Having a website is not enough, you want it to be seen, ideally – by a horde of visitors. With millions of websites being created daily, it’s not easy to stand out in a crowded online space.
Are you tired of not appearing on the first page of Google? Want to boost your online presence and attract more visitors to your website?
That’s where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. You’ve probably heard of search engine optimization (SEO) before, but do you understand its significance for your WordPress website?
The importance of SEO for WordPress websites cannot be emphasized enough.
It’s not just about ranking higher on Google, although that’s certainly a desirable outcome. SEO is about ensuring that your website is technically sound, user-friendly, and relevant to search engines and users.
SEO is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), making it easier for your target audience to find you online.
Shortly, with solid SEO work, your website is more likely to appear at the top of Google when someone searches for keywords related to your business or niche.
In this article, we’ll delve into the importance of SEO for WordPress websites, and give you some tips on how to improve both your technical SEO and on-page SEO through keyword research.
So, why is SEO so important for websites in the modern world?
Importance of SEO for websites
- Increased visibility and traffic: By optimizing your website for search engines, you increase your chances of appearing at the top of SERPs for keywords related to your business or industry. This leads to increased visibility and more traffic to your website, as users are more likely to click on your website over others.
- Better user experience: SEO is not just about making your website rank higher in search engines, but also about providing a better user experience. By optimizing your website’s content and structure, you make it easier for users to find what they’re looking for, improving their overall experience on your website.
- Credibility and trust: When your website appears at the top of search engine results, it can help build credibility and trust with your target audience. This is because users associate a higher ranking with a more authoritative and trustworthy website.
- Competitive advantage: In today’s competitive online landscape, having a strong SEO strategy can give you a competitive advantage over your competitors. By optimizing your website, you can capture more traffic and leads, ultimately growing your business.
How long until the first results of the SEO work are visible on Google SERP?
This is the question I get the most. Some aspects, like speed optimization, for example, can have an immediate result.
If you have improved your website speed considerably, you have improved the UX, and you’ll likely get more visits (with more time on the pages).
However, the time it takes for the results of SEO work to become visible on Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERP) can vary depending on various factors such as the competition for the target keywords, the current ranking of the website, the authority of the website, and the quality of the SEO work being performed. On average, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months for the results of SEO work to become noticeable on Google’s SERP.
It’s important to note that SEO is a long-term strategy and sustainable results typically take time and consistent effort to achieve.
Technical SEO – the starting point in the Importance of SEO for WordPress websites
Technical SEO refers to the underlying technical aspects of your website that affect its visibility and ranking in search engines. This includes things like website structure, URL structure, site speed, and mobile responsiveness.
Before we can discuss the importance of keyword research and on-page optimization, it’s crucial to understand the technical aspects of SEO. Technical SEO refers to the underlying structure and coding of your website that search engines use to crawl and index your content. If your website is technically sound, it will be easier for search engines to understand what your site is about and how it’s relevant to users.
Here are a few key technical SEO factors to keep in mind for your WordPress website:
Website Structure
The structure of your website is the foundation of your online presence. A well-structured website makes it easy for search engines to crawl and index your pages, and for users to navigate your site and find what they’re looking for.
A good website structure starts with a clear hierarchy, with categories and sub-categories that reflect your business or niche. Your homepage should be the starting point for your website, with clear and descriptive links to your main pages and categories.
URL Structure
The URL structure of your website is also important for SEO. URLs should be short, descriptive, and include keywords that reflect the content on the page. For example, instead of using a URL like “www.example.com/page123”, use “www.example.com/keyword-rich-title”.
Site Speed
Site speed is another important aspect of technical SEO. A slow website can lead to higher bounce rates, lower conversions, and a negative user experience. To improve your site speed, you can use tools like GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights to see what’s slowing your site down, and then make the necessary optimizations, such as compressing images, using a fast web host, and minimizing the use of plugins.
You can read more about it in the Speed Optimization for WordPress Websites article we published earlier.
Or you can hire us to conduct the speed optimization for you.
