What Do SEO Specialists Actually Do?
At SEO Experts, we are professionals who play a crucial role in improving your website’s visibility and search engine rankings for your target keywords. We possess in-depth knowledge of search engine algorithms and keep up with the ever-evolving trends and best practices in the field of search engine optimization (SEO).
Our primary focus is to optimize various elements of your website, such as content, meta tags, keywords, and website structure, to enhance its visibility and relevance to search engines.
Our SEO specialists conduct extensive keyword research, analyze website traffic and user behavior, and implement strategies to improve organic search rankings.
We also monitor and analyze website performance using tools like Google Analytics and employ various on-page and off-page optimization techniques to drive targeted traffic and improve the overall user experience.
Additionally, they stay informed about industry trends and algorithm updates to adapt their strategies accordingly, ensuring the website maintains its competitive edge in the search engine results pages. Let’s dive into some of the more specific tasks that are implemented and improved upon to increase your understanding of the work involved.
404 Pages Also Known As Broken Links
A 404 page, also known as an error page, is displayed when a user attempts to access a webpage that doesn’t exist or has been removed from a website. From an SEO perspective, 404 pages can have both positive and negative impacts. On one hand, having a custom-designed and informative 404 page can enhance user experience by guiding visitors to other relevant sections of the website and encouraging them to continue browsing.Â
This can improve overall user engagement and reduce bounce rates, potentially benefiting SEO. On the other hand, numerous 404 errors and broken links can negatively affect SEO by signaling to search engines that a website may have outdated or irrelevant content. Therefore, it’s important for website owners to regularly monitor and fix broken links, redirect pages when appropriate, and ensure a helpful and user-friendly experience for visitors encountering 404 pages.
Orphan Pages
Orphan pages are web pages that are not internally linked to by any other pages within a website. These pages are isolated and lack connections to the overall site structure. From an SEO standpoint, orphan pages can have a negative impact.Â
Search engines rely on internal links to discover and index web pages. Without internal links pointing to them, orphan pages may not be crawled and indexed effectively, resulting in lower visibility in search engine results. Furthermore, orphan pages miss out on the potential authority and relevance passed on by internal linking, which can affect their ability to rank well in search engine rankings.Â
To improve SEO, it is crucial to ensure that all pages on a website are properly linked and integrated into the site’s architecture, allowing search engines to discover and understand their content.
Importance of Using The Correct Keyword in Page Headings
H1, H2, and H3 headings are HTML tags used to structure and organize the content of a webpage. These headings play a significant role in SEO as they provide hierarchical information to search engines about the importance and relevance of different sections of the page.Â
The H1 tag is typically used for the main title or heading of the page and carries the most weight in terms of SEO. It should accurately describe the content of the page and incorporate relevant keywords.Â
H2 and H3 tags are used for subheadings and provide additional context and organization. By properly utilizing headings, website owners can improve the readability and accessibility of their content while also signaling to search engines the main themes and topics covered on the page. This helps search engines understand and index the content more effectively, potentially leading to improved rankings and visibility in search results.
Importance of Meta Tags
Meta tags are snippets of HTML code that provide information about a webpage to search engines and other applications. They play a crucial role in SEO by communicating essential details about the content of a page. The most common meta tags are the meta title and meta description tags.Â
The meta title appears as the headline in search engine results and should accurately summarize the page’s content while incorporating relevant keywords. The meta description provides a brief summary of the page and can influence the click-through rate from search results.Â
Including relevant keywords in the meta description can help search engines understand the page’s topic and improve its visibility. While meta tags alone may not directly impact rankings, they contribute to the overall SEO strategy by providing clear and concise information to search engines and users. Writing compelling and optimized meta tags can lead to higher click-through rates, improved user engagement, and ultimately, better SEO performance.
