Whether you’re new to the fundamentals of SEO or are looking to refine your strategy, our blog series is here to give you actionable insights, tips, and expert advice to help you navigate the world of SEO. In this guide, we’ll give you a basic overview of Search Engine Optimisation, but in upcoming blogs we will go into more detail, helping you enhance your SEO strategy.
Here at Blumilk, we have a dedicated team ready to enhance your SEO strategy and improve your website’s performance. Get in touch to find out how we can help.
So, what is SEO and why does it matter for businesses?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) helps your business to rank higher in search results. Ultimately, if your business doesn’t appear on the first page of Google when a user searches for a relevant term, it might as well be invisible. By ensuring your content and website are optimised, potential customers will find it easier to discover your products and services. Whilst ranking highly in search is important, it’s also vital to consider attracting quality traffic as different businesses have varying needs.
How do search engines work?
Search engines, like Google, are designed to help users find relevant information online. With millions of websites competing for attention, optimising your content helps your site be visible. The goal is to provide appropriate, authoritative, and useful information while naturally incorporating key SEO elements. Search engines also consider user engagement metrics (like click-through rates and bounce rates) when determining rankings.
What are the key elements of SEO?
There are three key components of SEO, all of which play critical roles. Here’s a basic overview:
On-Page SEO
Keyword research is the foundation of SEO copywriting. Understanding what terms your audience is searching for enables you to craft content around those keywords. Natural keyword placement is best, search engines penalise keyword stuffing.
Internal links help users and search engines navigate your website, improving the SEO value of individual pages.
Off-Page SEO (also known as off-site SEO)
Linking to authoritative external sources can signal to search engines that your content is well-researched and trustworthy. These links are referred to as backlinks in SEO terms. Not all backlinks are equally valuable, the quality and relevance of backlinks matter more than quantity. Spammy or irrelevant links can harm SEO.
Social media doesn’t directly impact search results but is pivotal in driving traffic to your website.
Similarly, influencer marketing – working with bloggers and content creators – is an excellent way to tap into new audiences.
Local SEO is the task of optimising your content to appear in local searches. Claiming and managing your Google Business Profile is a key element of this. Local citations and reviews also enhance your local search presence.
Technical SEO
An important consideration is how easily search engines can crawl and index your website. Search engines love well-organised content.
Using header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) helps structure your content that’s easy for users and search engines to read.
Site speed and secure connections are also important.
Over 60% of Google searches come from mobile devices, so your content must be mobile-friendly. Ensuring readability with shorter sentences, paragraphs, and bullet points can keep readers engaged.
What are the benefits of SEO?
Increased Website Traffic
Ranking higher in search results leads to increased organic traffic. Providing valuable content ensures this traffic is targeted to your business offering.
Build Credibility and Trust
By ranking higher in search results, you can be perceived as more trustworthy. Optimising content helps your business to establish authority in your industry by providing valuable insights and a great user experience.
Cost-Effective Marketing
SEO can be more cost-effective than other forms of advertising, it does however take time and effort with results taking months to show. The investment is worth it and will give your business a competitive advantage.
Better User Experience
It’s important to recognise that SEO isn’t just about search engines, it enhances the overall experience. From loading times to mobile-friendly navigation, SEO improves the experience for all visitors, leading to more conversions.
Local Visibility
If your business operates locally, it must appear high up in search results. Optimising for local search ensures your business reaches nearby customers ready to purchase.
Common SEO Myths Debunked
“SEO is a one-off effort with immediate results”
SEO is an ongoing process in a constantly evolving landscape. Staying up-to-date with developments will set you ahead of competitors.
“Keyword stuffing improves rankings”
This can be harmful to your rankings. Remember, your content needs to be relevant, valuable, and make sense.
Ready to boost your search rankings or want to learn more about the fundamentals of SEO?
Get in touch today to discuss how we can tailor an SEO plan to meet your specific needs to reach your business goals and drive measurable results.
The UK, together with their partners Italy, are currently hosting COP26 in Glasgow where Net Zero will be discussed and plans laid bare.
The United Nations have been bringing together world leaders from nearly every country on planet earth for more than three decades to discuss and reach an agreement on how to tackle climate change once and for all.
The race to Net Zero, Blumilk believes, is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you’re a global organisation or Sandra at number 22 you must ‘do your bit’ to lower your carbon footprint and leave a healthier world for future generations and the nature with which they’ll share our world.
What is the Paris Agreement?
At COP21 held in Paris in 2015, an historic agreement between every country involved was made to fight global warming together to achieve well below 2 degrees, aiming for 1.5.
It was at this summit that the Paris Agreement was born.
(Video credit: United Nations)
Under this agreement, each and every country involved made a commitment to bring forward national plans on how they will play their part in reducing emissions. These are known as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
These NDCs are set to be presented at the summit with countries clarifying their plans to reduce their emissions.
Sadly, the Paris Agreement has not made enough necessary changes to limit global warming so now is the time for the world to pull up its socks and take action now before it’s too late.
