SEO Course
SEO Course
What is SEO
What is SEO? SEO stands for "search engine optimization." If you have the same answer,
then you must watch this video till the end because in this video, I am going to tell what is
search engine optimization?
Search Engine Optimization is a term composed of two words: "Search Engine" and
"Optimization." Let's begin by exploring search engines. What exactly is a search engine? A
search engine is a software system designed to search and retrieve information from the
vast World Wide Web, also known as the Internet. As you may be aware, there are
thousands of websites and millions of terabytes of data stored within this digital realm.
Hence, a search engine serves as a tool to locate and retrieve specific information.
Now, let's delve into the meaning of optimization. Optimization refers to utilizing something to
its fullest potential. In the context of search engine optimization, it implies harnessing the
power of search engines in the most effective way possible. Consider how you can leverage
search engines to your advantage. Suppose you have a website or a business. In that case,
you would want your website to appear at the top when individuals search for anything
related to your business, products, or services on any search engine. This utilization of
search engines to optimize your online presence is the essence of search engine
optimization.
One might wonder, do we optimize search engines themselves? Well, search engines are
complex software systems meticulously developed and secured through extensive efforts.
Let's take Google as an example. Can you manipulate Google's backend? Can you
manipulate the algorithms or code to push your website to the top? No, it is not possible. To
put it simply, you cannot optimize the search engine within the search engine. Instead, you
optimize your website to align with the search engine's requirements, ensuring that you
derive the maximum benefit from search engines. For instance, let's say I own a designer
showroom where I create exquisite designer dresses. When someone searches for designer
dresses in Delhi, I want my website to appear at the top. This achievement would be
remarkable. Therefore, the goal is to optimize our website in such a way that it ranks highly
in search engines. This, in turn, will enhance our business, increase conversion rates, and
ultimately foster business growth.
The answer is no. While Google is undoubtedly the most popular search engine, there are
several others in existence.
In the global and Indian contexts, the top three search engines, apart from Google, are
Yahoo and Bing. However, there are additional search engines beyond these three giants.
For instance, Baidu is a highly popular search engine in China, commanding approximately
85% of the market share.
Similarly, Yandex holds a significant position as a search engine in Russia, with equal usage
distribution between Yandex and Google.
Moreover, for those concerned about privacy, there is a search engine called DuckDuckGo,
which prioritizes user privacy by abstaining from storing personal data. This makes it an
ideal choice for privacy-conscious individuals.
So far, we have discussed various search engines and gained an understanding of their
significance. Undoubtedly, search engines have greatly enhanced the quality of our lives,
making tasks easier and more convenient.
As you probably know, the internet is a vast sea of data. It's like a colossal library containing
billions of terabytes of information. Every time a creator uploads new content, whether it's a
website, blog, images, or any changes made to an existing site, Google's crawler—also
known as a spider—comes into action. The crawler scours the web, exploring and gathering
all that data. It carefully examines each website, looking for relevant content before you even
hit that search button. It locates where things are, identifies the content, and collects it to be
stored on Google's own hard disk—the local server.
Now, let me make it clear that this process applies not only to Google but also to other
search engines. Every search engine has its own crawler, doing the heavy lifting. Once the
crawler finishes its job and deposits the data in the local server, it's time for the indexers to
shine. These indexers organize the data into different categories. For example, if a website
features various dresses like black, pink, or maroon, the indexers will sort them accordingly.
They create a structured index, ensuring that Google can provide relevant results to its
users.
So, in a nutshell, the indexers take charge of categorizing all the data on the search engine's
local server. It's like organizing books in a library. Imagine this: I own a library, and I've just
received a truckload of books for my collection. I send my first peon, let's call him the
Crawler or Spider, to unload the books from the truck and place them in the library's main
hall. Next, my second peon, the Indexer, steps in. Their task is to sort and categorize the
books. They arrange the shelves based on language, genre, and other criteria. Once the
books are neatly categorized, my main server—the equivalent of Google's main
server—becomes the hub of organized data.
Now that the crawler and indexer have done their part, it's time for the third peon to enter the
stage. Let's call this peon the Retrieval Specialist. When a user enters a query, this peon
rushes off to find the relevant information based on the indexers' categorization. Just like
someone asking for a specific book in the library, the retrieval specialist locates the
requested data and delivers it to the user. It's all about providing the right book, or in this
case, the right search results, to meet the user's needs.
Google employs complex algorithms to evaluate and rank the indexed data. These
algorithms take into account various factors to determine the relevance and quality of a
website or webpage. Some of these factors include the presence of keywords in the content,
the overall structure and organization of the website, the number and quality of incoming
links from other websites, and the overall user experience.
When you enter a search query, Google's algorithms analyze the indexed data and attempt
to match it with the most relevant results. They consider the words you used in your query,
the context of the search, and even your location and browsing history to provide
personalized results. The algorithms aim to deliver the most useful and authoritative
information based on their understanding of the query and the content available.
Once the algorithms have evaluated the indexed data, the search engine presents you with
a list of search results. These results are displayed based on their relevance, with the most
relevant results typically appearing at the top. Google also considers other factors like the
user's search history, language preferences, and device type to tailor the results further.
It's important to note that search engine algorithms are continuously updated and refined.
Google regularly releases algorithm updates to enhance the search experience and combat
spammy or low-quality content. These updates aim to ensure that the search results are as
accurate and helpful as possible.
So, the next time you use a search engine, remember that there's a lot more happening
behind the scenes than meets the eye. From web crawling and indexing to sophisticated
algorithms, search engines work tirelessly to provide you with the most relevant information
based on your queries.
I hope this explanation sheds some light on how search engines work. If you have any
further questions, feel free to ask!
