In an increasingly digital business landscape, failing to have an online presence can make or break a company’s monetary momentum. Furthermore, neglecting a fledgling online presence or simply falling short of today’s “I want it fast and easy” standards can be just as detrimental to business. Fortunately, building and cultivating a successful, long-lasting digital footprint for a company, nonprofit, or up-and-coming business blog has become easier than ever.

Propping up a website with pillars like search engine optimized content, reputable backlinks, and appropriately populated metadata is invaluable. New to SEO essentials or simply want a quick refresher course? We’ve got you covered.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Easily the holy grail of both overused buzzwords and online marketing 101, search engine optimization (being able to rank high on search results pages) is the key to digital success in its many forms. Positions are tailored to and departments are fueled by strong SEO strategy, which is why it’s so important to have at least an inkling of SEO knowledge under your belt.

That’s right: We believe it couldn’t hurt if everyone knew a little something about search engine optimization. The topic is vast, and the information available is abundant, but here are some areas to focus on immediately if you’re feeling the SEO itch:

1. Quality Content – “Content is king” didn’t become a marketing mantra simply because it was a catchy phrase. Especially today, consumers have a keen eye for forced or copied-and-pasted content, and most are able to instinctively recognize fluff over valuable information. From detailed product descriptions to engaging category or article copy, filling your website (and it will take time) with quality content needs to be part of your SEO strategy. What exactly is quality content? That depends on your niche and target audience.
2. Keyword Research – It doesn’t take much to start a blog and begin writing. In fact, stream-of-thought commentary can be pretty popular, but simply spouting off about any old topic isn’t what causes those creamy high-quality websites and business blogs to rise to the top. Building articles around strong, accessible keywords helps create inroads to target audiences while continuing the crusade for quality content. Google’s Keyword Planner is a go-to resource for marketers and advertisers across the board.
3. Evergreen Content – Simply put, evergreen content is anything that has sustainable, always valuable information embedded into it. Evergreen content often takes the form of Top 10 lists, intuitive infographics, and step-by-step instruction outlines. Once you’ve got your keywords and target audience in mind, crafting some evergreen content is your next move. Remember: Not everyone is an industry expert, and creating content that can be accessed and utilized by both experts and newbies, today or years from now, is your goal.
4. Metadata – Not all of your search engine optimization efforts take place on the front line or consumer-facing side of your website. Metadata, the hidden tags and content roadmaps doing the work behind the scenes, play a big part in telling search engines what your site is about and how to rank it accordingly. Metadata isn’t as weighted or telltale is it used to be, but it still plays its part in your overall SEO strategy. Simple things such as naming image files, filling out title and meta description fields, or tagging keywords can provide some much-needed traction.
5. Building Backlinks – Oh, backlinks, why do you allude us so? Backlinks, in their purest form, are simply cookie crumbs marking the trail or big digital arrows pointing from one site to another, and the more backlinks you have pointing to your website the better. Getting backlinks from reputable sources can literally elevate your content and improve your website’s SEO standings overnight. But, like all things SEO, backlink building strategy takes dedication. Do some research, find a handful of websites you’d like to create a relationship with, and reach out about guest blogging opportunities. Also, this is where your evergreen content comes into play. It’s not uncommon for a great infographic or a well-written “best of” list to go viral, garnering backlinks from countless sources around the Web.

Admittedly, this barely scratches the surface of search engine optimization strategy and implementation. The topic and the practice is in a state of perpetual evolution, and adapting your strategy accordingly is par for the course. Marketing bibles have been written detailing methods and dissecting tactics for SEO success, so there’s plenty of information available to sink your teeth into if you’re hungry for specifics.

Andrew is a word wizard/content creator extraordinaire who considers himself a bit of a dabbler. From writing to reading, exercise, outdoor exploration, art, music, photography, and even little existentialism, it’s all color on the creative palette.