What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
SEO is the acronym for Search Engine Optimization. SEO is the process of improving the search engine rankings of a website, blog, portal, network, community, etc., so that it gets more quality traffic from the major search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing), social networking sites, major directories and other websites on the Internet. Search Engine Optimization is broken down into several classifications: on-site / on-page –> off-page / off-site –> organic seo –> search engine marketing –> black hat seo –> white hat seo -> local seo -> global seo
On-site / On-page Optimization involves choosing the correct keywords / keyword phrases, proper meta tags, clean website code, internal link strategy, minimum external linkages, quality and unique page content, as well as proper structure.
Off-page / Off-site Optimization references the SEO content and linkages we establish off of the actual website. This off site SEO includes articles, blogs, forums, directories, website links. It now also includes social networks, social feeds, social bookmarking and platforms.
Organic SEO is a process that does not utilize the search engine marketing. It is a “natural seo” process that involves on-site and off-site seo techniques to increase search engine rankings, web traffic, user interest and branding. This helps avoid dependence on Search Engine Marketing; can compliment it or can do organic seo only.
Search Engine Marketing is categorized as mostly paid inclusions in search engines, directories and authority websites. Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC) is one popular method. Contextual advertising is another search engine marketing process.
Local SEO is exactly what it is written; local search engine optimization. It is also referred to as geo-targeting or geo-targeted SEO. The concept that applies here is that if a business or website only serves a specific region / market, then it makes sense to target the search engine optimization and online marketing for the areas that they serve. This starts at the city level (one city or multiple cities in a state) and state level (multiple states / major cities targeted).
Global SEO extends the Local SEO to a national and international seo processes. There is a little bit of an overlap in the Local SEO and Global SEO when we consider that expanding a state level SEO campaign becomes a national SEO process and therefore Global statistics can apply.
White Hat SEO is what you want for your website or blog. It is the proper SEO practices according to what the major search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing) state is acceptable / to their standards. It includes a conservative use of Meta Tags, On-Site and Off-Site SEO process that will not jeopardize your site’s placement in the search engines. Sometimes it is hard to tell what is a white hat SEO process because it is a situation or use that is not clearly defined by the search engine guidelines or the search engine optimization specialist has found a “shades of grey” area where a less conservative strategy is permitted. All in all, the search engines all have guidelines of what is white hat SEO by their standards and this is what your website needs.
Black Hat SEO is what you do not want for your website or blog. It is the opposite of white hat SEO and places websites and blogs at risk for not ranking well in Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. In fact, the penalty for black hat SEO is to now show in the search engines at all (not get indexed or dropped from their index / SERPS). Examples of black hat SEO include keyword stuffing, spamdexing, hidden text, using unrelated keywords, etc. Black hat SEO is opposite of the search engines’ guidelines.
Blog SEO – Straight From Google: What You Need To Know
To succeed with Internet Marketing you need to be realistic. You are going to have to put in work and you are going to be dedicated to building the business. You will need to designate a specific time and place to do business each day. Do what you can each day, but do something everyday. Just say to yourself every time you are online “what am I doing to build my business right now.?” Eliminate as much distraction as possible. If you have a spare room make it an office, if not designate the place where your computer is your office space.