White Hat SEO, often referred to as Ethical SEO or Organic SEO, embodies the right way to
optimize websites. It emphasizes following search engine guidelines and restrictions, aiming
to provide users with relevant and valuable content.
So, what does White Hat SEO entail? Well, it involves optimizing content in a manner that
appeals to human audiences. This means crafting high-quality, keyword-rich content that
satisfies user queries. We conduct meticulous keyword research, strategically placing
keywords to enhance visibility. I'll cover keyword placement in detail in future videos.
Moreover, White Hat SEO focuses on delivering valuable content, incorporating relevant
links that facilitate seamless navigation between pages. It's important to note that these links
should be organic and meaningful, rather than forced or spammy. Additionally, when building
backlinks, they should come from reputable sources and maintain relevance.
Technical aspects also play a vital role in White Hat SEO. Optimizing website elements, such
as creating efficient sitemaps, resolving technical hurdles, and reducing page load times,
ensures an enhanced user experience. In a nutshell, White Hat SEO aims to prioritize the
audience's satisfaction by employing various techniques that align with search engine
guidelines.
Another Black Hat technique is duplicate content—copying and pasting content from other
sources onto our websites. Even paraphrasing content falls within this category and should
be strictly avoided. Additionally, cloaking is another deceptive tactic employed in Black Hat
SEO. It involves presenting different content to search engine crawlers than what users
actually see. There are various forms of cloaking, such as HTML, JavaScript, and
client-server cloaking, which should never be practiced.
Hidden text and hidden links are yet another Black Hat strategy where keywords or links are
camouflaged by making them the same color as the background. While invisible to users,
these elements aim to deceive search engines. However, search engine algorithms have
become more sophisticated and can identify such techniques, leading to severe
consequences.
Link spamming and link farming are additional examples of Black Hat SEO, involving the
creation of excessive and low-quality backlinks. These practices should be avoided at all
costs, as they diminish the credibility of your website and can result in penalties.
Now, let's address a burning question: Do we use Black Hat SEO in the real world? In an
ideal scenario, we strive to employ White Hat SEO techniques for our practical work.
However, there are instances where clients demand quick results or have limited budgets,
making them more inclined toward shortcuts. This is where some practitioners might
incorporate a small percentage—around 1 or 2 percent—of Black Hat techniques.
While the ideal approach is to prioritize White Hat SEO techniques in practical work, there
are instances where some practitioners may incorporate a small percentage of Black Hat
techniques. This is particularly true when clients demand quick results or have limited
budgets, leading them to seek shortcuts.
However, it's important to note that resorting to Black Hat SEO techniques comes with
significant risks and potential consequences. Search engines continuously update their
algorithms to detect and penalize websites employing unethical practices. These penalties
can range from a decrease in rankings to complete removal from search engine results.
In the long run, the risks of Black Hat SEO far outweigh any short-term gains. Building a
solid online presence and reputation requires a foundation of trust and credibility, which can
only be achieved through ethical and sustainable practices. White Hat SEO techniques may
take longer to yield results, but they provide a more stable and long-term strategy for
success.
Moreover, Black Hat techniques often result in a poor user experience. The deceptive tactics
employed can mislead visitors and damage your brand's reputation. User satisfaction should
be a top priority, as it directly impacts engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty.
Instead of resorting to Black Hat SEO, it's advisable to invest time and effort in
understanding search engine guidelines and best practices. By focusing on creating
high-quality, relevant content, conducting thorough keyword research, optimizing website
elements, and building organic backlinks, you can improve your website's visibility and
attract genuine, interested users.
In conclusion, White Hat SEO is the recommended approach for optimizing websites. It
aligns with search engine guidelines, provides value to users, and ensures long-term
success. While Black Hat techniques may offer temporary shortcuts, they come with
significant risks and can harm your online presence. Prioritizing ethical and sustainable
practices will yield better results, build trust with your audience, and establish a strong
foundation for your website's success.
However, when it comes to black hat and white hat SEO, these fall into the realm of
techniques.
Remember, I mentioned before that there are right and wrong ways to approach things?
Well, those "ways" refer to techniques. So, black hat, white hat, and even the elusive grey
hat are all part of the SEO technique spectrum.
Now, let's say you're in an interview, and the interviewer asks you to name the types of SEO.
Well, my friend, you'd confidently respond with "on-page and off-page." There's one more
aspect we shouldn't forget—the technical side of SEO. So, to summarize, we have on-page
and off-page SEO, plus the technical component. Phew! I hope that clarifies any lingering
confusion.
But wait, there's more! I'm going to share a few tidbits to make everything crystal clear. So,
let's shine a spotlight on the types of SEO. You might be wondering about that technical term
I mentioned earlier. Well, let's put that aside for now and focus on the star of the show:
on-page SEO and off-page SEO.
on-page SEO
When we talk about SEO, we mean optimizing our website and web pages to be search
engine-friendly. We want our digital haven, our business, to soar to the top whenever
someone searches relevant keywords on any search engine. Now, when we dive into the
realm of SEO, a question naturally arises: How do we make it happen? Enter on-page SEO,
the optimization we perform on our web pages, the elements we control.
We strive to create a symphony of optimization within our web pages. And guess what? All
those techniques and tactics fall under the umbrella of on-page SEO. It's all about what we
can control—the magical elements residing within our pages.
Off-page SEO
Now, let's shift gears and zoom in on off-page SEO. Picture this: We've built a splendid
website, and now we're ready to spread our wings outside its digital borders. Off-page SEO
is the optimization that takes place beyond our website's boundaries. We venture into other
websites, seeking to establish backlinks, amplifying our online presence and domain
authority. It's all about growing our business's reputation and building bridges beyond our
virtual realm.
So, what techniques do we employ in the wondrous worlds of on-page and off-page SEO?
