SEO for Beginners: How to Optimize Your Website for Search Engines
Learn the essential techniques to improve your site’s ranking on Google and attract more organic traffic.
Bertagnolli Enrico
68% of online experiences begin with a Google search (BrightEdge).
If your website is not optimized for search engines, you risk remaining invisible.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the set of strategies that allows you to rank among the top results on Google, increasing organic traffic and the number of customers without spending money on advertising.
In this guide, you will discover the fundamentals of SEO, with practical tips to improve your site's ranking.
1. Keyword Research: The Foundation of SEO
Keywords are the terms users type into Google to find information.
Using the right keywords within your site helps you appear in relevant search results.
How to find the best keywords for your site:
- Use free tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or AnswerThePublic.
- Analyze competitors’ sites to see which keywords they use.
- Choose keywords with a good search volume but low competition.
- Include long-tail keywords (e.g., "how to create a professional website") that are easier to rank for than generic keywords (e.g., "website").
Practical example:
If you run an online clothing store, instead of targeting "women's dresses" (too generic and competitive), try "affordable elegant dresses for ceremonies".
Objective: to find keywords that have a good search volume and are relevant to your industry.
2. On-Page Optimization: How to Make Your Site SEO-Friendly
On-page optimization covers all the elements of your site that can be improved to favor ranking on Google.
What to optimize on your web pages:
- Page Titles (H1, H2, H3):
• Use the main keyword in the page title (H1).
• Use subheadings (H2, H3) to enhance readability and structure the text.
- Meta Title and Meta Description:
• The meta title is the title that appears in Google's search results. It should be clear and contain the keyword.
• The meta description is a short description (150-160 characters) that should entice the user to click the link.
Optimized Example:
Meta title: "How to Create a Professional Website – Complete Guide"
Meta description: "Discover how to create a professional website in a few steps. Follow our guide and get a site optimized for SEO and mobile-friendly!"
- SEO-Friendly URLs:
• Avoid long and unclear URLs (e.g., www.yoursite.com/p=123).
• Use readable URLs with keywords (e.g., www.yoursite.com/create-website).
- Image Optimization:
• Use descriptive file names instead of "IMG001.jpg" (e.g., "nike-running-shoes.jpg").
• Add alt text to help Google understand what the image is about.
• Compress images to reduce loading times.
Objective: improve the readability of the site for users and facilitate indexing by Google.
3. Technical SEO: Speed, Security, and Mobile-Friendliness
Beyond content, Google rewards sites that are fast, secure, and optimized for mobile devices.
Key technical SEO checks:
- Site Speed:
• Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check loading times.
• Reduce image file sizes and use a CDN (Content Delivery Network).
• Minify CSS, HTML, and JavaScript code.
- Security and HTTPS:
• Ensure your site has an SSL certificate (HTTPS) to protect user data.
• Use reliable hosting to guarantee stability and high performance.
- Mobile Optimization:
• With 60% of web traffic coming from mobile devices, your site must adapt to every screen size.
• Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to verify that your site is responsive.
Objective: improve site speed and security to achieve a higher ranking on Google.
4. Link Building: Increasing Your Site's Authority
Google evaluates backlinks—links from other sites pointing to yours—to determine your page's authority.
The more quality links you obtain, the more reliable your site appears to Google.
How to obtain quality backlinks:
- Write guest posts on authoritative blogs in your industry.
- Create valuable content that is naturally shared.
- List your site in local directories and industry portals.
- Contact sites covering similar topics and propose collaborations.
Objective: increase your site's reputation and improve its ranking on search engines.
5. Continuous Monitoring and Improvement
SEO is not a one-time action, but a continuous process.
Essential tools to monitor results:
- Google Analytics → analyze traffic, user behavior, and conversions.
- Google Search Console → monitor rankings and identify technical issues.
- SEMRush or Ahrefs → analyze keywords and backlinks.
Questions to ask yourself every month:
- Which pages receive the most traffic?
- Are there keywords on which I am climbing the ranks?
- Which articles or pages need updates?
Objective: continuously improve SEO to increase traffic and online visibility.
Conclusion: Is Your SEO Optimized?
By following these strategies, you can improve your site's ranking and attract more visitors.
A quick recap of the main steps:
- Keyword research using dedicated tools.
- On-page optimization (titles, meta tags, URLs, images).
- Technical SEO (speed, security, mobile-friendliness).
- Link building to increase site authority.
- Continuous monitoring with Google Analytics and Search Console.
In our next article, we will discuss content marketing and link building strategies to build an authoritative site over time!
