The world of SEO can seem a little daunting when you’re just starting out. With so many SEO articles and videos out there, it’s easy to get a little lost in the woods. Which begs the question: how do you sort out the good techniques from the…not so good ones?
Well, as I’ve stated before, I believe in the KISS principle. It has served me well and we practice this here at Purple Cow SEO.
At its core, it’s important to remember that there are 5 components of SEO. You can learn more about each by clicking the links to our dedicated page on that topic. But the 5 core components are:
- Keyword Research
- On-Page Optimization
- Content
- Off-Page SEO (Backlinks)
- Local SEO
I’d like to give you 5 pieces of advice throughout this article. The first is this:
When you learn a new technique, watch a video or read an article, start by figuring out which of the above components it belongs to.
The authors of much of the content available online often don’t let you know which SEO area they are dealing with. They expect you to know. So we think it’s a good idea to understand how to sort them yourself. By the way, we like to help make that apparent with each of our articles.
For a much more in-depth look at each of the 5 components, you can click on any to go to our dedicated article for that component. But we want to give you a brief overview of each and a sneak peak at all of the subtopics you may find about each one.
Keyword Research
Keyword research means searching databases using research tools to find a selection of keyword possibilities for each page on your website. Then, you will vet each keyword to determine which is the most relevant, gets the most search volume, and has the most potential to rank for your page.
Subtopics of Keyword Research and Terms You Should Know:
- Search Intent
- Search Volume
- Keyword Difficulty
- Cost-Per-Click (CPC)
- Head Terms vs Long-Tail Keywords
- Competitor Analysis
- Branded vs. Non-Branded Searches
On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization refers to anything you do on your website to make sure that it will rank in search results. This includes keyword placement, optimization of headings, internal linking, image optimization. We also would include the user experience (UX) in this category.
Subtopics of On-Page Optimization and Terms You Should Know:
- Keyword Placement
- Headings Optimization
- Image Optimization
- Image Alt Text
- Title Tag
- Meta Description
- Internal Linking
- No-Follow Links
- Anchor Text
Content
Content is the bread and butter of your site. It’s all of the text, images and other elements that make up your website. You’ll want to make sure that your content is optimized for SEO. However, it’s important to remember that - above all else - your content should be designed for your users.
Content centers around copy writing. You can (and should) use a combination of human writing and AI. Your human writing should include personal stories, anecdotes and reviews to demonstrate your expertise in your field.
Subtopics of Content SEO and Terms You Should Know:
- Copywriting
- Reviews
- The Place of AI in modern websites
- Keyword Placement
Off-Page SEO (Backlinks)
The goal of all off-page SEO should be to generate a link from someone else’s site that point’s to your site. There are many ways to achieve this, which include guest posting, joining local listings and just plain asking to be included.
Subtopics of Off-Page Optimization and Terms You Should Know:
- Backlinks
- Referring Domains
- Authority and Authority Scores
- Anchor Text
- Competitor Analysis
- Backlink Building Techniquessome text
- Guest Posting
Local SEO
This sometimes overlooked area should be a top priority. You’ll want to rank in the area(s) that you are located and that you service.
The first step to achieving this is creating and maintaining your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) and your Bing Places For Business. Without these, you won’t appear in the search engine’s “local pack.” And businesses that appear in Google’s top 3 (the 3-pack) get over 120% more traffic.
But regularly updating and maintaining them is just as important as creating these profiles. You should post content, add photos, and seek reviews on a weekly or monthly basis.
On top of these profiles, local SEO involves local keyword research. This will mean using search terms with “near me” or your target location in the phrase.
Subtopics of Local SEO:
- Google Business Profile/Google Business Manager (GBM)
- Bing Places For Business
- The Importance of Reviews
- Local Keyword Research
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This article has been just an overview of the 5 core components of SEO. We would like to encourage you to explore each item in-depth in our dedicated guides. Until next time!
