72 statistics to understand SEO in 2018 [Infographic]

SEO made simple: A quick look

What once was an esoteric and often misunderstood matter, quickly is becoming a mainstream practice that is deeply embedded in proper web design and good content strategy.

No longer is search engine optimization a list of counterintuitive practices that seek to exploit the shortcomings of search algorithms. Instead, it is a set of good business practices, guidelines that steer web designers and content creators in the right direction.

Direction which leads to memorable user experience through smooth site navigation and content that provides real value, be it for entertainment or educative purposes. Of course, there is lots of value stored for the site owner as well.

When the right SEO strategy – on and off page – is applied, the ranking inevitably rises, increasing site exposure and organic traffic. The latter translates directly into more business, as SEOtribunal stats clearly show. Search traffic converts, on average, 10 times better than traffic coming from social media platforms.

Additionally, organic search results are much more trusted by the users. Over 70% of the people who browse the web ignore the paid ads that accompany virtually every search and click on the naturally selected top results.

And if these benefits were not sufficient, simply figuring in the top search results increases the brand awareness. Being on Page 1 in Google means that everyone will see you even if she doesn’t visit your site.

Achieving this exposure takes time, as SEO is not a one-time solution. Rather, it is a strategically structured process that involves several key factors and myriad tiny details. A few key elements of good SEO include:

• Fast website – With the unending opulence of web hosting options and CMS optimizations, having a slow page betrays pure sloppiness and will be punished by users and search engines alike.
• Content quality – Well-researched articles, polished galleries, catchy videos, whatever it is, it must provide real value to the visitors. Good content that corresponds to the keywords you are ranking for reduces the bounce rate and increases somewhat the click through rate (CTR).
• Seamless navigation – High click through rate indicates good user experience, which tells the search engines that your site is worth it. Combined with quality content, a well-designed interface increases the time visitors spend on the site, which is another positive signal for the search engines.

As you can see, these three key elements are fundamental. They are overarching and include many subcategories and small things to think through, design and implement. Ultimately, though, all of them are aimed to deliver quality user experience, which is all that matters for a website.

To acquire a much better idea about the holistic approach toward strong web presence that modern SEO is, check out the detailed infographic below: