SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to strategies and tactics for improving a website's position on search engine results pages (SERPs). It is also one of the most frequently misunderstood aspects of small business marketing.

There is no quick or easy path to SEO success. SEO is a long-term strategy. To achieve good results, you must spend time developing worthwhile content for your website. If you need more business tomorrow, SEO is unlikely to yield immediate results.

SEO should not be your only marketing strategy. Although it is great when your website appears on the first page of Google, you should balance your SEO efforts with paid advertising, directory listings, social media, networking, and referrals.

You do not have to address SEO before you Go Live with your new Good Gallery website. Although there are benefits to launching a new website with your SEO tasks complete, you can also improve your optimized content gradually over time.

On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO

The SEO information in this Manual refers to on-page ranking strategies and tactics. However, off-page ranking factors also affect your search engine rankings.

Off-page ranking factors include:

• Inbound links from other websites
• Social mentions across social media platforms
• Trust factors that establish your site's credibility
• Authority in your industry or niche

Use your favorite search engine to find additional information about those topics.

Ranking Factors

There are hundreds if not thousands of search engine ranking factors.

Think of SEO like a checkbox chore. If you had a list of every possible ranking factor, and there was a checkbox next to each task, to rank higher than your competitors you need to mark more checkboxes than your competitors.

In other words, if you do more work than your competitor, and if your content deserves to rank first, then search engines will reward your efforts by placing your website higher in their search results.

Next Steps

• Keywords & Content -- Learn about keywords, keyword phrases, titles, and content
• Copywriting Guide -- Step-by-step guide to creating optimized content
• Optimizing Images for SEO -- Make your gallery images work for search engines
• SEO Resources -- Find additional help with SEO