Any business with a website can benefit a lot from search engine optimization. It’s one of the popular digital marketing solutions.
If you have a business website or have been in digital marketing for a while, you’ve probably heard about search engine optimization (SEO). And you’ve probably wondered what search engine optimization is used for.
In its simplest explanation, SEO is the application of various techniques that help make your website more visible in Google’s search results and other search engines like Yahoo and Bing. Yes, website pages don’t magically appear on the first page of search engine results. You have to do a lot of SEO work to make that happen.
So, in this article, we’ll take a closer look at SEO and answer the question of what is search engine optimization and how it works.
Don’t Get Confused: SEO vs SEM
Before we move on to the nitty-gritty of search engine optimization, let’s discuss SEO vs. SEM (search engine marketing). SEM is the umbrella term for practices that aim to improve a website’s traffic and ranking in the search engine result pages (SERPs). And SEO is one of the subsets of SEM.
Search Engine Optimization or SEO
In SEO, most applied techniques focus on the “organic” growth of your website’s ranking. Search Engine Journal defines organic SEO as “the process of showing up higher on the SERPs naturally.” Organic SEO only utilizes natural, free, and white hat methods, such as keyword optimization, content marketing, internal/external linking, and more. Since SEO increases a website’s traffic through unpaid means, it can take at least three months or more to see results.
Search Engine Marketing or SEM
SEM commonly employs both paid and organic methods to increase website traffic. Paid strategies include pay-per-click marketing, Google Shopping ads, and Google Local ads, while organic methods primarily focus on SEO.
SEO Benefits and Its Applications
Any business with a website can benefit a lot from search engine optimization. SEO is one of the popular digital marketing solutions for business. So, what search engine optimization is used for? Here are some of its benefits and applications:
Drives More Web Traffic
There are over 1 billion websites worldwide. However, statistics show that 96.54% of all web pages get zero search traffic from Google. Why is this so? It’s because website owners don’t do SEO. But if you integrate SEO into your strategies for digital marketing in the Philippines, you can increase your web traffic.
Ranks Your Website Higher in the Search Engines
If none of your website’s pages rank, you miss many opportunities. Don’t just build a business website for the sake of having it. With the proper and consistent application of SEO techniques, you can rank your website and improve its online visibility.
Builds Your Brand’s Credibility
If you rank your website on the first page of Google with SEO, people will deem your business credible since they tend to trust whatever Google displays in search results. People know that search engines filter content for them, guiding them towards what they perceive as reputable or unreliable websites.
Helps in Lead Generation
Statistics show that 59% of B2B marketers believe SEO greatly affects how they find potential leads or clients. Additionally, leads from SEO are 14.6% more likely to become paying customers than outbound methods. So, if you’re a B2B company, it’s worth considering using SEO to find new clients or leads.
Boosts Sales and Revenue
Search engine optimization isn’t all about making your business website popular. The real benefit of SEO is that it helps boost your sales and revenue. If your website ranks high in SERPs, more people will be able to see your products or services.
Top Search Engine Optimization Practices
You’ll better understand what is search engine optimization and how it works with the following top SEO practices. There are tons of SEO strategies, but here are the most popular ones:
Keyword Integration
We have repeatedly mentioned “search engine optimization” in this article because that’s our target keyword. When someone types that keyword phrase in Google, this article will have a higher chance of showing up in SERPs. However, it isn’t advisable to integrate your desired keywords repeatedly, as search engines may penalize and mark your website as spam.
Keyword Research
SEO also involves extensive keyword research. Are there many people searching for your target keywords? If not, your SEO efforts might be in vain. Integrating keywords with too little search volume in your article won’t drive much traffic to your website. The situation is similar when it comes to incorporating highly competitive keywords. This indicates that getting your website to rank for such keywords is tough, especially if your site is relatively new.
Internal and External Linking
You may have also noticed that there are blue links in this article. Some of them are internal links, while some are external links. Internal links lead you to other pages within the same website. In our case, all internal links direct users to other pages within Eight Media’s website. On the other hand, external links lead users to pages on different websites. With this SEO technique, it helps search engines better understand what your web page is about.
Optimizing On-Page Elements
It’s also essential to optimize other on-page elements, not just the post/article itself. On-page elements refer to meta titles, meta descriptions, tags, URLs, and image ALT attributes. Integrating your target keyword into these on-page elements is key to higher rankings in SERPs.
