SEO Agency FAQ: Search Engine Optimization FAQs | Coastal Web Marketing

SEO Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re reading this, we’re going to assume you know some of the basics of search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is a part of search engine marketing (SEM), which also includes pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. SEM is a broader digital marketing strategy that drives traffic through various methods. Do you need a refresher, check out our recent blog, Small Business SEO: A Beginner’s Guide and visit our other SEO pages.

Here, we will discuss who we work with, how we do what we do, and SEO cost. These are some of the most frequently asked questions we get and our answers.

What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Marketing?

SEO marketing is online marketing using your website as a basis. We optimize your website so that search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.) will recognize your web pages and place you high in the search engine results pages (SERPs) when someone enters a query looking for the products or services you offer. By using SEO, you can effectively market your business to people who are already looking for what you have to offer.

Ideally, you would like local business to be on page #1 for keyword terms related to your services. That’s because most searchers don’t bother going to the second page of results. Optimizing your website helps in better visibility on Google Search and other search engines. Eventually, we plan to get you in the Top 3 positions where your local competitors are listed.

As a business owner, do I need SEO Marketing?

Maybe! If you are so busy that you cannot possibly take on new business, you don’t need SEO. SEO may be a good fit for you if you want to use your website to grow your business or fill holes in your appointment schedule. And our SEO Plans can bring you more business!

What is the difference between local SEO and Organic SEO?

Local is your listings on local website directories and a search engine’s local search area. For Google, it is near the top of the search engine results page that has a map and 3 listings showing. Your Google Business Profile (GBP) account can also help you with local search engine guidelines. Local SEO is very important if you have a defined service area of several cities or counties.

The organic SEO listings are below the local listings and there are at least 10 organic listings on page #1. Organic SEO focuses on improving organic search rankings, which are crucial for long-term visibility and traffic. Your website may appear in both the top local and organic listings if we’re doing everything right.

What is a keyword phrase?

A keyword phrase is what someone types in a search engine to find the services or products they are interested in. For example, someone might type in “need a plumber to install a new hot water heater”. Or they may type in “plumber in the baltimore area” or they may just type in “plumber near me”. Each one of these phrases will place different results on every search engine.

We use industry tools to see what phrases people are really looking for. We then optimize for specific phrases that you can be competitive for. We set it up so you have a unique keyword phrase on each web page. In this way, you can cover all of the ways someone might search for your services. On-page SEO involves optimizing individual web pages for specific keyword phrases to improve their search engine rankings.

Do I need to be on page #1 for my keyword phrases?

If you want to get more business then YES! There are usually hundreds of competitors in Local Search for a specific keyword phrase and millions of competitors in Organic search. And statistics show the majority of searchers don’t go beyond the first page to find what they are looking for. It is a challenging task to get you to the top page, but it is definitely doable. But it takes working with experienced SEO agencies like Coastal Web to make it happen.

How do you get my keywords on page one?

We start by focusing on one phrase then add a 2nd phrase, 3rd, 4th, and so on. The longer you pay for SEO the more keywords we get you to perform well on. We may create new content for your website, consolidate content, or delete some altogether.

Why should I work with Coastal Web Marketing over other SEO companies?

Mike Parr, the owner of Coastal Web Marketing, has been providing SEO Services since 2001. His company has been listed as a TOP SEO Agency for multiple years. AND we are half the price of most competitors. We know the Baltimore area, and work mainly with businesses in Harford County, Baltimore County, and Cecil County, but we’re open to working with small businesses in other areas.

How much does SEO cost per month?

You can utilize our services for as little as $50.00 per hour, while most of our SEO competitors are charging $125.00 to $175.00 per hour. The investment is well worth it. If you get just a few new customers, you’re more than paid for any SEO costs.

How can Coastal Web’s prices be so cheap if you are that good at what you do?

I used to charge $100.00 per hour for SEO when I had an office with 12+ people working every day. Over the years I learned that I take in more profit with a work-from-home staff, that is paid based on billable hours and production versus a 40-hour work week mentality. Then I pass the savings onto my customers.

Using tools like Google Search Console can help monitor and improve website performance, which can impact the cost and effectiveness of SEO.

How many hours of SEO will I need per month?

The more hours you spend the faster we can get you placed higher on local search listings and organic listings in places like Google, Yahoo, and Bing! We market to 2 areas on major search engines first, local search and organic listings. Local search is usually in the 3-to-6-month time-frame and organic is in the 9-to-18-month time-frame. The sooner you start the faster you get there! That timing depends on a few things:

How much SEO you have done previously (if any)
How much SEO your competitors have done
Your physical location (small vs large town)
If you are focused on a small local area or nationwide
How many competitors you have in your area
If your website SEO-Friendly
How fast you want to get to the top of the SERPs

What is the actual cost of SEO each month?

