Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the lifeblood of websites needing to "rank" in search engine results. The internet has made human's attention span incredibly short, so we seldom look past the first page of search results.

"Google" is the largest search engine; it is also kind of fickle. It is constantly changing its algorithm to suit itself - and its paying advertisers. That algorithm, a complex series of mathmatical calculations, helps direct relevent search results to an internet user. It is one of the reasons that if you happen to search for something like "pink unicorn costume", in short order, the entire internet seems to be all about pink unicorns as far as the advertising and the articles that reach your device. Including opinions on whether pink unicorns are real or only blue unicorns are real.

SEO is the practice of trying to get into the first page results and preferably the top three to five results, in a web search. Those whose attention span is short, will likely go to a link in the first few entries. SEO tries to get your webpage into those top result.

You probably didn't think an article about SEO would be touching on biological reproduction, did you? Do you remember, from biology class, those grainy images of millions of sperm cells, all trying to get the attention of a single, fickle egg cell?

The competition to get to the top of the web page results is a close analogy. Millions of other websites are also vying for Google's favour. However, by structuring your content, and your website better, your odds of getting there are better. What makes it harder for websites without an SEO team and a healthy advertising budget is that the top few ads in a Google search are likely "Sponsored"- the company has paid Google to rank their listing above yours, nomatter how good your content is. So your content is at a disadvantage but it is not out of contention.

Google wants to deliver good search results to its users. Are they wonderfully altruistic? Well, if they can deliver better search results to users, more users will click on relevant links, go to relevent websites and potentially increase Google's revenue. It is a symbiotic relationship between search engines and websites with good search engine optimization.

A website can be set up behind the scenes to make it easier for visitors to navigate, get to relevant pages, and get "followed" by search engines, so they get your updated information displayed, instead of the old information you put on your site, last year. At least as important is the quality of the content on your website! Being an English and grammar nerd, I believe good writing to be the best way to get noticed, since Google has evolved to prioritize good content, over the previously revered "meta data"; that descriptive text you find in search results, as well as some hidden key words.  Google is getting smarter at spotting smarter.

Optimization for search engines is an everlasting battle to get to the top, impress that algorithmic "egg", and get noticed. This is something that must become part of your constant marketing and branding of your website. You need to frequently update your content, and be certain it is from authoritative sources, whether that be you, holding a PHD in pink unicorns, or links or information from authoritative websites such as the Mayo Clinic or government websites.

There is much to know about SEO and you can use the Newsletter button to be put on a mail list for (usually) brief SEO or website add-ons related newsletters.