Finding and using different types of search engine optimization (SEO) is like having all of your tools in your toolbox!
Just as with marketing strategies, there are several methods that can be integrated into one plan to achieve success. Some are better than others depending on what you want to accomplish.
That is why it is so important to know which types of SEO are necessary for your site and what works best for your market.
There are three main categories of SEO that people typically talk about- link building, content creation, and social media engagement. While each one of these areas is crucial to ensuring your website does well in the search engines, no one type of SEO will always work wonders for you. That is where A/B testing comes in handy!
A/B testing is an efficient way to determine which strategies are most effective for your business. By experimenting with different versions of something, you can find out if changing or keeping the current style helps your online presence.
In this article, we will go over some potential alternatives to link building, discuss their strengths, and suggest how to use them when needed.
Types of SEO
The SEO industry has introduced many types of SEO to make it easier to handle. Various SEO guidelines are controlled by each category. It’s crucial to realize that these SEO subcategories are just ways to divide a challenging process into a number of simpler processes.
The following are the different types of SEO:
On-Page SEO
One of the most important ways to optimize your site is by doing some light editing on the pages of your website or even switching up how you present those pages.
There are several different types of edits that can be done to improve the performance of your website, but none have become quite popular as On-Page Optimization (OPO). That’s not to say they aren’t effective! OPO strategies play an integral part in ensuring your website functions effectively and efficiently. They include things such as optimizing your content, creating useful internal links, and improving your social media accounts to get more engagement.
What is On-Page SEO?
On-page SEO is the process of optimizing individual web pages in order to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. It’s all about making sure your website is as search-engine-friendly as possible.
Here are some common On-Page SEO’s do’s and don’ts:
Do
- Using your keyword in the title tag and headline of your webpage
- Optimizing the page’s title and meta description tags to include relevant keywords and entice searchers to click
- Including your keyword in the first 100 words of your webpage
- Using your keyword in the alt text of images on your webpage
- Optimizing the page’s URL structure to include relevant keywords
- Having a fast-loading website
- Using header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to organize the content on your webpage
Don’t:
- Stuff the content with keywords.
- Use hidden or invisible text.
- Use cloaking techniques to show different content to search engines and users.
- Use duplicate or thin content.
However, unlike other types of optimization, omitting one aspect of on-site optimizations will likely hurt your overall performance rather than help it. That being said, there are times when it makes sense to focus solely on off-site optimizations instead.
Off-Page SEO
One very important part of any successful search engine optimization (SEO) strategy is off-page SEO.
Off-page SEO refers to the activities that you do outside of your own website to improve its ranking in search results. This includes things like linking to their website or sharing their article on social media sites, writing a review or testimonial about them, et cetera.
Here are a few key ways to improve your off-page SEO:
Do:
- Build high-quality and relevant external links from authoritative and trusted websites. The more high-quality links you have pointing to your site, the better your site will rank in search results. You can get links by creating high-quality content that other websites want to link to, or by reaching out to other website owners and asking them to link to your site.
- Use social media to share and promote the website’s content and improve its visibility and credibility. Having a strong social media presence can help improve your off-page SEO. When you share your content on social media and people interact with it (by liking, commenting, or sharing it), it can signal to search engines that your content is popular and valuable.
- Use a variety of link-building techniques, such as guest blogging, broken link building, and resource page link building.
- Online reviews: Positive reviews from customers on websites like Yelp and Google can help improve your off-page SEO. When people leave reviews for your business, it can create additional links back to your website, which can boost your search rankings.
Don’t:
- Use spammy or low-quality links.
- Use link exchange or link farming techniques.
- Buy or sell links.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO refers to the behind-the-scenes optimization of a website to improve its visibility and ranking in search engines. It’s the process of making sure that a website’s technical elements are working properly so that it can be easily crawled and indexed by search engines.
Here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when it comes to technical SEO:
Do:
- Make sure your website loads quickly. No one likes waiting for a slow website to load, and search engines know this. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to test your website’s speed and get tips on how to improve it.
- Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly. More and more people are using their phones to search the web, so it’s important that your website looks good and works well on mobile devices. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check if your website passes the test.
- Use clean and descriptive URLs. A clear and descriptive URL can help search engines understand what your page is about and improve your ranking. Avoid using long, complex URLs with a bunch of numbers and special characters.
- Make sure your website is secure. Using a secure connection (HTTPS) can help protect your website and your users’ information. It can also give you a small SEO boost.
- Meta tags: These are tags that provide information about a webpage to search engines. By optimizing your meta tags, you can give search engines a better understanding of your page’s content and improve your ranking.
