Like the famous Italian dish that is lasagna, a good digital marketing strategy has plenty of layers. Search engine optimization (or SEO) requires a bunch of tips, tricks, techniques, and trial and error to achieve good results. Like any recipe, there are some details that can be omitted if they don’t work for you, but there are a few aspects you must stick to in order to get the most out of your efforts.
In order to understand what the layers of SEO are, it’s crucial to define search engine optimization as a whole.
What exactly is SEO?
Search engine optimization is the method of boosting a website’s online visibility through a variety of different factors, such as keyword optimized content and strategic link building. If your SEO strategy is successful, your website will rank higher on results pages on search engines like Google. In addition, having a fully optimized website helps you create the best user experience possible, with the hopes of turning clicks from a search engine into conversions.
Why does any website need SEO? Because of the sheer size of the internet, there are tons of competitor websites out there. SEO can level the playing field and make it possible for small businesses to stick out as big fish in the large pond that is Google’s search results.
The many layers of a website’s SEO
Layer one — the noodles: Much like the noodles in lasagna, there are some foundational digital marketing aspects that hold your website together. This includes the website’s platform, mobile responsiveness, load time, and level of user friendliness. If these aspects are not thoughtfully put together, then the rest of your SEO technique will start to crumble.
Layer two — the meat: Content is king when it comes to SEO. After all, how can you have an adequate digital marketing plan without content to tell your readers about what services/products you provide? It is important for your content to be keyword-optimized so Google’s algorithms can identify what your website is about.
But how do you know what keywords to choose? There are plenty of free keyword generators available that can help you come up with a few different keywords to use on your website. Keyword optimization doesn’t have to be hard — simply write the products and services you offer, as well as your location. Some examples could be “HVAC service provider in Raleigh, North Carolina” or “Plumber in Buffalo, New York.”
Layer three — the sauce: The sauce of the lasagna helps to keep everything together, and so does your backlink profile, social media platform pages, videos and photos intermixed with your content, and interacting with potential customers.
You’ll want to have a good variety of backlinks from other websites in your niche as a way to make your website look reputable to search engine crawlers, and create a stronger website as a whole. Utilizing your social media platforms is a great way to interact with potential customers while promoting brand awareness and recognition. Considering that the majority of people utilize their smartphones to browse the internet, it is important to have as much information as you can on your social media pages, as the probability of consumers visiting your social pages before your website is high.
Layer four — the cheese: Who doesn’t like the bubbly, melted cheese on top of a lasagna? In SEO purposes, the cheese represents your overall SEO campaign: monitoring, making changes as need be, finding new methods of promoting your business, and staying up-to-date with industry changes and trends. Without a consistent SEO campaign, the rest of your layers will crumble.
So there you have it: SEO and lasagna have more in common than you think!
