What Is Organic SEO and How To Do It in 2022?
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Many experts harp on how important it is to use paid advertising to get a ranking in search engines. However, there is another way that often gets overlooked- organic SEO. SEO is an initialism for “search engine optimization.”
The process improves the visibility and ranking of a website or web page in search engine results pages (SERPs). Organic SEO optimizes your website to rank high in the search engines without using paid advertising.
Why Is Organic SEO important?
Organic SEO is important because it allows you to get a high ranking in the search engines without paying for it.
It means you can get traffic to your website without spending any money on advertising. The great thing about not having to pay for advertising is that you can save a lot of money in the long run.
In addition, organic SEO is also important because it allows you to build trust with your audience.
When people see that you can rank high in the search engines without paying for it, they will be more likely to trust your website and your products or services, especially those catered to helping them achieve the same.
How Can I Do Organic SEO in 2022?
There are different things that you can do to optimize your website for search engines.
Structure Your Articles
The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that your website is well-structured and easy to navigate. This means that you should have a lot of sections, headings, and bullet points on your website. In addition, make sure that your website has plenty of images and videos.
Create High-Quality Content
The following thing that you need to do is to create high-quality content. It means that your articles should be well-written and informative.
In addition, ensure that your articles are keyword-rich. Use keywords throughout your articles so that the search engines can easily find them.
High-quality content keeps readers on your site longer and eventually turns them into advocates for your brand. If you have to choose between creating a large number of articles versus high-quality, choose high-quality every time.
It is better to have a long, well-researched article than a shorter one that doesn’t provide much information.
The more you focus on quality content, the more likely you are to get links from other websites. In addition, the longer people stay on your website, the more likely they will buy something from you.
Incorporate Keywords Effectively
Keywords are the foundation of SEO, and, more importantly, how potential customers find your site. There are three keyword types of keywords you should focus on:
- Primary keywords
- Secondary keywords
- Long-tailed keywords
Primary Keywords
Primary keywords are the main keywords for your website. For example, if you have a plumbing website, one of your primary keywords would be “plumbing.” This keyword would need to be in every article and every page on your website. You should also use this keyword in your titles and your metatags.
Secondary Keywords
Secondary keywords are similar to primary ones but are not as popular. Using the same plumbing website example, your secondary keywords might be “plumbing repair” or “plumbing services.”
See how the primary keyword still shows up there? These keywords should be used in your articles and website, but they should not appear as often as your primary keyword.
Long-Tailed Keywords
Long-tailed keywords are more specific but less popular than primary or secondary ones.
Long-tailed keywords for a plumbing site might be “plumbing services in Los Angeles” or “plumbing repairs in San Francisco.” They can be a great way to get traffic to your website.
SEO is constantly changing, but if you focus on these three things – structure, high-quality content, and keywords – you will be well on your way to getting higher rankings in the search engines. In addition, keep your website updated with fresh content.
Where To Use SEO for Success
Many think of SEO as the driving force used in blog articles, but that’s not the only use for this marketing technique. You can also use SEO in the following areas:
On-Page SEO
The process of making your website better optimized for search engines is called on-page SEO. It includes things like optimizing your title tags, meta descriptions, high-quality content, and the structure of URLs. In addition, it also includes optimizing your website for mobile devices.
Title Tags
The title tag is one of the essential elements of SEO. This tag tells the search engine what your website is about. You should ensure that your title tags are keyword rich and accurately describe your website.
Meta Tags
Meta tags are also crucial for SEO. These tags dispense information about your website to the search engines. Double-check that your meta tags are keyword-rich and appropriately represent your website as well.
High-Quality Content
As we've stated before, the key to organic SEO is high-quality content. Your content must be well-written, informative, and keyword-rich to rank high in the search engines.
In addition, your content needs to be updated regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and fresh. Adhere to the structure guidelines listed above to help engage your readers and improve your SEO.
When it comes to organic SEO, the quality of your content is essential. If your content is thin, poorly written, or not informative, it will not only fail to receive a high ranking in the search engines but also turn off your readers.
Ensure your content is well-written, informative, and keyword-rich to achieve the best results.
URL Structure
A well-structured URL is another key to good on-page SEO. The URL is what appears in the search engine results pages (SERP) and should include your target keyword.