Well, hold on tight, folks! On-page SEO offers a dazzling array of techniques, including the
reputable white hat and its edgy counterpart, black hat. These techniques dance
harmoniously within the realm of on-page SEO.
Techniques
Meanwhile, off-page SEO steals the show by employing a diverse mix of both black hat and
white hat techniques. It's a captivating blend that shapes our digital footprint beyond the
confines of our website. Ah, the dance between these techniques—truly a sight to behold!
By now, you must have a clearer understanding of the enigmatic on-page and off-page SEO.
But fear not, my friends, for I shall unveil the wonders of technical SEO in our next
rendezvous. Is technical SEO a separate entity, or does it fall under on-page or off-page?
The answer lies just around the corner, waiting to be revealed in our next video.
If you have any doubts or burning questions, feel free to drop them in the comment section
below. And don't forget to hit that thumbs-up button—it means the world to us! Oh, and make
sure you subscribe to our channel and ring that bell icon to stay tuned for all our exciting new
videos.
Allow me to explain further. Everything we do on our website belongs to the on-page realm.
And when we engage in activities beyond our website—such as social media and other
platforms—to enhance our search engine visibility, we step into the domain of off-page SEO.
Technical SEO focuses on addressing the technical challenges and intricacies of our website
to improve its performance. It's like the tech-savvy sidekick of on-page optimization.
But why do I consider technical SEO an inseparable part of on-page optimization, you ask?
Well, let's settle this debate right here.
Technical SEO enhances our website's crawling and indexing capabilities. Before we can
climb the ranking ladder, we need to ensure our website is thoroughly crawled and indexed
by search engines like Google.
By optimizing the technical aspects, we provide a smooth path for crawlers, allowing them to
devour every morsel of information on our website. This, in turn, helps in categorizing and
indexing our content effectively. So, technical SEO is an integral ingredient in the recipe for
SEO success.
Now, let's talk about the crucial techniques employed in technical SEO. While we
predominantly focus on white hat techniques—ethical practices—rather than the darker side
of SEO, there are still plenty of strategies to explore. So, fasten your seatbelts as we embark
on this technical SEO adventure.
First and foremost, we need to address the need for speed. When visitors arrive at our
website, we want to provide them with a lightning-fast experience. After all, speed plays a
vital role in user satisfaction.
We'll delve into ways to assess and optimize the speed of our website, ensuring a
seamless browsing experience.
Next, we'll turn our attention to fixing the HTML framework of our website.
A well-structured and easily readable website makes it a breeze for search engine
crawlers to explore every nook and cranny.
Additionally, we'll add essential tags and redirects—like 301, 302, and 404—to ensure
proper navigation and a delightful user journey.
But wait, there's more! With over 60% of Google traffic originating from mobile devices, we
must make our websites mobile-friendly.
Embracing responsive design ensures that visitors can access and navigate our content
effortlessly, regardless of the device they use.
Furthermore, we'll tackle the challenge of duplicate indexing head-on.
We don't want search engines to get confused and present multiple versions of our content.
By employing various techniques, we'll eliminate duplicate indexing and maintain a clean
and focused online presence.
And that's not all, folks! Throughout this course, we'll uncover the secrets of site maps, the
importance of the robot.txt file, and unravel other mysterious terms you might have
encountered for the first time. Don't worry; I've got your back, and together we'll unravel the
technical SEO enigma.
When I previously explained how search engines function, I mentioned the vast amount of
data available on the internet.
Google's diligent crawler or spider scours this data and stores it in its local server.
Subsequently, Google's indexer categorizes and stores this data in its main server.
Finally, when a user enters a query, Google displays relevant data, including websites,
images, videos, and more.
All of this collective data is known as the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
We have touched upon this topic before, but now let's delve deeper into the role of
algorithms.
The indexed data we have is meant to be showcased to users based on their search
queries, providing them with the most relevant results.
Now, you might be wondering how many algorithms Google has. Well, Google doesn't rely
on a single algorithm. In fact, it employs numerous algorithms, and whenever an algorithm is
updated, Google modifies its algorithmic system. While some updates bring minor changes
that go unnoticed, others result in significant shifts. In today's video, I will shed light on these
noteworthy updates.
Panda
Let's begin with the first algorithm on our list: Panda. Introduced in 2011, Panda
revolutionized the SEO landscape. Prior to 2011, many websites resorted to duplicating and
using thin content—content lacking value—scraped from various sources. Google's Panda
algorithm aimed to combat this by penalizing websites featuring duplicate or thin content,
or engaging in excessive keyword stuffing. Such practices would result in lower rankings,
and in severe cases, even website blocking. The arrival of Panda necessitated a complete
overhaul of existing SEO approaches. To align with this algorithm, it became imperative to
focus on generating high-quality, original content, steering clear of duplication or plagiarism.
So, to tackle Panda effectively, prioritize quality content creation with the help of proficient
writers.
Penguin
Moving on, we encounter the second significant algorithm: Penguin. Launched in 2012 (with
implementation occurring from 2015-16), Penguin targeted a prevalent SEO practice at
the time—excessive backlink creation. Backlinks play a crucial role in off-page SEO.
However, prior to Penguin, many websites engaged in link spamming and unnatural
backlinks play a crucial role in off-page SEO. However, prior to Penguin, many websites
engaged in link spamming and unnatural backlink practices to manipulate their search
rankings. Penguin aimed to address this issue by penalizing websites with low-quality or
spammy backlinks. It emphasized the importance of earning high-quality backlinks from
authoritative and relevant websites.
To adapt to the Penguin algorithm, it's essential to conduct regular backlink audits and
disavow any harmful or irrelevant links. Focus on building natural and organic backlinks
through valuable content and genuine outreach efforts.
