March 3, 2025 • 16 mins
If you've ever wondered what makes a website rank higher on Google, this episode is for you! We break down SEO—search engine optimization—into digestible concepts. Think of your website as a book in a library; the right keywords are like a captivating title, drawing in readers. You’ll learn about the significance of using relevant keywords, crafting engaging content, and the mechanics behind backlinks, which function as endorsements from other respected websites. Together, these elements work to elevate your site's visibility and credibility.
We also dive into the importance of user experience, making sure your site is easy to navigate and speeds along efficiently. Mobile optimization is no longer optional; if your website doesn't cater to mobile users, you're losing potential traffic. Plus, keeping your content fresh sends a signal to search engines that your site is active and trustworthy.
On top of that, we discuss the vital role of social media and online reviews, both of which can shape how users and search engines perceive your site. With all these pieces working in harmony, you can genuinely create a web experience that is not just about pleasing algorithms but about serving your audience.
Engage with us as we unravel these essential SEO components, ensuring your website is not just another book on the shelf but a bestseller waiting to be discovered. Don't forget to subscribe, share your thoughts, and leave us a review!
Thanks for tuning in to Local SEO Unlocked! If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others who want to master Local SEO. Stay connected with us weekly for more insights on SEO! Until next time, keep optimizing and stay ahead in local search!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right.
So I've got this stack of SEOarticles and they're actually
pretty interesting.
I know you want to get yourwebsite ranking higher on Google
, right?
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Well, some of these articles have a really cool way
of thinking about it, likeimagine Google is this massive
library and your website is likeone of the books in the library
.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
I like that.
That's a pretty neat analogy,huh yeah, it really kind of
simplifies the whole SEO thing.
You know Totally.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Yeah, so okay, let's say someone goes to this library
and they want to learn aboutdinosaurs and the only clue they
have is this book, just titledlike stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Right.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Yeah, It'd be pretty hard to find right.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah for sure, no one's going to recommend that
book.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Exactly so.
This is where keywords come in.
It's like imagine that samebook is now titled the Ultimate
Guide to Dinosaurs.
I see the librarian or, youknow, google in this case can
easily see what it's about andpoint people to it.
Right?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So that's what keywords do they help Google
understand what your site'sabout?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah, but I've also heard like just stuffing a ton
of keywords onto your websitecan actually hurt you.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Oh for sure, One of the articles actually talked
about that.
Like trying to trick thelibrarian by sneaking extra
copies of your book onto theshelves, you know?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Uh-huh yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Doesn't really work, does it?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
No, and Google's way too smart for those kinds of
tricks anyway.
Right, they don't just look atkeywords.
They want to see if yourcontent is actually like good
quality and relevant to thosekeywords.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
So it's got to be genuine.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Right, exactly Like.
A few really good reviews fromexperts would be way better than
a bunch of random ones.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
That reminds me of backlinks.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Yeah, one article compared them to like getting
reviews for your book.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I see.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
So like if other websites, especially really
respected ones in your field,link to your website.
Yeah, it shows Google that yoursite's trustworthy and worth
ranking higher.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Right, absolutely.
It's like a signal to Googlethat others vouch for your
content.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Exactly, so those backlinks are super important
for SEO.
Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
But it's not just about, you know, getting as many
backlinks as possible.
Oh, really no, it's more aboutthe quality of those links.
Okay, like, if you get abacklink from, say, a university
website, that's going to be waymore valuable than a link from
some random blog.
You know.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Right, that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It's just like in our library.
Analogy right.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Yeah, totally.
So we've got our keywords likea clear title and backlinks like
good reviews.
Yeah, but what if our book isoutdated?
Oh, like, imagine, our dinosaurbook claims dinosaurs are still
alive.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Right.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Not exactly going to be a bestseller, is it?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
No, definitely not.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
So I'm thinking does this mean we got to keep our
website content fresh?
You got it, oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Regularly updating your content with new
information shows Google thatyour site is active and valuable
.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Right.
So it's like releasing a newedition of our dinosaur book
with all the latest discoveries.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Exactly, keeps it relevant and interesting for
readers okay, cool.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
So we've got the keywords, the backlinks, the
fresh content.