Your URL should be clear, contain your primary keyword, and be short and to the point. It should be simple to read and grasp for both consumers and search engine crawlers. Here are a few tips for optimizing your URL structure:
- Use your target keyword in the URL
- Keep your URL short and sweet
- Use dashes (-) to separate words in the URL
- Make sure your URL is easy to read and understand
- Ensure your URL lets readers know what your article is about
Off-Page SEO
SEO isn't just about what's on your website. It's also vitally important to make sure your site is ranked highly on the search engine results pages (SERP).
Off-page SEO includes activities such as link building, social media engagement, and content promotion. Off-page SEO aims to build up your website's authority and trustworthiness, which will eventually lead to higher rankings.
While there are many methods of off-page SEO, the same rule applies – focus on quality, not quantity. Don't worry about getting a ton of links from low-quality websites – it's much better to have a few high-quality links from reputable websites.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the process of optimizing your website for the technical aspects that impact search engine crawling and indexing.
Technical SEO includes optimizing your website's structure, increasing your site's speed, and improving your crawlability. The goal of technical SEO is to make it easier for search engine spiders to crawl and index your website, eventually leading to higher rankings.
There are several technical SEO factors that you need to be aware of, but the primary key is to make sure your website is well-optimized and fast. If your website is slow or difficult to crawl, it will not only hurt your SEO but also turn off your users.
Other technical SEO activities include optimizing your tobots.txt file, enhancing site navigation, and setting up Google Search Console.
SEO is a crucial part of any online marketing strategy. Optimizing your website for search engines can increase your visibility, attract more visitors, and ultimately boost your sales.
Build Backlinks
Next, build backlinks. Getting backlinks is a significant part of organic SEO. A backlink is simply a link from another website to your website. More backlinks equal a higher ranking for your website in the search engines. There are several different ways to obtain backlinks.
- Guestpost to other sites within your niche
- Submit your website to directories
- Market your content on social media
Guestpost To Other Sites Within Your Niche
Guest posting on other websites in your field is one approach to obtaining backlinks. When you guest post, you will be able to include a link back to your website in your author bio. It is a remarkable way to get your website's exposure and backlinks.
Submit Your Website to Directories
Another smart way to get backlinks is to submit your website to web directories. There are many directories to which you can submit your website, and the more you submit your website, the more backlinks you will get.
Market Your Content on Social Media
The last way to get backlinks is to market your content on social media. When you market your content on social media, you will be able to get backlinks from the people who share your content. It is an incredible way to get honorable mentions while scoring backlinks.
Know How To Interpret the SERPS
When trying to rank high in the search engines, you must know how to interpret the SERPs. The SERPs are the results you see when you type a keyword into the search engine. The further up you are in the SERP listings, the more web users will stumble upon your site.
Here are a few different things that you need to look for when you are interpreting the SERPs.
- Number of results
- Competition
- CPC
Number of Results
The first thing you need to look for is the number of results. The number of results will tell you how popular the keyword is. The more results there are, the more popular the keyword is.
If your keywords have a high number of results, it won't be easy to rank high for that keyword. That doesn't mean it's impossible. However, you could save yourself some time by choosing a related keyword that has a lower ranking.
Competition
Next, you need to look at the competition. The competition will tell you how difficult it will be to rank for the keyword. The more competition there is, the more difficult it will be to rank for the keyword.
Many tools used to calculate competition show it on a scale from low to high. Others show it in colors, from green (low competition) to red (high competition).
CPC
Finally, look at the CPC. The CPC is the cost per click. It is the amount of money that you will pay each time someone clicks on your ad. The higher the CPC, the more expensive it will be to rank for the keyword.
Since your main focus is to use organic SEO, you can use this information to determine which keywords you should focus on. If your goal is to rank for a keyword with low competition and a high CPC, you will want to focus on that.
Use Google Analytics to Track Your Progress
Google Analytics is a free tool that you can use to track your progress. The tool will keep a running total of the number of visitors to your website over time compared to previous months.
For example, suppose you have a small business and are planning on opening an email campaign for people to sign up for your newsletter or register for paid events.
In that case, Google Analytics will help you measure what works best. When analyzing data from various sources, it's essential to know how they're relevant.
Google Analytics is an essential tool because it will help you see what is working and what is not. If you are not obtaining the results that you desire, you can use Google Analytics to figure out what you need to change.
