SEO Starter Guide For Beginner

Introduction to Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

You probably designed your website with your users in mind, making it as simple as possible for them to locate and browse your content. One of those users is a search engine, which facilitates the discovery of your content. Search engine optimization, or SEO for short, is the process of assisting search engines in comprehending your content and assisting users in locating your website and deciding whether or not to visit it. Click here why we started idea2grow.

The most crucial components that qualify your website for Google Search are outlined in the Search Essentials. Sites that adhere to the Search Essentials are more likely to appear in Google’s search results, though there is no assurance that any specific website will be added to Google’s index. Moving forward and enhancing your website’s search engine visibility is what SEO is all about. This guide will take you through some of the most popular and useful site enhancements.

Sorry, but there are no tricks here that will make your website appear at the top of Google. Although some of the recommendations may not even apply to your company, adhering to the best practices should make it simpler for search engines—not just Google—to crawl, index, and comprehend your content.

Let’s learn by an easiest example: 

Imagine you have a big school library, and your website is like a book inside it.

But…

The library is HUGE, and there is only one librarian (Google) trying to find every book and help students pick the right one.

To help the librarian:

• You make your book cover clear
• You write the title nicely
• You keep the pages neat
• You make the table of contents easy to read

This is exactly what SEO does for your website.

How does Google Search operate?

Google is a completely automated search engine that continuously searches the web for pages to add to its index using programs known as crawlers. Usually, all you have to do is put your website online. As we crawl the web, the great majority of the websites listed in our results are actually discovered and added automatically. We have documentation on how Google finds, crawls, and serves web pages if you’re interested in learning more.

How long will it take for my search results to show an impact?

It will take some time for Google to implement any changes you make. While some changes may be implemented in a matter of hours, others may require several months. Generally speaking, you should wait a few weeks to see if your efforts improved Google Search results. Remember that not every modification you make to your website will have a discernible effect on search results. If your business strategies permit it and you’re not happy with your results, try experimenting with the changes to see if they have an impact.

Make your content easier for Google to find

Check to see if Google has already discovered your content before taking any of the actions listed in this section (you might not need to take any action). Try using the site: search operator to look up your website on Google. You are in the index if you see results that lead to your website. For instance, these are the results of a search for site:wikipedia.org. If your website isn’t appearing in Google Search, check the technical requirements to make sure there isn’t a technical issue, and then return here.

Links from other pages that Google has already crawled are the main way it locates pages. These are frequently links to your pages from other websites. Over time, other websites will naturally link to you, and by promoting your website, you can also encourage people to find your content.

You could also submit a sitemap, which is a file that includes all the URLs on your website that are important to you, if you’re willing to take on a little technical challenge. You might even get this done automatically by certain content management systems (CMS). This is not necessary, though, and your first priority should be to ensure that people are aware of your website.

Verify whether Google can view your page in the same manner as a user

Google should ideally view a page as the typical user would when it crawls it. Google must have access to the same resources as the user’s browser in order to do this. Google may not be able to comprehend your pages if crucial elements of your website, such as CSS and JavaScript, are hidden. As a result, your pages may not appear in search results or rank well for the terms you are targeting.

Make sure you are happy with the information Google sees from its crawler’s location, which is typically the US, if the information on your pages varies based on the user’s physical location.

Use Search Console’s URL Inspection Tool to see how Google views your page.

Arrange your website

It can help users and search engines understand how your pages relate to the rest of your website, so it can be beneficial to arrange your site logically when you’re setting it up or redesigning it. Though these recommendations can be useful in the long run (particularly if you’re working on a larger website), search engines will probably understand your pages as they are now, regardless of how your site is organized, so don’t abandon everything and start rearranging it right away.

Make use of informative URLs

In order to help users determine whether a result will be helpful to them, portions of the URL may be shown in search results as breadcrumbs.

If you enjoy a technical challenge, you can use structured data to influence Google’s breadcrumbs, which are automatically learned based on the words in the URL. Try incorporating terms that users might find helpful in the URL, such as:

https://www.idea2grow.com/2025/08/start-profitable-clothing-brand-in-2025.html

Users will find a URL with random identifiers less useful, such as:

https://www.example.com/5/577373833993

Organize pages in directories according to their topics

The way you arrange your content may affect how Google crawls and indexes your website if you have more than a few thousand URLs. In particular, Google can learn how frequently the URLs in individual directories change by using directories (or folders) to group related topics.

Take the following URLs, for instance:

Return policy: https://idea2grow.com

The promotions directory’s content probably changes frequently, but the policies directory’s content rarely does. Google can use this knowledge to crawl the various directories at various intervals. See our guide for e-commerce sites, where a good URL structure is more crucial due to their tendency to be larger, for more information on search-friendly site structures.

Cut down on duplicate content

Duplicate content is content that appears on some websites under different URLs. For each piece of content, search engines select one URL (the canonical URL) to display to users.