Hummingbird
The third algorithm on our list is Hummingbird, introduced in 2013. Unlike Panda and
Penguin, which focused on penalizing specific SEO practices, Hummingbird aimed to
enhance the search experience by understanding the context and intent behind user
queries. It placed greater emphasis on semantic search and natural language processing.
Hummingbird enabled Google to interpret search queries more effectively and deliver more
accurate results. As website owners, it's crucial to optimize your content for user intent,
long-tail keywords, and conversational queries. Creating comprehensive and informative
content that answers users' questions will align your website with the Hummingbird
algorithm.
RankBrain
Moving on, we have the fourth algorithm: RankBrain, launched in 2015. RankBrain is an
artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that uses machine learning to understand and interpret
complex search queries. It focuses on delivering more relevant search results by analyzing
user behavior and preferences.
RankBrain helps Google understand the meaning behind ambiguous queries and provides
users with the most appropriate results. To optimize for RankBrain, focus on user
experience, engagement metrics, and ensure your content matches user intent. Creating
compelling, user-friendly content that keeps visitors engaged will improve your chances of
ranking higher.
BERT
Lastly, we have the fifth algorithm on our list: BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations
from Transformers), introduced in 2019. BERT enhances Google's ability to understand the
context and nuances of words within a search query. It enables Google to process natural
language more effectively and deliver more accurate search results.
To align with BERT, focus on creating content that is valuable, informative, and
contextually rich. Use natural language and aim to answer specific user queries directly.
Optimizing for long-tail keywords and providing comprehensive information will help your
content perform well under the BERT algorithm.
Let's dive into the latest update from Google. They've really shifted their focus to the kind of
user experience we get when we visit a website. It's all about delivering a top-notch
experience, you know?
Google's saying that if a website offers a killer user experience, with speedy load times,
stable pages, and top-quality content, they'll give it a higher ranking. So, technical SEO has
become super important. Remember when I mentioned it in those earlier videos? Yeah, it's a
big deal, and this page experience update just adds to its significance.
Now, Google has been preaching about improving page experience time and time again.
They want the user experience to be flawless, with pages running smoothly and load times
kept to a minimum. So, how do we make all this happen? Don't worry, we'll cover it all in the
upcoming videos.
Thank you for providing information about the "helpful content update" by Google. This
update is focused on ensuring that search results display more original and helpful
content written by people, for people. It rewards content that provides a satisfying
experience to visitors, while content that doesn't meet visitors' expectations may not perform
as well.
To create content that aligns with this update, it is important to follow Google's long-standing
advice and guidelines to prioritize people-first content creation. Here are some key
considerations:
Audience Relevance: Ensure that your content is useful for your existing or intended
audience. Think about whether they would find the content valuable if they came directly to
your site.
Primary Purpose: Your site should have a clear primary purpose or focus to provide
valuable content in a specific domain.
Goal Achievement: After reading your content, visitors should feel that they have learned
enough about a topic to help them achieve their goals.
Satisfying Experience: Strive to create content that leaves readers feeling satisfied and
fulfilled after consuming it.
Core Updates and Product Reviews: Take into account Google's guidance for core
updates and product reviews while creating content.
On the other hand, it is important to avoid creating content primarily for search engines. Here
are some warning signs that indicate a search engine-first approach:
Search Engine Attraction: If your content is primarily created to attract people from search
engines rather than for human readers, it may not align with the people-first approach.
Content Quantity over Quality: Producing a large volume of content on different topics in
the hope that some of it performs well in search results is not recommended.
Excessive Automation: Relying extensively on automation to generate content across
various topics is discouraged.
Lack of Value Addition: Merely summarizing what others have already said without adding
substantial value of your own may not provide a satisfying experience to readers.
Trend-Focused Content: Creating content on topics solely because they seem trending,
without considering whether it would be relevant to your existing audience, is not ideal.
Inadequate Information: If your content leaves readers feeling the need to search again for
better information from other sources, it may not be considered helpful.
Word Count Focus: Writing to a particular word count because of a perceived preference
by Google is not necessary. There is no preferred word count set by Google.
Lack of Expertise: Choosing to enter a niche topic area without possessing real expertise
but solely for the purpose of gaining search traffic is not recommended.
False Promises: Avoid promising answers to questions that have no confirmed answer,
such as release dates for products, movies, or TV shows when they are not officially
announced.
The update will start rolling out soon, and it introduces a new site-wide signal that considers
the value and helpfulness of content. Sites with a relatively high amount of unhelpful content
may experience lower performance in search rankings. However, removing unhelpful content
could improve the rankings of your other content.
It may take several months for a site to see improvements after removing unhelpful content.
The classification process is automated and runs continuously. Once it determines that
unhelpful content has not returned in the long-term, the classification will no longer apply.
The update applies to English searches globally initially and will expand to other languages
in the future. Google plans to refine the classifier's ability to detect unhelpful content and
launch further efforts to reward people-first content.
If you have feedback about this update, you can comment on the designated thread in
Google's help forum. If you want
Alright, folks, let's dive right into it! Today, we're going to unravel the mystery of dwell time
and its significance when it comes to boosting your website's ranking on search engines like
Google and Bing. So buckle up and get ready for an insightful journey!
You see, dwell time is the amount of time that a user spends on your website before
bouncing back to the search engine results page.
In simpler terms, it's like measuring the time a visitor hangs around on your site. But
here's the kicker: dwell time is not just about mere numbers; it's about understanding
how satisfied your audience is with your content.
Now, you might be wondering, "Hey, isn't that the same as bounce rate?" Well, my friend,
they may seem similar at first glance, but they're not quite the same.
