The goal of this article is to explain in non-technical terms Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and why it is important to the success of any company's website.

In addition, this article summarizes some basic principles to adhere when it comes to a website's SEO.

A Basic Understanding of SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is rather basic at its core:

Make sure a website is setup to receive top result position for relevant searches on Google, and other search engines.

When a user performs a search on Google, the goal is to have the site come up as close to the top of the search results as possible. The ideal position is first place, or at the least within the first page of results for "natural/organic" (non-paid) positioning.

The closer a website places in the top ten search results, the better odds that site receives relevant traffic to the website.

There's a misconception by many business owners, that SEO is complex, requires special assistance, and should cost a lot of money.

The Truth About SEO

SEO is simple, and most people can do most of it without extraordinarily expensive assistance; it just takes time.

The following are some tenets of basic SEO:

Clean & Responsive Code

When building the initial website, a web development firm should create clean website code; following the basic principles of good programming. Website coding should be tidy, and as concise as possible.

Back in 2015, Google began requiring websites to be mobile-friendly, and took it one step further in 2018 with requirements to be fully responsive for best practice, (in addition to clean code).

Descriptive Content

Be descriptive and relevant with website content and text. When creating website content (marketing text) use words that actually describe and relate to the service or product in detail.

Avoid using "it" or "that" or other nondescript words. The goal is two-fold:

1. Make the reader visualize a product or service using descriptive words and phrases (the text of a website must paint a picture),
2. AND have search engines index these keywords and phrases for search ranking purposes.

Graphics and images are excellent to use for visual purposes. However, at this time, most search engines cannot fully read or understand what an image is portraying.

Instead, search engines rely on ALT tags, and the text accompanying the image to provide a detailed description of any images on a website.

Properly Utilize Keywords & Phrases

In order to be found for a "keyword" or "keyword phrase" in search results, that keyword (or related phrases) MUST exist in the content of the website. If the keyword isn't in the site content, and related phrases aren't used throughout the website content; then that site most likely will not be found for that keyword or phrase in search results.

Search engines will not list a website in search results for a keyword or related-phrase, if that keyword or related-phrase is non-existent in the site content.

• Extraneous code and unnecessary programming clutter the website code, making it unappealing to search engines.
• Poor code may also cause site loading errors and issues in browsers, (in addition to making it difficult for future programmers to manage updates).

For example, a house for sale with lots of junk in the yard is less likely to sell than a home with a clean, well-maintained yard.

Why Is SEO Important To Me?

SEO is important regardless of industry; SEO brings in free, qualified, targeted traffic to generate sales and leads, naturally-organically.

Optimization should be a top priority for any company regardless of whether a site is strictly information, employs e-commerce and online sales, or even another special service.

If a website has poor code (programming), or poor content (the readable marketing content for customers), then that site is less likely to be found in relevant Google searches.

Google and other search engines give priority ranking to websites with quality, keyword-rich content.

If a site has poor coding and content, or employs black-hat SEO tricks, then that site will most likely receive low ranking in the search results; or worst yet, the website may get completely excluded from the search results all together - BANNED!

Websites with incompatible code (meaning they won't run on all browsers - such as "Best viewed on Chrome" or similar statement) are often given a lower ranking than sites with clean, professional code that will run on any computer platform (whether a PC or Mac using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and so on).

The SEO Bottom-line

The fact remains, search engines such as Google, want to deliver their users (people performing searches) the most relevant information on any given search topic:

• If a website lacks pertinent and relevant information related to that search topic, the site will be excluded from the search results.
• If the website cannot load on various platforms regardless of type (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or iPhone, Android, Laptop, Tablets, etc) then once again the search engines will most likely excluded that site, instead putting forth a competitor's site meeting these requirements.

Lack of SEO adds up to lost potential customers and revenues!

Summary of the Important Basic SEO Principles

1. Write the website's content and marketing text using clear, descriptive text. Paint a picture with words.
2. Write content as though a sales person is speaking directly with a customer about the service or product. Be as descriptive as possible. DO NOT cut short pertinent and detailed information that helps to describe the product or service.
3. Talk with customers and ask questions about what terms, keywords, and phrases come to mind when they think of the company. This question will give some ideas of keywords and key phrases to use through out the website content that other users might search for too; use "customer jargon".
4. Make sure all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed. A part of optimizing a site is making sure that every part of the site is in order, and looks trustworthy and professional.
5. Make sure the website or application uses clean code that is responsive, optimized, and cross-browser compatible.

By understanding the basics of SEO, and following these simple guidelines, a company can be assured that the website will be found in search engines, and receive the relevant qualified search traffic needed to be successful online.