Although having duplicate content on your website does not violate our spam policies, it can negatively impact user experience and cause search engines to waste their crawling resources on irrelevant URLs. It’s worthwhile to see if you can designate a canonical version for your pages if you’re feeling daring. However, Google will attempt to canonicalize your URLs automatically if you don’t do it yourself.

When working on canonicalization, make sure that every piece of content on your website can only be accessed via a single URL. If you have two pages with identical information about your promotions, it could be confusing for users to know which is the correct page and whether there is a difference between the two.

Try configuring a redirect from non-preferred URLs to a URL that most accurately represents the information if you have several pages with identical content. Use the rel=”canonical” link element if you are unable to redirect. Again, though, search engines can usually figure this out for you on their own, so don’t worry too much about it.

Make your website engaging and practical

More than any of the other recommendations in this guide, producing engaging and helpful content will probably affect your website’s ranking in search results. Although the term “compelling and useful content” can mean different things to different people, such content typically has certain characteristics in common, like:

The text is well-structured and simple to read: Write content organically and ensure that it is clear, easy to read, and free of grammatical and spelling errors. To aid users in navigating your pages, divide lengthy content into paragraphs and sections and include headings.

The content is distinct: Write original content based on your knowledge of the subject rather than partially or completely copying the work of others. Don’t simply restate what has already been written by others.

The information is current: Examine previously published material, make any necessary updates, or remove it if it is no longer relevant.

The information is trustworthy, beneficial, and prioritizes people: Make sure the material you write will be trustworthy and beneficial to your readers. For instance, citing knowledgeable or experienced sources can help readers comprehend the subject matter of your articles.

Anticipate the search terms used by your audience

Consider the search terms a user might use to locate a piece of your content. Users with extensive knowledge of the subject may use different search terms than those who are unfamiliar with it. For instance, different users may search for “cheese board” and “charcuterie” respectively. Your site may perform better in search results if you anticipate these variations in search behavior and write with your readers in mind.

Don’t worry, though, if you don’t account for every possible way that someone could find your content. Even if you don’t use the exact terms in many queries, Google’s sophisticated language matching systems can still determine how your page relates to them.

Steer clear of distracting ads

Although advertisements are a necessary part of the internet and should be viewed by users, avoid making them too distracting or preventing them from reading your content. For instance, interstitial pages—pages that appear before or after the content you’re expecting—or advertisements that make using the website challenging.

Link to suitable sources

Links are a fantastic way to direct readers and search engines to different sections of your website or pertinent pages on other websites. Links are actually a vital resource you should take into consideration to assist your sites be found by Google and possibly displayed in search results, since they account for the great majority of the new pages Google finds every day. Links can also offer value by directing readers (as well as Google) to another source that supports your content.

Create quality link text

The visible text portion of a link is called link text, sometimes referred to as anchor text. This text provides information about the page you’re connecting to to both Google and users. Users and search engines can readily comprehend the content of your linked pages before they visit if you utilize appropriate anchor text.

When necessary, link

Links can show your expertise on a subject by giving consumers and search engines further context. But be sure you trust the source you’re linking to when you’re linking to pages that are not under your control, such as content on other websites. To prevent search engines from linking your website to the website you’re linking to, add a nofollow or similar annotation to the link if you can’t trust the content but still want to link to it. By doing this, you can prevent any unfavorable effects on your Google search rankings.

Make that your CMS automatically adds a nofollow or similar annotation to every link contributed by users if you allow user-generated material on your website, such as forum posts or comments. In this situation, you probably don’t want your website to be mistakenly linked to the websites users are visiting because you aren’t producing the material. Additionally, this can deter spammers from exploiting your website.

Control how your website appears in Google Search

You may affect the many visual components of a typical Google search results page to assist users decide whether or not to visit your website. Since the title link and the snippet are the most visually important components, we are concentrating on them in this section.

Have an impact on your title links

People can choose which search result to click on by using the title link, which is the headline portion of the search result. The words contained within the <title> element (also known as the title text) and other headings on the page are among the sources that Google uses to create this title link. You can also use this title text for the title that appears in bookmarks and browsers.Writing a title that is distinctive to the page, clear and succinct, and appropriately represents the contents of the page will help you impact the title links in Search. For instance, your title might contain the name of your company or website, along with other pertinent details like the company’s geographical address and even some description of what the specific page has to offer viewers. More advice on crafting effective titles and influencing the title links that appear in search results for your website can be found in our title link guide.

Manage your snippets

To assist users in determining whether or not to click on a search result, a description of the target page usually appears beneath the title link. We refer to this as a snippet.

You have total control over the words that can be utilized to create the snippet because it comes from the actual content of the site that the search result links to. The content of the meta description element, which is usually a brief, one- or two-sentence synopsis of the page, may occasionally be the source of the snippet. A good meta description is brief, exclusive to a single page, and highlights the most important aspects of the page. For additional inspiration, see our advice on crafting effective meta descriptions.

Include and optimize photos on your website

A lot of people search visually, and photographs may be the first thing that lead them to your website. If you have a cooking blog, for instance, visitors may discover your content by searching for “Vegetable recipes” and looking through pictures of different kinds of fruit tarts.

