Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a set of techniques implemented to improve the ranking of a website on the pages of search engine results (SERP). It is also called natural referencing. The goal of an SEO expert is to improve the visibility of the websites he supports by designing them to rank higher on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Search engine optimization activities can be grouped into three main categories. It is important to address each of them if you want to improve the ranking of a website in the main search engines.
These three categories are:
This is a difficult question with no direct answer. Google uses about 200 positioning factors. Your company has numerous online competitors, and each of the keywords you want to position will have its set of competitors. On average, SEO can take 6 to 12months. Once your company has positioned itself on the first page of Google search results, you may be tempted to stop there and use your remaining budget for marketing efforts. However, you should continue to optimize your site as this will pay off in the long term.
Google is constantly updating and reviewing its search algorithm to show the most relevant search results and improve the user experience. Therefore, you will want your SEO strategies to be in line with algorithm updates. Unfortunately, some of Google’s algorithm updates often affect a website’s ranking and you might experience some drops on some of your keywords. However, because we follow the Webmaster Guidelines to prevent any penalty on your website or application, we are usually successful in getting the rankings back up.
The cost of SEO is often associated with the type of industry your company is in, the types of keywords, and how fast you want to see the results. Highly competitive business niches require a little higher SEO budget to get better and faster results, while businesses that are less competitive don’t require such a large SEO investment.
At Affinity, we have different SEO packages that fit any type of business or industry
The decision on whether to go with SEO or ads is often dependent on a company’s investment goals. Some companies choose to go with Google ads for a faster return on their investment, while others choose to invest in a long-term organic solution.
If your web site doesn’t follow Google’s SEO guidelines and instead uses prohibited practices to boost its SEO, it will be penalized. You should know that it is dangerous to embark on these kinds of practices because Google is fighting them vigorously.
For websites that do not follow its rules, Google applies two penalties: an algorithmic penalty and a manual penalty. An algorithmic penalty is applied when Google’s algorithm tool considers your website to be cheating on SEO. Thus it is Google’s programming that punishes you, not a person. Google Penguin is an example of an algorithm that penalizes websites that have more poor-quality incoming links than optimized ones.
A manual penalty is one imposed by real people, commonly called Googlers. When a user notices that your site does not have the expected content, thus revealing that you have practiced unethical (also known as Black Hat) techniques to reference it, he can complain to a Googler and your site will be penalized by a human and not by machine. Note that a complaint from a user is not always necessary. Googlers can initiate penalties on their own if they realize your website is breaking the rules.
Local SEO positioning in Google allows us to segment our audience based on geographic criteria, that is, it enables us to reach users in the local area. Many companies and online businesses aim to position themselves at the national level, or even international; however, most businesses have as their main target customers who request their products or services either online or physically. The results of a local business strategy can be spectacular. A web page capable of reaching your company’s closest and most faithful customers can greatly increase its business volume thanks to advantageous positioning.
Affinity Marketing is one of the most experienced SEO companies in Atlanta. We specialize in organic SEO in Google and other search engines. Our work as an SEO agency covers all areas of this discipline, from the on-page technical optimization of your website through the adaptation of content for SEO to the subsequent work of popularity and link-building. Throughout the years, we have worked both on local and national SEO strategies, as well as on internalization scenarios of web positioning. In addition, if you decide to make your website with us, we have a system specifically prepared for search engine positioning.