Search engine optimisation, or SEO, is the work of helping web pages appear when people search for what a business offers. Several Ghanaian marketing adverts ask for SEO and keyword research, an agritech company wanted content writers who understand it, and it is one of the three DMP specialisations. You can learn the basics without paying for any tools.
How search engines work
In simple terms, a search engine like Google does three things:
- Crawls. Automated programs follow links to discover pages on the web.
- Indexes. It stores and organises what each page is about.
- Ranks. When someone searches, it chooses which pages are most helpful for that search and in what order.
Google says it aims to show helpful, reliable content made for people. There is no trick that guarantees the top spot, and anyone promising one is not being honest.
Start with keywords
Keywords are the words and phrases people actually type. You find them by thinking like a customer and checking what Google suggests:
- Autocomplete. Start typing "shea butter" and see what Google suggests.
- Related searches and questions. Look at the questions and related searches Google shows on the results page.
- Google Trends. Compare interest in different phrases over time and by region.