Make sure that both users and search engines can locate and comprehend the photographs you publish to your website.

Place excellent pictures next to pertinent text

When you employ high-quality photos, you provide users with enough information and context to determine which image best fits their search. For instance, a better image would make it easier for users to identify the type of flower if they are searching for “daisies” and find a rogue edelweiss in the search results.

Make use of crisp, clear graphics and position them next to pertinent content. Google can learn more about an image’s purpose and context from the text that appears next to it.

For instance, if the page is reviewing yarn stores in Nepal, it would make sense to include one of your pictures of the store in the area that provides the store’s address, description, and review details. This makes it easier for Google and users to link the image to text that gives the page’s content greater context.

Add an explanation to the image’s alt text

A brief but informative passage that clarifies the connection between the image and your content is known as alt text. Writing quality alt text is crucial because it tells search engines what your image is about and how it relates to your website. The alt attribute of the img element can be used to add this to your HTML, or your CMS may offer a simple method for adding a description to an image when you upload it to your website. Find out more about adding alt text to your photographs and writing quality alt text.

Advertise your website

Promoting your fresh material well will help search engines and people who are interested in the same topic find it more quickly. There are numerous ways to accomplish this:

• Promotion on social media
• Participation of the community
• Online and offline advertising
• Word-of-mouth and numerous additional techniques

Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most successful and long-lasting strategies; people who are familiar with your website recommend it to their friends, who then visit it. This can be time-consuming, and you typically need to devote some time and energy to other activities first, including community involvement. Excellent options for growing and interacting with your audience are available from our friends at Google for Creators.

Making an effort to promote your business or website offline can also pay off. For instance, make sure your business cards, stationery, posters, and other items include the URL of your company website. You might also notify your audience about fresh content on your website by sending them recurrent emails with their consent.
Like anything else in life, you run the risk of over promoting your website and doing more harm than good. People may grow weary of your promotions, and search engines may interpret some of your actions as manipulating search results.

Things you shouldn’t focus on

The concepts, methods, and occasionally false beliefs surrounding SEO have changed along with it. The way search engines (and the internet) have evolved over time may make what was once regarded as best practice or top priority irrelevant or ineffective.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular and prevalent SEO-related subjects we’ve noticed on the internet to help you concentrate on the things that are truly crucial. We will go into more detail on a few particular themes here, but generally speaking, our message on these subjects is that you should do what’s best for your business area:

Meta keywords

Google Search doesn’t use the keywords meta tag.

Stuffing keywords

Keyword stuffing is prohibited by Google’s spam standards, and users find it exhausting to repeatedly utilize the same terms, even in different ways.Keywords in the URL route or domain name

Do what is ideal for your business while choosing the name of your website. We advise adhering to standard marketing best practices because users will use this name to discover you. The keywords in the domain name (or URL path) by themselves have very little impact on ranking other than showing up in breadcrumbs.

While we’re still talking about domain names, the TLD (the domain name that ends in “-com” or “.guru”) only counts if you’re targeting users in a certain nation, and even then, it’s typically a low impact signal. For instance, using a.ch domain name makes some sense (both from a business and SEO standpoint) if you’re trying to sell Dutch cheese to folks looking from Switzerland. If not, Google Search doesn’t give a damn about the TLD you use—be it.com,.org, or Asia.

Minimum or maximum length of content

For ranking purposes, the content’s length is irrelevant (there is no magical word count aim, minimum or maximum, however you generally want to have at least one word). Because you are utilizing more keywords, you have a greater chance of appearing in search results if you are using a variety of terms (writing organically to avoid repetition).

Subdirectories versus Subdomains

Do whatever makes sense for your company from a business perspective. Depending on the topic or industry of your website, it may make sense to divide topics into subdomains, but it may also be simpler to administer the site if it is divided into subdirectories.

PageRank

Although PageRank, one of Google’s core algorithms, relies on links, Google Search is much more than just links. PageRank is only one of our many ranking signals.

“penalty” for duplicate content

Don’t worry if your content is available across several URLs. Although it is inefficient, there won’t be a manual action. But replicating someone else’s content is a another matter.

The quantity and arrangement of headings

While it’s great for screen readers to have your headings in semantic order, Google Search doesn’t care if you use them out of order. Google Search can hardly ever rely on semantic implications concealed in the HTML standard because the web as a whole is not genuine HTML.

Additionally, there is no magic number of headings that a particular page should contain. But if it seems excessive to you, it most likely is.

Considering E-E-A-T as a ranking factor

Completely No

Next actions

Start using Search Console: You can track and improve your website’s performance on Google Search by creating a Search Console account. Find out which reports to look at first and how to set up your account.Maintain your website’s

SEO throughout time: Find out more about long-term site management, covering more complex SEO duties and scenarios like managing a multilingual website or getting ready for a site migration.

Improve the appearance of your website in Google search results: Your pages are also eligible for a number of unique features in Google Search results, such as review stars, carousels, and more, if they include valid structured data. Examine the gallery of possible search result categories for your page.

Frequently Asked Question