Bounce rate measures how quickly someone leaves your site without interacting
further. It tells us the duration between when a person arrives on your website and
when they hit that back button. However, bounce rate alone doesn't reveal whether
the user found what they were looking for or if they had a positive experience.
This is where dwell time steps in to save the day! Dwell time goes beyond a simple time
measurement. It sheds light on how engaged your audience is with your content. Think
about it: why would someone spend a solid chunk of time, say 10 or 15 minutes, on your
website? It's because they're finding value, satisfaction, and relevance in what you have to
offer. Dwell time is like a vote of confidence from your visitors, a sign that you're hitting the
mark and delivering the goods.
On the flip side, if a user bounces back within a few seconds, it's a red flag. It could indicate
a less-than-ideal user experience. Maybe your page took ages to load, or perhaps your
content wasn't as relevant as they expected. It could even be a case of keyword spamming
or other errors that turned them away. These are the factors that contribute to a short dwell
time.
Now, here's the kicker: search engines, especially Google, take dwell time seriously when
determining your website's ranking. They want to ensure that users are getting the best
possible experience when they click on search results. So, if you want to climb up those
search engine rankings, it's crucial to focus on improving your dwell time.
How do you do that, you ask? Well, my friend, it's all about crafting top-notch content. Write
compelling, relevant, and engaging articles that keep your audience hooked. Make sure your
website loads quickly and smoothly, leaving no room for frustration. Oh, and don't forget the
technical stuff! Pay attention to the nitty-gritty details of technical SEO, because in this
rapidly changing world of algorithms, staying on top of your game is vital.
To sum it all up, dwell time is a crucial player in the SEO game. It helps us gauge user
satisfaction and impacts our website's ranking. So, if you want to achieve that coveted high
ranking, focus on creating exceptional content, providing a seamless user experience, and
keeping your visitors glued to your website.
1. How do you secure an SEO project in the first place? Well, if you work for a company,
you might handle the digital marketing aspect internally.
And then there's freelancing. This can be an excellent way to handle someone's project or
even create a dummy website for practice, gaining valuable hands-on experience. So, rest
assured, there are multiple avenues through which you can secure a project.
Now, once you have a project in your hands, what should be your first move?
The initial goal should be to understand the project's niche inside out. Take the time
to grasp the nature of the business itself. What are its objectives? What does the
client, the business owner, expect from you as an SEO expert? Moreover, determine
the target location.
It's possible that a client approaches you and specifies a particular location. For example,
let's say they want their business to thrive in Delhi. Another client might request visibility in
multiple cities, like Delhi and Mumbai, or even the entire state of Rajasthan. Some might aim
for nationwide reach, while others have a global audience in mind.
Understanding the business is not enough; you must also evaluate the website's current
position.
This analysis is crucial because it allows you to make comparisons. Suppose a website had
200 monthly visitors before you started, and now it has reached 2000. Having such data
enables you to demonstrate the progress you've achieved. Thus, before commencing the
SEO project, thorough performance analysis becomes essential.
With a comprehensive understanding of the project's niche, objectives, target location, and
the website's current position, you can move on to the next step: conducting a thorough
website audit. This audit will help you identify any existing issues, technical or otherwise, that
might hinder the website's performance in search engine rankings. Some important aspects
to evaluate during the audit include:
Website Structure: Assess the website's overall structure, navigation, and user experience.
Ensure that the site is user-friendly, easy to navigate, and optimized for mobile devices.
On-Page Optimization: Review the website's on-page elements, such as title tags, meta
descriptions, header tags, and keyword usage. Optimize these elements to align with the
targeted keywords and improve search engine visibility.
Content Evaluation: Analyze the quality, relevance, and uniqueness of the website's
content. Identify areas where new content is needed, and ensure that the existing content is
properly optimized for SEO.
Technical SEO: Check for technical issues that can affect the website's performance, such
as broken links, duplicate content, page load speed, XML sitemap, and robots.txt file.
Address these issues to enhance the website's crawlability and indexability.
Backlink Profile: Evaluate the website's backlink profile to determine the quality and
authority of inbound links. Identify any toxic or spammy links that might negatively impact the
website's SEO performance and take appropriate measures to disavow or remove them.
Once you have completed the website audit, it's time to create a comprehensive SEO
strategy and plan.
3. Keywords
This involves setting specific goals and objectives for the project, identifying the target
keywords and content strategy, implementing on-page and off-page optimization
techniques, and outlining a content promotion and link-building strategy.
During the implementation phase, you will optimize the website's on-page elements, create
and optimize content, build high-quality backlinks, and monitor the website's performance
using analytical tools. Regular tracking and analysis of key metrics, such as organic traffic,
keyword rankings, and conversions, will help you measure the effectiveness of your SEO
efforts and make necessary adjustments to improve results.
In addition to the technical and strategic aspects of SEO, it's essential to maintain effective
communication with the client throughout the project. Keep them updated on the progress,
provide regular reports, and address any questions or concerns they may have. Building a
strong client relationship based on trust and transparency is crucial for long-term success in
SEO projects.
4. Competitor Analysis
Analyze the SEO strategies and performance of competing websites in the same niche.
Identify their strengths and weaknesses to gain insights and develop a more effective SEO
strategy for the project.
5. Data Analysis
For example, you have a fantastic blogging website, and there's a page dedicated to
explaining the ins and outs of digital marketing. Now, "digital marketing," "marketing," and
"what is digital marketing" are all examples of juicy keywords that encapsulate the core of
your content. These keywords act as signposts, guiding both your audience and search
engine crawlers towards your website.
Speaking of search engine optimization (SEO), keywords take on a slightly different role.
In the SEO world, keywords are the magic words you want your web page to rank for. Let's
say you have a captivating blog about digital marketing. Naturally, you'd want your website to
pop up at the top of the search results when someone types in a related query, like "what is
digital marketing" or "digital marketing 2023." Those specific keywords are what you're
aiming to conquer.