What about the actual structureof the book?
Speaker 2 (03:13):
uh, yeah, that's where user experience comes in
ux yep, you know like a goodbook is organized right, it's
got to have chapters, sections,all that exactly, and your
website needs to be easy tonavigate too.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Makes sense.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Clear menus, internal links.
You know a structure that makessense.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
So it's got to be user friendly.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, for both visitors and search engines.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Because no one wants to sift through a jumbled mess
of information, right.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Exactly, and Google actually keeps track of how
people interact with yourwebsite.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Like how long they stay what they click on.
Interesting so if people areleaving your site quickly or,
you know, struggling to findwhat they need.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It could be a sign that you need to reorganize
things a bit.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
So like making sure your website is the kind of book
people actually want to read.
Exactly With a clear layout andeasy navigation.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yep, and that's just the beginning.
There's so much more to UX.
Oh yeah, Like mobileoptimization, site speed, visual
design all that plays a parttoo.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Wow, this SEO thing is way more complex than I
thought.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
It's a lot, but it's all about making your website
the best it can be.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yeah, it's like crafting a really compelling
book.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Exactly yeah, and a good analogy to keep in mind as
we dig deeper into these SEOarticles.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
All right.
So where do we go from here?
What else is there?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Well, before we dive into that, I'm curious yeah, if
you were walking through thisdigital library, what kind of
book cover would make you stopand look?
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Ooh, that's a good one.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
What would grab your attention?
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Hmm, I think Welcome back.
So we're still looking at theseSEO articles.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
And I got to say there's a lot more to this whole
website thing than I thought.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
It's a whole world.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Yeah, like we talked about user experience before the
break.
Right you making sure yourwebsite is you know, the kind of
book people actually want toread.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Exactly, and there's so much more to unpack there.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Really.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Okay, so how do we make sure our website has good
UX then?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Well, think about it this way.
Okay, Imagine you walk into alibrary and the lights are dim,
the books are all over the placeand the librarian's like grumpy
.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
You probably wouldn't want to stay there.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I'd be out of there.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Exactly, and it's the same thing online.
If your website's slow, hard tonavigate or just ugly people
are going to leave likeinstantly.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Oh, so it's got to be visually appealing too.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Definitely, but it's more than that.
You got to make it easy forpeople to find what they're
looking for.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Right, so like what are some of the things we can do
?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Well, one of the articles mentioned mobile
optimization.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Oh yeah, that's a big one these days, right.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Huge.
Most people browse the interneton their phones now.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So your website needs to be mobile friendly.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Okay, so how do we make it mobile friendly?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Well, there's something called responsive
design.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Responsive design.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah, it basically means your website's layout
adjusts to different screensizes.
Oh I see, so it looks good on aphone, a tablet, a desktop,
whatever.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Oh, that's cool Because I've definitely been on
websites that are like zoomedout on my phone.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Right, it's like impossible to read.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Yeah, super annoying.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
And Google actually, they actually penalize websites
that aren't mobile optimized.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Seriously.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Yeah, they have a mobile first index now.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
What does?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
that even mean.
Basically, they mainly use themobile version of your site for
ranking.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Wow Okay, so mobile optimization is definitely
important.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
For sure.
And then there's site speed.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Oh yeah, no one likes a slow website.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Nope, people are impatient, you know, if your
site takes too long to load,they'll just go somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
So like how fast should it be?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Ideally two seconds or less.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Two seconds, wow, that's fast.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Yeah, but there are things you can do to speed
things up.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Like what.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Optimizing images using caching plugins, choosing
a good hosting provider, allsorts of stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So it's like a technical thing.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Kind of yeah, but there's also the content itself.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Right.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Remember, we talked about creating valuable content.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Yeah, like filling our library with good books.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Exactly yeah, like filling our library with good
books.
Exactly yeah, and that plays ahuge role in SEO too.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
I see.
So it's not enough to just havea fast, pretty website.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Right.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
It's got to have good content too.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Exactly that's where content marketing comes in.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Content marketing, what's that?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Basically, it's about creating and sharing content
that people actually want toread.
