Search engine optimization is simple terms means making a copy suitable to appear in the search results when a user types in a search query. Search queries in Internet marketing terms are known as keywords and a website is optimized for these search queries so that it appears when a particular keyword is typed in by the user. Search engine optimization is a broad practice which involves a handful of services and areas which need to be optimized for them to make the website appear in the top search results.
Search engine Optimization or doing SEO for a website is making what the search engines are looking for in their top ranked results. Search engines work on the principle of providing the best of information available online to the user in the quickest time. And there are millions of pages added to the Internet everyday. So for a search engine to decide whether or not a specific website is to be included in the search results they judge it on different parameters, which are:
1) Authenticity of the web page/ website
2) Web usability
3) Relevant content (and not automated) that is relevant to the search query
4) Links that are coming to the website from different sources (this is really important as search engines give high preference to the website that are enable to garner links from other online websites or pages. Links are seen as verifications by the search engines.
5) Regularly updated content. The website should never appear to be regulated on auto pilot or featuring spam content. Search engines do not take lightly the addition of automated websites that are not updated either design or development wise.
Search engine optimization is performed at different levels of a website:
Starting from the website design – It should be properly optimized so as not to appear as a spam or scam. The design and its functionality of a website must always in co-ordination with its purpose on line. Whether the website is lead generative or an eCommerce one. The purpose is what will determine the design, interface and functionality of the website design and development will follow.
URL – One must have the most searched for keyword that is related to the industry of your website in the URL. Search engines give a lot of importance to keywords and why not as these are the search queries which trigger the search in the first place and enables the users to find what they’re looking for. Having keywords placed in your website content, URL and even the slugs that make up the link will help the search engine search your query more quickly and perhaps if all the other parameters are implemented then your website can even rank among the top three results.
Content – As mentioned earlier, content on the webpages also needs to be properly optimized to appear when searched for. This not only means infusing keywords but also structuring the page to make it readable and more suited to the eye.
Social Media – One can now even tap the potential of social media results too! Search engines now feature social media results in their results also which means that optimizing your social media copies to include the search query or keyword will have them included in the search results too. This means more exposure to your website.
Other than the above mentioned, there are many more ways in which the website can be optimized to make it rank among the top ranks when a user searches the relevant query. One can optimize a website for more than one keyword or set of keywords.