Our plans run anywhere from $400.00 per month to $ 2,400.00 per month, depending on your business.

Can you give an example of what I should be paying for SEO each month for my business?

It is hard to come up with an exact price as there are many factors and we would need to know your goals, and your budget, then we would perform a couple hours of research. Once that is done, we can get you a couple options.

OK, I’m interested in talking about SEO for my website. What’s next?

Call us at 410-420-9390 or use our contact form to set up a Free SEO Analysis. We’ll use industry tools to analyze your website as well as your main competitors, and go over all the results with you, showing areas where we can improve your online presence. If you sign up for an SEO plan with us, we can get started right away.

What is SEO?

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” It enhances the quality and quantity of traffic to your website by achieving higher rankings in search engines crawl top engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords or phrases. Unlike paid advertising, SEO targets unpaid traffic, also known as “natural” or “organic” results, which are often more valuable. The primary goal of SEO is to increase your website’s visibility and credibility, driving more traffic and potentially converting visitors into customers. By optimizing your site for search engines, you can ensure that your business is found by people actively searching for the products or services you offer.

How Search Engines Work

Search engines are sophisticated algorithms designed to crawl, index, and rank web pages based on their relevance, authority, and user experience. Here’s a breakdown of how search engines work:

Crawling: Search engines use software programs called “crawlers” or “spiders” to continuously scan and discover new web pages.
Indexing: Once a web page is crawled, its content is indexed, meaning it is added to a massive database of web pages.
Retrieval: When a user searches for a keyword or phrase, the search engine’s algorithm retrieves a list of relevant web pages from the index.
Ranking: The algorithm then ranks the retrieved web pages based on their relevance, authority, and user experience, displaying the most relevant results to the user.

Different search engines may have varying ranking factors, so it’s important to optimize for other search engines in addition to Google. This comprehensive approach ensures better overall search engine performance and enhances user experience across various platforms.

Understanding how search engines work is crucial for effective SEO, as it helps you optimize your web pages to meet the criteria that search engines use to rank content.

Understanding Search Engine Rankings

Search engine rankings refer to the position of a website in a search engine’s results page (SERP) for a specific keyword or phrase. These rankings are determined by complex algorithms that search engines use to evaluate the relevance, quality, and user experience of web pages. Factors such as keyword usage, content quality, link equity, and technical optimization all play a role in how a website is ranked. It’s important to note that search engine rankings can fluctuate over time due to changes in the algorithm, user behavior, and competitor activity. By understanding these dynamics, you can better optimize your website to achieve and maintain higher rankings.

Optimizing for Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)

Optimizing for SERPs involves tailoring your website’s content and structure to align with search engine algorithms and user behavior. This process starts with thorough keyword research to identify relevant keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for. Once you have your keywords, the next step is content optimization. This means creating high-quality, engaging content that not only matches user intent but also adheres to search engine algorithms. Technical optimization is equally important; ensuring your website loads quickly, is mobile-friendly, and uses secure protocols can significantly impact your website rankings too. Additionally, building high-quality backlinks from authoritative sources can boost your website’s authority and improve its position in search engine results.

Technical SEO Best Practices

Technical SEO focuses on optimizing your website’s technical infrastructure to enhance search engine crawling, indexing, and ranking. One of the key aspects is site speed optimization; ensuring your website loads in less than 3 seconds can improve user experience and search engine rankings. Mobile-friendliness is another critical factor, as a significant portion of search engine users access websites via mobile devices. Implementing SSL encryption by installing an SSL certificate ensures a secure connection between your website and its users, which is favored by search engines. Lastly, creating and submitting XML sitemaps helps search engines understand your website’s structure and content, facilitating better indexing and ranking.

Link Building and Off-Page Optimization

Link building is a crucial aspect of off-page optimization, involving the acquisition of high-quality backlinks from authoritative sources to enhance your website’s authority and its search engine ranking. One effective strategy is guest blogging, where you write posts for other websites to build relationships and gain backlinks. Another method is broken link building, which involves finding broken links on other websites and offering your content as a replacement. Social media marketing also plays a vital role in off-page optimization; promoting your website on social media platforms can increase visibility, drive traffic, and indirectly boost your search engine rankings.