- Sitemaps: A sitemap is a list of all the pages on your website that helps search engines understand the structure of your site and crawl it more efficiently.
Don’t:
- Use hidden or irrelevant keywords. Stuffing your website with hidden or irrelevant keywords in an attempt to manipulate your ranking is known as “keyword stuffing” and is a big no-no in the world of SEO.
- Use flash or JavaScript for important content. Some search engines have trouble reading flash or JavaScript, so it’s best to avoid using these technologies for important content on your website.
- Block important pages from search engines. If you want your website to rank well, you need to allow search engines to crawl and index your pages. Don’t block important pages from search engines or you’ll miss out on potential traffic.
White-Hat SEO
White-hat SEO is the practice of optimizing your website in a way that follows the guidelines and best practices set forth by search engines like Google. The goal of white-hat SEO is to improve the ranking of your website in a way that is both ethical and sustainable.
Here are some do’s and don’ts of white-hat SEO:
Do’s:
- Conduct keyword research: Identifying relevant and popular keywords can help you understand what your target audience is searching for and how to optimize your website for those terms.
- Create high-quality, relevant content for your website. This can help attract visitors to your site and improve your ranking.
- Use headings and subheadings to organize your content and make it easier for readers and search engines to understand.
- Use alt tags to describe images on your website. This can help search engines understand the content of your images and improve your ranking.
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate. This can improve the user experience and help you rank higher in search results.
Don’t:
- Don’t use hidden text or links on your website. This is a technique used to try and trick search engines into ranking your website higher, and it’s against the guidelines set forth by most search engines.
- Don’t use keyword stuffing, which is the practice of stuffing your website with as many keywords as possible in an attempt to rank higher. This can actually hurt your ranking and is considered a form of spam.
- Don’t participate in link schemes, which are attempts to manipulate the ranking of a website by buying or selling links.
Image by Inbound Marketing Inc.
Black-Hat SEO
Black-hat SEO refers to the techniques that are used to manipulate search rankings and violate search engine guidelines. These techniques are often used to try and improve a website’s ranking in search results quickly and without following best practices. Some examples of black-hat SEO techniques include keyword stuffing, cloaking, and link schemes.
While black-hat SEO techniques may be tempting to use as they can potentially lead to short-term gains in search rankings, they come with several risks and downsides. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider when it comes to black-hat SEO:
DO:
- Follow search engine guidelines: It’s important to follow the guidelines set by search engines like Google as they outline what is and isn’t allowed in terms of SEO. By following these guidelines, you can avoid being penalized or banned from search results.
- Use white-hat SEO techniques: Instead of using black-hat SEO techniques, focus on using white-hat techniques that follow best practices and provide value to users. These techniques include creating high-quality content, optimizing your website for mobile, and building natural, high-quality backlinks.
DON’T:
- Use keyword stuffing: Keyword stuffing refers to the practice of cramming as many keywords as possible into the content on a webpage in an attempt to improve its ranking in search results. This technique is not only ineffective, but it can also make your content unreadable and can result in a penalty from search engines.
- Use cloaking: Cloaking refers to the practice of showing different content to search engines than what is shown to users. This technique is often used to try and manipulate search rankings by showing search engines content that is not relevant or valuable to users.
- Use link schemes: Link schemes refer to the practice of manipulating the number or quality of links pointing to a website in an attempt to improve its ranking in search results. This includes tactics like buying links or participating in link exchange programs.
It’s important to avoid using black-hat SEO techniques as they can have negative consequences for your website and business. Instead, it’s best to focus on white-hat SEO techniques, which are ethical and follow search engine guidelines. This includes creating high-quality, valuable content for users, using relevant and natural keywords, and building high-quality backlinks from other reputable websites. By following white-hat SEO techniques, you can improve your website’s visibility and credibility in search results.
Grey-Hat SEO
Grey-hat SEO refers to tactics and techniques that fall in a gray area between white-hat (ethical) and black-hat (unethical) SEO. Grey-hat SEO tactics may not strictly violate search engine guidelines, but they also may not be entirely in line with best practices. These tactics are often used by SEO practitioners who are looking for a quick way to improve a website’s ranking in search results.
Some examples of grey-hat SEO tactics include:
DO:
- Use social media to promote your website: Sharing your website on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can help drive traffic to your website and improve your SEO. Just be sure to follow the guidelines of each platform and don’t spam your followers.
- Utilize press releases: Issuing press releases about your business or website can help generate backlinks and improve your SEO. Just be sure to include relevant and valuable information and only issue press releases when you have something newsworthy to share.