COP26 Goals
Yes, the commitments laid out in the Paris Agreement are ambitious with reducing global warming by 1.5 degrees by 2050, however, by following the steps below, we can still aim for this crucial result:
Accelerate the phase-out of coal
By making the transition to zero coal burning, an incredibly damaging fossil fuel and most carbon-intensive will play a huge role in keeping global warming to 1.5 degrees.
Curtail deforestation
The lungs of the world, forests are crucial in the fight against global warming by absorbing the damaging carbon dioxide from the air. Crucially, when forests are cleared or disturbed, that carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
Speed up the switch to electric vehicles
Electric vehicles emit far fewer greenhouse gases and air pollutants than their petrol or diesel counterparts. ‘Battery solutions are the catalyst that will drive our society to an electrified, zero-emissions future. It is the next industrial revolution; some call it the green revolution. The next decade will see unprecedented change’ (Orral Nafjari, Britishvolt CEO & Founder)
Encourage investment in renewables
Aside from the economic benefits of using renewable energy, the environmental impact is enormous. Generating energy using methods that produce zero greenhouse gasses will significantly reduce air pollution.
(UN Climate Change Conference UK 2021)
Adapt our efforts to protect communities and natural habitats
Some argue that global warming began with the Industrial Revolution as early as the 1830s with the last seven years being the warmest on record.
More than a million species are at risk of extinction by climate change (earthday.org).
Climate change can’t be ignored and COP26 is encouraging countries to adapt their ways to ‘protect and restore ecosystems while building defences, warning systems and resilient infrastructure to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods and even lives.’ (www.ukcop26.org)
How much will the fight to net-zero cost?
OK, we know what needs to be done but how will the world afford it? In order for countries to follow through with their commitments, at least $100bn in climate finance must be mobilised.
International financial institutions are receiving pressure to unleash trillions in private and public sector finance required to meet the global net-zero targets.
We must work together to deliver on our net-zero promise.
For organisations, lowering your carbon footprint can sometimes feel like a minefield but Blumilk is on hand to simplify your efforts and make sure that not only do your actions stack up but your branding, communications and campaigns do, too.
Due to launch Blumilk’s ‘Your Net Zero’ campaign is a first of its kind solution to assist organisations in their zero-carbon efforts through concise, truthful and impactful communications using a range of mediums including animation, digital content and collaboration to assist your plan ‘for better.’
From sustainability pledges to energy and carbon reporting to your CDP climate change disclosure and annual director’s reports and a whole host of other elements that will allow your organisation to be perceived as leaders in the race to zero.
Blumilk has worked alongside some of the UK’s most ambitious start-ups, SMEs and national organisations on their sustainability brands.
We will also work with specialist carbon offsetting consultants who are able to work with you on your approach and SBTi targets so that’s another area Blumilk have covered.
You can register your interest and we’ll be in touch as soon as we launch or if you have a question or would like to know more about other Blumilk services, you can contact colin@blumilk.com
To say that 2020 has been a rough old ride would be somewhat of an understatement.
We know that there are businesses out there who have been or are struggling during these unprecedented times, but we want to try and end the year on a bit of a high with a new perspective and a teensy ounce of optimism for 2021.
The Blumilk 2020 Roundup
Right from the get-go, the Blumilk Creative and Digital Agency in Newcastle got their heads together to see how we could do our bit to support North East Businesses.
Our relationships with our clients have gone from strength to strength during 2020.
Expanding our Utilities Portfolio
We celebrated our 12 month work anniversary with the incredible Western Power Distribution. During this time, we have worked on countless projects meeting countless key business objectives while working together to completely transform their business.
And it looks like our relationship in 2021 is only going to grow into something even bigger and better.
In keeping with one of our specialist areas of expertise – the utilities sector – Blumilk have carried on our long term relationship with our friends at SSEN, securing another contract for the foreseeable future.
Blumilk’s relationship with Affinity Water has grown into something quite awesome. We have more than solidified our position as an extension of their team (we’re this close to making the brews!).
Demonstrating just how committed we are to creating and implementing fresh approaches to branding, business excellence, digital transformation, regulatory reporting and everything in between with several of Affinity’s departments means 2021 is going to be more exciting than ever.
We’ve also continued to support two of our favourite destinations throughout this incredibly difficult year; The Alnwick Garden and Bamburgh Castle.
In-house achievements
While helping our amazing clients to grow, we’ve been doing some growing ourselves with the appointment of two experienced heads of department and two skilled project managers.
And it’s not just our business that has been sleeping in a grow bag; our brand recognition has penetrated the North East more than ever before with a PR push inside leading publications; North East Times, BDaily, The Evening Chronicle and Metro Radio.
As far as profit goes, this has been our best year since we began trading more than 21 years ago, doubling our turnover from the previous year.
And finally, as if we haven’t been busy enough, we launched Brandkeeper, grew Enyware and have another exciting website platform heading your way to combat a challenge within the equine industry.
Make no mistake, we’re not ones to rest on our laurels, and we know that success, particularly during such stressful and uncertain times, comes from an abundance of hard graft, relationship building and, most importantly, teamwork!
If you would like us to be involved in your journey through 2021 and beyond, drop the Blumilk Creative and Digital Agency in Newcastle a message at info@blumilk.com
