Ethical SEO - or Search Engine Optimization if you prefer, is the process of optimizing a website with the purpose of raising its positions in the Google search engine.
The actual process of SEO can be quite a complicated one, and can vary depending on the actual website in question, and the keyterms being sought.
The various techniques can include but are not limited to, Meta tags and Header tags, keyword density, and alt tag optimization. As well as this, Off Page optimization is taken into consideration.
Off Page SEO techniques involve securing, maintaining and growing relevant backlinks, with certain configurations in the anchor text. This can have a great effect in raising the rankings of specific keyterms.
Because of the positive effect of building backlinks on search engine rankings, some website owners have taken to actually buying backlinks in an attempt to raise their rankings.
Google has been known to consider this technique as manipulation of its algorithm, and may have been concerned that this may result in its search engine bringing less relevant results.
This has led Google to try to penalise people for buying backlinks.
Some people feel that Google has stepped out of line in trying to penalise webmasters for doing this, but there is another way of looking at things;
The reason Google does not want people buying links to raise their websites rankings is that the reason building backlinks raises a websites rankings is that each backlink is considered as a 'vote' for it. If people are buying backlinks, then in effect they are buying votes! ... This is something that is frowned upon in most sections of society!
It is still possible to carry out Off Page SEO campaigns however. It is just that the methods have changed. Instead of trying to trick Google, it is best to work with methods Google does not frown upon. This means having quality content on your website (okay, we know... this is On Page seo technically, but it does make the Off Page SEO easier!) Having good site content means that people will WANT to link to your website.
The next step is to get the message out that this high quality info is on your website. Some link building techniques can be used for this, but not in an attempt to manipulate Google, just to get the word out about your website... then people will want to link to the great info they find!
Articles, press releases, guest blog interviews and RSS feeds are all great ways of doing this. This kind of specialist off page SEO is what we consider Ethical SEO, as it is not intended to manipulate Google results at all; instead we give google exactly what it wants... A website full of great relevant information that people will find useful, with info about the website in good positions on the web to start people talking about it, then backlinks should naturally build themselves.
A basic, but holistic way of looking at Ethical SEO is that for maximum effect, both ON PAGE and OFF PAGE SEO techniques need to be carried out together in a methodical way.
If you're looking for assistance with SEO for your website reach out to us via hello@providermarketing.com.au or consider one of our training courses.
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