For example, if you have an article that gets regular traffic but does not convert well, you can use Google Analytics to hone into what is wrong with the article and then make changes to enhance it.
It could just be a simple change like adding a call to action or changing the title. Alternatively, it could be something more drastic, like rewriting the entire article if you discover it doesn't deliver on what the title offers.
Google Analytics is a very dependable and powerful tool that can help you to improve your website. If you are not using Google Analytics, you should start using it today.
Keeping Up With the Algorithms
Google is constantly changing the algorithms, and if you want to rank high in the search engines, you need to keep up with the algorithms. Google makes changes to the algorithms several times a year, and if you do not keep up with the changes, you will not be able to rank high in the search engines.
What Google says, goes. For example, according to Google, .edu sites are not as valuable as they used to be, so you may want to focus on other types of backlinks.
One of the best ways to keep up with the algorithms is to read the Google Webmaster Guidelines. The guidelines are updated whenever there is a major change to the algorithms, and they will give you an idea of what you need to do to rank high in the search engines.
Another way to keep up with the algorithms is to sign up for the Google Search Central Blog. The blog is also updated whenever there is a significant change to the algorithms. It is an excellent resource for keeping up with the algorithm.
However, understand that Google never plainly says, "do this, and your rankings will improve," because they don't want people to game the system.
They'll give examples of what works and what doesn't but never a specific instruction because that would create more work for them to update as people find ways to game the system constantly.
While keeping up with the algorithms is essential, you should still experiment and see what works for you. Consider a variety of options to discover what works best for your website. It will be an ongoing journey.
Make it easier by seeing what's working for other blogs in your niche. For example, if you are in the travel niche, take a look at some of the most popular travel blogs and see what they are doing to rank high in the search engines.
Overview of Current Google Webmaster Guidelines
The Google Webmaster Guidelines are a set of rules you need to follow to give you a higher chance of ranking in the search engines.
According to Google, their latest broad core algorithm update is to benefit pages that were previously under-rewarded. It means that if you have a website that follows the Google Webmaster Guidelines, you may see a rankings increase.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Create consistent content over time
- Have a simple URL
- Make sure your links are crawlable
- Avoid duplicate content on your site
- Make sure your site is mobile friendly
Create Consistent Content Over Time
Creating consistent content is important because it shows Google that you are an expert in your field and are committed to providing quality content. When you create content, make sure it is well-researched and well-written.
Google wants to see that your website is an authority in your field. If you produce high-quality content consistently, search engines will notice and rank your site higher.
Have a Simple URL
A simple URL is easy for users to remember and easy for Google to crawl. When you create a URL, make sure it is short and relevant to the page. For example, if you have a page about tennis, your URL should be something like www.example.com/tennis.
Google likes brief and relevant URLs. They will reward you with higher rankings if they see that your URLs are short and relevant.
Check to see whether your links are crawlable. For Google to index your pages, they must be able to crawl your site. To ensure your links are crawlable, use relative URLs instead of absolute URLs. Relative URLs are shorter and easier for Google to crawl.
Avoid Duplicate Content on Your Site
Duplicate content can harm your rankings because it confuses Google and makes it difficult for them to determine which version of the content is the most relevant. When you create content, make sure it is original and unique.
Make Sure Your Site Is Mobile Friendly
Google wants your site to be mobile-friendly since many users are using their phones to connect to the internet. A large number of users have been using their phones to browse in the last few years because more and more people own smartphones.
The growth is ongoing, according to Google. The best way to ensure your website can be easily accessed on a mobile device is to use a responsive design.
A responsive design makes your site look good on all devices, including mobile devices. Google will prize you with higher rankings if they see that your site is mobile-friendly.
Customize Your Site for Local SEO
If your website is not optimized for local SEO, you'll miss out on many potential customers. Local SEO helps you rank high in the search engines for local keywords. For example, suppose you offer a basketball training camp service in San Francisco, California.
In that case, you want your business to pop up when someone types “basketball training camp San Francisco California” into the search engine.
To customize your site for local SEO, use the following tips:
- Add your city and state to your title tags and meta descriptions
- Create a local business listing on Google My Business
- Add your business address to your website
- Add your business hours to your website
- Add local photos and videos to your website
Not to mention, you will likely get reviews that will also help your business rank higher in the search engines.
