What is SEO?
SEO or search engine optimization is the process in which a website is optimized to yield best results on the search engine results page. This includes targeting relevant keywords and then trying to rank for them on Google.
If you are familiar with SEO, you may of heard the terms “On page SEO” and “Off page SEO”, but what exactly do they mean?
On Page SEO
You may of heard a lot of marketers use the term “On Page SEO”, however you require clarity on the actual definition. In simple terms, on page SEO refers to any optimization work conducted on the actual page or website. This could include a number of
Content marketing
Content creation and optimisation falls under the on page SEO category as it takes positive steps towards ranking on Google. The content can be optimised and structured in a way that the search engines like and can understand. Removal of duplicate content is important, as Google favours original and engaging content.
Page speed optimization
Compressing images and improving code efficiency can help the speed of a website, which will improve its rank-ability on the web. Page structure and speed changes could also fall under the on page SEO category as well as technical SEO.
Web redirects
Creating 301 redirects or pointing pages towards relevant content via canonical tags are good ways to let Google know what content is prioritized, which will give a website more strength in ranking. This work would also fall inside the on page SEO category.
Device friendly
A well ranked website will be friendly on all devices. To ensure a website can rank well, it is important the website is optimized for all devices. This means the website is as easy to use on a mobile as well on desktop or tablet.
Off Page SEO
Off page SEO refers to any SEO work conducted outside of the website, such as social signals, outreach and backlinking.
Backlinking is the process of obtaining backlinks from various sources. Backlinks are simply links back to your website from other websites. Backlinks are a great way to show the search engines that your website is relevant. For example, if a well established website links back to your site, then Google see this as an indication that your website contains worthwhile content. If a number of established websites link back to your site, it will show signals of value and therefore boost your position in the search engines.
Many companies carry out black hat methods such as bulk purchasing back links. This method of backlinking means that the process is unnatural and can easily be identified by search engines. Remember, if backlinks can be easily bulk purchased, it means that anyone else could do the same. If a website links to a large number of poor/spammy websites, it will not seen as a reliable backlink. It is not uncommon for a website with links from unreliable websites to suffer a penalty in the search engines.
Remember, if your website requires any SEO help, feel free to get in contact with us. We love to help businesses grow online.
