pay the search engine for clicks from organic results.
• No restrictions. Traffic from natural search results is available around the clock, has no time and budget limits.
• hot traffic. Users often form their intention to “buy”, “order”, “sign up” in the request. Visitors who are ready for a deal get to the site.
• Increase in awareness. Users remember the sites that they find in the top of the issue. Especially if their experience of interacting with the resource was positive.

Types of SEO

Today, both internal and external website optimization are equally relevant, and only the complex use of these methods can bring the best results.

Internal site optimization - changing the content of the resource in order to more complete and faster indexing by search engines. This:

• Posting new content and editing old content.
• Creating a robots.txt file or editing it.
• Editing description and title meta tags.
• Editing of program code.
• Internal page linking.
• Working with keywords.
• Usability change.
• Design change.

External website optimization is the promotion of a resource with the help of third-party forces and means. This:

• Posting press releases , testimonials , news and other interesting content on third-party sites.
• Elimination of shortcomings that can lead to a drop in positions and blocking of the resource by search engines.
• Constant monitoring of the position of the site in search results.
• Registration of the website in web directories and search engines.
• Use of social networks and blogs.
• Exchange links with other resources.
• Acquisition of eternal links .

This is not a complete list of works on internal and external optimization of the site, it is constantly supplemented and changed, more and more new methods of promotion appear, and some of them are unresolved.

SEO Methods

There are white, gray and black promotion methods. There is no official list that would define this or that method in one of the categories. Moreover, when the algorithms of search engines change, optimization methods can move from one category to another.

• White hat optimization - website promotion without the use of unwanted and prohibited methods. This is the most reliable and effective way to promote a resource, which eliminates the risk of falling under search engine filters. White methods include promotion in social networks, buying site reviews, interesting and promotional articles. It necessarily includes a set of measures to improve the quality of the site from a technical point of view: validation of layout and program code in accordance with standards, site acceleration, work on usability, design, etc.
• Gray hat optimization - some "transitional methods" between white and black optimization. Officially, gray methods of promotion are not prohibited, but they are not welcomed by search engines. Sites promoted by these methods can fall under search engine filtersat any time, but at the same time, quite often it is gray optimization that turns out to be the most effective. Such methods include an excessive number of paid links or a sharp increase in their number, duplication of content, an excessive number of keywords, etc.
• Black hat optimization - promotion methods, which include everything that violates the rules of search engines. This is the creation of unreadable or poorly perceived pages intended only for placing key queries, outright link spam , cloaking , doorways , etc.

What doesn't work in 2023

Search engines update their ranking algorithms from time to time. Many promotion methods become ineffective or even lead to a ban. Among them:

• Re-optimization. Key abuse. Robots perform semantic analysis and exclude such sites from search results. For example, in Yandex, the Baden-Baden filter is responsible for this.
• Purchasing links. Filters "Minusinsk" Yandex and Penguin Google identify sites whose links are massively placed on dubious resources.
• Cheat. Algorithms exclude from the issuance of sites where activity is imitated by bots or people from special exchanges.

Not only site owners use cheating. Unscrupulous advertising contractors imitate user interest in the company, but do not bring customers. Antifraud Calltouch helps to detect inappropriate calls - spam, advertising, calls from spoof numbers. The tool will help you find and disable unprofitable sites and allocate a budget for advertising that sells.

Factors of successful promotion

Website promotion is influenced not only by work on internal and external optimization. Each search engine uses its own ranking algorithms. Here are some common factors:

• The age of the resource and the level of trust of search engines. To quickly reach the top, you can buy suitable domains with age and a loyal attitude of search engines.
• Mobile optimization. A high-quality mobile version with fast loading increases traffic and user loyalty.
• Attendance and behavioral factors. The more traffic, the higher the position of the resource. Popular and authoritative sites are faster in the lead.
• Possibility of distribution. If the content can be reposted on a social network, more users will come to the site.
• Competition. The less material on the Internet on the topic, the higher the probability of getting into the top of the issue - searches simply have nothing to choose from. But if there is no competition, then in 99% there is no demand.

The effectiveness of promotion is measured using two indicators:

1. The position of the site in the search results for a specific query.
2. Search engine traffic. For example, Yandex Metrica will determine the traffic source and the most popular user queries.

Terms and cost

The first results of SEO promotion usually appear in 3-4 months. It will take from 6 months to a year to secure the site in the search.

The cost of promotion depends on the following factors:

• Team. To promote the project, an optimizer, content manager, SEO specialist, copywriter, editor, analyst and webmaster are involved. The services of a large team of professionals cost a lot.
• The state of the resource, its age. New and abandoned sites need a big budget.
• Behavioral factors and authority. The higher they are, the lower the cost of SEO promotion.
• The level of competition. There are many optimized sites in “hot” niches, which means that the competition is higher.
• Promotion geography. Bringing a site to the top 10 for users from megacities is more expensive than in small towns.

Check the effectiveness of SEO and other promotion channels with Calltouch End-to-End Analytics. Based on the data of your website and advertising platforms, the program will create convenient reports with statistics on visits, leads and sales. You will compare income and expenses and optimize your advertising budget.

Briefly about the main

• SEO is a complex work to bring a resource to the top of search results.
• Clients trust sites from the first positions of issue more.
• SEO includes work on the technical parameters of the site, the structure and quality of content, and the semantic core. Build backlinks on reputable sites.
• Avoid black and gray methods of promotion - your site may be blocked.

SEO FAQs