Measuring SEO Success with Google Analytics

Google Analytics is an invaluable tool for measuring the success of your SEO efforts. By tracking organic traffic, you can see how many visitors arrive at your website through search engines. Monitoring conversion rates helps you understand the percentage of visitors who complete desired actions, such as filling out a form or making a purchase. Bounce rates indicate the percentage of visitors who leave your website immediately, which can signal issues with user experience or content relevance. Lastly, average session duration shows how long visitors stay on your website, providing insights into engagement levels. By analyzing these metrics, you can make informed decisions to improve your SEO strategy and drive more organic traffic to your site.

SEO Ranking Factors

Search engines use a variety of ranking factors to determine the relevance and authority of a web page. Some of the key ranking factors include:

Keyword Research and Optimization: Identifying and using the right keywords that your target audience is searching for.
Content Quality and Relevance: Creating high-quality, relevant content that provides value to users.
Link Equity and Authority: Building backlinks from reputable sites to increase your site’s authority.
Mobile-Friendliness and Site Speed: Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly and loads quickly.
Technical SEO and Site Architecture: Optimizing the technical aspects of your site, such as URL structure and internal linking.
User Experience and Engagement: Providing a positive user experience to keep visitors engaged.
Social Signals and Brand Mentions: Leveraging social media and brand mentions to boost your site’s credibility.
Local SEO and Business Listings: Optimizing for local search results and maintaining accurate business listings.
Content Freshness and Updates: Regularly updating your content to keep it fresh and relevant.
Technical SEO and Crawlability: Ensuring your site is easily crawlable by search engines.

Focusing on these ranking factors can improve your search engine rankings and drive more organic traffic to your site.

SEO Strategies and Tools

SEO involves a range of strategies and tools to improve a website’s ranking and visibility. Some of the key SEO strategies include:

Keyword Research and Optimization: Identifying the right keywords and optimizing your content around them.
Content Creation and Marketing: Producing high-quality content that attracts and engages your audience.
Link Building and Outreach: Acquiring backlinks from reputable sites to boost your site’s authority.
Technical SEO and Site Optimization: Improving the technical aspects of your site to enhance its performance.
Local SEO and Business Listings: Optimizing for local search results and maintaining accurate business listings.
Social Media Marketing and Engagement: Using social media to promote your content and engage with your audience.

Some of the key SEO tools include:

Google Analytics and Search Console: Monitoring your site’s performance and identifying areas for improvement.
Ahrefs and SEMrush: Conducting keyword research and competitive analysis.
Moz and MozBar: Analyzing your site’s SEO metrics and identifying optimization opportunities.
Google Keyword Planner and Trends: Finding relevant keywords and understanding search trends.

By leveraging these strategies and tools, you can effectively improve your site’s SEO and achieve higher search engine rankings.

SEO Best Practices

SEO best practices involve following guidelines and recommendations to improve a website’s ranking and visibility. Some of the key SEO best practices include:

Creating High-Quality and Relevant Content: Focus on producing content that provides value to your audience and addresses their needs.
Building High-Quality Backlinks: Acquire backlinks from reputable sites to boost your site’s authority.
Optimizing Technical Aspects of a Website: Ensure your site is technically sound, with a clear URL structure, fast loading times, and mobile-friendliness.
Improving User Experience and Engagement: Make your site easy to navigate and engaging to keep visitors on your site longer.
Building a Strong Brand Reputation: Establish a strong online presence and maintain a positive reputation.
Staying Up-to-Date with the Latest SEO Trends and Best Practices: Continuously educate yourself on the latest SEO trends and adjust your strategies accordingly.

By adhering to these best practices, you can improve your site’s SEO and achieve better search engine rankings.

SEO and Website Speed

Website speed is a critical factor in SEO, as it affects user experience and search engine rankings. A slow website can lead to:

Higher Bounce Rates: Visitors are more likely to leave a slow-loading site.
Lower Engagement and Conversion Rates: Slow sites can frustrate users, leading to lower engagement and fewer conversions.
Lower Search Engine Rankings: Search engines prioritize fast-loading sites in their rankings.
Negative Impact on Brand Reputation: A slow site can harm your brand’s reputation and credibility.

To improve website speed, consider:

Optimizing Images and Compressing Files: Reduce the size of images and files to speed up loading times.
Minifying and Caching Code: Minify your code and use caching to improve site performance.
Using a Content Delivery Network (CDN): Distribute your content across multiple servers to reduce load times.
Enabling Browser Caching: Allow browsers to cache your site’s resources for faster loading.
Avoiding Too Many HTTP Requests: Minimize the number of HTTP requests to speed up your site.

By focusing on website speed, you can enhance user experience and improve your search engine rankings.