Learn how SEO helps people find your website on search engines like Google.
As mission-drivers, we know the importance of making our mission found. Welcome to the world of SEO! If you're wondering what in the world that acronym stands for, don't worry, you're not alone.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of improving your website so it can gain better visibility in search engines like Google. Specifically, SEO is about ranking higher in organic (unpaid) search results, not paid or sponsored results.
Imagine the internet as a bustling marketplace, with millions of stores selling all sorts of products and services. Now, let's say you have a shop selling handmade jewelry that helps local nonprofits. You want people to find your shop among the sea of others, right? That's where SEO comes into play.
Think of search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo as the maps to this marketplace. When someone types in a search query, these search engines scour the internet to find the most relevant and trustworthy shops to display in their results, and it ranks them in order. SEO is what helps your shop stand out on these maps. It helps search engines understand the content on your website, helps people find your website and make a decision about whether they should visit your website through a search engine.
Here's how it works:
Keywords are like the road signs that lead people to your shop. If someone is looking for handmade jewelry, they're likely to type keywords like "handmade jewelry" or "artisan jewelry" into the search bar. If someone is looking for a local food bank they can volunteer at, they might search for "food bank volunteer opportunities" or "food bank near me". By strategically placing these keywords on your website, in your product or program descriptions, or even in your blog posts, you're signaling to search engines that your shop is a relevant destination for those searching for handmade jewelry or to help a local nonprofit - whether to volunteer or donate.
Just like in a physical store, people are more likely to visit your online shop if it's well-maintained and offers valuable products. In the digital world, content is king. By creating high-quality, informative content on your website—whether it's blog posts, impact stories or testimonials—you're not only providing value to your visitors, but quality content also lets Google know that you are the subject matter expert for that particular keyword or topic. This allows you to gain more authority than your fellow competitors who are using and ranking for the same keywords. Consequently, having high-quality content on your site increases your chances of ranking higher in search engine results.
Search engines want to promote websites that are trustworthy and authoritative. Just like you'd trust a recommendation from a friend over a stranger, search engines trust websites that have established themselves as reliable sources of information. Building backlinks from reputable websites, engaging with your audience on social media, and consistently producing valuable content are all ways to boost your website's authority and credibility in the eyes of search engines.
So, in a nutshell, SEO is all about optimizing your online presence to make it easier for people to find you in the vast digital marketplace. It’s a very technical process that requires continuous adjustments based on what’s working and what’s not. By incorporating keywords, creating quality content, and building authority, you can climb the ranks of search engine results and attract more visitors to your website. Think of it as making your sign shining brighter than the competition in the crowded streets of the internet. Happy optimizing!