Utilizing Social Media
Back then, most SEO agencies providing digital marketing solutions for businesses said that social signals weren’t crucial for SEO. However, everything changed when Google rolled out the Helpful Content Update (HCU) in mid-2022. If you have noticed, several engagement threads and posts from Reddit, Facebook, Quora, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok are now topping the SERPs—even outranking high-quality content written by real experts. With the HCU algorithm shaking up Google’s search results, today’s SEO specialists are adapting by incorporating social media into their strategies.
Updating Old and Publishing New Content
Content creation, especially blog post writing, plays a big part in SEO success. Updating your old posts and publishing fresh articles regularly will help signal search engines that your website is worth ranking. Search engines typically prefer pushing active websites on top of search results rather than inactive websites with stale content.
Building Backlinks
Moz defines a backlink as “a link created when one website links to another.” You can build backlinks for your website by guest blogging, broken link building, directory submissions, participating in forums and communities, and creating valuable content. When multiple websites link to your business website, search engines interpret these backlinks as a “vote of confidence,” signaling that your website deserves higher rankings.
Implementing Technical SEO Practices
Technical SEO is one of the most challenging aspects of search engine optimization. It typically deals with optimizing your website’s infrastructure and backend elements. Examples include optimizing website speed, making your website mobile-friendly, fixing crawl errors, generating XML sitemaps, and more.
How to Start Your SEO Journey as a Business Owner in the Philippines
The importance of digital marketing cannot be overstated, and that’s the same with SEO. If you’re a business owner in the Philippines and want to improve your website’s ranking, here are some tips on how to start your SEO journey:
Get Your Business Listed on Google Business Profile
Google remains the top search engine worldwide. If you want your business to earn favor with Google, ensure it’s listed on Google Business Profile (GBP). A GBP account enables your business to appear on Google Maps and Google Search, expanding your visibility and attracting more customers.
List Your Business in Local PH Directories
Aside from GBP, you can improve your website’s SEO by listing your business in local Philippine directories. Some of the popular business directories in the country are Yellow Pages PH, Pinoy Listing, Business List PH, Philippine Companies, etc. Listing your business in local directories not only helps make your website more visible online but also helps you build backlinks.
Improve Your Website’s Content
If your business website has thin content and no keywords included, revamp your web pages. Start writing more valuable content that resonates with your target audience. Do keyword research and integrate your target keywords to improve your website’s visibility in search engines.
Regularly Publish Blog Posts
Do you know that almost 80% of Fortune companies have business blogs? If major business players leverage blogs in their marketing strategies, it’s even more crucial for small businesses to start blogging. Although there’s no set rule for how many blogs you should publish each month, it’s a good idea to aim for 2-4 blog posts regularly to improve your website’s SEO.
Do Localize Keyword Research and Optimization
Filipino and English are the main languages spoken in the Philippines. However, if you’re a local business aiming to reach people in your area, you can do more than just Filipino and English. To connect better with your audience, consider combining Filipino, English, and even your local dialect!
Hop Onto Popular Social Media Platforms
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X are currently the top social media platforms in the Philippines. So, improve your business’s online presence on any of these platforms. Enhancing your social signals can also improve your website’s SEO performance.
Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency vs an SEO Specialist
Now that you’ve learned what is search engine optimization and how it works, are you interested in starting your SEO journey? Search engine optimization seems simple but much more complicated than you think! Nevertheless, if you want to optimize your website for SEO but don’t have the time to do it yourself, you can hire help from a digital marketing agency or an SEO specialist. But which of the two is better suited to your needs?
A digital marketing agency typically comprises a team of specialists, including SEO specialists, social media experts, website developers, graphic designers, content writers, and digital marketers. In contrast, an SEO specialist operates as a one-man team.
If you’re working with a tight budget and focusing on enhancing your website’s SEO, hiring an SEO specialist might be the better option instead of a digital marketing agency. However, if your business aims for future scalability and growth, opting for a digital marketing agency is advisable. Hiring individual specialists could prove more expensive in the long term if you require additional digital marketing solutions for business beyond SEO. By engaging an agency, you’ll have a single point of contact for all your needs, streamlining communication and potentially reducing costs.
At Eight Media, our team comprises experts specializing in SEO, social media marketing, and digital content creation. Want Eight Media to help with your website’s SEO? Schedule a free consultation with us today!