Use Social Media To Promote Your Website
Social media platforms can give your website a much-needed boost in visibility. When you use social media, you essentially get free website advertising.
Use Pinterest as a base as it works very well for SEO. It is a fantastic traffic engine, especially for those just starting that don't have a large following online.
Social media marketing is key to driving traffic to your website. You can engage potential customers and bring them to your site by posting links on your profiles. You can advertise new product launches and even offer discounts to new customers.
Make sure to use keyword-rich descriptions so that people can find your website when they are searching for keywords related to your website.
If you want more website traffic, using social media can help. The most popular social media platforms are:
- Tik Tok
The benefits and drawbacks of each social media platform vary, so you'll need to experiment with each one. Pick one and stick with it for 90 days to see how well it does for your business.
For instance, Facebook is great for creating groups and building relationships with potential customers, but it is not as effective for driving traffic to your website. Tik Tok, on the other hand, is great for driving traffic to your website, but it is not as effective for building relationships with potential customers.
Another way to use social media to promote your website is to join relevant groups and participate in discussions.
You can include a link to your website when you participate in conversations with other people interested in the same things as you. It is a great way to get free exposure for your website.
Whenever you participate in a discussion, people will see your signature and click on the link to your website. So be sure that you are adding value to the discussion and not just spamming the group.
Don't Be Spammy
When you are promoting your website, you mustn't be spammy. If you are spammy, people will not want to visit your website, and they will not want to do business with you.
Don't force people to visit your website, and don't post links to your website everywhere. Be strategic about where you post links to your website, and ensure that you add value to the discussion by sharing your experiences and what you know works.
Also, don't use clickbait article titles, and don't use excessive keyword stuffing. If you promise a solution in a blog title and the blog post goes on for 2000 words without providing the answer, the reader will not return. These things will turn people off your website, and they will not want to visit it.
Your goal should be to add value, create lasting relationships, and provide solutions for readers that end up on your site.
Lead with the benefit of reading an article. Tell the reader the solution in the first or second paragraph and explain why your solution is better than the ones your competition offers throughout the piece.
If you do these things, you will be successful in promoting your website, and you will get the traffic that you are looking for.
White and Black Hat SEO Techniques
There are many different types of SEO techniques that you can use to promote your website. Favorable techniques are known as white hat practices. Unfavorable techniques are black hat practices.
White hat SEO techniques are the techniques that you should use to promote your website. These techniques include things like creating keyword-rich content, building backlinks, and doing social media marketing.
Black hat SEO techniques are the techniques that you should avoid. These techniques include things like:
- Keyword stuffing
- Buying backlinks
- Buying traffic
- Participating in link farms
- Cloaking
- Hidden links
- Sneaky redirects
Keyword Stuffing
Keyword stuffing is the act of cramming tons of keywords into your content in an attempt to improve search engine optimization. However, this practice can have the opposite effect and may result in your content being penalized by search engines.
Keyword stuffing is bad for two reasons. First, it makes your content difficult to read. When your content is hard to read, people will not want to read it and will not want to visit your website.
Second, it makes you look like a spammer who is trying to game the system.
Buying Backlinks
Buying backlinks is another black hat SEO technique that you should avoid. When you buy backlinks, you are essentially paying for someone to link to your website.
This idea is unfavorable for two reasons. First, it violates Google's guidelines. Second, it can get you in trouble with the law.
Buying Traffic
Buying traffic is another black hat SEO technique that you should avoid. When you purchase traffic, you are essentially paying for someone to visit your website.
It breaches Google's policies. Second, it might put you in legal hot water. If Google discovers that you are buying traffic, they could ban your website from their search results.
Participating in Link Farms
A link farm is a website that exists for the sole purpose of selling links. They comprise low-quality websites with little to no original content. Linking to a link farm can result in a search engine penalty, as it is considered a form of spam.
Cloaking
Cloaking is the practice of showing one version of a website to search engine crawlers and another version to users. It is done in an attempt to manipulate the search engine results and is considered a black hat SEO technique.
Hidden Links and Text
Search engines can penalize a website for hiding links and text on a webpage. It is a sneaky tactic and often done in an attempt to manipulate the search engine results.
Sneaky Redirects
A sneaky redirect is a type of redirect used to deceive search engines. It works by showing the search engine a different URL than the one shown to the user. It is another tactic used to manipulate search engine results.
