The Fundamentals of SEO for Communications Professionals
As integrated communications professionals, we must stay up-to-date with the latest trends and changes in the digital world. One of the best ways for your brand or business to gain the visibility that it deserves is by implementing a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. While some individuals are familiar with SEO, some are not. In simplest terms, SEO is the effort of optimizing a web page to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPS), such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and more. By implementing relevant keywords and/or phrases, website pages have a better chance of ranking higher on searches. The higher the ranking, the more likely a website will receive visibility, awareness, and engagement, which directly correlates to an increase in revenue. Below, I will share what has helped me understand the fundamentals of an SEO strategy.
On-Page SEO Tips
There are many ways that someone can practice improving their SEO efforts to rank higher in the SERPs. During my internship at BlackTruck Media + Marketing, I learned the importance of practicing on-page SEO. Some ways to practice this would be to optimize meta-titles and descriptions.
On-page SEO optimizes content to make it more relevant for search users. One way to do this would be by optimizing meta-titles and meta-descriptions. Meta-titles are the short text displayed on web browser tabs that should be unique to the webpage it represents. It is important to include relevant keywords to help pages rank higher organically. Meta descriptions show up underneath the title and URL. They’re designed to improve the click-through rate by implementing keywords and providing a unique and engaging page summary of the webpage, which is a useful tactic for improving organic visibility. Below, I have provided an example of how to read a meta-title and description.
According to this title tag article by Moz, meta-titles are between 50-70 characters long. It is key to stay within the character length to ensure the title fully shows in the SERPs. When writing these, it’s important to incorporate relevant keywords and phrases to gauge your target audience's attention. While writing meta-descriptions, it’s crucial to keep the description within 150-160 characters. These should include all of the key components for users to decide if they should visit your webpage. This article on SEMrush Blog shares a more in-depth breakdown of meta-descriptions, critical factors, and writing examples. Optimizing meta-titles and descriptions is an SEO strategy that can improve search-engine visibility and offer ways to implement keywords to provide a greater user experience.
Understanding Google’s Algorithm for Success
Google’s algorithm is an ever-changing system that works to improve the quality of search engine results. As technology, trends, and preferences constantly change, Google works to keep up with the evolving environment of the internet to ensure the accuracy of Google’s SERPs.
You could be wondering: How does Google determine which content is optimal? Google works to prevent spam and low-quality content from ranking high in search results. This process involves following the acronym E-E-A-T, which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This is the grading system Google uses to determine what content is relevant, accurate, and reliable. To learn more about E-E-A-T, check out this blog that breaks down Google's Search Quality Rater Guidelines.
SEO Tools
Using SEO tools and resources can make sure that you’re implementing relevant content. A basic keyword research session can be all you need to ensure your content reaches your intended audience. Some of the most user-friendly tools that I have used are Moz and simple Google Research.
Moz – A software that offers both free and paid SEO keyword research tools. This provides a variety of keyword research options including a sidebar, also known as a MozBar, that offers an analysis of a website's keywords, metrics, and more. You can also explore keywords based on volume and difficulty with free and paid versions.
Google Search – You might be wondering: how can I practice SEO when I can’t necessarily afford the tools or software? Although it can be time-consuming, SEO can be performed without tools. By analyzing your key competitors and looking for common keywords, key phrases, or common trends used on their website pages, you can start to understand your audience and what they’re looking for. Once you determine common keywords, you could begin embedding them throughout your webpage to rank higher on SERPs. Ultimately, by understanding the needs of your audience, you can demonstrate how you are the best fit for them.
The list of tools for SEO strategy is endless, but from my experience, I recommend Moz and Google Search. These tools are an easy way to understand SEO.
SEO in a Nutshell
Hopefully, after reading this you have a better understanding of the fundamentals of SEO and how you can begin your strategy. By learning how to optimize content so it ranks higher on SERPs (search engine result pages), you can increase the chances of organic visibility. On-page SEO improves your search ranking and boosts organic traffic through keyword research. It’s important to understand Google’s algorithm to recognize how Google ranks content. Hopefully, after reading this you can implement your SEO strategy with tools and resources at your disposal.
Olivia is a junior majoring in Advertising and Public Relations, and enrolled in the Masters of Communications program. She is currently interning at BlackTruck Media + Marketing where she practices digital marketing and SEO. She is the Podcast Director of PR Hangover and the Visual Media Coordinator of GrandPR. In her free time, she enjoys fitness, outdoor sports, and wellness.