**Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Basics

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. When someone searches for a product you sell, SEO helps your website appear near the top, increasing organic (non-paid) traffic. For example, if you sell 'red running shoes,' you want your website to appear when someone searches for that term. This is crucial because a higher ranking often leads to more clicks, more visitors, and ultimately, more sales. Think of it like this: if you have a physical store, SEO is like having a prime location on a busy street.

Keywords are the words and phrases people use when searching online. Keyword research is the process of identifying these terms relevant to your products and target audience. Tools like Google Keyword Planner (free, but requires a Google Ads account), SEMrush, or Ahrefs (paid, but offer more in-depth data) can help you find popular search terms.

Example: Let's say you sell handmade jewelry. You might research terms like:

• 'handmade necklaces'
• 'silver earrings'
• 'personalized bracelets'
• 'boho rings'

Consider using a combination of broad keywords (like 'handmade necklaces') and long-tail keywords (more specific phrases like 'handmade silver pendant necklace for women'). Long-tail keywords, while having fewer searches, often convert better because they target specific needs. Analyzing your competitor's websites and blog posts can also give you insight on keywords to use.

On-page optimization involves optimizing elements within your website to improve its ranking. This includes:

• Title Tags: The title that appears in the search engine results. Include your primary keyword at the beginning. Example: Instead of 'Product Page,' use 'Handmade Silver Necklace - [Your Brand Name]'.
• Meta Descriptions: A brief summary of your page's content that appears below the title tag in search results. Write compelling descriptions that include your keywords and encourage clicks. Example: 'Find beautiful handmade silver necklaces at [Your Brand Name]. Shop our collection of unique, handcrafted designs today!'.
• Header Tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.): Use header tags to structure your content, making it easier for users and search engines to understand the hierarchy of information. Use your primary keyword in your H1 tag and related keywords in lower-level headers.
• Content: Create high-quality, original content that includes your keywords naturally. Avoid 'keyword stuffing' (overusing keywords in an unnatural way). Write informative product descriptions that highlight benefits and features.
• Image Optimization: Use descriptive filenames for images (e.g., 'silver-necklace-pendant.jpg') and include 'alt text' (alternative text) that describes the image. Alt text is important for accessibility and helps search engines understand the image.
• Internal Linking: Link to other relevant pages within your website to help users navigate and to pass 'link juice' (authority) between pages.
• URL Structure: Create clean, keyword-rich URLs. Example: Good: yourwebsite.com/handmade-silver-necklaces. Bad: yourwebsite.com/product?id=123

Search engines use bots (also called spiders or crawlers) to find and analyze websites. The process works like this:

1. Crawling: The bots 'crawl' the internet, following links from website to website, discovering new content.
2. Indexing: The bots 'index' the content they find, adding it to the search engine's database. This means they analyze the text, images, and other elements of the page.
3. Ranking: When a user searches, the search engine uses algorithms to rank the indexed pages based on relevance, authority, and other factors. Factors like keywords, website speed, mobile-friendliness, and backlinks (links from other websites) all influence ranking. Search engines constantly update their algorithms.

Understanding this process helps you optimize your website for search engines. It's an ongoing process, not a one-time task.