Keywords are the gateway to making your website visible to both search engine crawlers
and your target audience.
By strategically placing the right keywords within your content, you're sending signals to
Google and other search engines, letting them know that your web page is relevant and
deserves a prominent spot in the search results.
But hold your horses! Don't go thinking that keywords alone will guarantee your website's
success. Search engines consider a plethora of factors when ranking websites, and
keywords are just one piece of the puzzle. However, when it comes to SEO, the primary
reason for using keywords is to enhance the user experience. Yes, you heard it right!
Keywords are there to cater to your audience's needs.
Imagine this scenario: someone searches for "best salon in Delhi," and lo and behold, your
salon website pops up because you've strategically incorporated those very keywords into
your content. The user gets exactly what they're looking for—a detailed rundown of the best
salons in Delhi. See, keywords bridge the gap between what your audience desires and
what your website offers. It's a win-win situation.
Now, onto the burning question: how do you use keywords effectively in SEO? Fear not, my
friends, because in future videos, I'll walk you through the process of keyword research,
selection, and application. We'll explore various tools, techniques, and tricks of the trade,
ensuring you become an SEO pro in no time.
But for now, let's cover a couple of key points. First and foremost, when incorporating
keywords into your content, moderation is key. Don't go overboard with keyword usage.
There's a concept called "keyword density" that we'll delve into later, but as a rule of thumb,
aim for around 2-3% of your content to be comprised of keywords. It's all about finding the
sweet spot.
Moreover, while being moderate, you also want to keep things natural. Don't randomly
scatter keywords like confetti. Instead, integrate them seamlessly within sentences,
topics, and paragraphs. Let them flow organically, like a well-choreographed dance.
Remember, it's not about stuffing your content with keywords; it's about planning them
strategically and writing content that aligns with those keywords. Trust me, there's a world of
difference between keyword stuffing and skillful keyword planning, and I'll cover that in future
videos.
Types of keywords
Long Tail vs Short Tail Keywords: What’s the Difference?
Alrighty then! You're probably wondering, what's the deal with short tail and long tail
keywords, right? Well, buckle up and stick around 'til the end of this video, because I'm about
to break down the real difference between these two keyword types. We're gonna dive into
what they are and which ones you should be using for SEO.
Now, here's the thing: the common notion is that short tail keywords are those with less than
three words, while long tail keywords have more than three words. But let me tell you, that
definition is flat out wrong.
Short tail keywords actually refer to general queries, while long tail keywords are all
about specific queries.
Let me explain it in detail for you. So, when it comes to short tail keywords, they're the ones
people use when they're making a broad search. Let's say someone types in "shoes" on
Google or any search engine. Now, we know they're looking for shoe-related information, but
we can't be sure about the specifics. We don't know if they want to learn how to make shoes
or buy them. We don't even know if they're looking for men's or women's shoes, or if they
need running shoes, sports shoes, or boots. It's a bit of a mystery, isn't it?
So, to sum it up, a short tail keyword is simply a keyword used for a general query. It doesn't
matter if it's one, two, three, or five words long. Now, if someone were to ask you about
short tail keywords, you can confidently say that they're used for general queries. Simple as
that!
Now, let's shift our focus to long tail keywords. These babies come into play when users
want something specific. For example, going back to our shoe search, if that same person
types in "best running shoes for women," bam! We've got ourselves a specific query. In
this case, we know exactly what that person wants. They're after running shoes specifically
tailored for women. We've got five key pieces of information right there.
So, if your website offers top-notch women's running shoes, then your page is relevant to
that search. But let's say your website only caters to men's shoes. Well, in that case, your
page is irrelevant for that particular query. You don't want Google to rank it, and guess what?
Google won't bother ranking it either. So, remember, folks, your content needs to be relevant
to the keyword you're targeting. It's as clear as day!
Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty of using keywords for SEO. The burning question is: should
you go for long tail or short tail keywords? Well, my friend, it all depends on the
competition and volume of your keyword. We're talking about some serious factors here.
And fear not, I'll be bringing you a series of videos on how to select the perfect keyword.
We'll dive into volume, competition, and a whole lot more. So, whether you choose short tail
or long tail, it'll all depend on your product, service, competition, and volume. There's no
one-size-fits-all answer, my friend!
But here's a little tidbit for you: short tail keywords usually have fierce competition. Take the
example of shoes, and you'll find a mind-boggling variety out there. You've got women's
shoes, men's shoes, football shoes, running shoes, sports shoes, and the list goes on. With
so many options, you can bet the competition will be tough. On the other hand, long tail
keywords tend to have less competition. Some products and websites thrive on long tail
keywords, while others prefer short tail.
Navigational keywords play a crucial role in SEO, although they are often overlooked. In this
article, we'll discuss their significance and explore strategies for utilizing them effectively
within your website's content. Let's begin with a compelling case study that demonstrates the
successful use of navigational keywords.
Imagine typing "Nehru Mountaineering Institute" into a search engine. The Nehru Institute
is a renowned government institute that offers mountaineering courses. However, due to
high demand, securing a spot there requires booking three years in advance. As an
individual seeking to enroll in a mountaineering course next month, it is disheartening to find
that all the slots at the Nehru Institute are already booked.
How did the Jawahar Institute achieve this feat without resorting to black-hat SEO practices?
Let's examine their approach. On their website, they cleverly incorporate navigational
keywords in their content, ensuring it flows naturally and is not forced. For example, when
describing the institute's principal, they mention that he previously held the same position at
the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarakashi for four years. By strategically utilizing
the navigational keyword, they attract individuals who are seeking an alternative to the
Nehru Institute.