- Utilize guest blogging: Writing guest posts for other websites can help you build backlinks and improve your SEO. Just be sure to only write for high-quality websites and provide valuable content that is relevant to the audience of the website you are writing for.
DON’T:
- Buy backlinks: Buying backlinks from other websites can help improve your SEO, but it’s also a violation of search engine guidelines and can result in penalties or even a ban from search results.
- Use spammy tactics: Tactics like keyword stuffing (using too many keywords in your content), cloaking (showing different content to search engines than users), and using hidden or invisible text can all be considered spammy and can result in penalties or a ban from search results.
It’s important to note that while grey-hat SEO tactics may sometimes work in the short term, they can result in penalties or even a ban from search engines in the long run. It’s generally best to avoid these tactics and focus on providing high-quality content and building natural, authoritative links to your website.
International SEO
International SEO is the process of optimizing your website for search engines in multiple countries and languages. It’s important to consider international SEO if you have a business that operates in multiple countries or if you want to attract international visitors to your website. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider when optimizing your website for international SEO:
DO:
- Use hreflang tags: Hreflang tags are HTML tags that help search engines understand the language and target audience of a webpage. Including hreflang tags on your website can help search engines serve the right version of your website to the right audience.
- Use a country-specific top-level domain (TLD): A TLD is the part of a URL that comes after the final dot, such as .com or .net. Using a country-specific TLD, like .fr for France or .de for Germany, can help search engines understand the location of your website and improve your ranking in that country.
- Translate your content: If you have a website in multiple languages, it’s important to translate your content accurately and consistently. This can help improve the user experience for international visitors and increase the chances that they will engage with your website.
DON’T:
- Use automated translation tools: Automated translation tools can produce inaccurate or awkward translations, which can hurt the user experience for international visitors. Instead, consider hiring a professional translation service or using native speakers to translate your content.
- Use the same content for all countries: It’s important to tailor your content to the specific needs and interests of your target audience in each country. Using the same content for all countries can lead to a generic or irrelevant user experience.
Local SEO
Local SEO is a type of search engine optimization (SEO) that helps local businesses attract more customers from their local area. It involves optimizing your online presence to rank higher in search results for searches related to your business and location. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider when optimizing for local SEO:
DO:
- Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing: Google My Business is a free tool that allows you to manage your online presence on Google, including your Google Maps listing. Claiming and optimizing your listing can help improve your visibility in local search results.
- Include your location in your website content: Incorporating your location into your website content can help search engines understand that your business serves a specific location.
- Get listed in local directories: Local directories are websites that list local businesses in a specific area. Getting listed in local directories can help improve your visibility in local search results.
- Use local keywords: Using keywords that include your location can help search engines understand that your business serves a specific area.
DON’T:
- Use fake addresses or locations: It’s important, to be honest, and transparent about your business location. Using fake addresses or locations can harm your credibility and damage your reputation.
- Use multiple listings for the same location: Creating multiple listings for the same location can confuse search engines and harm your local SEO efforts.
Mobile SEO
Mobile SEO is the process of optimizing your website for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. This is important because more and more people are using mobile devices to access the internet, and Google has stated that mobile-friendliness is a ranking factor for search results. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider when it comes to mobile SEO:
DO:
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly: This means that your website should be easily readable and navigable on a small screen. You can use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check if your website is mobile-friendly.
- Use a responsive design: A responsive design means that your website will automatically adjust to fit the screen size of a user’s device. This is important because it allows your website to be easily readable and navigable on a variety of devices.
- Optimize your website’s loading speed: Mobile users are more likely to leave a website if it takes too long to load, so it’s important to optimize your website’s loading speed for mobile devices. You can use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to check your website’s loading speed and get recommendations for improvement.
DON’T:
- Use pop-ups: Pop-ups can be annoying and disruptive on mobile devices, and they can also hurt your mobile SEO. Google has stated that websites with pop-ups may be penalized in search results.
- Use Flash: Flash is not supported on many mobile devices, so it’s important to avoid using it on your mobile website. Instead, use HTML5 or other mobile-friendly technologies.
Negative SEO
Negative SEO refers to tactics or techniques used to intentionally harm the search engine rankings of a website. These tactics can include creating spammy or low-quality backlinks to a website, copying content from a website and posting it on other sites, or hacking a website and inserting spammy or malicious content.
Here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider when it comes to negative SEO:
DO:
- Monitor your website’s backlinks: Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to monitor the backlinks pointing to your website. This can help you identify any spammy or low-quality backlinks that may be hurting your search rankings.