Okay, think blog posts,articles, videos, infographics,
stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
So stuff that's informative and interesting yeah
.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Stuff that answers people's questions or solves
their problems Got it.
But it's not just about likethrowing in the old content out
there.
Right you got to have astrategy.
Yeah, you think about youraudience and what they're
searching for, and you got tomake sure your content is
optimized for Google'salgorithms.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Oh yeah, those algorithms.
One of the articles mentionedthat.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
What did it say?
Speaker 1 (08:00):
It said that some people think SEO is just about
stuffing keywords into theirwebsite.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Oh yeah, I've heard that too.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Like to trick the algorithms.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right, but Google is way smarter than that.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Yeah, they are.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
In fact, keyword stuffing can actually hurt your
ranking.
Oh wow, it's like trying toimpress the librarian by like
writing the same word over andover.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Yeah, that's not going to work.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
So how do we create content that both humans and
Google like?
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Yeah, that's the question.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Well, the key is quality over quantity.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Quality over quantity .
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Exactly.
Think about what your audiencereally wants.
What questions do they have?
What problems are they facing?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And then create content that answers those
questions and solves thoseproblems.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
So like no more long rambling blog posts.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Uh-huh yeah, try to keep it concise and informative.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Use headings, bullet points.
Visuals, you know, make it easyto read.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Right Make it skimmable.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And don't forget to use keywords, but do it
naturally, naturally, yeah, likeyou're writing for a human, not
a robot.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Okay, that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
So it's all about finding that balance, you know.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Creating content that's both valuable and
optimized.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
So we're attracting visitors, keeping them engaged
and showing Google that ourwebsite's a good resource.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Exactly, but creating great content is only half the
battle.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
What's the other half ?
Speaker 2 (09:19):
You have to promote it.
Promote it, yeah.
Share it on social media.
Email it to your subscribers.
Okay, reach out to otherwebsites.
Get the word out.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
So it's like marketing our book.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Exactly yeah.
You've got to get it in frontof as many people as possible.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Right, because the more people who see it, the more
signals Google gets that it'sworth checking out.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
This is all really helpful.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I'm glad.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
But I'm wondering is there like a point where it's
too much?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Too much.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, like focusing too much on SEO feels kind of
manipulative, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I see what you mean.
Like shouldn't we be focusingon our audience first,
absolutely, and that's the thing.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Yeah, good SEO and a good user experience should go
together okay you know, when youcreate valuable content, make
your website easy to use andbuild relationships with other
websites yeah you're actuallydoing both at the same time so
it's not about choosing one overthe other right, it's about
finding that, that sweet spotexactly where you're benefiting
(10:15):
both your audience and your SEO.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
I like that, but remember SEO is always changing.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Oh yeah, Google's always updating their algorithm.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
A lot of time.
So you've got to stay up todate.
Ok, and avoid any like shadyshortcuts.
Right no tricks Exactly Focuson the long game.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
OK, so what's the the main takeaway here?
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Well, I think it's that SEO isn't just about
manipulating algorithms.
Okay, it's about building awebsite that people actually
enjoy using.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
That offers valuable information and is trustworthy.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Yeah, it's like building a good reputation.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
And when you do that, the SEO benefits will come
naturally.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
That makes sense.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
So we've covered a lot today.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Yeah, we will come.
Naturally, that makes sense.
So we've covered a lot today.
Yeah, we have a mobileoptimization to content
marketing.
It's a lot, it is.
So, before we move on, yeah,I'm curious what's one thing
you've learned today that you'reexcited to try on your own
website?
Speaker 2 (11:06):
hmm, that's a good question.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
I'm thinking okay, so we've talked a lot about what
makes a website great and yeah,all the stuff that happens like
inside the website.
Right, exactly, but I'mthinking there's got to be more
to it.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Oh, absolutely.
There's a whole other side toSEO we haven't even touched on
yet.
Really Like what it's calledoff-page SEO.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Off-page.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Yeah, it's all the stuff that happens, you know,
outside your website to help itrank higher.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Hmm, okay, so like what kind of stuff?
