Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 101: An Introduction for Beginners

How Would You Explain SEO To A Grandma?

From an SEO class that I attended, a question was thrown: "How would you explain SEO to a grandma?" An interesting answer from one of the students: "When you first enter a grocery store, what are the first products or brand you see?" Which is precisely a right answer.SEO is about visibility. SEO is the process of optimizing your web page to get as much visibility as possible. So now, where is the best place to gain the most visibility? The answer is simple. How often do you scroll all the way to the second, third, and fourth page of Google search results?

I'm guessing, barely. The best place to gain visibility is on the top 3 search results in the first page of your Google search results.

Differences Between SEO and SEM

You may also have heard of Search Engine Marketing (SEM). The simplest way to describe the difference between SEO and SEM is: with SEM, you pay with your money. While SEO, you pay with your time.SEO is a long term process. If you need immediate results, you will need to do SEM. On the contrary, if you are here for the long term, you are going to manage with SEO. However, both can work very well together. Most businesses start with SEM, paying until they got on the first search result. Once they secure their position, they switch to SEO, where it's about maintaining.

How Does SEO Works?

In a simple form, search engine optimization is a game of logic between humans and Google. You are trying to understand Google, who is trying to understand you. It is an algorithm of the way Google breaks down human behaviour. Search Engine Optimization looks at existing, qualified, relevant leads and drives them to your website.SEO is going under a major shift. It used to be just about websites, but now it is also about maps, locations, images and videos. Hence, you need to focusing on your webpages, as well as your images, videos and locations.For example, when you type in "Aspire Financial Technologies Singapore", Google will suggest websites with the most related content.

Why SEO Matters

1. It's about the money

In this era, a lot of things are digitalized. Businesses are moving from traditional marketing to online digital marketing. Hence, having a strong online presence will boost the brand's awareness, and eventually sales.

2. People are searching

Who doesn't, right? Whether you are looking for places to eat, the latest trending news, or information regarding anything, we usually ask Google, because we trust Google's recommendations. We 'believe' that Google can give the best recommendations, closest to what we are looking for.

So, if businesses are looking to get closer to potential customers, being on Google's top search result would be ideal. However, this will need some research on what the business' potential customers typically type in Google to what the competition is like.

Summary

Search engine optimization is a recommended alternative for businesses who are trying to reach out to an untapped market. Before getting your hands on SEO, make sure your website is well-built and convenient for users' experience.

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