What is a SEO ranking service?
Like most businesses, digital marketers assume everyone knows that industry jargon. The problem is, while the jargon/terminology seems familiar to us, most people outside our industry have no idea what SEO stands for or what it does.
I’ve been practicing SEO since 2001, and my family still can’t figure out what I do. At almost every family gathering I get asked, “Now what is it you do again, Sean?”
Before I get into what an SEO ranking service is, let’s talk about how Google’s search engine result pages (SERPs) are structured.
Google SERPs can deliver various Google products in their search engine result pages. For example; a search for “Denver plumber” will show local service ads (pay-per-call), AdWords (pay-per-click), Google My Business (3-pack), organic or free results followed by more AdWords ads.
SEO or search engine optimization focuses on improving a websites signals to perform better in Google’s free or organic results. SEO Consultants like me should follow Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. Additionally, Google offers a free SEO guide called the SEO Starter Guide, which is a terrific resource to learn more about what’s entailed with a search engine optimization campaign. To rank better in search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing, an SEO service typically includes:
- On-page optimization
- Off-page optimization
On-page Optimization includes optimizing coding and content elements such as how the website is built, how fast it loads, in addition to the content on the site and integrating tags that help Google better understand the focus of the site.
Off-page optimization is a little bit more tricky. Google evaluates links pointing to the website to better understand its reputation. This practice was first introduced in the creation of Google and is better known as PageRank. The more reputable, authoritative, and relevant websites that are associated with yours can contribute to better search engine rankings.
SEO ranking services can help you get loads of free traffic from Google’s SERPs. But not all SEO ranking services are alike. Be sure to check out my how to hire an SEO article before you hire any SEO. Period.
There are a lot of fantastic SEOs out there, but there are by far more unscrupulous ones praying on your hard earned dollar.
Untile next time…
Shakes