Images: File Names and Alt Text
Image file names and alt text play a significant role in SEO, specifically for image search and overall website optimization. The file name of an image should be descriptive and relevant to the content it represents, incorporating keywords if appropriate.Â
Search engines use image file names to understand and index the image, so it’s essential to use meaningful names that provide context. Similarly, alt text (alternative text) is a textual description of an image that appears when the image fails to load or for visually impaired users who rely on screen readers.Â
Alt text should be concise, descriptive, and include relevant keywords, helping search engines understand the image’s content and context. Properly optimized image file names and alt text not only enhance the accessibility of the website but also provide valuable signals to search engines, potentially improving the website’s visibility and ranking in image search results and overall SEO performance.
Page Speed
Page speed refers to the time it takes for a webpage to load completely. It is a critical factor in SEO as search engines prioritize delivering a positive user experience. Faster loading pages tend to rank higher in search engine results because they provide a better user experience.Â
When a website loads quickly, visitors are more likely to stay engaged and navigate through multiple pages, reducing bounce rates. Moreover, page speed is crucial for mobile users, as they often have slower internet connections. A slow-loading website can frustrate users, leading to higher bounce rates and lower engagement metrics.Â
Additionally, search engines like Google consider page speed as a ranking factor, rewarding websites that prioritize a fast and efficient user experience. Therefore, optimizing page speed by minimizing file sizes, leveraging caching techniques, and optimizing server responses can positively impact SEO and improve a website’s visibility and rankings in search results.
Backlinks
Backlinks are incoming links from other websites to a particular webpage. They play a significant role in SEO as they serve as a vote of confidence and credibility for a webpage. Search engines interpret backlinks as a signal of the page’s authority and relevance.
When a webpage has high-quality backlinks from reputable and relevant sources, search engines are more likely to consider it as valuable and trustworthy, leading to higher rankings in search results. However, not all backlinks are created equal; quality matters more than quantity. Backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites carry more weight and have a stronger impact on SEO.Â
Additionally, the anchor text used in backlinks provides contextual information to search engines. Building a diverse and natural backlink profile through ethical practices, such as creating valuable content and engaging in outreach and relationship-building, can significantly enhance SEO and improve the visibility and ranking of a webpage in search engine results.
NAP: Name, Address, Phone Consistency Across The Web
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, and it refers to the consistent and accurate representation of these details across various online platforms and directories. NAP consistency is crucial for local businesses and plays a significant role in local SEO.Â
Search engines use NAP information to verify and validate the existence and legitimacy of a business. Inconsistent or incorrect NAP details can confuse search engines and potential customers, leading to lower visibility and rankings in local search results.Â
It is important for businesses to ensure that their NAP information is consistent and up-to-date across their website, online directories, social media profiles, and other online platforms. This helps search engines establish trust and credibility, leading to improved local rankings and increased visibility for the business.Â
Additionally, accurate NAP information helps customers find and contact the business, enhancing the overall user experience and driving more traffic and conversions.
Local Business SEO
Local Business SEO refers to the process of optimizing a business’s online presence to improve its visibility and rankings in local search results. It involves various strategies and tactics specifically tailored to attract customers from a specific geographical location.Â
Local Business SEO is crucial for brick-and-mortar establishments, as it helps them target local customers who are actively searching for their products or services. Optimizing local business listings on platforms like Google My Business, ensuring consistent NAP information across directories, generating positive customer reviews, and creating location-specific content are some key elements of Local Business SEO.Â
By implementing these strategies, businesses can increase their chances of appearing in the local pack (map listings) and organic search results, driving more relevant traffic and improving their overall online visibility. Local Business SEO directly impacts a business’s online presence and can result in increased website traffic, foot traffic to physical stores, and ultimately, more conversions and revenue.
These are some of the major tasks a search engine optimization specialist focuses on. However, this list does not even begin to scratch the surface of what’s involved in the overall strategy. I personally have a checklist with over 250 line item tasks that I work on to get the best results for our clients. The majority of my clients have been with me for many years and there is a reason for that. I have been doing SEO work since 2007 when I was 21 years old and the results from many years of experience certainly show. All of our work is performed 100% in the United States here on the East Coast of Florida and we never outsource. The person that wrote this article is the same person that will be working on your account and communicating with you every step of the way. Contact us today and we will set you up for success for many years to come. 1-800-901-4736 or fill out our form to receive a free website audit and proposal!
