Search Engine Optimization is a set of strategies designed to get traffic from free, organic Google search results to a website. Internet users perform online searches using keyword or keyword phrases.

SEO aims to help websites appear in the first pages of search results. Search engines use algorithms which determine what pages “deserve” the first spots. The tricky part is that these algorithms get constant updates. These updates often impact the way search engines rank websites. Only those who truly understand how SEO works, and have been implementing the right strategies from the get-go, are fully prepared for these changes.

Optimize your site by carefully choosing the keywords that best describe what you write about, the products you sell or the services you offer. Then add these keywords to each page of your site by using meta tags and meta descriptions. You can also optimize the images you use by strategically including relevant keywords in the Alt and Title texts.

Once your site is optimized and ready for the world to see, you need to take certain steps.

Make sure to generate your site’s XML sitemap. This is the easiest way to tell Google exactly what your site is about and help correctly index it so that when people search for your keywords, it will show up among the results. Make sure your meta tags and meta descriptions accurately convey what your site’s intent is.

Add your website´s URL to the Google Search Console. This is a free service that helps you monitor your website’s performance on Google Search results. This is not an absolute must, but after you register your site on it, you can “ask” Google to crawl your site’s map. This makes sure Google can access your

It can also help you learn how the search engine views your site so that you can optimize it accordingly. Additionally, you can submit new content for it to be crawled by google bots, remove content you no longer want to be indexed for, and catch and solve any malware or spam issues that may affect your site.

Ok. I got my website on Google Search. Now what?

If you own a local business, use the Google My Business. This is a free listing, and the only requirement is that you either have a physical address or that you visit your clients to provide your services.

GMB lets you manage how your business’s information appears on the search engine, including Google Maps. It also allows you to interact with your current and potential customers. They can leave reviews, which also helps your site´s rankings. Additionally, you can check how people found your website and where they come from.

Use your social media and link it to your site. Besides using social media for marketing purposes, you should share your site´s content on it. Post all your blog posts, articles, and news updates, on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This creates external links to your site and make it a stronger candidate for page one via link building.