I hope you found this case study and video informative and insightful. Remember to support
our channel by liking, commenting, and subscribing. Stay tuned for more valuable content.
Thank you for your continued support!
Moving on to today's topic of intent, let's delve into the two new categories: transactional
and commercial keywords. First, let's discuss commercial keywords before transitioning to
transactional keywords.
Commercial keywords
As the name suggests, commercial keywords are related to business and commerce.
When users search using these keywords, it becomes evident that they have a specific
intention. These keywords indicate that the user is interested in making a purchase or
seeking information about a product they want to buy.
For example, if someone searches for "men's shoes online," we understand that they are
specifically looking for shoes for men available on an e-commerce website. As content
creators, we aim to optimize our web pages or e-commerce sites to attract these users by
incorporating relevant commercial keywords into our focus keywords.
Transactional keyword
For now, let's focus on this example. If a person intends to buy a product and is actively
searching for it, we refer to it as a transactional keyword. For instance, when someone types
"buy Nike shoes online," their intention to make an immediate purchase is evident. In such
cases, we should showcase the specific product directly rather than directing them to a
general website. It is crucial to distinguish between commercial and transactional keywords
and optimize accordingly.
To summarize the difference between the two, commercial keywords indicate a user's desire
to purchase a product but without specifying the brand or immediate purchase intent. On the
other hand, transactional keywords imply an immediate intention to buy a particular product.
Transactional keywords often contain words like "buy," "order," or "book." By
understanding this distinction, you can enhance your keyword research practices and
optimize your content more effectively.
This example provides a glimpse into the importance of keyword research. As we progress
through this SEO course, I will present practical projects that will give you a hands-on
understanding of transactional, commercial, and navigational keywords. You will witness how
these keywords significantly impact our strategies and search rankings.
Now, the question arises: how do we determine whether a keyword is informational or not?
The answer lies in understanding the audience's intention and thoughts behind the
keyword.
When someone types a keyword, we must discern whether they seek information, a
commercial query, or a specific website (a navigational keyword).
Therefore, comprehending the user's intention is crucial.
As a general rule, informational keywords often manifest as questions.
For instance, "What is the height of Mount Everest?" indicates that the audience seeks
information about the mountain's height.
Similarly, if someone searches for "How to cook biryani," they are inquiring about the
cooking process.
For bloggers, informational keywords play a vital role as they aid in generating content ideas
and determining blog topics.
By researching informational keywords related to their niche, bloggers can pinpoint popular
queries and create informative articles accordingly.
While informational keywords may not be as crucial for commercial websites or service
providers, this doesn't mean they should be disregarded entirely.
It's advisable to prioritize transactional and commercial keywords since they directly reflect
the audience's intent to make a purchase or take action.
However, informational keywords can still be employed strategically, especially when dealing
with topics where suitable keywords are scarce.
If we aspire to secure a high ranking for our page on Google, we must emphasize LSI
keywords. The reason being that Google itself strives to comprehend its audience's LSI,
including synonyms and categorized words like digital marketing, SEO, SMO, and paid
ads. To uncover LSI keywords, Google serves as a valuable tool, providing numerous ideas.
When you input a query into Google, at the bottom of the search engine result page, you'll
find a list of blue-colored words, which are LSI keywords. Additionally, there are various
free and paid tools available, such as keywords.io and LSI graph, which assist us in practical
keyword research. I will provide a complete tutorial on these tools in due time. Hopefully, you
now have a better understanding of LSI keywords and their crucial role in keyword research.
As Google's audience matters to us since we aim to reach them through search engines, LSI
keywords hold great significance in SEO.
For those of you who are not familiar with English grammar, let me explain. A singular word
refers to something that is singular or individual, such as "school," "course," or
"question." On the other hand, plural words refer to multiple instances of those things,
which we refer to as "schools," "courses," or "questions."
Now, when it comes to keyword research, should we treat singular and plural keywords as
the same or conduct separate research for each? Instead of giving you a direct answer, I will
provide you with some evidence to help you make an informed decision. Let's head over to
Google for this purpose. I have opened Google in incognito mode to ensure unbiased
results.
Let's start with a simple keyword, "water source." When I type "water source," the top
website I see is EPA.gov, followed by CDC.gov. If I make a slight change and type "water
sources" instead, the first website that appears is Wikipedia, with CDC.gov coming in second
place. The previously top-ranked EPA.gov has now dropped to third place. This simple
exercise demonstrates how adding an "s" can alter the ranking of websites.
Now, let's consider another example. I will search for "interview question." Upon typing this,
the first website that appears is "The Muse," followed by INC and Novo Resume. However,
when I change the query to "interview questions," the top website becomes Monster.com,
and "The Muse" drops to second place. In this case, the addition of an "s" affected the
ranking significantly.
These exercises clearly show that Google treats singular and plural keywords differently, as
indicated by the change in rankings. As an SEO expert, I encourage you to think logically
and consider whether singular and plural keywords should be researched separately or not.
The difference in search volume between the two types of keywords may vary, but it is
essential to take this into account.
For instance, let's consider the keywords "digital marketing firm" and "digital marketing
firms." Although the difference in volume may not be substantial, say 1,200 searches for the
former and 1,100 searches for the latter, it is still significant. In this case, I would choose the
keyword with the higher search volume, which is "digital marketing firm." So, it is crucial to
apply this logic when conducting keyword research.
If I were to conduct keyword research for that specific page, my first step would be to
brainstorm keywords associated with the content. In this case, I would contemplate
keywords such as "digital marketing course," "digital marketing training," and
"budget-friendly digital marketing course." I would draw ideas from my own thoughts and
insights to develop these types of keywords. The underlying objective is to envision the
keywords that our target audience would search for when seeking out our web page in their
search engine results.