- Disavow spammy backlinks: If you find spammy or low-quality backlinks pointing to your website, you can use the Google Search Console’s Disavow Links tool to tell Google not to consider those links when evaluating your website’s search rankings.
- Keep your website secure: Use strong passwords, regularly update your website’s software, and use security plugins to help prevent your website from being hacked.
DON’T:
- Engage in negative SEO tactics: Don’t try to harm the search rankings of other websites through tactics like creating spammy backlinks or copying content. This can violate the terms of service of search engines and may result in penalties or bans.
- Ignore warning signs of negative SEO: If you notice a sudden drop in your search rankings or traffic, it could be a sign of negative SEO. Take action to identify and address the issue as soon as possible.
E-commerce SEO
E-commerce SEO is the process of optimizing your online store for search engines in order to improve your ranking in search results and attract more qualified traffic to your website. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider when it comes to e-commerce SEO:
DO:
- Research and use relevant keywords: It’s important to choose keywords that are relevant to your products and the content on your website. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to research and analyze keywords.
- Use unique and descriptive product titles: Use unique and descriptive titles for your products that include relevant keywords. This can help search engines understand the content of your website and improve your ranking in search results.
- Use alt tags for images: Alt tags are used to describe the content of images on a webpage. Including relevant keywords in your alt tags can help search engines understand the content of your website and improve your ranking in search results.
- Use a sitemap: A sitemap is a list of all the pages on your website that helps search engines understand the structure of your website. Having a sitemap can help search engines find and index all of your pages, which can improve your ranking in search results.
DON’T:
- Use thin or duplicate content: Avoid using thin or duplicate content on your website as it can hurt your SEO. Search engines value unique and valuable content and may penalize websites that use thin or duplicate content.
- Use hidden or invisible keywords: Search engines can penalize websites that use hidden or invisible keywords in an attempt to manipulate search rankings.
- Use irrelevant keywords: Don’t use keywords that are unrelated to your products or the content on your website. This can mislead searchers and hurt your credibility.
Content SEO
Content SEO refers to optimizing the content on your website for search engines. This can help your website rank higher in search results and attract more qualified traffic to your business.
DO:
- Research and use relevant keywords: It’s important to choose keywords that are relevant to your business and the content on your website. Use these keywords naturally and in context to help search engines understand the topic of your page.
- Use keywords naturally in your content: Don’t stuff your content with keywords; instead, use them naturally and in context. This will make your content more readable and engaging for users.
- Create high-quality, valuable content: Search engines prioritize websites that provide valuable, informative content to users. Make sure your content is well-written, accurate, and informative to help it rank higher in search results.
- Use header tags: Header tags (H1, H2, etc.) are used to organize and structure the content on a webpage. Using relevant keywords in header tags can help search engines understand the topic of your page and improve your ranking for those keywords.
- Use images and videos: Including images and videos in your content can make it more engaging and informative for users. Use descriptive file names and alt text for your images to help search engines understand the content of your images and improve your ranking for relevant keywords.
- Include internal and external links: Internal links, which link to other pages on your website, can help search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your content. External links, which link to other websites, can help demonstrate the credibility and authority of your content.
DON’T:
- Stuff your content with keywords: Using too many keywords in your content can actually hurt your SEO as it can make your content less readable and less valuable to users.
- Use irrelevant keywords: Don’t use keywords that are unrelated to your business or the content on your website. This can mislead searchers and hurt your credibility.
- Use low-quality or copied content: Search engines can penalize websites that use low-quality or copied content as it provides little value to users. Make sure your content is original and informative.
- Ignore on-page optimization: On-page optimization refers to the elements on a webpage that can be optimized for search engines. This includes things like title tags, headings, and alt text for images. Ignoring on-page optimization can hurt your SEO.
Video SEO
There are two main types of SEO that focus on enhancing your site’s search engine ranking through the use of videos. The first is referred to as video marketing or content marketing. This type of SEO shifts the emphasis away from pure link building and onto creating engaging, meaningful content to draw in new visitors to your website.
The second type of SEO that uses videos is referred to as YouTube optimization. By optimizing your YouTube channel, you can increase engagement, traffic, and rankings via YouTube.
There are several different ways to optimize your YouTube channel and improve your rankings. Some of the most important things to do are producing quality videos, matching up your cover photo and profile picture, editing your playlist and feed, and promoting yourself.
Conclusion
We’ve covered different types of SEO, including on-page, off-page, technical, and local SEO. All of these strategies are crucial for boosting your website’s search engine ranks and bringing in more targeted customers. Your individual goals and requirements will determine the type of SEO that is best for you. To increase your online exposure and reach, it’s a good idea to take a multi-faceted approach to SEO.
