Imagine trying to balance on a tightrope. It's tricky, isn't it? Just like walking on a tightrope, doing Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, can be a balancing act too. SEO is like a secret language that websites use to talk to search engines like Google. It helps websites show up when people search for something online.SEO isn't just about stuffing your website with a bunch of keywords. It's about finding the right mix of strategies to make your website shine. In this blog post, we're going to explore what you need to balance when doing SEO.
Understanding the Balance in SEO
Doing SEO is a bit like building a house. Each part of the house needs attention, and everything has to work together. At 20North, we're the architects and builders of your website's SEO 'house'. We start with the basics - the site structure. We carefully craft the meta titles and descriptions, which are the first things Google looks at. It's important to use the best keywords here, so we do a lot of research to find the most relevant ones with good volume and keyword difficulty.Next, we move to on-page optimization. Just like a house needs sturdy walls, a website needs great content. Google wants to give its users the best answers, so we pick pages that could rank better and rewrite, restructure, and cite sources to show our expertise.Then, we create pillar pages, which are like the main rooms of the house. These are about high-intent topics directly related to your product or service. We make sure these pages are jam-packed with useful information and linked to other relevant pages.We also build out new pages for high-intent products and collections. This is like adding extra rooms to the house that increase its value. For these pages, we focus on creating more written content to show our experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.Finally, we take care of the technical side, which is like the plumbing and wiring of the house. We optimize the website's infrastructure for Google and fix any technical issues. And just like a house, we make sure all the parts of the website are linked together in a way that makes sense.So, as you can see, doing SEO is all about balance. We have to give each part of the 'house' the right amount of attention. Let's explore these SEO 'ingredients' more in the next sections.
Keyword Strategy: Relevance vs. Competition
Think of keywords like the keys to a treasure chest. They help unlock the door to your website for people who are searching online. But choosing the right keywords is a delicate balancing act. You can't just pick any keywords; they have to be relevant to your business. It's like choosing the right key that fits the lock perfectly.But, the story doesn't end with finding the right keywords. We also have to consider how many people are using these keywords (volume) and how many other websites are trying to rank for these keywords (keyword difficulty). It's like trying to find a key that not only fits the lock but also stands out from all the other keys.Once we find the perfect keywords, we rename, get feedback, and approval, then implement them into your website. Finally, we re-submit your site to Google, so it gets re-indexed with the new keywords. It's a careful process, but it's worth it to make sure your website stands out.
Content Quality vs. SEO Optimization
"Remember when your teacher asked you to write an essay in school? You couldn't just write about anything; you had to stay on topic. On-page optimization is a lot like that. It's all about making sure your website's pages are the best they can be for a particular topic.At 20North, we pick pages that could rank better - usually ones with keyword rankings between spots 2 to 20. Then we get to work. We rewrite and restructure the content, a bit like editing an essay. We also cite sources, which shows Google that we know our stuff and that our website is trustworthy.In the end, it's all about showing Google that we're experts in our field. By optimizing our pages, we're telling Google: 'Hey, we have great content here. You should show our website to your users.' And that's exactly what we want Google to do.
On Page vs. Off Page SEO
Imagine you're a sailor trying to get your ship across the ocean. You might think having more sails will make your journey faster. This is a bit like off-page SEO, where the sails represent backlinks from other websites. But here's the twist: nowadays, more sails (or backlinks) don't necessarily make your journey smoother.Why? Because the time and money you spend adding more sails could be used more wisely. Instead of focusing on more sails, you could improve the ship's engine, map out a better route, or train your crew. In the same way, the resources spent on acquiring backlinks could be better utilized in enhancing your website in other areas.Moreover, having too many sails can actually slow your ship down if they are not set up correctly. Similarly, if Google feels you're just adding backlinks to manipulate rankings (akin to spamming the system), it could harm your website's standing. So, in SEO, it's more beneficial to focus on what really drives your website forward, like producing high-quality content and providing a superior user experience.