Don't Forget About User Experience
SEO is an integral part of promoting your website, but it is not the only thing you need to do. You also need to focus on other factors of your website, such as the design, the user experience, and the content.
If you don't have a well-designed website, people will not want to visit your website. And if you don't have great content, people will not want to stay on your website.
Content is a massive part of the reader's experience. If the menu to your site is hard to access on mobile, for example, your reader will search for a competitor offering the same thing with better user ability. You need to focus on people's overall experience when they visit your website.
Understand the Main Types of Search Intent
The purpose of entering a query into a search engine is to acquire search intent. There are four main forms of search intent:
- Navigational
- Informational
- Transactional
- Commercial
Navigational
A navigational search intent aims to find a website when the exact URL is unknown. Some examples of navigational queries include "Facebook" or "YouTube." It can happen as a result of typing in one of the sites and being redirected to the wrong page.
Informational
Informational search intent is looking to find information about a particular subject. Some examples of informational queries include "what is SEO," "how to make a website," or "what is the capital of Australia?"
Transactional
Transactional search intent is looking to find a product or service to buy. Some examples of transactional queries include "buy SEO services," "order flowers online," or "book a hotel room."
Commercial
Commercial search intent is looking to find a business that provides a particular service. Some examples of commercial queries include "SEO company" or "SEO agency."
Follow Successful Bloggers in Your Niche
You need to follow successful bloggers in your niche. Find out what they are doing and try to replicate their success. Here are four ways to find successful bloggers in your niche:
Use Google
One of the easiest ways to find successful bloggers in your niche is to use Google. Just search for "top blogs in X niche," and you will be able to find a list of popular blogs in your niche.
Use Social Media
Another great way to find successful bloggers in your niche is to use social media. Search for hashtags related to your niche. Look for the most popular people. Follow popular people in your niche and see what they are doing.
If using Pinterest, look at the number of monthly views on the business page. With Instagram, examine the number of followers. On Tik Tok, look at the number of views. On Facebook, look at the number of likes.
Use Blog Directories
Blog directories are a superb way to find successful blogs in your niche. There are a few different blog directories that you can use, such as Technorati (now Business2community) and Alltop. You can find a list of blogs related to your niche by simply searching online.
Use Google AdWords
Google AdWords is a great way to find successful blogs in your niche. Just search for "X niche" and you will be able to find a list of blogs that are popular in your niche.
Break Out the Video Camera
Video is a fantastic way to connect with your audience, and it is also a great way to show your personality. Blog posts are often skipped over in favor of watching a video on the same topic.
Don't worry If you are not comfortable being on camera, there are other options that you can use. You can create a screencast or an animated video. These are both great ways to connect with your audience.
Create a Community
A community will help to keep people coming back to your blog. Communities are so important because they provide a sense of belonging. It is a safe, non-judgmental environment for people to interact with each other.
There are a few different ways that you can create a community. Hosting a weekly chat or starting a forum are both great ways to create a community. Facebook groups work effortlessly to help keep lots of people in one space.
Don’t Forget About Old Content
Ensure that you are promoting and updating your old content. Just because a post is old doesn't mean it is irrelevant. For example, if you run an audit and realize that a post from six months ago is still getting a lot of traffic, you should update it and promote it again.
On the other hand, if it is an article that hasn't been getting much traction, you might want to consider updating the keywords and promoting it again. Just because your article doesn't get much traction doesn't mean it isn't valuable. It might just need a little refresh.
Strategize for Success
Having a clear strategy is key to being successful with your blog. This article contains loads of ideas to help you get started with gaining traction with organic SEO.
You should now understand better what it takes to be successful with blogging. Implementing even one of these ideas will help to set you apart from the competition.
But, for your blog to be successful, you need to put in the hard work. Consistency is an essential component when it comes to building your following with organic SEO. You need to make sure that you are posting regularly.
Planning and strategy are essential if you want your blog to be successful. But, at the end of the day, it is up to you to put in the hard work and make it happen.
Final Thoughts
If you follow these straightforward and practical tips, you will get more website traffic and improve your search engine ranking. Remember, organic SEO is the best way to get traffic to your website because it is free and will also help you build trust with your audience.
While it depends heavily on high-quality content in most aspects, remember to focus on the technical side of the website as well.