SEO for Beginners: Optimization Strategies and Keyword Selection

Ever heard someone say, “If it’s not on Google, it doesn’t exist”? That’s because nowadays, for anything people want to know, they’ll turn to a search engine. It could be to gain knowledge, compare prices, find addresses, or even make purchases. The ironic thing is, even if your site is on Google, if it doesn’t show up on the first few pages of results, it’s like your business doesn’t exist to the consumer. That’s why SEO is so important!

For beginners, it may feel difficult to get your site in front of the right audience and appear organically at the right moments. After all, good SEO requires technique, insight into your ideal customer, and the ability to think strategically while using these tools.

What Is SEO and How Does It Work?

Before using any strategies or methods to improve your Google ranking, it’s important to understand how SEO works. Knowing its purpose and how to apply it to each type of business can make all the difference in whether or not you get results.

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” In practice, it refers to a set of techniques applied to websites that help search engines like Google identify which sites and pages best meet the needs of users searching by keyword.

These techniques involve both the site’s programming and its content. The code should be semantic—easy for search engines to “understand” through metadata that clearly defines the content. And the content itself should be written in a way that aligns with the code and can be accurately interpreted. In other words, the search engine (Google or otherwise) must recognize the content users are looking for based on their keywords and display links to the most relevant pages.

Page Ranking Criteria

With so many websites out there, search engine algorithms aim to show users the most relevant and functional results for their search. To determine what to prioritize in the rankings, they consider factors like site speed, user experience, visitor engagement, consistency between content and topic, proper grammar, ease of reading, and even accessibility.

The goal is to automatically highlight the best the internet has to offer, providing high-quality answers to users’ queries. So, when we work on SEO for a website, we’re essentially “helping” the bots recognize its value.

Still, it’s important to remember: the goal is to serve humans, not machines! That means it’s no use stuffing your page with keywords to attract algorithms if the text ends up unreadable or nonsensical. People will just leave your site quickly, and Google will soon “realize” that your content isn’t actually relevant.

Keyword Selection for SEO

Choosing the right keywords for optimizing your site pages means taking into account your content, the way your audience searches, and how those terms are used by your competitors. How do you get this information? Through your own content, a bit of empathy, and some strategy!

Assuming your content already meets user needs, it’s time to think about how they search for that information, product, or service. Keep in mind, not everyone who fits your customer profile visits your site ready to buy. Sometimes, they’re just looking for information and end up interested in what you offer. For those cases, considering likely user questions and aligning keywords accordingly can really help. This is where putting yourself in the customer’s shoes is key.

But you can’t base your entire SEO strategy on empathy alone! That’s why tools like Answer the Public can help you see what people are asking. To find out how often specific terms are searched each month, try Google Trends to make comparisons.

There’s no shortage of tools to help with this kind of research! Even the Google Ads Keyword Planner can give you ideas and insights into the popularity and competitiveness of your chosen terms. The important thing is to back up your strategy with real data, plus your understanding of your customer’s desires and your team’s marketing plan.

Keeping Content SEO-Friendly

While keywords are a key part of SEO, they’re not enough to guarantee your site ranks well on Google. And it’s no use optimizing your site once and expecting it to stay at the top of the search results!

SEO is an ongoing effort. Site updates affect content optimization and the interlinking of internal and external pages. If your site doesn’t get updated often, it might be time to reconsider that, as algorithms tend to favor frequently updated websites.

Yes, there are lots of SEO details to consider—but if you’re just starting out, don’t worry about everything at once. Start by creating the keyword spreadsheet we showed in the video and gradually update and optimize your pages.

Eventually, you’ll see your site on the first page of Google for one keyword… then another… and another. With consistent SEO and content updates, your site will gain more visibility, build authority, and your business will likely grow right along with it—reaching new customers in the process.

By Joana Kerr