Short Term vs. Long Term Goals
Have you ever heard of the magic penny? It's a fascinating question: would you rather have a million dollars today, or a penny that doubles in value every day for a month? If you've heard this before, you know that the doubling penny, despite sounding insignificant at first, grows incredibly to over 5 million dollars by the end of the month!This principle of the doubling penny shares a lot in common with an effective SEO strategy. Now, let's shift our focus from pennies to website visitors.Imagine this: would you rather have an extra 100,000 website visitors every month for a year, or start with an extra 5,000 visitors in the first month and then add an extra 5,000 visitors every month for the rest of the year?At first, like the million dollars, the 100,000 visitors per month might sound like the better deal. But, if you do the math, the second choice gives you a total of 390,000 extra visitors by the end of the year! This is a perfect example of the power of compounding in action, similar to the magic penny.SEO is a long-term strategy, but when done right, the results can be astonishing. It's all about building on previous efforts and letting the results compound over time. At 20North, we're committed to helping your website harness this power and achieve this kind of growth.
Google vs. Other Search Platforms
When we talk about SEO, we often think about Google. But in reality, SEO extends far beyond Google's search engine. Different platforms like YouTube and Amazon have their own unique algorithms and ranking factors. That's why at 20North, we don't just focus on Google SEO. We understand the importance of balancing your SEO strategy across multiple platforms.Each platform has its unique audience, search behaviors, and ranking factors. For example, optimizing for YouTube may involve a different set of tactics, such as video tags and descriptions, than optimizing for Amazon, which may require a focus on product titles and customer reviews.It's a delicate balance, juggling these different platforms and tailoring your SEO strategy to each one. But at 20North, we're up to the challenge. We stay on top of the unique requirements of each platform and adapt our strategies accordingly to ensure your content ranks well, no matter where it's being searched for.Understanding this balance is key to a robust and diverse SEO strategy. It's not just about mastering Google's 200+ ranking factors - it's about understanding how SEO works across different platforms and leveraging that knowledge to your advantage.
SEO vs. Other Digital Marketing Strategies
In the digital marketing landscape, each strategy serves a unique purpose and contributes to your overall success. Picture a three-legged stool - each leg is vital, and together, they provide stability.One leg is paid media, the quick-hit strategy that can deliver instant visibility and immediate results. It's like a burst of speed in a long-distance race, helping you surge ahead and grab attention. However, it's important to remember that the effects of paid media tend to be more short-term and transactional.The second leg is social media, which plays a crucial role in building your brand's reputation and expanding your follower base. It's your megaphone to the world, allowing you to share your message, engage with your audience, and foster a community around your brand.The third leg, and the focus of our work at 20North, is SEO. It's a long-term strategy that, like a snowball rolling down a hill, compounds and grows over time. The benefits of SEO might not be immediate, but with patience and persistence, it can become the most profitable source of traffic for your website.Each strategy has its strengths, and they work best when they work together. At 20North, we understand the unique balance between these strategies and how to leverage each to achieve your business goals. We're committed to not only improving your SEO but also integrating it effectively with your paid media and social media strategies for a well-rounded, powerful approach to digital marketing.
Striking the Right Balance: Key Takeaways
In the dynamic world of SEO, finding the right balance is key. We've explored the importance of balancing on-page and off-page SEO, while making sure to adapt to Google's changing algorithms. We've discussed how SEO isn't just about Google, but also about optimizing for other platforms like YouTube and Amazon. And we've highlighted the need to balance SEO with other digital marketing strategies like paid media and social media.Striking this balance isn't always easy, but that's where 20North comes in. Our team is dedicated to helping you navigate the complexities of SEO. We don't just focus on one aspect; we take a holistic approach, considering all the elements that contribute to a successful SEO strategy.Whether it's building a solid SEO foundation on your website, staying ahead of the curve with algorithm changes, or integrating SEO effectively with your other marketing strategies, we're here to guide you. With 20North, you can be confident that we're committed to finding the right balance for your unique needs and helping you achieve your business goals.
Conclusion
SEO is a journey, not a destination. It requires constant attention, adaptation, and balance. From the nuts and bolts of your website to the larger digital marketing landscape, every piece matters, and they all need to work together harmoniously.At 20North, we're passionate about helping you navigate this journey. We understand the intricacies of SEO and the delicate balance that needs to be struck. With our expertise and commitment, we can help you optimize your online presence and drive your business forward.Remember, SEO isn't about quick fixes or chasing the latest trends. It's about building a solid foundation, continually improving and adapting, and integrating effectively with your other marketing strategies. With the right balance, SEO can be a powerful tool in your digital marketing arsenal.If you have any questions or would like to learn more about how 20North can assist with your SEO strategy, please don't hesitate to reach out.