So like what kind of stuff?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Well, think about it like this Okay, we've been
talking about our website as abook in a library.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Right the dinosaur book.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Exactly so, imagine we want to get that book in the
hands of more readers.
We've got to do more than justlike make the book itself good
Right, we've got to like promoteit, get it reviewed, maybe even
featured in a museum exhibit,you know.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
So like getting the word out about it.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Exactly, and that's what off-page SEO is all about.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Hmm, okay, so how do we do that online?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Well, one of the biggest things is backlinks.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Oh yeah, we talked about those before, right, but
they're important for off-pageSEO too, I see.
So it's not just about havingthem on your site, nope, it's
also about like earningbacklinks from other websites.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Okay, and why is that important?
Well, think of it like gettingendorsements from other experts
in your field.
Oh like if a bunch of respectedpaleontologists are
recommending our dinosaur book.
Yeah, it's going to make peoplemore likely to check it out.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Right, because they trust those experts.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Exactly, and it's the same with websites, websites.
When other websites link toyour site, it shows Google that
your site is trustworthy andvaluable so it's like those
other websites are vouching foryou exactly, but not all
backlinks are created equal ohreally no, a link from, say, a
university website is gonna beway more valuable than a link
(12:58):
from, like, some random forumpost.
Right, so it's got to be aquality link.
Yeah, it is going to be way morevaluable than a link from like
some random forum post, right,so it's got to be a quality link
.
Yeah, it's got to be from areputable and relevant source.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Okay, so how do we get those kinds of links?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Well, one way is to create really high quality
content.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Like stuff that other websites would naturally want
to link to.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Exactly Think comprehensive guides, original
research data, visualizations.
You know.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
So like if our dinosaur book has groundbreaking
new information.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Yeah, other websites might want to reference it in
their own articles.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Right, because it's valuable.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Exactly.
And then there's guest blogging.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Guest blogging.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Yeah, it's where you write articles for other
websites in your niche.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Oh, I see.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
You're getting your name and your expertise out
there.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And hopefully a link back to your own site.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Exactly.
It's a great way to buildrelationships and earn backlinks
.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
It's like giving a lecture at a different library,
right?
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Uh-huh, yeah, you're expanding your reach and
establishing yourself as anauthority.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Okay, cool, so what else is there?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Well, social media is a big one too.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Social media how does that fit in?
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Well, think of it like networking at a conference.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
You're connecting with other people in your
industry.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Right Sharing your ideas, building relationships.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Exactly, and you can do the same thing online.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
So like sharing our content on Facebook and Twitter.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Yeah, Engaging with other people participating in
discussions, you know.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
It's all about building that online presence.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Exactly yeah, and it all contributes to your
website's authority.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Okay, so we've got backlinks, guest blogging,
social media what else is there?
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Oh, don't forget about online reviews.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Reviews Like for our dinosaur book.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Yeah, you know, like when you're looking for a
restaurant.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
You check out the reviews on Yelp or Google.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Right All the time.
It helps me decide if it'sworth going to.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Exactly, and people do the same thing for websites.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
So like having good reviews on Google, my Business.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Exactly, and other review platforms too.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Okay, and how does that help with SEO?
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Well, it builds trust and credibility Right.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
It shows Google that you're a legitimate business
that people like so it's kind oflike those rave reviews in
major publications for our book.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Exactly it makes people more likely to visit your
website.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Wow, this off-page SEO stuff is really interesting.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
It's a whole other world right.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Yeah, it's like building a reputation outside of
your website.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Exactly, and when you combine it with all the on-page
stuff we talked about, itcreates a really powerful SEO
strategy.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
I see, so it's all connected.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
It is, and it's always evolving, so you got to
stay on top of things.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Okay.
So as we wrap up this whole SEOdeep dive.
What's the main takeaway forour listeners?
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Well, I think it's that SEO is about more than just
keywords and algorithms.
Okay, it's about creating awebsite that people actually
want to visit.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
That offers valuable information and that has a good
reputation.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
So it's about building something worthwhile.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Exactly, and when you do that, the rankings will
follow.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
I like that.