However, it's vital to avoid a common mistake: thinking solely about our own search
preferences. It's essential to consider the keywords that align with our audience's
expectations, even those users who lack technical expertise, such as a school student with
no prior knowledge of digital marketing. In such instances, if that individual were to type
"best IT courses," I would strive to establish a connection to digital marketing. Similarly, if our
audience were to search for "best internet marketing," "social media course," or "search
engine course," our web page should appear because these keywords fall within the realm
of digital marketing.
Consequently, the primary task involves contemplating the keywords our users might
employ. This requires a proactive approach on our part. Subsequently, we can focus on the
main keyword categories, such as "digital marketing." Thus, the process entails initially
considering what the audience might search for and subsequently expanding upon the core
keyword categories, including SEO, SMO, email marketing, affiliate marketing, and other
related domains. It's advisable to maintain a record of all these categories.
Furthermore, we can leverage the power of Google. As previously mentioned, Google offers
valuable hints that can aid us in generating additional keyword ideas. We simply need to
know how to tap into this resource effectively. Let's explore how we can further enhance our
brainstorming by utilizing Google.
Brainstorming involves engaging your cognitive faculties to ascertain the keywords suitable
for a specific business, website, or web page. By employing logical reasoning and tapping
into your expertise, you can elicit relevant keyword ideas. Let's consider an example to
illustrate this process: Suppose you operate a house cleaning services business in a major
city like Delhi.
To initiate the brainstorming process, ponder the following question: "If I were in Delhi and
required house cleaning services, what keywords would I type?" The answers may vary from
person to person, but it's essential to acknowledge that this is merely the initial stage of the
research process. First and foremost, generate an idea such as "house cleaning services in
Delhi." Subsequently, enter this keyword into Google to explore related suggestions. For
instance, you might encounter keywords such as "home cleaning services in South Delhi,"
which underscores the interchangeability of the terms "house" and "home" in user searches.
Other potential keyword ideas that might appear during your Google search could include
"professional house cleaners in Delhi," "affordable house cleaning services," "reliable maid
services in Delhi," and so on. By exploring these related suggestions, you can expand your
list of potential keywords.
Remember, the brainstorming process is not about finding the perfect keywords right away.
It's about generating a wide range of ideas that are relevant to your business or website.
Later on, you can refine and prioritize these keywords based on search volume, competition,
and relevance.
Let's examine a case study. Consider the example of searching for a keyword like "fashion
clothes in Delhi." As you can observe, the first website that appears is "16 best
multi-designer stores in Delhi." Do you notice the absence of the main keyword, "fashion
clothes," anywhere on this page? It seems to be nowhere to be found. However, upon
visiting the page, you will indeed find instances of the keyword "fashion clothes in Delhi"
mentioned. The page's main heading and description do not include any reference to
"fashion clothes." Even upon scrolling down, the keyword remains elusive.
So, why does this happen? If our main keyword is missing from the top-ranking websites,
why should we bother with keyword research? The answer lies in LSI keywords, which
stands for Latent Semantic Indexing Keywords. LSI keywords are synonyms or related terms
that can be associated with the main keyword. In the case of "fashion clothes," LSI keywords
can include "designer clothes," "boutiques," and "multi-designer clothing stores." These LSI
keywords might explain why the main keyword is not visibly present on the top-ranking
website. The page might have used its synonyms or LSI keywords instead.
This realization emphasizes that our focus should not solely be on the main keyword. It is
essential to identify the LSI keywords associated with our main keyword. In a previous video
about LSI keywords, I mentioned the availability of various tools that aid in finding LSI
keywords. One such tool is LSI Graph. You can either directly type "LSI graph" or visit
lsigraph.com to access this tool. Upon opening the tool, you will find a search box where you
can input any keyword.
For example, let's start with a simple keyword like "water." By searching for "water" on LSI
Graph, we obtain a list of LSI keywords related to water, such as "what is water made of,"
"water molecule," "definition of water in biology," "importance of water," and "properties of
water." Now, let's make it more specific by focusing on marketing. As we type "marketing,"
the tool provides LSI keywords like "what is marketing in business," "marketing concepts,"
"simple definition of marketing," and "importance of marketing." By further narrowing it down.
By further narrowing it down, if we search for "digital marketing," the tool generates LSI
keywords specific to digital marketing, such as "digital marketing strategies," "digital
marketing agency," "digital marketing trends," and "digital marketing tools." These LSI
keywords give us a broader perspective and help us understand what users might be
searching for in relation to our main keyword.
Now that we understand the importance of LSI keywords, let's move on to question-based
keywords. Question-based keywords are phrases or queries that users often search for
when seeking information. These keywords usually start with question words like "what,"
"why," "how," "where," or "when." Incorporating question-based keywords into your content
can be highly beneficial as it aligns with user intent and can drive targeted traffic to your
website.
Lastly, let's discuss the process of conducting keyword analysis for top-ranking websites
related to your base keyword. When you have a specific keyword in mind, it's essential to
analyze the top-ranking websites to understand what makes them successful. By examining
their content, structure, and keyword usage, you can gain insights and optimize your own
website accordingly.
Start by searching for your base keyword on search engines. Study the top-ranking websites
and analyze their meta titles, meta descriptions, headings, and content. Take note of the
keywords they are targeting and how they incorporate them naturally into their content. Pay
attention to the word count, readability, and overall user experience of their pages.
Additionally, analyze their backlink profile to understand the quality and quantity of backlinks
they have acquired.
Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs can provide in-depth analysis of top-ranking websites,
including their organic keywords, backlinks, and traffic data. By utilizing these tools, you can
uncover valuable insights and identify opportunities to improve your own website's SEO
strategy.