Mobile Responsiveness
In today’s mobile-first world, it’s more important than ever to have a responsive website that’s optimized for all devices. A responsive website automatically adjusts its layout and content to fit the size of the device’s screen, ensuring a positive user experience for all visitors, no matter what device they use.
Security (HTTPS)
Secure HTTPS connection: A secure HTTPS connection is important for both user trust and search engine rankings. This means that all data transmitted between your website and users is encrypted, protecting sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers.
XML Sitemap
An XML sitemap is like a map for search engines, helping them to properly crawl your website and all the pages on it. Or at least the ones you allowed them to.
There are a lot of free tools on WP which create them for you. You will have to apply them on the Google Search Console, Bing, etc.
Use descriptive title tags and meta descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions are important elements in your site’s HTML code that provide a brief description of your content to search engines and users. Make sure to use keywords in your title tags and meta descriptions to help search engines understand the content on your pages.
Optimize images with alt tags
Alt tags are used to describe the contents of images and are essential for accessibility and search engine optimization. Make sure to use descriptive alt tags that include keywords relevant to the image and its content.
On-page SEO with Keyword Research
Once you’ve taken care of the technical SEO elements of your WordPress website, it’s time to focus on the on-page SEO. On-page SEO involves optimizing the content and structure of your pages to improve their visibility and relevance in search results.
Keyword research
Before you start optimizing your pages for search engines, it’s important to do keyword research to find out what your target audience is searching for.
There are a number of keyword research tools available, such as Google Keyword Planner, that can help you identify keywords that are relevant to your business or blog.
This is one of the most important areas if you are aware of the importance of SEO for your WordPress website.
Optimize your content with keywords
Once you have a list of keywords, ensure to include them in your content in a natural and relevant way. This means using keywords in your headings, subheadings, and body text, but avoiding keyword stuffing (using too many keywords in your content in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings).
Use header tags
Header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) are used to structure the content on your pages and make it easier for search engines to understand the hierarchy of your content. Use header tags appropriately, with H1 tags reserved for the main heading on each page, and H2 and H3 tags used for subheadings.
Create high-quality, original content
You may have heard the term ‘Content is the king!’. This is still, and always will be, true. If you don’t have interesting, relevant content, then all of your efforts will be wasted.
Search engines reward websites that provide high-quality, original content relevant to users. Make sure to regularly publish new content on your WordPress site, and focus on creating content that provides value to your visitors.
Try to keep them engaged with interesting texts, infographics, and other applicable content relevant to the topic you are writing for.
Conclusion – the importance of SEO for WordPress websites:
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is critical for the success of any website, especially for bloggers and e-commerce shops.
According to one of my favorite persons in the SEO world, Neil Patel:
In fact, global e-commerce sales are expected to reach $6.3 billion in 2023.
A smart move would be to take a bigger slice of that cake.
By improving technical SEO and on-page SEO, you can drive more traffic to your website and increase your chances of ranking higher in search engine results.
Keyword research is an essential component of on-page SEO and can help you understand what your target audience is searching for, allowing you to create content that appeals to them.
As SEO is a vast area, there are a few things we didn’t talk about here (Off-page SEO, and competitor analysis for example).
The importance of SEO for WordPress websites cannot be overstated, as it can greatly impact the visibility, credibility, and success of your website.
If you set the foundations with proper technical SEO, and you are issuing new relevant content regularly, the SEO work will never end. You’ll need to conduct keyword (keyphrase) research, best done before writing new content, and On-page SEO.
Of course, you can always contact us for availability, and we can take the bulk of the SEO work out of your hand, by providing you our expert SEO service.
Founder of WPservice.pro
Dalibor is a master of web excellence. With a Bachelor of Science (BS), Dalibor has cultivated deep expertise in WordPress website speed optimization, meticulous maintenance, development, and search engine optimization (SEO).
Having completed over 70 projects and achieved a top-rated status (on Upwork) in the highly competitive digital landscape, Dalibor is a proper authority on enhancing online experiences and ensuring websites look exceptional and perform flawlessly.
Dalibor is a published writer and an avid learner who continually explores and embraces the latest digital trends. With a commitment to quality and a keen eye for detail, Dalibor is your trusted guide to achieving web success.