It's not just about gaming thesystem.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Nope, it's about building something genuine and
valuable.
That's a great way to put it.
So, yeah, I think that's thekey takeaway here.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Awesome.
Well, thanks for taking thisdeep dive with me.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
My pleasure, it's been fun.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Yeah, I learned a lot Me too.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
I hope our listeners did as well.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Definitely and remember everyone.
This is just the beginning.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Yeah, Keep learning, keep experimenting and keep
building great websites.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
That's right, all right, thanks for listening
everybody.
All right.
So I've got this stack of SEOarticles and they're actually
pretty interesting.
I know you want to get yourwebsite ranking higher on Google
, right?
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Well, some of these articles have a really cool way
of thinking about it, likeimagine Google is this massive
library and your website is likeone of the books in the library
.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
I like that.
That's a pretty neat analogy,huh yeah, it really kind of
simplifies the whole SEO thing.
You know Totally.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Yeah, so okay, let's say someone goes to this library
and they want to learn aboutdinosaurs and the only clue they
have is this book, just titledlike stuff.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Right.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Yeah, It'd be pretty hard to find right.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah for sure, no one's going to recommend that
book.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Exactly so.
This is where keywords come in.
It's like imagine that samebook is now titled the Ultimate
Guide to Dinosaurs.
I see the librarian or, youknow, google in this case can
easily see what it's about andpoint people to it.
Right?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
So that's what keywords do they help Google
understand what your site'sabout?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah, but I've also heard like just stuffing a ton
of keywords onto your websitecan actually hurt you.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Oh for sure, One of the articles actually talked
about that.
Like trying to trick thelibrarian by sneaking extra
copies of your book onto theshelves, you know?
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Uh-huh yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Doesn't really work, does it?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
No, and Google's way too smart for those kinds of
tricks anyway.
Right, they don't just look atkeywords.
They want to see if yourcontent is actually like good
quality and relevant to thosekeywords.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
So it's got to be genuine.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Right, exactly Like.
A few really good reviews fromexperts would be way better than
a bunch of random ones.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
That reminds me of backlinks.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Yeah, one article compared them to like getting
reviews for your book.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I see.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
So like if other websites, especially really
respected ones in your field,link to your website.
Yeah, it shows Google that yoursite's trustworthy and worth
ranking higher.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Right, absolutely.
It's like a signal to Googlethat others vouch for your
content.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Exactly, so those backlinks are super important
for SEO.
Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
But it's not just about, you know, getting as many
backlinks as possible.
Oh, really no, it's more aboutthe quality of those links.
Okay, like, if you get abacklink from, say, a university
website, that's going to be waymore valuable than a link from
some random blog.
You know.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Right, that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
It's just like in our library.
Analogy right.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Yeah, totally.
So we've got our keywords likea clear title and backlinks like
good reviews.
Yeah, but what if our book isoutdated?
Oh, like, imagine, our dinosaurbook claims dinosaurs are still
alive.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Right.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Not exactly going to be a bestseller, is it?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
No, definitely not.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
So I'm thinking does this mean we got to keep our
website content fresh?
You got it, oh, okay.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Regularly updating your content with new
information shows Google thatyour site is active and valuable
.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Right.
So it's like releasing a newedition of our dinosaur book
with all the latest discoveries.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Exactly, keeps it relevant and interesting for
readers okay, cool.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
So we've got the keywords, the backlinks, the
fresh content.
What about the actual structureof the book?
Speaker 2 (03:13):
uh, yeah, that's where user experience comes in
ux yep, you know like a goodbook is organized right, it's
got to have chapters, sections,all that exactly, and your
website needs to be easy tonavigate too.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Makes sense.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Clear menus, internal links.
You know a structure that makessense.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
So it's got to be user friendly.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, for both visitors and search engines.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Because no one wants to sift through a jumbled mess
of information, right.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Exactly, and Google actually keeps track of how
people interact with yourwebsite.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Like how long they stay what they click on.
