Search Engine Optimization

Question: What is search engine optimization, and why do I care about it? -Karen, Shreveport, LAAnswer: Search engine optimization (SEO) is the entirety of the methods and practices which drive your online presence and make your business show up in organic search results. There are two basic kinds of SEO, both of which work together to attract attention to your website and the products and services you'll offer. These are:Front EndYour front-end or "on-page" SEO includes everything a potential customer sees as an outcome of Google searches and other search engines, such as domain names, the created content on your website, social media marketing including AB testing for ads, guest articles, and blog posts. These individual points are often, and not entirely accurately, piled up under the umbrella of content marketing. Creating great front-end SEO combines and balances useful keywords, compelling, informative, and relevant content, guest posts, white hat internal and external link building, and multimedia such as images and video to attract human eyes, interest, and ultimately business. Back EndBack-end or "off-page" SEO is the somewhat more complicated part. This is where website design, architecture and user experience, day and dark mode settings, XML site map layout, Bing webmaster tools, tools for Google webmasters and developers such as the Google search console, PPC marketing initiatives, and so on are executed. These descriptive and ancillary signals work in the background, but are just as important to your online marketing and pointing search engines and customers to your business as your front-end signals.Part of what makes getting started with SEO factors so complicated is the sheer number of moving parts involved. This article is an example of content that has been carefully designed and developed to conform with multiple SEO signals and the latest Google algorithm updates while still delivering relevant information to you, the reader. Another concern is making sure to stay with "white hat" practices which comply heavily with major search engines' best practices, webmaster guidelines, and quality standards, so as to obtain organic traffic and boost conversion rates as a relevant result for human eyes while avoiding getting flagged for questionable or disavowed practices which "black hat" operators use to get quick results. Black hats versus white hat tactics may be faster, but they also run the risk of getting your website suppressed or even banned from search engines entirely! When you improve SEO optimization and your site's content, you also improve your Google ranks and the search quality for everyone--especially your potential customers!