68% of online experiences begin with a search engine (over 92% of that traffic comes from Google). Simply put, it pays to invest in SEO in today’s digital world. That’s likely not news to you, though.
Like most business owners, you likely already know that SEO is an important part of digital marketing. You’ve heard about it in countless webinars, conferences, and workshops — but do you understand the main types of SEO at your fingertips?
This quick guide will explore what SEO truly stands for, provide some insight into how it works, and then walk you through a brief breakdown of the different tactics available to website owners like yourself. Ready to get acquainted with SEO? Let’s dive in.
The Importance of SEO
Search engine optimization is vitally important to the success of any online business. When customers search for the products and services you offer, SEO ensures that your website appears at the top of search engine results pages.
In short, SEO makes it easier for people to find you online.
SEO techniques, such as keyword optimization and link building, help ensure that your website is seen by potential customers who would otherwise not have known about you. Additionally, SEO increases your site’s usability by making it navigable and easier to use.
Sometimes, technical aspects of site design can confuse customers and cause them to abandon their purchases. You can avoid these confusions by optimizing your website’s architecture so that users can quickly access the information they need.
What Are the Main Types of SEO?
SEO is an important part of digital marketing. However, SEO isn’t as simple as writing articles with interesting keywords and publishing them online. Unfortunately, there’s a lot more to it than that.
Moreover, you can use several types of SEO and tactics to maximize your website’s success. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, here are some of the main types of SEO.
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO is often referred to as “on-site SEO.” This type of SEO is important for those interested in improving their website’s visibility and rank in search engine results. It can take many forms, including optimizing:
- Title tags
- Headings
- Meta descriptions
- Keywords
The goal is always to ensure content is relevant and useful to human visitors. On-page SEO includes adding structured data such as schema markup, too.
Off-Page SEO
Put simply, off-page SEO refers to activities and strategies implemented outside your website domain to increase a page’s ranking within search engine results. This includes tactics such as:
- Link-building
- Social media posts
- Content marketing across relevant platforms
- Traditional press releases
Basically, it can include anything not on your website that can positively influence your site’s ranking.
For example, let’s say you post on social media and use those posts to drive people to your blog. You’re getting traffic, but not by using on-page SEO tactics. This helps improve your site’s ranking over time as search engines will see more visitors and time on-page.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is, as the name suggests, all about the technical aspects of your website. You’ll have to visit your website’s backend to improve your technical SEO. This type of SEO includes:
- Improving website speed
- Optimizing your website’s structure
- Working with data architecture
- Building crawlable links
- Improving user experience
Technical SEO helps search engines better understand your website. Doing so allows them to deliver better search results for users.
Local SEO
Local SEO helps businesses by generating high-value traffic from a targeted geographic region. This involves things like:
- Setting up accurate listings for the business
- Improving visibility on Google My Business and other local platforms
- Managing online reviews
This helps make it easier for search engines to understand that the business is located in its targeted area. It also makes it easier for potential customers to search for products or services around their location.
White Hat SEO vs. Black Hat SEO
If you search for “types of SEO” online, you’ll likely see more than the abovementioned ones. The services mentioned above are core types of SEO. However, you’ll hear a lot about black hat and white hat techniques regarding SEO strategies and tactics.
Understanding these SEO techniques is critical in today’s world. This is especially true if you’re hoping to hire an SEO agency. Some agencies use black hat techniques that can do more harm than good.
White Hat SEO
White hat SEO describes the ethical use of search engine optimization techniques. It works in harmony with search engine algorithms rather than deliberately trying to manipulate them in favor of certain websites.
This type of SEO practice involves researching SEO trends and keyword trends. Based on the findings, most SEO agencies will optimize the content through precise editing and the targeted placement of keywords.
How does it work? It addresses search intent more directly. This is how white hat SEO can help improve website visibility, organic traffic, and conversions in organic search results pages.
What’s more, white hat SEO is better for your business long-term. It follows proven standards and best practices instead of tricks or strategies that may be here today and gone tomorrow.
Black Hat SEO
Black hat SEO is a controversial method of utilizing search engine optimization tactics that don’t follow the guidelines set forth by various search engines. This type of SEO usually involves manipulating how and where websites rank in search engine queries.
A business that engages in black hat SEO tactics does things like:
- Keyword stuffing
- Cloaking
- Link buying
- Hidden text or links
While these methods may be effective short-term solutions for sites looking to gain more traffic, they come with great risks.
Using black hat SEO puts your site at risk of getting banned from popular search engines like Google. They can also result in a loss of ranking and visibility.
Ultimately, the best way to get the most out of SEO is by employing techniques that focus on quality. You always want to follow official protocols set by search engines. This is true whether you invest in on-page, off-page, or technical SEO.
Which Type of SEO Is Best?
You might feel ready to invest in an SEO campaign based on the information above. Great! We’re here to help. But which type of SEO is best for your business?
The answer usually depends on the type of product or service you offer. It also depends on how much you’re willing to invest in your marketing efforts. Taking stock of your available resources and goals can help determine which type of SEO will work best for your needs.
For instance, let’s say you’re focused on brand building and reputation management. In that case, an approach involving content and social media marketing may be more effective than a more technical type of SEO.
On the other hand, eCommerce businesses selling products may benefit from implementing more technical practices such as keyword optimization, metadata optimization, and more.
Ultimately, assessing your business’s needs is important before determining which type of SEO is best for you.
SEO for Businesses: Is SEO Right for You?
Before deciding which type of SEO is best, you might be wondering if SEO is even worth it at all. The answer is yes.
By improving your online presence and exposure, SEO services can help you:
- Boost your website’s visibility in search engine results
- Increase traffic to your website
- Observe trends in how users interact with your site
- Improve the searchability of content
Whether you already have a well-established online presence or are just starting, SEO services are essential when creating or optimizing your digital marketing plan.
They offer the opportunity to target a wide range of potential customers and establish trust with existing ones. With these advantages, there’s no doubt that investing in quality SEO services can benefit any business.
Can You DIY SEO?
What about doing SEO in-house? While there are certain aspects of SEO for websites that you can attempt to do on your own, most experts agree that it’s not always the right choice.
An experienced team of professionals can ensure that your website rankings are being carefully managed and monitored. This usually results in more leads and higher visibility on the search engine results pages.
Taking shortcuts or trying to get good rankings with little knowledge can lead to low-quality content. This can tank your site’s position over time.
The bottom line? The DIY approach may be accessible. Ultimately, it’s best to leave major SEO efforts in the hands of qualified professionals who know what needs to be done for real success.
SEO for Businesses in West Palm Beach
Looking for a way to boost your business? Our West Palm Beach SEO agency offers a complete suite of search engine optimization services that are perfect for any business.
Whether you’re a small mom-and-pop shop or a large multi-location business in Florida, we have the types of SEO services that are right for you and your budget. Our team is experienced at successfully ranking our clients ahead of their competitors’ websites.
Get in touch with us today to take the next step.