Interesting so if people areleaving your site quickly or,
you know, struggling to findwhat they need.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
It could be a sign that you need to reorganize
things a bit.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
So like making sure your website is the kind of book
people actually want to read.
Exactly With a clear layout andeasy navigation.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yep, and that's just the beginning.
There's so much more to UX.
Oh yeah, Like mobileoptimization, site speed, visual
design all that plays a parttoo.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Wow, this SEO thing is way more complex than I
thought.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
It's a lot, but it's all about making your website
the best it can be.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yeah, it's like crafting a really compelling
book.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Exactly yeah, and a good analogy to keep in mind as
we dig deeper into these SEOarticles.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
All right.
So where do we go from here?
What else is there?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Well, before we dive into that, I'm curious yeah, if
you were walking through thisdigital library, what kind of
book cover would make you stopand look?
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Ooh, that's a good one.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
What would grab your attention?
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Hmm, I think Welcome back.
So we're still looking at theseSEO articles.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
And I got to say there's a lot more to this whole
website thing than I thought.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
It's a whole world.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Yeah, like we talked about user experience before the
break.
Right you making sure yourwebsite is you know, the kind of
book people actually want toread.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Exactly, and there's so much more to unpack there.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Really.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Okay, so how do we make sure our website has good
UX then?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Well, think about it this way.
Okay, Imagine you walk into alibrary and the lights are dim,
the books are all over the placeand the librarian's like grumpy
.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
You probably wouldn't want to stay there.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I'd be out of there.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Exactly, and it's the same thing online.
If your website's slow, hard tonavigate or just ugly people
are going to leave likeinstantly.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Oh, so it's got to be visually appealing too.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Definitely, but it's more than that.
You got to make it easy forpeople to find what they're
looking for.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Right, so like what are some of the things we can do
?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Well, one of the articles mentioned mobile
optimization.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Oh yeah, that's a big one these days, right.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Huge.
Most people browse the interneton their phones now.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So your website needs to be mobile friendly.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Okay, so how do we make it mobile friendly?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Well, there's something called responsive
design.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Responsive design.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah, it basically means your website's layout
adjusts to different screensizes.
Oh I see, so it looks good on aphone, a tablet, a desktop,
whatever.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Oh, that's cool Because I've definitely been on
websites that are like zoomedout on my phone.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Right, it's like impossible to read.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Yeah, super annoying.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
And Google actually, they actually penalize websites
that aren't mobile optimized.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Seriously.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Yeah, they have a mobile first index now.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
What does?
Speaker 2 (06:29):
that even mean.
Basically, they mainly use themobile version of your site for
ranking.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Wow Okay, so mobile optimization is definitely
important.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
For sure.
And then there's site speed.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Oh yeah, no one likes a slow website.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Nope, people are impatient, you know, if your
site takes too long to load,they'll just go somewhere else.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
So like how fast should it be?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Ideally two seconds or less.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Two seconds, wow, that's fast.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Yeah, but there are things you can do to speed
things up.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Like what.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Optimizing images using caching plugins, choosing
a good hosting provider, allsorts of stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So it's like a technical thing.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Kind of yeah, but there's also the content itself.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Right.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Remember, we talked about creating valuable content.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Yeah, like filling our library with good books.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Exactly yeah, like filling our library with good
books.
Exactly yeah, and that plays ahuge role in SEO too.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
I see.
So it's not enough to just havea fast, pretty website.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Right.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
It's got to have good content too.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Exactly that's where content marketing comes in.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Content marketing, what's that?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Basically, it's about creating and sharing content
that people actually want toread.
Okay, think blog posts,articles, videos, infographics,
stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
So stuff that's informative and interesting yeah
.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Stuff that answers people's questions or solves
their problems Got it.
But it's not just about likethrowing in the old content out
there.
Right you got to have astrategy.
Yeah, you think about youraudience and what they're
searching for, and you got tomake sure your content is
optimized for Google'salgorithms.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Oh yeah, those algorithms.
One of the articles mentionedthat.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
What did it say?
