Search engine optimization is a very extensive process. The basis is good knowledge of SEO, so that you can write good SEO texts yourself without outsourcing it. Ranking high then becomes a lot easier. Do you want to achieve not only page one, but even the first position? Then you need backlinks, even in 2018.

What is Search Engine Optimization?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a way to make websites rank higher in Google. Optimizing your website both technically and on-page improves the findability of your website. This way you end up higher in Google's organic search results. Search engine optimization also includes off-page SEO: this can also increase the authority of your website.

Why is search engine optimization still important?

What do you do when you are looking for a product or service? In that case, do you take the car to start searching, or do you use Google?

People are increasingly buying online. It goes without saying that it will yield more profit as soon as you get a higher position in Google. Once you are (almost) at the top, this ensures a continuous flow of people who want to buy your products.

If you want to take your online marketing to a higher level, it is important to pay (a lot!) of attention to your website. Not just in terms of appearance – because that's good marketing too! – but also in terms of content and technology. And the last two have everything to do with search engine optimization.

Get higher in Google with SEO

Ranking better needs a good long-term strategy. You can't have the perfect site in one day – it's an ongoing project. It is not about rising quickly in the search results, but about sustainability.

Everything revolves around continuous optimization: quality content written, keeping your website up to date, making analyzes and implementing improvements. Only then can you get your website higher in Google. For your pages, two things are most important: the text itself and the backlinks.

What is good SEO text?

In my opinion, the best SEO texts are aimed at the users of the website. They answer the website visitor's questions and help him further. And that, while the text is also easy to read.

You are not going to write great SEO texts overnight. Copywriting is almost as important as search engine optimization itself, because Google finds it important that you write in a natural way. Of course you have to use the right search terms, but please avoid keyword spam. Then add a touch of copywriting and the whole copywriting experience skyrockets.

It's all about valuable content

There are a number of questions you need to ask yourself: Does this content benefit the reader? Does it offer added value? And, not unimportantly: does it answer your visitor's question?

• If so: great! Do you also notice it in the number of shares? Is it being spread?
• If not: optimize your text by turning it into a well-flowing story. Make sure there is a central idea behind your article, including clear H2 headings. This way, scanning readers also see what the general subject of the text is.

In the best case, your SEO text is so valuable that the visitor will take action. From clicking on links to making purchases in your webshop. Through your articles, by offering added value, you must create a favorable factor that ensures that visitors want to know more about your products or services. Then it is not only valuable for your visitors, but also for yourself.

Are backlinks necessary for good SEO?

Getting results quickly without backlinks is not impossible: if you write really valuable content with good, specific keywords, you need few backlinks to end up on page 1. For example, I know someone who, with only on-page SEO, is now on page 1 with several keywords, within a year, without backlinks.

The only problem you see with others is that without backlinks they cannot rank high in Google. They simply do not have enough knowledge of search engine optimization to write their texts in such a way that that alone is enough to rank well.

Ultimately, backlinks often make the difference between places 4 to 10 on the first page, or places 1 to 3. That remains an important ranking factor, even in 2018. This also means that the example mentioned earlier is not yet in first place. There is a website there that, judging by its link profile, has spent quite a bit of time on it linkbuilding.

After how much time do you notice results from search engine optimization?

It can sometimes take up to 12 months before your website reaches the top 10. This does depend on many factors. For example, a website such as Wikipedia (with an extremely high domain authority of 91) will get an article high in the search results more quickly than a website that is a few months old with a still low domain authority.

Wikipedia has a lot of backlinks, but that doesn't mean they got them all at once. Since its inception in 2001, a lot of good content has appeared on the site. More and more people saw how valuable all that information was, which helped Wikipedia get so many backlinks. Their search engine optimization was therefore a long process!

SEO tips for good texts

Google has 200+ SEO ranking factors. Because there are so many factors that can make your website more search engine friendly, it is not useful to work on everything at once. That's why I'm giving you 3 useful SEO tips that will make the most important difference. That will certainly help you on your way.

• After applying the basic techniques (such as choosing the most important keywords), LSI keywords help your articles really rank. These are related keywords that give Google a better idea of ​​what your page is about.
• Write in-depth articles. Make an effort to offer your visitors valuable content. Google sees this through a low bounce rate, visitors who stay on your website for a long time, etc. It is also easier to use enough LSI keywords with this type of extensive content.
• Make a keyword analysis and write articles and pages per topic. This ensures better texts because you have more clarity about the subject of each article. And, indeed: such a clear structure is also easy for Google to recognize.

In short, good SEO texts are extremely important to get on the first page. Do you really want to finish in first place? Then backlinks make a big difference for the authority of your website. That makes your search engine optimization almost complete: you shouldn't forget the technical optimization either.