Speaker 1 (08:00):
It said that some people think SEO is just about
stuffing keywords into theirwebsite.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Oh yeah, I've heard that too.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Like to trick the algorithms.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right, but Google is way smarter than that.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Yeah, they are.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
In fact, keyword stuffing can actually hurt your
ranking.
Oh wow, it's like trying toimpress the librarian by like
writing the same word over andover.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Yeah, that's not going to work.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
So how do we create content that both humans and
Google like?
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Yeah, that's the question.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Well, the key is quality over quantity.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Quality over quantity .
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Exactly.
Think about what your audiencereally wants.
What questions do they have?
What problems are they facing?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And then create content that answers those
questions and solves thoseproblems.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
So like no more long rambling blog posts.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Uh-huh yeah, try to keep it concise and informative.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Use headings, bullet points.
Visuals, you know, make it easyto read.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Right Make it skimmable.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And don't forget to use keywords, but do it
naturally, naturally, yeah, likeyou're writing for a human, not
a robot.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Okay, that makes sense.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
So it's all about finding that balance, you know.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Creating content that's both valuable and
optimized.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
So we're attracting visitors, keeping them engaged
and showing Google that ourwebsite's a good resource.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Exactly, but creating great content is only half the
battle.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
What's the other half ?
Speaker 2 (09:19):
You have to promote it.
Promote it, yeah.
Share it on social media.
Email it to your subscribers.
Okay, reach out to otherwebsites.
Get the word out.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
So it's like marketing our book.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Exactly yeah.
You've got to get it in frontof as many people as possible.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Right, because the more people who see it, the more
signals Google gets that it'sworth checking out.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
This is all really helpful.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I'm glad.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
But I'm wondering is there like a point where it's
too much?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Too much.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Yeah, like focusing too much on SEO feels kind of
manipulative, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I see what you mean.
Like shouldn't we be focusingon our audience first,
absolutely, and that's the thing.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Yeah, good SEO and a good user experience should go
together okay you know, when youcreate valuable content, make
your website easy to use andbuild relationships with other
websites yeah you're actuallydoing both at the same time so
it's not about choosing one overthe other right, it's about
finding that, that sweet spotexactly where you're benefiting
(10:15):
both your audience and your SEO.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
I like that, but remember SEO is always changing.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Oh yeah, Google's always updating their algorithm.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
A lot of time.
So you've got to stay up todate.
Ok, and avoid any like shadyshortcuts.
Right no tricks Exactly Focuson the long game.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
OK, so what's the the main takeaway here?
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Well, I think it's that SEO isn't just about
manipulating algorithms.
Okay, it's about building awebsite that people actually
enjoy using.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
That offers valuable information and is trustworthy.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Yeah, it's like building a good reputation.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
And when you do that, the SEO benefits will come
naturally.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
That makes sense.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
So we've covered a lot today.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Yeah, we will come.
Naturally, that makes sense.
So we've covered a lot today.
Yeah, we have a mobileoptimization to content
marketing.
It's a lot, it is.
So, before we move on, yeah,I'm curious what's one thing
you've learned today that you'reexcited to try on your own
website?
Speaker 2 (11:06):
hmm, that's a good question.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
I'm thinking okay, so we've talked a lot about what
makes a website great and yeah,all the stuff that happens like
inside the website.
Right, exactly, but I'mthinking there's got to be more
to it.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Oh, absolutely.
There's a whole other side toSEO we haven't even touched on
yet.
Really Like what it's calledoff-page SEO.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Off-page.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Yeah, it's all the stuff that happens, you know,
outside your website to help itrank higher.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Hmm, okay, so like what kind of stuff?
So like what kind of stuff?
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Well, think about it like this Okay, we've been
talking about our website as abook in a library.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Right the dinosaur book.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Exactly so, imagine we want to get that book in the
hands of more readers.
We've got to do more than justlike make the book itself good
Right, we've got to like promoteit, get it reviewed, maybe even
featured in a museum exhibit,you know.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
So like getting the word out about it.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Exactly, and that's what off-page SEO is all about.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Hmm, okay, so how do we do that online?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Well, one of the biggest things is backlinks.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Oh yeah, we talked about those before, right, but
they're important for off-pageSEO too, I see.
So it's not just about havingthem on your site, nope, it's
also about like earningbacklinks from other websites.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Okay, and why is that important?
Well, think of it like gettingendorsements from other experts
in your field.
Oh like if a bunch of respectedpaleontologists are
recommending our dinosaur book.
Yeah, it's going to make peoplemore likely to check it out.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Right, because they trust those experts.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Exactly, and it's the same with websites, websites.
When other websites link toyour site, it shows Google that
your site is trustworthy andvaluable so it's like those
other websites are vouching foryou exactly, but not all
backlinks are created equal ohreally no, a link from, say, a
university website is gonna beway more valuable than a link
(12:58):
from, like, some random forumpost.
Right, so it's got to be aquality link.
Yeah, it is going to be way morevaluable than a link from like
some random forum post, right,so it's got to be a quality link
.
Yeah, it's got to be from areputable and relevant source.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Okay, so how do we get those kinds of links?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Well, one way is to create really high quality
content.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Like stuff that other websites would naturally want
to link to.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Exactly Think comprehensive guides, original
research data, visualizations.
You know.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
So like if our dinosaur book has groundbreaking
new information.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Yeah, other websites might want to reference it in
their own articles.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Right, because it's valuable.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Exactly.
And then there's guest blogging.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Guest blogging.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Yeah, it's where you write articles for other
websites in your niche.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Oh, I see.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
You're getting your name and your expertise out
there.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And hopefully a link back to your own site.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Exactly.
It's a great way to buildrelationships and earn backlinks
.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
It's like giving a lecture at a different library,
right?
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Uh-huh, yeah, you're expanding your reach and
establishing yourself as anauthority.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Okay, cool, so what else is there?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Well, social media is a big one too.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Social media how does that fit in?
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Well, think of it like networking at a conference.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
You're connecting with other people in your
industry.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Right Sharing your ideas, building relationships.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Exactly, and you can do the same thing online.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
So like sharing our content on Facebook and Twitter.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Yeah, Engaging with other people participating in
discussions, you know.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
It's all about building that online presence.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Exactly yeah, and it all contributes to your
website's authority.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Okay, so we've got backlinks, guest blogging,
social media what else is there?
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Oh, don't forget about online reviews.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Reviews Like for our dinosaur book.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Yeah, you know, like when you're looking for a
restaurant.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
You check out the reviews on Yelp or Google.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Right All the time.
It helps me decide if it'sworth going to.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Exactly, and people do the same thing for websites.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
So like having good reviews on Google, my Business.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Exactly, and other review platforms too.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Okay, and how does that help with SEO?
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Well, it builds trust and credibility Right.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
It shows Google that you're a legitimate business
that people like so it's kind oflike those rave reviews in
major publications for our book.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Exactly it makes people more likely to visit your
website.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Wow, this off-page SEO stuff is really interesting.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
It's a whole other world right.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Yeah, it's like building a reputation outside of
your website.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Exactly, and when you combine it with all the on-page
stuff we talked about, itcreates a really powerful SEO
strategy.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
I see, so it's all connected.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
It is, and it's always evolving, so you got to
stay on top of things.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Okay.
So as we wrap up this whole SEOdeep dive.
What's the main takeaway forour listeners?
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Well, I think it's that SEO is about more than just
keywords and algorithms.
Okay, it's about creating awebsite that people actually
want to visit.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
That offers valuable information and that has a good
reputation.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
So it's about building something worthwhile.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Exactly, and when you do that, the rankings will
follow.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
I like that.
It's not just about gaming thesystem.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Nope, it's about building something genuine and
valuable.
That's a great way to put it.
So, yeah, I think that's thekey takeaway here.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Awesome.
Well, thanks for taking thisdeep dive with me.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
My pleasure, it's been fun.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Yeah, I learned a lot Me too.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
I hope our listeners did as well.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Definitely and remember everyone.
This is just the beginning.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Yeah, Keep learning, keep experimenting and keep
building great websites.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
That's right, all right, thanks for listening
everybody.
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